Akira Toriyama’s *Dragon Ball* fundamentally changed the world of Shonen manga, and continues to inspire creators today. Of all the series’ memorable elements, the power-up transformations are arguably the most iconic. Over the past four decades, the *Dragon Ball* franchise has consistently introduced new transformations to keep fans engaged, often showing heroes gaining incredible power when facing desperate situations or through rigorous training.
Even though the enemies constantly transform during fights, our Saiyan heroes always manage to be more powerful. Goku, his son Gohan, and Vegeta – once an enemy, now an ally – all become Super Saiyans and show off incredible strength. But five moments in particular stand out as the most memorable for fans.
5) Vegeta Turned Super Saiyan 3 After More Than Three Decades
Goku first achieved the Super Saiyan 3 form in the manga back in 1990, during what was nearly the end of the series. This meant Vegeta, who always lagged slightly behind Goku, didn’t get a comparable moment. Now, over thirty years later, the new series *Dragon Ball Daima* surprised everyone by giving Vegeta a powerful new transformation, adding even more excitement to the franchise. Sadly, *Daima* is Toriyama’s last work, having been released shortly after his passing.
This series was made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original manga. It features Goku and his friends after they’ve been magically turned back into children and find themselves in the Demon Realm. While everyone is much weaker in their child forms, Vegeta still manages to transform, though it takes a lot of energy, even when fighting opponents like Tamagami Number Two.
4) Goku’s Super Saiyan 4 Finally Became Canon
It’s a familiar pattern: Vegeta has his big moment, but Goku quickly surpasses him. The Super Saiyan 4 transformation first appeared in *Dragon Ball GT*, a series created by Toei Animation. Although *GT* wasn’t universally loved, SSJ4 was a fascinating new take on the Super Saiyan form. Now, after nearly thirty years, Akira Toriyama has made it official canon, tweaking a few details and bringing it back in *Daima*.
Just before the end of the battle with Daima, Neva used his magic to unlock a hidden potential within Goku, causing him to transform. This happened at the last moment, saving Goku from a decisive attack by Gomah, and allowing Goku to easily defeat the villain.
3) Goku’s Ultra Instinct Sign Broke the Internet
Ultra Instinct is a technique typically used by gods, but Goku achieves a version called ‘Ultra Instinct Sign’ which acts as a full transformation, not just a boost in power. This happened during his battle with Jiren in the Tournament of Power, after Goku narrowly survived being hit by his own Spirit Bomb. To everyone’s astonishment, he returned with increased strength, significantly narrowing the power difference between himself and Jiren.
It’s been more than eight years since Ultra Instinct first appeared in the anime during a special hour-long episode, and it’s still considered a truly iconic moment. The episode caused a huge surge in online traffic, actually crashing some streaming services, and everyone was talking about it on social media. In the manga, Goku keeps getting better at using this power, pushing his limits as a mortal and overcoming the challenges that come with Ultra Instinct.
2) Gohan’s Super Saiyan 2 Overpowered Cell
From a very young age, Gohan displayed incredible power, even surpassing his father, Goku. By age eleven, he had already unlocked the Super Saiyan form and seemed prepared for the battle against Cell. However, Cell turned out to be a far stronger opponent than anyone expected. When Gohan saw Android 16 killed and watched his friends struggle against Cell’s offspring, his anger finally exploded.
When his emotions reached a peak, Gohan transformed into Super Saiyan 2, an incredibly powerful state. This cemented his place as a legendary Shonen hero, as he easily defeated the villain – someone even his father had struggled against.
1) Goku’s First Super Saiyan Transformation Redefined Shonen
As a lifelong Dragon Ball fan, one moment *always* sticks with me: Goku going Super Saiyan for the very first time! It happened during his epic battle with Frieza, and honestly, it changed everything. Before that, the legend of the golden-haired Super Saiyan was just that – a legend, a powerful form that everyone thought was lost to time. It really set a new standard for transformations in action manga!
The Saiyan people, a proud and powerful race, lived for countless years without achieving this incredible transformation, but Goku was destined for greatness. Once he unlocked this new power, he quickly defeated Frieza, the cruel ruler who had been threatening his family and friends.
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2025-10-18 19:41