The Different Stages of Dragonball Saiya-jin


 Connor Barker writes:

I, like most DBZ fans, had some trouble at first distinguishing Super Saiyajin 1 from Super Saiyajin 2, and Super Saiyajin Ultimate from a Super Saiyajin. So, I have listed each of the phases (plus a few non-SSJ phases), and included a brief description of them.

This summary is copyrighted by Connor Barker. Permission to reprint in part or in full is hereby given. Permission is NOT granted for reproduction in a profit magazine. Reproduction for a fan magazine or encyclopedia must be approved by me (VegetaSSJ4@AOL.com).

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File History


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Super Saiya-jin 1 (As Gokuu called it after he reached Super Saiya-jin3)
This stage was first reached by Gokuu in movie #2 as he fought Lord Slug(Slag). He didn't appear to be a super saiya-jin then, since his hair had a black tinge to it, but as the movie says--"This is Son Gokuu?"

Officially, Gokuu went SSJ1 for the first time when he was fighting Freeza.
Physical description: Increased muscle mass, and long blond hair that stands on end. Occasionally accompanied by a yellow aura, or lightning.
**Note** A Saiya-jin is normally born with a tail. As long as he keeps his tail, he can turn into a Were-monkey. To become SSJ1, the tail must be pulled out by the roots.

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Super Saiya-jin 2
I personally think Gokuu achieved this stage in movie #3, when fighting Cooler. In movie #9, Gohan was told by Gokuu to go SSJ2, which he did in order to kill Boujack and the rest of his crew. This level is incredibly more powerful than SSJ1. SSJ1 was used quite frequently in movies #4-9, but SSJ2 had more immediate results. SSJ1 proved inefficient in stopping Boujack's crew, and when Gohan reached SSJ2, he easily overpowered the aliens. (Shown here: Future Trunks.)
Physical description: Greater muscle mass than SSJ1, and a few more inches of blond hair. Occasionally accompanied by zapping silver lightning.

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Super Saiya-jin Ultimate
This was actually a variation on SSJ2, that Vegeta and Trunks used when fighting Cell.

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Super Saiya-jin 3 (Beyond the Beyond Super Saiyajin)
Gokuu first achieved this level during a fight with Majin Buu. This is the most powerful level of Super Saiya-jin. Majin Buu could overpower SSJ3, but this level did destroy Fat Janenba in movie #12. SSJ3 was also used in Dragon Ball GT, but Gokuu couldn't hold it due to his little body's lack of strength.
Physical Description: Gokuu's physical appearance is more lean and menacing looking, with about 4 and half feet of flowing blond hair and a larger muscle mass.

**Note** Only Gokuu and Gotenks have achieved this level. No other Saiya-jin, or Saiya-jin half-breed has.

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Super Saiya-jin God Mode
Thought to be SSJ2 and/or SSJ3, this was just another name for SSJ3 (or SSJ2). I personally can't remember when this was first introduced.

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Super Saiya-jin 4 (Super Gokuu 4)
This is actually not a SSJ level, seeing that Gokuu doesn't have blond hair. He does have increased muscle mass, but I don't believe this is a SSJ level. Believe what you want, but Mr. Hoffmann said it wasn't, so I'll believe him. This is also the only stage with a tail. (Curtis comments: According to an article in V-Jump magazine, SSJ4 is not actually part of the SSJ sequence, because Gokuu doesn't have yellow hair. SSJ4 should therefore be called "Super Gokuu 4.") In SSJ4, Gokuu is almost god-like, and he can use "Times 10 Kamehame-ha."
Physical description: Although Gokuu was wished by the Dragon Balls to become a child again, in SSJ4 form, he has his normal adult body with a bit more muscle mass. His upper torso is covered in red fur, his hair is black, and his eyes are red-rimmed.

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Were-Monkey (Oozaru)
When a Saiyajin stares at a full moon, he/she will change into a 20-foot tall, monsterous beast called a Were-monkey (Oozaru, in Japanese, translates to "Big Monkey). This is possibly the most powerful level under SSJ3. All Saiya-jin (excluding Gokuu and Gohan) will be able to control themselves during this stage (although in Dragonball GT, it is implied that Vegeta couldn't control himself in oozaru form, but Baby could.) It doesn't matter which full moon they look at (in Dragonball GT, Gokuu turned Oozaru by looking at the full Earth. And, Vegeta had the ability to create a pocket-sized full moon when he first arrived on Earth to fight Gokuu and Gohan.)
**Note** A Saiya-jin must have a tail to be able to turn Oozaru. If the tail is cut off, they revert to normal. If the tail is pulled out by the roots, the Saiya-jin will not turn Oozaru ever again (however, they need to lose the tail to be able to go SSJ1.)

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Ougon Oozaru (Golden Were-Monkey)
A level that was achieved by Gokuu and Vegeta-Baby in Dragon Ball GT. This is the most powerful form of Were-monkey, demonstrated by Gokuu in DBGT eps 38-40, when he swatted Vegeta-Baby all over Planet Plant (Baby's recreation of the Tsufuru home planet.)
The main physical difference with the Ougon stage, is that the fur is yellow instead of brown.

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Fusion: Gotenks
Gotenks was the first Fusion between two Z fighters. While in the Afterlife, Gokuu learned a technique called Fusion. This technique requires that two fighters be at equal power levels, do a silly little pose, and touch fingers with each other while yelling out "Fusion". With the threat of Majin Buu hanging over them, Gokuu taught Piccolo how to do the pose. After Gokuu's return to the afterlife, Piccolo trained Goten and Trunks to do the actual technique. Fusion not only combines the strengths of both fighters, but also gives the resulting fighter apparently magical abilities. However, the effect only lasts 30 minutes, and it takes 1 hour of recovery time before it can be used again.

Only two problems persisted in Goten and Trunks' Fusion...
  1. Trunks was stronger than Goten (being a year older).
  2. They couldn't seem to get the pose right, making mistakes that resulted in a skinny Gotenks, and a fat Gotenks. But after much practice they got it down perfectly.

Gotenks' most powerful attack is the Super Ghost Kamekaze Attack. This involves Gotenks' spitting out as many ghost-clones of himself as he wants. Each ghost will seek out a target and explode on contact. This attack decimated Majin Buu, and it stopped Hitler's army in DBZ Movie #12. It is very devastating. Other attacks include: Renzuko Shin Shin Missiles, Galactica Donuts, and Shin Galactica Donuts (in SSJ mode).

Another special fact about Gotenks is that he could immediately go SSJ3. (As shown in the image to the left.) Note that Goten and Trunks had been able to go SSJ1 without as much practice/training as Gohan, Gokuu, Vegeta or Future Trunks needed. This surprised Gohan the most, since he was supposed to be the most powerful Saiya-jin on Earth. SSJ3 Gotenks easily rivals Gokuu's SSJ3 in power.
Physical Description: Fusion combines the physical features, voices, and clothing of the two fighters to create a whole new personality and being.

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Potara Kaiou-shin Technique: Vegetto (Vejit)
Vegetto is probably the most powerful Saiya-jin combination ever. Vegetto wasn't seen much in DBZ, since he could easily whup Majin Buu. Gokuu and Vegeta decided to merge, using Dai Kaiou-shin's Potara, to fight Buu, after Buu had consumed Gohan. After lots of raging, Vegeta finally agreed to merge with Kakarotto (Gokuu's Saiya-jin name.) The merger was supposed to be permanent, but Vegetto allowed himself to be swallowed by Majin Buu, and Buu's magic cancelled the effects of the potara. (Some people believe that Saiya-jin can separate themselves with a thought, which is not supported by anything mentioned in the manga.)

While Vegetto undoubtedly has the same powers as Gotenks, he never demonstrated them. Instead, he relied on his greater physical strength. However, when Majin Buu consumed him, Vegetto did use a "barrier" shield to protect himself.

Physical Description: Vegetto looks like Gokuu, with black hair standing up in Super Saiya-jin form, and a cross between Gokuu's and Vegeta's fighting uniforms. The result is a street boxer with dangly earrings.

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Fusion: Gogeta (Gozita)
Gogeta is the Fusion of Vegeta and Kakarotto, which appeared only in DBZ movie #12. After Kakarotto taught Vegeta the Fusion dance, and after Vegeta complained about it's sheer stupidity, they Fused; but messed up. Since Vegeta didn't do the dance EXACTLY right, they formed into fat Gogeta. Fat Gogeta was easily batted around by Janenba. Right before Janenba was going to kill fat Gogeta, the half hour Fusion wore off and they seperated. After some help from the South Kaiou's champion fighter -- Paiku-han -- they re-Fused. This time, correctly. Janenba was destroyed. According to the movie, Vegetto was more powerful then Gogeta. Probably, this is because Vegetto was created by the potara, rather than by Fusion.
Physical description: Like Vegetto, only reversed.

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Potara
The Kaiou-shins are a very old race of Over-Gods, that had been mostly destroyed by Majin Buu when Buu was first summoned by Bibi-di. The only surviving Kaiou-shins were: The one we know as Kaou-shin; Kibit (Kaiou-shin's big assistant); and the old coot trapped in the Zet Sword (Dai Kaiou-shin.) All of them wear dangly earrings known as Potara. However, only Dai Kaiou-shin knew that if two people exchanged their Potara, they will merge into one person, to combine their strengths, and physical attributes. After Kibit and Kaiou-shin exchange Potara, and become Kaiou-bit, Dai Kaiou-shin mentions that the effect is permanent and unreversable (Dai Kaiou-shin is the merger of a young man, and an old witch.)

After merging to become Veggeto, Gokuu and Vegeta had been separated again when they were consumed by Majin Boo. Later, they destroyed their Potara; Vegeta did not want to fuse with Kakarotto again, so he crushed his earring. Gokuu did the same, knowing that they'd be able to defeat Buu without the aid of the Potara.

Only one pair of Potara remains (according to the manga). There were three pairs: Kaiou-shin's, Kibit's, and Dai Kaiou-shin's. When Kibit and Kaiou-shin merged, their two sets also merged into one set. Gokuu and Vegeta used Dai Kaiou-shin's pair, and destroyed them afterwards. That leaves Kaiou-bit's pair.

According to Toriyama, the potara were originally intended to just be earrings.  It was only later that he decided to give special powers to them.

  

Physical description: A potara is a dangly clip-on earring.

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Other Notes


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You can contact Curtis Hoffmann at: riemann96@yahoo.com



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