As Dragon BallGoku's main character has had many different forms since the original series DBZ, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Superand lastly Dragon Ball DAIMA. It's no exaggeration to say that Goku has more transformations than any other character Dragon Ball. While Mastered Ultra Instinct seems to be the peak of Goku's power, the reality Dragon Ball DAIMA the canonized Super Saiyan 4 means there will always be room for more transformations for Goku to unlock.
The Official Dragon Ball 10 Most Powerful Super Forms, Ranked
Dragon Ball Super's power scaling means the series' forms are leagues stronger than anything seen in Dragon Ball Z, and they keep getting stronger.
Goku has come a long way since his original Great Ape transformation in Dragon Balleventually becoming the first Super Saiyan in the series Dragon Ball Z and setting a precedent for God Ki and personal forms in Dragon Ball Super. Goku's many transformations are a great way to follow his progression and growth as a martial artist throughout the franchise. Goku started Dragon Ball as a young warrior slightly stronger than the average human and transformed into one of the most powerful warriors in the multiverse – strong enough to fight literal gods.
15
Great Ape Goku was the first and weakest Dragon Ball transformation
A major twist to the Pilaf saga, Goku transforms into a gigantic ape after looking at the full moon at the end of the arc. Great Ape Goku only appears twice in the game Dragon Ball – at the end of the Pilaf Saga and at the end of the 21st World Tournament. In both cases, he will deal with Goku very easily. In the first, Yamcha and Puar work together to cut off Goku's tail. In the latter, Master Roshi blows up the moon with a full Kamehameha.
What's particularly interesting about Great Ape Goku is how Dragon Ball it recontextualizes its main protagonist into the form of the final boss of the first arc, so to speak. After saving the Dragon Team from every problem in the saga, Akira Toriyama subverts expectations by making Goku the final problem. Dragon Ball Z he later retcons Goku's Great Ape transformation into an innate technique that every Saiyan possesses and unleashed his full power to wreak unparalleled chaos and destruction on planets. Had it not been checked, Oozaru Goku could have wiped out humanity.
14
Kaioken is still the most underrated form of Goku
Goku's first form in Dragon Ball ZKaioken is one of the most underrated transformations in the series. Goku learned to use the Kaioken while training with King Kai in another world. At the cost of putting a serious physical strain on the user's body, the Kaioken multiplies Goku's power level in doses, allowing him to fight on par with Vegeta's 18,000 power level. At the end of the Saiyan Saga, pushing the Kaioken x4 is all it takes to break Goku's body.
By the end of the Frieza Saga, Goku can comfortably use Kaioken x20 as his max power. x20 is canonically the strongest version that Kaioken Goku uses Dragon Ballbut in Dragon Ball Z: Lord SlugGoku is able to move the Kaioken to x100. In canon, Goku realistically would never have been able to do this, as even pushing Kaioken x20 during his fight with Frieza was enough to completely exhaust him before he turned Super Saiyan.
13
Pseudo Super Saiyan is a non-canonical form that predates SSJ by only 10 days
The Super Saiyan mystery is one of the most interesting plot beats of the Frieza Saga, especially when you watch or read the arc in the context it was written under. Not at the time Dragon Ball the fan knew Super Saiyan would be a transformation. Even Vegeta assumed it was simply a state of being, believing that both he and Goku became Super Saiyans at various points in the Saga. Toei had their own take on the Super Saiyan before Akira Toriyama formally introduced the form.
IN Dragon Ball Z: Lord SlugGoku transforms into a Pseudo Super Saiyan, a fake version of Super Saiyan that acts as a bridge between Goku's base form and the true Super Saiyan transformation. PSSJ is powerful but unstable, which is especially interesting considering that Super Saiyan Goku originally had to fight his barbaric urges when he first transformed. Notably, Pseduo Super Saiyan Goku debuted just 10 days before Akira Toriyama properly introduced Super Saiyan Goku in Dragon Ball manga.
12
Super Saiyan Goku is the most iconic transformation in anime history
The transformation that changed everything for anime, manga and Dragon BallGoku first became a Super Saiyan after Frieza killed Krillin on Planet Namek. Like Kaioken, Super Saiyan multiplies the user's power level. Unlike Kaioken, Super Saiyan does not destroy the user's body and instead functions as a powered-up state (at the expense of some of the Ki drain and stamina issues that Cell Saga addresses).
Super Saiyan increases Goku's Power Level from the base 300,000 to 150,000,000 in the Frieza Saga and serves as a 50x multiplier – far beyond anything Kaioken can achieve in canon. Super Saiyan 1 is the most iconic of the Super Saiyan forms and has been used regularly Dragon Ball Z until the Majin Buu Saga where Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan 3 take Goku's main forms.
11
Full Power Super Saiyan Goku is the perfect version of SSJ1
After realizing that he can't defeat either the Androids or Cell with just a Super Saiyan, Goku heads to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to train with Goku and find a way to evolve the Super Saiyan into a stronger form. Over the course of nine months, Goku learned all of Super Saiyan's flaws and strengths and came to the conclusion that the only way to make Super Saiyan better was to stay Super Saiyan at all times, essentially making him his base form.
Dragon Ball Z's 10 Most Powerful Transformations, Ranked
Anime transformations as we know them wouldn't exist without Dragon Ball Z, and those are absolutely the strongest forms in DBZ.
By the time Goku and Gohan exit the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku has evolved Full Power Super Saiyan, a version of the form that has absolutely no issues with Ki draining or stamina. By remaining in Full Power Super Saiyan at all times, Goku is able to raise his Power Level to ridiculous heights, transforming him from a fighter weaker than Androids 17 and 18 to someone strong enough to make Perfect Cell sweat.
10
Super Saiyan Kaioken is the non-canon form of Goku used to fight the Pikkons in Dragon Ball Z
IN Dragon Ball manga, Goku never uses Kaioken again after unlocking Super Saiyan on Namek. IN Dragon Ball Z anime, Toei brought Kaioken back, most recently for the non-canonical Other World Tournament Saga set between the Cell and Majin Buu Sagas. During his final battle with Pikkon, Goku stacks the Kaioken on Super Saiyan, multiplying his Power Level to absurd degrees.
Unfortunately, both Goku and Pikkon accidentally chime in by touching the top of the arena, meaning their fight never ends. Given Kaioken and Super Saiyan's respective multipliers, logic dictates that Super Saiyan Kaioken is in a league of its own. This means that as a non-canonical form, Dragon Ball Z he is forced to ignore the transformation for the rest of the series.
9
Super Saiyan 2 Goku was so strong that he convinced Vegeta to become a Majin
After Goku sacrifices his life during the Cell Games, he chooses to stay in the Otherworld rather than return to life. Seven years later, Goku finally unlocks Super Saiyan 2. When Goku returns for his one day on Earth in the Majin Buu Saga, he briefly turns Super Saiyan 2 while fighting Yakon, giving Majin enough energy to kill him on the spot. Vegeta realizes that Goku unlocked Super Saiyan 2 in the afterlife and is now definitely stronger than him, which is enough to send him into a midlife crisis.
Super Saiyan 2 Goku is exactly the same power level as Super Saiyan 2 Majin Vegeta, but both are so overwhelmingly powerful that their Kiri ends up awakening Majin Buu way ahead of schedule. IN Dragon Ball Z anime, Goku uses Super Saiyan 2 for the final time in his final battle with Kid Buu. IN Dragon Ball manga, Goku never uses Super Saiyan 2 again after being shown by Fat Buu before their first and only fight.
8
Super Saiyan 3 Goku was his strongest form in Dragon Ball Z
Along with unlocking Super Saiyan 2, Goku also unlocked Super Saiyan 3 during his training in the Otherworld. Super Saiyan 3 was the strongest transformation of Super Saiyan v Dragon Ball Zand Goku's strongest canon makes up to Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. Super Saiyan 3 is so powerful that King Kai felt Goku turn into one halfway through the universe. Unfortunately, Super Saiyan 3 has huge drawbacks due to its overwhelming power level.
In subversion Dragon Ball tropes, Super Saiyan 3 is actually too powerful for its own good. A mortal body simply cannot keep up with Super Saiyan 3, draining Ki faster than the user can recharge. Neither Super Saiyan 3 Goku nor Gotenks could defeat a single enemy Dragon Ball Z due to negative side effects of the form. Super Saiyan 3 Goku was technically strong enough to kill Kid Buu, but was unable to keep the form active long enough to finish the job.
7
Super Saiyan 4 Goku in Dragon Ball DAIMA was strong enough to shake the Demon Realm
Akira Toriyama has finally created the Super Saiyan 4 canon Dragon Ball DAIMA. During the final battle with Gomah, Neva unlocks Goku's hidden potential and allows him to transform into a Super Saiyan 4. Even without his adult body, Mini Super Saiyan 4 Goku is strong enough to deal serious damage to Giant Gomah and come extremely close to killing him during their fight. Super Saiyan 4 uses Goku's original monkey design from OG Dragon Ballhe pulled his tail and fought the monkey moves.
Super Saiyan 4 Goku is even stronger in his adult form and completely surpasses Giant Gomah in every way. If not for the Evil Third Eye's specific magic, SSJ4 Goku would have been able to defeat Dragon Ball DAIMAthe main villain himself. Super Saiyan 4 Goku is so powerful that his Kamehameha literally shakes the foundation of the Demon Realm and his power is reflected in all three worlds.
6
Super Saiyan 4 Goku in Dragon Ball GT is massively overpowered
As strong as Dragon Ball DAIMASuper Saiyan 4 is, the form has nothing on Super Saiyan 4 Goku in Dragon Ball GT. SSJ4 Goku is one of the most overpowered characters Dragon Ball GTThus, the anime has to come up with ways to make Goku lose his form in the final battle of each saga, just so he doesn't effortlessly kill every main villain. Super Saiyan 4 Goku puts Super Baby Vegeta 2 in his place, gives Super Android 17 a good fight, and kills most of the Shadow Dragons himself.
Super Saiyan 4 Goku's only enemy is not strong enough to defeat him Dragon Ball GT is Omega Shenron. Instead, Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta are forced to fuse into Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta. In terms of power level, Super Saiyan 4 Goku is much stronger than anyone else Dragon Ball Z Although not a traditional form, Goku can push SSJ4 into a more powerful form variant called Super Full Power Saiyan 4, channeling all of his latent power into overwhelming power.
