Summary
One of Akira Toriyama’s greatest contributions to the landscape of shonen anime and manga is in the long line of Super Saiyan transformationshe devised throughoutDragon Ball Zand each subsequent entry in theDragon Ballfranchise. The debut of the original Super Saiyan form during the Frieza Saga was a landmark moment whose cultural impact has transcended all barriers in the years since.
Subsequently, quite a few shonen series have used this form fromDragon Ball Zas the template for the transformations introduced in their own franchises. At the same time, Toriyama expanded on the original form with several successivetransformations in the Super Saiyan series, with each one having a distinct identity that reflected the themes of the story arc it was introduced in. As a consequence, there have been many memorable and awe-inspiring forms in this line, but which Super Saiyan form had the best design of them all?
What Makes An Iconic Super Saiyan Form?
Naturally, as defining plot elements in the overarching stories of manyDragon Ballsagas, theimpact of each Super Saiyan transformationis inherently tied to the build up preceding it as well as the actual process behind its reveal. As such, the context behind a form’s introduction is as critical to its narrative significance and legacy as the appearance and abilities of the form itself.
That being said, this comparison will look solely at the character designs of contending forms, how well they visually cohere with the arc they feature in, along with the specifics of how their designs tie into theseries' ki-based power system. With these outlined parameters of comparison, there are a few transformations that emerge as clear favorites over their peers based on certain metrics, but may not score well in other departments.
The Varied World Of Super Saiyan Transformations
Beginningwith the first Super Saiyan transformation, significant changes in character design can be seen with Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade, along with Super Saiyan 2, 3, and 4 duringDragon Ball ZandDragon Ball GT. Further down the line,Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Godsadded Super Saiyan God to the mix, whereasDragon Ball Superintroduced Super Saiyan Blue and Super Saiyan Rose.
Each form had an immense impact on the story arc in which it debuted, and they all played on aspects of the original Super Saiyan design to some degree. For instance,Super Saiyan conveyed Goku’s enhancedpower through a yellow aura along with blonde, upturned hair, piercing greenish-blue eyes, heightened muscle mass, and more stern facial features. This added an intimidating edge to his appearance, which aligned well with the overall theme behind the form’s design of being a prophesied legendary warrior, whose emergence was foreshadowed throughout the Frieza Saga.
During the Cell Saga, Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade featured successive increases in muscle mass and aura, but not too much else in terms of design. Next, Super Saiyan 2 added a larger aura, spikier hair, and sparks of bioelectricity which effectively adhered to the more science fiction-leaning Cell Saga. Next,Super Saiyan 3, in its first appearance,featured a temporarily revived Goku who had a halo over his head, with a more menacing and exuberant design. Incorporating elaborate waist-length hair, the absence of eyebrows, a more pronounced brow ridge, a larger aura, and similarly expansive bioelectric sparks, this form tended further towards the mysticism and epic fantasy tone of the Majin Buu Saga.
Super Saiyan 4 was a drastic changeof pace, as it lay in the Great Ape branch of Saiyan transformations, developed from the Golden Great Ape form. It featured a far more animalistic and menacing appearance, a return to dark hair, along with much more muscle mass, and fur. Pioneered by Broly, the Legendary Super Saiyan channeled a berserker state with incredibly high muscle mass and a green-tinted aura, with many of the original form’s traits harnessed to far more terrifying effect.
With Super Saiyan God, the Saiyan’s hair returned to its shape in their base form, but was colored either magenta-red or crimson-red, with similarly hued irises and an aura that resembles fire itself. Moreover, a user’s musculature was also discernibly more lean and youthful, as opposed to the bulkier transformations preceding it.
This transformation signaled a shift towards the use of god ki, continued with the Super Saiyan Blue form, which is similar to the original Super Saiyan state, albeit with blue hair and a fiery electric blue aura.Super Saiyan Rose adopts a similar aesthetic, although its defining shade is pink rather than blue, to differentiate its users as divine beings.
Uniqueness Vs. Impact And Thematic Coherence
An important distinction between some of these forms can be seen in evaluations of how unique they are, coupled with the weight their debut carried in both the manga and anime versions.Super Saiyan 4 was incredibly uniquecompared to its predecessors, and has long since been hailed as one of the best things to come out ofDragon Ball GT, even if certain aspects of its design and naming have garnered mixed reception.
As the progenitor of this variety of Saiyan transformations,the original Super Saiyan formis simple, refined, and indisputably iconic, to the point where even its diminishing relevance in the context of the series' power scaling has not affected its legacy or recall value. The same cannot be said for the Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade forms, which were made entirely obsolete by Super Saiyan 2.
While Super Saiyan 2 is quite iconic and introduced new elements to the transformation, such as bioelectric sparks, it is still quite similar to its predecessor, despite the monumental impact it had on the narrative. Conversely,the Legendary Super Saiyan transformationdid set itself apart with only a slight color change and a more hulking physique, as it remains an icon of the original Broly movie series, and its introduction inDragon Ball Supercould pave the way for it to have a similar impact on the new series.
On the topic of forms featured inDragon Ball Super, neither Super Saiyan God norSuper Saiyan Blue exhibit muchon the design front apart from minor deviations in color scheme and the nature of their associated aura. Lastly, Super Saiyan 3 is undoubtedly one of, if not the most formidable forms in the series based on sheer visual impact, as it carries an otherworldly air to its design, befitting the explosive power it boasted in the context of its introduction. It also has one of the most jaw-dropping transformation sequences in the entire franchise, adding further points to its benefit, despite how impractical and ill-suited it is in most combat situations.
All things considered, Super Saiyan 3 mightslightly edge out Super Saiyan 4and the original Super Saiyan as the Super Saiyan form with the best design, due to its incredibly distinctive appearance and the sheer power it radiates from a visual perspective. Following it, the original Super Saiyan form may be second-best due to its cultural impact and role in inspiring every transformation that followed it. Lastly, Super Saiyan 4 is a close third by virtue of how it rewrote the rules for Saiyan forms entirely, fueling further innovation in this department in succeeding installments ofDragon Ball.
Dragon Ball Zcan be streamed onCrunchyroll.
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese anime series produced by Toei Animation and a sequel to the 1986 Dragon Ball series. It continues the adventures of Son Goku as an adult while also paralleling the life of his son Gohan. Son Goku typically defends the Earth from villains like Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. The series is followed by Dragon Ball GT and then Dragon Ball Super.
