Summary
Dragon Ballis known for the many transformations that various characters undergo in the series at pivotal moments. Quite often, the first time seeing these forms is some of the most iconic moments in the entire anime industry, which can be seen with the cultural impact of Goku turning Super Saiyan for the first time or how many anime websites crashed when he transformed into Ultra Instinct. Because of the influence of this series, no one does transformations likeDragon Ball.
However, due to the sheer number of transformations in the series, there have been a few throughout the story thathave been fairly underwhelming. This can either be through the form not really doing much once achieved or just because its design is bad. So, let’s take a look at such forms and see why their design failed to get much appreciation.
Story Arc
Cell Saga
Perhaps the form that most people thought of when reading the title, Super Saiyan Grade 3 is the most inefficient in the entire series. Despite beingthe Super Saiyan form with the most powerand physical strength, the user becomes incredibly muscular, leading to a heavy and bulky appearance that greatly affects their speed and stamina.
I refuse to let my fear control me anymore!
Trunks used this form against Perfect Cell, showing him how much stronger he was in this form compared to before. However, the caveat to this transformation was the lack of speed and the large amount of energy drain it caused, which was seen in this battle. Although he was far stronger for a time, the strain was too much and Cell managed to surpass him eventually due to his superior speed and energy consumption.
Buu Saga
This is a fairly controversial placement. Though this is a fan-favorite form that checks all the boxes in terms of strength, aura, and success rate,the Super Saiyan 2 transformationoffers little in terms of visual change. However, this can’t be said for Gohan, who was the first to achieve this state in his fight against Perfect Cell, where his entire appearance changed and brought new depth to the Super Saiyan transformations.
It’s not enough dad. He deserves to suffer more.
For Goku, however, Super Saiyan 2 looks almost identical to his Super Saiyan form. Though his hair is a little spikier and there is lightning around his aura, the overall silhouette is almost indistinguishable from the regular Super Saiyan, which definitely brings it down a peg. Even when Goku turned Super Saiyan for the first time, there was a little lightning around him, so this form is virtually identical except for the very minimal change of hair.
Cell goes down as not onlyone of the greatest villains ofDragon Ballbut of the entire anime industry. He was an antagonist who underwent various transformations, most of which were incredible and showed how unique he was as a villain. Imperfect Cell was a grotesque monster who struck fear into the hearts of those who saw him, whereas Perfect Cell has one of the coolest designs and personalities of any villain ever. His cocky and arrogant persona is perfectly mirrored by his unique design.
My dear Android, when will you understand that you belong to me?
However, the second transformation of Cell is one that just looks goofy. This transformation didn’t have the gross and scary look of the previous one nor the smug look of the next one, instead being a bulky and plain form for the character who only existed to absorb Android 18 to achieve a far better transformation.
Golden Frieza Saga
Ever since theDragon Ball Superseries began,Super Saiyan Blue has become the baseline transformationfor Goku and Vegeta, effectively becoming the new Super Saiyan. However, just as its new role implies, it is nothing more than a color change from the original form, since all it does is replace the golden hair and aura with a blue color.
This is a power even greater than a Super Saiyan God!
Most fans of the series have accepted this form for what it is but don’t exactly love it due to its lack of ingenuity in terms of design. It’s made even worse because it made Super Saiyan God obsolete and only gave it relevance for one movie. Super Saiyan God was a unique form that was quite well-received due to its visual changes, giving the user a much leaner frame, a hot and fiery aura, and the hairstyle staying the same as the base form but now red. This was quite different from the forms before it.
A Transformation That Came Out of Nowhere
First Appearance
Dragon Ball Super, Episode 61, “Zamasu’s Ambition! The Storied ‘Project 0 Mortals’ of Terror”
Goku Black Arc
The Goku Black arc saw one of the best-designed characters in all ofSuperwith Goku Black himself. However, it also saw one of the worst withSuper Saiyan Rage Trunks, which not only made very little sense in terms of power scaling but also because the design of the form makes equally little sense. After gaining the energy of the few remaining people by his side, Trunks unlocks a new form that seems to put him with Goku and Vegeta.
You say my choices make me evil? Then that’s what I’ll be!
In his rage, Trunks loses his pupils and gains a newer aura under his already existing golden one. This is essentially Trunks absorbing the power of a Spirit Bomb, increasing his strength exponentially and somehow making his Super Saiyan 2 form exist on the same level as Goku and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue. While it’s not the worst, Super Saiyan Rage isn’t a form that is remembered fondly.
A Worse Version of Broly
Dragon Ball Super, Episode 100, “Rampage! A Crazed Warrior’s Savagery Awakens!”
Tournament of Power Arc
One of the greatest things to have ever come out of theDragon Ballfranchise as a whole was Broly and his Legendary Super Saiyan form. However, at the time of the Tournament of Power,Broly was not canon, so Kale and her Berserker formwere introduced as a callback for fans and while this was appreciated, the form itself didn’t work as well as it did for Broly.
That’s too much! Don’t raise your energy any more Kale!
It just looked off and while its strength was formidable, it never really felt like the unstoppable monster that gave Broly’s Legendary Super Saiyan form such a dangerous reputation. Moreover, it was later made irrelevant as well when Broly was finally introduced into the canon series with the release of 2018’sDragon Ball Super: Broly, which showed his iconic transformation once again, though Broly’s iteration was one of the most powerful characters ever seen in the franchise.
Universe 2’s Most Annoying Character
Dragon Ball Super, Episode 91, “Which Universe Will Win Their Place? The Mighty Warriors Gradually Assemble!”
The Tournament of Power arc was the largest collection of characters in one place thatDragon Ballhad ever seen, all of whom were present in the hopes ofgaining victory for their universe. The representatives of Universe 2 were led by Brianne de Chateau, a character whose entire move set had to do with love. Though she was initially introduced as comic relief, she definitely overstayed her welcome with her Super Ribrianne transformation.
Happiness to one and all! I send you my love!
The transformation sequence to turn into Super Ribrianne was quite clearly a parody of Sailor Moon, eventually turning into an incredibly annoying character whose entire gimmick dissolved from being comic relief to becoming an annoying distraction.
