Super Saiyan
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A Super Saiyan (超サイヤ人, sūpā saiya-jin), often abbreviated as SSJ, is a transformation accessible to people who possess heritage from the Saiyan race; a fictional race of aliens in the manga and anime of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. This advanced state enables a Saiyan to extend their regular physical limits and achieve a state of almost limitless power.
Legend
The legend of the Super Saiyan is first introduced by Vegeta during the Freeza Saga. The legend states that once in a thousand years, in the Dragon Ball universe (three thousand years in the English dubbed version), a highly evolved Saiyan is born, his true power awakened through rage. This saiyan, called a Super Saiyan, would be recognized as the strongest being in the Universe, wielding what was considered limitless power.
Even though the Super Saiyan transformation had not been demonstrated by any saiyan in recorded history, the legend (along with the saiyans' rapidly evolving power) made the galactic overlord Freeza fear them. After witnessing a lower class saiyan defeat one of his elites, he came to fear the saiyans enough to destroy Planet Vegeta in the hope that the Super Saiyan legend would never be fulfilled.
Several saiyans escaped destruction, and this resulted in one of the survivors (Son Goku) transforming while battling Freeza almost thirty years later.
Goku was considered the legendary Super Saiyan, but after just a year, another Super Saiyan appeared. It was later discovered that any person with saiyan heritage was biologically capable of ascending to Super Saiyan, but only under the appropriate conditions. In the main series, all male saiyans still alive after the Freeza Saga managed to reach Super Saiyan, and some of them even managed to achieve advanced Super Saiyan transformations.
Conditioning versus Heritage
Surprisingly, pure blooded saiyans seem to have the most difficulty when attempting to achieve transformation for the first time. They, unlike their hybrid counterparts, seem to require a state of extreme emotional distress in order to initially transform (Both Goku and Vegeta required extreme distress in order to transform). However, people with only partial saiyan heritage seem to find it easier to achieve Super Saiyan, the actual reason behind this is never stated. They seem to have the ability to achieve Super Saiyan mostly through training, and not require as much emotional distress. Son Gohan and Future Trunks required some emotional distress, but Son Goten and Chibi Trunks required almost none at all.
Female Super Saiyans
There were never any female Super Saiyan in the entire Dragon Ball series, being that no pure bred Saiyan females survived Planet Vegeta's destruction. The two characters Pan and Bra were the only female characters in the manga series with saiyan heritage. The DBGT Perfect File implied Pan had the potential to transform, and possibly could have become a unique form of Super Saiyan. Toriyama later stated that he did not make a female character a Super Saiyan because he could not come up with a logical design for it, being that many of the physical traits of a Super Saiyan are more commonly male oriented, and not typical of females, such as massive muscle growth.
Levels
The following is a description of each Super Saiyan level, and the saiyans who reached the level (in chronological order).
False Super Saiyan
False Super Saiyan (擬似超サイヤ人, Giji Sûpâ Saiyajin) is a partially transformed Super Saiyan; and serves as a mid-point between the saiyan's regular form and Super Saiyan form. Certain features such as elevated hair, no apparent pupils, and a golden aura are evident (though the aura is more erratic and uncontrolled than in the full transformation, as well as the locks of hair not being as rigidly upright) however; this is only just part of the full transformation. The aura rubs off on opponents at times with the appearance of golden flames at the point of contact. Users do not seem to be in complete control while in this state. This form cannot be retained for very long since stress can build-up enormously from the lack of complete transformation needed to maintain stability of the power as seen in the film Lord Slug.
This isn't the actual name of the transformation used in the film, where it is referred to as "Super Saiyan" form. Dragon Ball Daizenshu #7 introduces the name to cover the discrepancies between the Super Saiyan transformation in the film and the actual Super Saiyan form in the manga.
Known users:
Super Saiyan
The first Super Saiyan transformation occurs when a Saiyan who has reached his natural limit is overcome with uncontrollable emotion; in most instances, rage. Even though the physical change is minimal, the power increase is colossal. The most noticeable change is that the hair is now a golden yellow and it is forced upward as if standing on end. The eye color changes to green and the muscles become more defined and toned. The Super Saiyan aura becomes steadily dancing waves of yellow flame. Behavioral change is also quite noticeable, the saiyan becomes more aggressive and temperamental than usual. The first saiyan seen to reach Super Saiyan in the series is Goku when fighting Freeza. Through training, the negative effects of the transformation can be suppressed and controlled, resulting in a Super Saiyan who can suppress his energy and act normal as if he was not transformed. (See below, Full-Power Super Saiyan.) It was theorized in Dragon Ball Z movie Super Android 13 that these Super Saiyan transformations prevented Goku from performing his Genki Dama technique. As a Super Saiyan, Goku's heart is full of rage. It was stated that, in order to become a Super Saiyan, one must be pure of heart, whether it be pure in evil or love. In the film, when Goku became a Super Saiyan after gathering power for a Genki Dama, he lost control of the energy and instead absorbed it into himself.
Known users:
- Son Goku
- Vegeta
- Son Gohan
- Broly
- Son Goten
- Trunks
- Gotenks
- Gogeta
- Vegetto
- Future Trunks
- Future Gohan
- Son Goku Jr.
- Vegeta Jr.
- Onio
Super Saiyan 2nd Grade/Ascended Super Saiyan
Super Saiyan 2nd Grade (超サイヤ人第２段階, Sûpâ Saiya-jin dai ni-dankai) or Ascended Super Saiyan is a transformation that occurs when Super Saiyan surpasses the limits of the regular Super Saiyan powers. This advanced state appears as a Super Saiyan, but with longer, finer hair that is forced further upward. The muscle mass on a saiyan is also significantly increased, but not to a point that reduces their movement and speed. The aura changes from gentle yellow/orange waves to a blazing uncontrolled torrent. The behavioral changes from the original Super Saiyan level to this one are apparent--this state is known for its increased aggression, even from the original Super Saiyan state. Super Saiyan 2nd Grade isn't considered an ascended state of Super Saiyan because the same basic limits and characteristics of the regullar Super Saiyan still apply. This is the form Vegeta and Trunks use for the fight with Cell.
Known users:
Super Saiyan 3rd Grade/Ultra Super Saiyan
Super Saiyan 3rd Grade (超サイヤ人第3段階, Sûpâ Saiya-jin dai san-dankai), also known as Ultra Super Saiyan, is an advanced, but uncontrolled form of the original Super Saiyan. Due to the lack of control over the energy, the Saiyan's muscles increase to a point where it actually decreases movement, resulting in a massive loss of speed. This transformation also consumes a vast amount of energy. In this form, there is more traits that inhibit the Saiyan rather then advancing them, so even though the power increase is drastic, the Saiyan will not even bother with the form due to the speed and energy loss. Perfect Cell also demonstrated that he could mimic this level of Super Saiyan. However, he explained that he lost his speed advantage and retained his 'perfect' form.
This form is easy to reach through training after achieving the previous form, Super Saiyan 2nd Grade, but it's impossible to control all the physical effects. The most noticeable change is the massive muscle increase. The hair becomes spikier, and the locks spread themselves out more than the previous forms of Super Saiyan. There is now a blazing, uncontrolled aura that surrounds the Saiyan.
Known users:
Full-Power Super Saiyan
This unique form is reached by mastering every aspect of the Super Saiyan form, including the unwanted behavioral effects. By mastering everything, the Super Saiyan is able to retain transformation almost subconsciously, and without having excess energy consumption during transformation or fighting. Goku first thought of mastery of the Super Saiyan when he was training in the Room of Spirit and Time with Gohan. He knew that in order to efficiently fight Cell, he and Gohan needed to supress the negative effects of Super Saiyan and have a natural feeling while transformed. After the Saiyan has mastered his Super Saiyan form, this becomes their standard Super Saiyan form. Goku and Gohan are the only confirmed individuals to have achieved this, even though in the manga it is suggested that Vegeta may have achieved it by the Buu Saga.
Because the primary goal of being in this form is a matter of energy efficiency, rather than energy output, during an intense battle, Full-Power Super Saiyan is not inherently more powerful than Super Saiyan 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade. Thus, because the user is used to the Super Saiyan form, they can put more energy into their body and attacks with less strain, meaning that higher levels of power can be ascended to than with 2nd Grade or 3rd Grade. This is, of course, if time is given for the individual in this form to gather the necessary energy to power up. The hair gets much more toned than the normal Super Saiyan and the aura is a unique balance of the auras from the regular Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2nd Grade and Super Saiyan 3rd Grade.
Known users:
Legendary Super Saiyan
This is the most unique form of Super Saiyan because the ability to transform into this is genetically selective, and exclusive to Broly. It only appeared in Dragon Ball Z movies, and thus, was not in the manga.
Beyond his regular Super Saiyan transformation, Broly's final form greatly increases his body size and muscle mass. His strength and speed exceed the limits of the regular Super Saiyan. Additionally, his irises and pupils in his eyes seemingly disappear.
This form is most unique because it does not share the physical limits and flaws of a regular Super Saiyan, it actually counters them; gradually increasing power as fighting continues. This contrasts the normal Super Saiyan that loses power as battle is prolonged.
Known users:
Super Saiyan 2
This stage is very similar to Super Saiyan in appearance, but the muscles do not receive much of an increase in their mass. Other physical changes include longer, finer, more upright hair, a rounder face, and smaller eyes. The behavioral effects are the same as an un-mastered Super Saiyan and every physical change remains the same color as Super Saiyan. A Saiyan reaches a new level of power when he reaches this level, resulting in a larger aura that now has a very evident blue-colored, bio-electrical field. This form was first achieved by Gohan while battling Cell. Like the original Super Saiyan form Super Saiyan 2 can be triggered by powerful emotions, but is generally reached through training.
Gohan's trasformation was unlike Goku and Vegeta's; when he used this form he gained an arrogant and almost sadistic mental status. One example of this happening is that after Gohan's first transformation, Gohan wanted Cell to suffer for the pain that he'd caused to the people of Earth. This contrasted his mental status in his Super Saiyan state where he refused to harm Cell at all. This sadistic nature was never emphasized in Goku and Vegeta's Super Saiyan 2 transformations, even though their aggression was heightened from their previous states.
There is some difficulty distinguishing between the first and second forms due to their being similar in appearance, and that Toei placed lightning on random auras with no sense of consistency in the anime. In the manga, it is easy to differentiate between them due to the second form's electricity surrounding the aura. There are also changes in the user's hair when comparing them to their regular Super Saiyan appearance.
The form seems to exaggerate upon the users inner feelings. It caused Goku to be more vigilant in keeping the earth safe. It had caused Vegeta to have even more of a desire to surpass Goku, and caused Gohan to become more easily angered. This attribute is only noticable upon the saiyans first attaining this form, seeing as how Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan seem to have more control over this side effect later on.
Known users:
Super Saiyan 3
This form is the strongest of all saiyan forms in the manga Dragon Ball series. This form is quite unique compared to the other forms because of the fact that the form causes the user to rapidly consume their own energy in order to maintain the transformation; this leads to fatigue and the eventual need to revert to the Saiyan's regular state. Only Goku and Gotenks are shown to be able to utilize this transformation, one of the reasons being that this form was the only option to gain enough power to combat Majin Buu. While Goku was in the Other World, he could maintain this form for as long as he liked because he had an unlimited supply of energy; but once he came back to Earth, his energy capacity was limited, so he could not maintain this form for very long. Gotenks also is not able to sustain this form for long periods of time, but Goku noted that Gotenks seemed to have the ability to maintain the form with more ease then he could.
Super Saiyan 3 is characterized by a waist-length variation of Super Saiyan hair in addition to the saiyan's eyebrows disappearing. Also it is noted that Goku's eyes have changed in that he has blue eyes and pupils, however Gotenks does not have the same characteristic. The bolts of lightning flaring up and dancing about are carried over from Super Saiyan 2. Despite the major drawbacks of this form, it increases speed and power far more than Super Saiyan 2.
Known users:
Super Saiyan 4
This state of Super Saiyan was the last, and the strongest, to ever be achieved in the series. This transformation only appears in Dragon Ball GT, and as a result, never appeared in the original manga. The Super Saiyan 4 form is implied to only be accessible to pure blooded saiyans; this was discovered when the parasitic Bebi had possessed Vegeta, and "Bebi Vegeta" could not transform to this because Bebi was not Saiyan, making Vegeta's heritage impure.
This form is only initially achieved when the primal urges of the Golden Oozaru are supressed and the mind is controlled. After this form is first achieved, it can be accessed afterwards without having to transform into a Golden Oozaru first. This form was first achieved by Goku when battling Bebi Vegeta, and then achieved by Vegeta during the battle with Omega Shenron.
In this form, the saiyan's hair is not golden yellow like the other Super Saiyan forms (Goku's hair became his original black, and Vegeta's become a lighter shade of his original black with brown highlights). The Saiyan's tail is present, and their bodies are covered in a shade of red fur. Their top and bottom eyelids become red, and the hair is lengthened and becomes wild and untamed. This form looks mostly the like the humanoid saiyan, but with Oozaru characteristics as well.
Known users:
- Son Goku (black hair, gold eyes, scarlet colored fur)
- Vegeta (dark brown hair, aqua eyes, crimson colored fur)
- Gogeta (Crimson hair, light blue eyes, burgundy colored fur)