Dragon Ball: All The Super Saiyan Levels Ranked Weakest To Strongest (2025)

Though Goku was the first one to reach the highest Super Saiyan levels in Dragon Ball, many other Saiyans (and Saiyan-like beings) have reached higher and more powerful levels throughout the series' storied history. There was a time when the always lovable Goku ascending to the level of Super Saiyan was a spectacle for Dragon Ball Z viewers. Now, multiple decades later, Super Saiyan has evolved beyond anything fans expected; with two different timelines, there are two vastly different lineages for the Super Saiyan transformations.

Nearly all Super Saiyan forms are superlative increases to raw power and combat ability. More often than not, the real reveal of these levels of Super Saiyan lies in the new look, and where these godly abilities take the respective Saiyan, particularly in storylines involving Goku's most powerful enemies. It's best that casual fans and even longtime viewers have a refresher course on which level of Super Saiyan fits in terms of strength. Some dangerous and powerful Super Saiyan forms might even surprise audiences in terms of where they land on the list.

21 False Super Saiyan Was the First Evolution of Super Saiyan

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug

During Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug, one of many Dragon Ball movies made over the years, the eponymous villain shows up on Earth looking for trouble. He's quickly confronted by the Z fighters, who are easily dispatched. Even Goku has a hard time with Slug until he manages this power boost.

As False Super Saiyan is the weakest of the Super Saiyan levels, Goku's hair didn't turn yellow, but his pupils disappeared, and his aura gained a gold tinge. He also received a huge power boost, although he wasn't able to maintain it for very long. Technically, Goku was the only one who reached this benchmark, though Vegeta has shown off a technique that is similar. The form (also known as pseudo-Super Saiyan) was created before the first official transformation would take place, earning is a strange but notable place in Dragon Ball history.

20 Super Saiyan is Still Dragon Ball's Most Iconic Transformation

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Transformed at Last"

Every Dragon Ball fan remembers watching Goku transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time. A Saiyan is able to achieve this state through a combination of intense training and extreme emotional reactions. For Goku, it was watching his best friend be destroyed. For Vegeta, it was the anger that both Goku and Trunks had beaten him to it. Regardless of how the transformation is achieved though, it represents a jump in power unlike anything seen before.

In the first of the true Super Saiyan forms, the Saiyan's hair stands up straight and turns completely yellow. The Saiyan also displays a golden aura, which Akira Toriyama designed to make Goku easier to draw. The result created some of the most iconic moments and panels in Dragon Ball history. Super Saiyan laid the foundations for many of the best Dragon Ball movies.

19 Ascended Super Saiyan is a Stronger (and Slower) Version of the Original

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Super Vegeta"

Ascended Super Saiyan is extremely similar to the base Super Saiyan form. The primary differences are that the muscles grow a little bigger and the hair gets a little bit longer and wilder. Once the Super Saiyan transformation is achieved, a Saiyan can reach this upgrade through immense training.

Vegeta, Trunks, and Goku were all able to reach this form through extended periods in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. Vegeta was able to overpower Semi-Perfect Cell while using this technique. Unfortunately though, as a halfway measure between Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan 2, it never quite got as many times to shine. Eventually, the form would be rendered redundant by powerups like Super Saiyan Third Grade, Super Saiyan Full Power, and Super Saiyan 2, leaving Ascended Super Saiyan as a form that isn't often referenced in the series' later days.

18 Super Saiyan Third Grade is Too Slow to Be Useful

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Trunks Ascends"

Out of the different Super Saiyan levels, Super Saiyan Third Grade is a bit of a wild card. Also known as the Ultra Super Saiyan or the Super Saiyan 1.5, the Super Saiyan Third Grade Transformation is the last one between the original form and Super Saiyan 2. It is similar to Ascended Super Saiyan with a few key differences. Though Ascended Super Saiyan sees an increase in muscle mass, Third Grade takes that to an absolutely absurd extreme.

Similarly, a Saiyan's power level increases immensely, their muscles grow huge, and their already spiky hair grows even bigger and shoots out in all directions. Unlike the previous transformation, speed is greatly reduced due to the mass increase. Goku, Vegeta, and Cell all immediately recognized the downside of this technique, but it took Trunks a little longer.

17 Super Saiyan Full Power is More Efficient and Level-Headed Then the Base Form

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Meet Me in the Ring"

After Goku reached Ultra Super Saiyan, he came to an important conclusion: the original Super Saiyan form is the most practical, and thus Super Saiyan Full Power was established. Super Saiyan Full Power consumes less energy than either of the two superior forms and there is less rage involved, keeping the user more level-headed.

Goku decided that he and Gohan would remain in Super Saiyan form permanently right up until the battle with Cell. This way, their bodies would become accustomed to the power and it wouldn't drain them. They would also be able to control their rage. Unfortunately for Goku in particular, as powerful as Super Saiyan Full Power was, it wasn't quite enough to beat Cell, necessitating the creation of Super Saiyan 2 in Gohan's climactic battle with the ultimate android in Dragon Ball Z.

16 Super Saiyan II is the Next Evolution of Super Saiyan

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Cell Juniors Attack!"

The Cell saga was full of all kinds of new Super Saiyan levels, but none of them made the kind of impact that this one did. In this form, Gohan's initially short hair spiked and grew much longer. His aura maintained a small amount of lightning around it, and his strength and speed significantly increased. He became confident to a fault, which allowed Cell to briefly gain the upper hand.

Super Saiyan II is notable for being one of the most common forms used throughout Dragon Ball's Buu Saga. With only Goku and Gotenks unlocking Super Saiyan III, Super Saiyan II became a staple in the arsenal of Gohan as he personally fought to protect the world in Goku's absence. Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks have all reached this level, as well as Kale and Caulifla more recently.

15 Legendary Super Saiyan is One of the Strongest Saiyan Forms

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan

Like Ascended Super Saiyan and its upgrade, the Saiyan's muscles grow much larger. However, in this form, their speed is not at all affected - arguably the first of the Super Saiyan levels to be truly terrifying. A legendary Super Saiyan's hair also gains a green tinge as opposed to the original yellow, and their eyes become white without pupils.

At first, the only Saiyan to reach this level was Broly, one of Goku's strongest foes, in non-canonical movies. The transformation was made canon when the timid Universe 6 Saiyan Kale achieved the Legendary Super Saiyan form. The form got a much bigger showcase in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which made the original Legendary Super Saiyan canon to Super. Legendary Super Saiyan may be difficult to control, but it possesses a raw power that is stronger than Super Saiyan II.

14 Berserker Super Saiyan is Kale's Unique Take on Legendary Super Saiyan

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super, "You're Our Tenth Warrior! Goku Approaches Frieza!!"

Similar to Broly's Super Saiyan state, the Berserker Super Saiyan or Super Saiyan Berserk unlocked the deep potential of the Universe 6 warrior Kale. After getting the Legendary form's signature muscle mass increase and white eyes, a golden green glint shines in Kale's aura and hair - but also at the cost of losing control to sheer rage.

Nearly overpowering Goku's Super Saiyan Blue and also displaying its force in the Tournament of Power, Berserker Super Saiyan is Kale at her deadliest. Berserk is definitely one of the more dangerous Super Saiyan levels. What remains unclear is how Berserker stacks up against Universe 6's own Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly. While fans can only speculate, it's clear that a battle between Kale and Broly could be one of the most devastating fights in Dragon Ball Super's history.

13 Super Saiyan III Consumes Too Much Energy to Be Practical

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z, "Super Saiyan 3?!"

So far only two Saiyans have achieved the Super Saiyan III form in canon. The first was, obviously, Goku. He used it against Buu in what came off as a lecture on Super Saiyan transformations. The second was Gotenks, who just kind of figured it out on the fly. This form is drastically different from the first few. For one, the Saiyan's blond hair grows huge and falls behind their back. They also lose their eyebrows entirely, which makes for a more menacing look.

There is a good reason only two Saiyans have unlocked the Super Saiyan III form in canon. Goku is only able to unlock it due to the differing passage of time for those in the afterlife while Gotenks can only access the form due to having the combined Ki of two incredible fighters. While Goku has used Super Saiyan III after being fully resurrected, its clear he can't maintain the form for long given its tremendous energy consumption.

12 Golden Great Ape is a Truly Deadly Combination

First Appearance: Dragon Ball GT, "The Tail's Tale"

All Saiyans are born with monkey-like tails. When they look at the Moon while their tails are still attached, they transform into a giant ape known as Oozaru. When a Saiyan who has achieved the Super Saiyan transformation turns into Oozaru, they reach the Golden Great Ape form. The form resembles Oozaru in every way except that the fur is gold instead of brown. It is also obviously much stronger, surpassing even the power of a Super Saiyan III.

If there's one thing holding the Golden Great Ape form back though, it's the complete and total loss of control that comes with it. While other Super Saiyan forms have spoken to an intense rage, it's nothing compared to just how monstrous a Saiyan is as a Golden Great Ape. With Dragon Ball GT and its many episodes wiped from canon, the most transformative of the Super Saiyan levels no longer exists.

11 Super Saiyan IV is the Last of the Original Super Saiyan Forms

First Appearance: Dragon Ball GT, "Back in the Game"

Super Saiyan IV was the final Super Saiyan transformation before Dragon Ball GT was erased and Dragon Ball Super took its place. It is achieved when a Saiyan manages to gain full mental control while in the Golden Great Ape form. In keeping with the simian theme, the Saiyan also grows red fur all around their body except for the chest. The Saiyan also gains a red outline around their eyes. Goku and Vegeta both reached it in Dragon Ball GT, and their fused form Gogeta was also able to achieve the transformation.

Though fans have debated whether Super Saiyan 4 is more or less powerful than Ultra Instinct, that debate has already been settled in Super Dragon Ball Heroes Ultra God Mission where two alternate versions of Goku duke it out. One uses Super Saiyan 4 while the other uses Ultra Instinct, and it's ultimately the latter form that comes out on top.

10 Super Saiyan Rage Gave Trunks the Extra Power He Needed

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super, "Zamasu's Ambition - The Storied 'Project 0 Mortals' of Terror"

Just when Dragon Ball couldn't get any more confusing, Dragon Ball Super introduced Super Saiyan Rage. It takes Super Saiyan II's power and multiplies it. The Saiyan's hair grows slightly longer, and they gain a blue tinge within their golden aura. In this form, Trunks was able to go face off against Goku Black in his Super Saiyan Rosé form without too much struggle. Given Super Saiyan Rosé is essentially the equivalent of Super Saiyan Blue, that is a serious testament both to Trunks and the power of the unique form that he created.

Much like Goku's spirit bomb technique, Trunks was able to gather energy from the remaining humans in his time in order to defeat Future Zamasu. Unfortunately, Future Trunks hasn't played a prominent role in Dragon Ball Super's story since the end of the Goku Black arc, so the chances of seeing Super Saiyan Rage again are probably low.

9 Super Saiyan God Let Goku Face Off Against Beerus

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods

The most aptly named of the Super Saiyan levels, Goku was able to reach Super Saiyan God through a ritual involving five other Saiyans who were pure of heart. In this form, his hair returns to its normal state. Instead of being pure black, a Super Saiyan God's hair and eyes gain a red tinge. In this form, a Saiyan has access to God Ki and their anatomy is irrevocably altered.

While it was never shown on screen, Vegeta was also able to reach this level through intense training with Beerus and Whis. While he wasn't able to defeat Beerus, Goku was able to go toe-to-toe with the God of Destruction while in his Super Saiyan God form. While this form offered a dramatic increase in power for both Goku and Vegeta, its use was unfortunately short-lived as it was quickly replaced with the even stronger Super Saiyan Blue.

8 Super Saiyan Blue is an Evolution of Super Saiyan God

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’

What happens when a Super Saiyan God turns into a Super Saiyan? It results in a Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan, or as it is most commonly known, Super Saiyan Blue. To prevent further confusion among the Super Saiyan levels, this form resembles Super Saiyan entirely, except for the fact that all the gold is replaced with blue.

Goku and Vegeta are both able to achieve this form and while its power is extremely draining on a Saiyan's body, they've both trained enough that they were able to outclass Frieza in his newly attained Golden Frieza form. Their fusion transformations, Gogeta and Vegito, can also use the technique. Super Saiyan Blue was Goku and Vegeta's default transformation for some time, such as during Dragon Ball Super: Broly where they used it as Vegito to face off against the Legendary Super Saiyan himself.

7 Super Saiyan Rosé is Goku Black's Twisted Take on Super Saiyan Blue

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super, "Rematch with Goku Black! Enter Super Saiyan Rosé"

Upon meeting Zamasu, the first thing Goku obviously does is challenge the unstable being. After his defeat, Zamasu sets his sights on Goku's body and strength. To that end, he steals Goku's body from another timeline and teams up with his future self for all kinds of destructive mischief. The end result is the being known as Goku Black, who combines Zamasu's already incredible power with Goku's ability to transform into new forms, leading to the creation of Saiyan Rosé.

This form is exactly the same as Super Saiyan Blue, except for the fact that Zamasu is an actual God, not just a Saiyan who managed to gain access to God Ki. Because of this, instead of Goku Black's hair and aura turning blue, it turns pink. Zamasu as Goku Black uses this increase in power in ways Goku could never imagine, such as shaping his energy into a scythe to cut down his enemies.

6 Super Saiyan White is Fused Zamasu's Unique Form

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super, "Worship Me! Give Praise Unto Me! The Explosive Birth of a Merged Zamasu!"

When an evil God who's achieved Super Saiyan Rosé fuses with his future evil God-self who hasn't, he gets the purest version of Super Saiyan God to ever be bent on universal destruction. Zamasu is, in theory, the only person able to achieve this transformation. Though Fused Zamasu's Super Saiyan form has never been given an official name in canon, Super Saiyan White follows the naming convention established by Super Saiyan Blue and Super Saiyan Rosé.

In his Super Saiyan White form, Zamasu maintained his own skin tone and facial features with Goku's build and, more importantly, his hair. However, because he reached a new level of power, and also because Zamasu's hair color is white, the hair in this form is also white, a key difference from other levels of Super Saiyan. Goku and Vegeta never actually beat Zamasu themselves, firmly establishing Super Saiyan White's incredible power.

5 Ultra Instinct Was Goku's First Move Away From Super Saiyan

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super, "Goku Enkindled! The Awakened One's New Ultra Instinct!"

This form isn't limited to Saiyans, but it's worth mentioning because Goku's version of it is unique. Ultra Instinct is the greatest of techniques, even though it has its flaws. Once a warrior achieves it, getting it back is no easy feat. In this form, Goku doesn't even have to think. He is calm and in perfect harmony with his mind and his muscles.

This is an ability Goku has been trying to master since all the way back when he trained with Mr. Popo and Kami in order to defeat Piccolo. He first used the technique in Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power against Jiren, though he was only able to maintain it momentarily. It also manifested briefly against Kefla. Much more visually muted compared to other Super Saiyan levels, Goku's hair is slightly elevated, and his aura appears as a gray, bubbly glow around him.

4 Perfected Ultra Instinct Put Goku Almost on Jiren's Level

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super, "A Transcendent Limit Break! Autonomous Ultra Instinct Mastered!"

This is the most powerful form a Saiyan has ever been shown to achieve in the anime, and is a fitting way to close out the Dragon Ball Super anime. In this form, Goku's hair and eyes are completely gray. His power level gains a huge boost, though it is extremely damaging to his body. If he maintains the form for too long, his body could literally explode.

The Autonomous Ultra Instinct possesses a power level even higher than Dragon Ball Super's Gods of Destruction. Whis and the other angels are able to reach this form, as is Jiren, though Beerus is still working towards it. However, this form still doesn't put Goku's power level above Jiren's. In the manga, Goku has also been able to use this form to perform the "Susanoo" technique, which creates a giant version of himself made of Ki that can deliver attacks.

3 Ultra Ego is Vegeta's Strongest Form Yet

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super Manga, "Vegeta vs. Granolah"

The Ultra Ego transformation is, at present, exclusive to Vegeta, and has only been seen in the Dragon Ball Super manga. If Ultra Instinct is the power of the angels, Ultra Ego is better recognized as the power of the gods of destruction. Vegeta learned this technique from Beerus, and it represents a divergence from the path that Goku was treading with Ultra Instinct. His hair turns an unusual purple color in this form, reminiscent of destroyer energy.

Ultra Ego is unique in that the more damage the user takes, the more powerful they become--but this has a massive downside, as it means that one has to take a lot of hits in order to reach maximum power. Vegeta collapsed the first time he used it from taking too much damage, but still proved the power accessible is almost incomparable.

2 True Ultra Instinct is Goku's Strongest Form So Far

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Super Manga, "To Each His Own Answer"

Perfected Ultra Instinct, as it turns out, is only one way that the Ultra Instinct ability can develop. In the Dragon Ball Super manga, Goku discovered the "True Ultra Instinct" state by not reigning in his emotions and instead harnessing them to achieve ultimate power. His hair doesn't change color, but instead develops silver highlights.

Goku deployed this against Gas, who at the time was the strongest warrior in the universe due to a wish on the Dragon Balls. This form was developed by Goku, and as such he's the only one who can use it. Still, it wasn't enough to match up to Black Frieza's power, as Goku was defeated easily even in this state. Though it remains to be seen what incredible powers will be developed, as of now, Perfected Ultra Instinct is Goku's strongest Saiyan transformation​​​​​. Unfortunately for Goku though, only Gohan has access to the series' strongest form.