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Transformations are one of the most iconic and identifiable aspects of theDragon Ballstory as a whole. Some of the greatest moments in the franchise’s history have come when the heroes shattered through their limits in order to awaken a power that’s far greater than any they had shown before. Quite often, a brand-new transformation tends to be the highlight of any given story arc.
The protagonist of the franchise, Son Goku, is no stranger to this trend. Due to generally being considered the greatest warrior in his universe, he has undergone many transformations that have only reinforced his legend, so much so that, now, he has awoken thepower of the Angels with his Ultra Instinct form. However, one of Goku’s oldest transformations remains not only his best one, but the best in theDragon Ballfranchise.
Story Arc
Namek Saga
Although it was never the first Shonen anime franchise out there, it’s safe to say that no Shonen series has had as much of an impact and lasting legacy asDragon Ball.Through its legendary fighting sequences, lovable characters, and insane feats of power, this franchise has transcended the anime genre and is remembered around the entire world as one of the most iconic series of all time.
A massive reason for this is the way that it has dealt with forms, all of which started with Goku’s legendary transformation into his Super Saiyan state in the Namek Saga. Although this wasn’t the first transformation in the franchise, and not even the first for Goku himself, it was the form that changed the way the power scaling of the franchise was dealt with henceforth, as well as the one credited with creating a new standard for not onlyDragon Ball, but Shonen anime/manga as an industry.
Power comes in response to a need, not a desire. You have to create that need.
Of course, there are a few detractors who disagree with this being Goku’s best form, particularly because of its lack of innovation when it comes to combat. This criticism is justified, sinceSuper Saiyan simply makes the user faster and strongerthan they were before, which, to some, feels like a superficial change that doesn’t really change anything but somehow makes them better. This is a wide-ranging criticism that can be used for all of Goku and Vegeta’s transformations aside from Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego, respectively.
However, the real reason why Super Saiyan Goku will always come out on top of other forms in the series is due to it being the first transformation of its kind in the entire industry. The impact it had over 30 years ago is still being felt in other anime franchises to this day, as transformations have become a staple of this genre as a whole purely due to the impact of Goku going Super Saiyan for the first time.
Unfortunately, as is the case with franchises likeDragon Ball, the earlier transformations in the series eventually become outdated due to how power scaling tends to work. Due to this, the Super Saiyan form lost its overall effectiveness as early as the Perfect Cell arc, where Gohan’s unlocking of Super Saiyan 2 set a new standard for the series, forcing the Saiyans to perfect their power even further in order to awaken a new form even beyond Super Saiyan. This would only be expedited in the Buu Saga andDragon Ball Super.
However, the impact that Super Saiyan Goku had on the world is second to none. Not only did Goku introduce an aspect that went on to become essential in the Shonen anime genre as a whole, but the moment he did so goes down as the most important in the entireDragon Ballseries. Setting the standard and defining an entire genre very easily puts Super Saiyan Goku as the greatest transformation in all ofDragon Ball.
Only One Other Transformation Comes Close To Super Saiyan Goku
The Best In A Long Time
Following Super Saiyan, there would eventually be many transformations that the Saiyans, particularly Goku, would undergo within the series. While the traditional line of Super Saiyans is dearly beloved by the fandom, none were able to reach the heights of the original due to the lack of innovation when it came to function, as they were all just power boosts that made the users faster and stronger somehow. However,this all changed with Ultra Instinct.
Ultra Instinct is a technique used by the Angels of the multiverse that allows their bodies to think for themselves, automatically dodging attacks without the user’s input. Goku became the first mortal in history to learn and master this technique, bringing an entirely new fighting style to the table for him to use and giving him a design that was different from the standard golden hair of Super Saiyan. To this day, Ultra Instinct remains Goku’s most unique transformation and the only one that is sort of close to his original Super Saiyan form in terms of influence.
