Saiyan Transformation FAQ

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

This is one of the most discussed topics in DB. How do the Super Sayian transformations work and what are there order?

This guide will give you detailed information about how every transformation goes, how to recognize them and who have obtained them.

Also I will add a section about the kaio ken and Mystic transformation.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Let's start this guide with some background information about Saiyans.

The name Saiyan is the English translation of the Japanese word Saiya-jin. Jin is the Japanese word for person, thus Saiya-jin actually mean Saiya person. For example, in Japanese Americans are called America-jin. Or all the Earthlings are known as Chikyuu-jin in Japanese.

Because of this, you would assume that Saiya-jin means that they come from the planted Saiya. However, as most of us know, the saiyans come from the planed Vegeta thus this theory doesn't apply here.

Now a bit about Legendary Super Saiyans. This is a hard part since there are two things said about it.

1. In the anime, Vegeta states that only 1 in every 1.000 saiyans is born a Legendary Super Saiyan(Japanese version).

2. In the manga, Vegeta states that once every 1.000 years a super saiyan is born.

Opinion: I think that both of them are wrong. In case of the first one, you should have a lot of super saiyans walking around. And if you watch the U.S. version of the anime, Vegeta states that it has been 3.000 years since the last super saiyan, that would mean we're missing two.
So I wouldn't follow either of them.

Now I'll tell a bit about how this Legendary Super Saiyan and normal Super saiyan stuff puts together.

When a Saiyan is born, he has been born with either Super Saiyan skills or not. Simple. This form of Legendary Super Saiyan is Broly. When you have been born as a Legendary Super Saiyan, there are two split off, one with tail, one without. When you have a tail, you can become the Golden Oozaru (can also be obtained in an other way). When you don't have a tail, you'll become the form Broly has, called here Legendary Super Saiyan.

Now, how does one become a Super Saiyan when not being born a Legendary Super Saiyan? Simple, by training hard and meeting the requirements for Super Saiyan (see Super Saiyan). This will work two ways as well. When you have a tail and absorbed enough brute waves, you become the Golden Oozaru (SSJ4 when calmed down). When you don't have a tail, you will become the form of Super Saiyan mainly seen in DBZ. Note that if your tail returns, you will still be able to turn "Normal" Super Saiyan.

Super Saiyan Woman, what about that? Well, it is possible, we just never saw one. That is actually for this simple reason. There are two female Saiyans in the entire series, Pan and Bra. Bra doesn't fight and Pan never fully met the requirements. This because two things, she never reached the needed power level to become a Super Saiyan and she never became rage filled. She did became emotional, but never enough to become rage filled. However, people say that a female Super Saiyan is different from the male version. This has however never been confirmed.

Last part here is the downsides of being a Super Saiyan. To be in a Super Saiyan state, the user must be reminded of hate. Because of this, Goku can't create a spirit bomb while being Super Saiyan. This doesn't mean that he can't become a Super Saiyan after he created a spirit bomb (see spirit Super Saiyan). Also, a Saiyan uses energy faster when in Super Saiyan state than when a Saiyan is in his normal form.

Having Said that, I'll now move on to the next part of the guide, the saiyan forms.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Oozaru.



Characters who have obtained this form:

All Saiyans that have a tail.

Summary:

A Saiyan can transform into an Giant Ape or "Oozaru" under the light of a full moon.

Requirements for Oozaru Transformation

• You must be a Saiyan or part Saiyan.
  
• You must still have your tail.
  
• You have to look at the full moon, or something simulating it, such as the Moon Blast Explode.
  
• If a triggering event occurs, you will transform automatically, it is not an option.

Note that all Saiyans wil transform provided the above conditions are met.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Super Saiyan 0.5 (false or Giji form).



First Character seen in this form:

Goku

Characters who have obtained this form:

Goku

Summary:

This form that was only seen once in DBZ movie 4 (3, European version) is a form that is somewhere between Super Saiyan and Kaio Ken. This is a form of super saiyan that will be reached when the requierment for Super Saiyan have been reached, but the saiyan doesn't have enough power for Super Saiyan.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Super Saiyan.



First Character seen in this form:

Goku

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Goku
  
• Gohan
  
• Goten
  
• Vegeta
  
• Future Trunks
  
• Trunks
  
• Gotenks
  
• Vegitto
  
• Gogeta
  
• Broly
  

Summary:

This is the first level of Super Saiyan. To become this form, a Saiyan must reach each of the follow requirements:
A minimum power level of 300.000.
A quiet, pure and calm heart.
Extreme rage.
No tail.

The minimum power level is not the exact minimum, but it was the power level Goku had when transforming.

The quiet and calm heart can either be pure good, but also pure evil as stated by Vegeta. The extreme rage can be hard, since it must be a special kind of rage, not just flat anger. Vegeta obtained this when he was angry at himself for being week and not for Goku being strong.

The no tail part only counts when you transform for the first time. After that, you can transform even when having a tail.

You can recognize this form by the few smooth tufts.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Stage 2 Super Saiyan (Ultimate Super Saiyan).



First Character seen in this form:

Vegeta

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Goku
  
• Future Trunks
  
• Vegeta
  

Summary:

This form is somewhere between Super Saiyan and Full Power Super Saiyan. This form increases the users muscle mass, giving the user greater power. However, due to the increased muscle mass, the user is slower. Therefor, this form is very ineffective against enemies that have a lot of speed.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Stage 3 Super Saiyan (true Ultimate Super Saiyan).




First character seen in this form:

Future Trunks

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Goku
  
• Future Trunks
  

Summary:

This is a step beyond Stage 2 Super Saiyan, but still not as strong as Full Power Super Saiyan. This form increases the users muscle mass to massive proportions. This gives the user even greater strength, but it lowers the users speed. This form has only been used once in a real battle between Future Trunks and Perfect Cell.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Full Power Super Saiyan.



First Character seen in this form:

Gohan

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Gohan
  
• Goku
  

Summary:

This is actually not a real Super Saiyan form, but I'll just put it in. In this form, the user stays Super Saiyan, even outside of battle and while sleeping. This form allows the user to fight with out powering up and losing energy during the power up. Because of this, the user can use the maximum power a Super Saiyan can have.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Super Saiyan 2.



First Character seen in this form:

Gohan

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Goku
  
• Gohan
  
• Vegeta
  
• Gotenks
  

Summary:

This form goes beyond the powers of Super Saiyan. You can distinguish this form from Super Saiyan because of the multiple spiky tufts. Also, lightning will now be part of the characters aura. This form increases power as well as speed and therefor is very useful in battle.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Super Saiyan 3.



First character seen in this form:

Goku

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Goku
  
• Gotenks
  

Summary:

This is the most powerful form of Super Saiyan seen in Dragonball Z. This form is easily distinguished from the other forms because of the long hair, extension of the brow and complete lack of eyebrows. The full power of this is strong enough to defeat Kid Buu.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Golden Oozaru.



First Character seen in this form:

Last Super Saiyan before Goku. (first clearly seen in DBGT by Goku).

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Last Super Saiyan before Goku
  
• Goku
  
• Vegeta
  
• Baby (vegeta's body).
  

Summary:

This is the form of Super Saiyan that you get when having a tail and are either born with the ability or have absorbed enough brute waves. This form is even more powerful than Super Saiyan 3. However, the user has a hard time controlling this form, making him very dangerous. The last Super Saiyan before Goku destroyed himself along with the planet he was on because he couldn't control his power.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Super Saiyan 4.



First character seen in this form:

Goku

Characters who have obtained this form:

• Goku
  
• Vegeta
  
• Gogeta
  

Summary:

This form is obtained when you calm down when in Golden Oozaru state. This is considered Super Saiyan 4, although it doesn't follow Super Saiyan 3.
This form is very different from all Super Saiyan form seen before. In this form, the user has black hair and red body hair. Also the user has a red tail. An interesting fact is that Goku, though a child in DBGT, is an adult in this form. This is the most powerful form ever seen of Super Saiyan.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Legendary Super Saiyan.



Only character seen in this form:

Broly

Summary:

This form appears only in three movies. This form of Super Saiyan is the form you have when you're born a Super Saiyan. In this form, the user has no control over his actions whatsoever, making the user a bloodthirsty monster. The user has an enormous muscle mass and has greenish-yellowish hair. This forms power depends on the power level of the user.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

KaioKen.



Only character seen in this form:

Goku

Summary:

This is the Kaioken technique from King Kai. This form is less powerful as False Super Saiyan. This form has several stages depending on the users power level. The highest stage seen is Kaioken X20. This form can be very dangerous, since it can damage the body beyond repair and even causes death to the user. This form allows the user to increase his speed and power beyond the limits of his body without changing it.

[François Obieglo-Molenaar.]

Super Kaioken.



Only character seen in this form:

Goku

Summary:

This is actually the same as normal Kaioken, only then preformed while the user is Super Saiyan. When powering up, you'll see a mix of yellow and red before the red takes over completely. The only thing you see remaining of the Super Saiyan state is the form of the hair. Note that it still is dangerous to use it since it can destroy the body just like normal kaioken.