Dragon Ball Z changed anime with Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation. Hype that makes you shout at your TV. It happened in Japan’s Frieza Saga episode “Transformed at Last” on June 19, 1991. The golden-haired, ultra-powerful Goku transformation was the Dragon Ball moment that sent fans crazy. And honestly? It revolutionized shonen anime.
This epic transformation first appeared in the Dragon Ball manga in chapter 317, aptly titled “Life or Death.” Published just a few months before the anime on March 19, 1991, it teased fans about the ultimate Saiyan power that had been mere legend until Goku achieved the impossible in his battle against Frieza. The Super Saiyan legend, long considered myth, suddenly became reality.
So, what’s the deal with this form? Super Saiyan, or Sūpā Saiya-jin, is an advanced transformation that amps up the power of Saiyan warriors to insane levels. It’s not just reserved for pure-blood Saiyans; even Earthlings with Saiyan heritage in Dragon Ball Online can unlock it. The transformation gives Goku that iconic blonde hair, piercing glare, and an aura that screams pure power—a design partly inspired by martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Fun fact: Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, decided to give Goku blonde hair to save time for his assistants from constantly coloring it black. Genius move, right?
What’s even cooler is that this form was once thought to be a myth, with Vegeta famously stating that the power of a Super Saiyan could only be maintained in a transformed state. Even Frieza, who wiped out the Saiyan race under orders from Beerus, feared the legend might come true one day—and, well, we know how that turned out.
Goku’s Super Saiyan form didn’t just stop there. Over the years, it evolved into even more powerful transformations—Super Saiyan 2, 3, and beyond. The transformation was later explained in Dragon Ball Super, when Whis told Beerus that the knowledge of Super Saiyan was lost to the Saiyan race, which is why it was considered legend until Goku brought it back to life.
Akira Toriyama later shared that Goku’s mastery of his normal and Super Saiyan forms was more efficient than pushing into Super Saiyan 2 or 3. This strategic choice played out in Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ when we see Goku in his evolved Super Saiyan Blue state.
Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation didn’t just redefine Dragon Ball Z—it set the standard for epic anime power-ups. It’s no wonder why this moment has cemented itself as a defining point in anime history, forever shaping the way shonen stories are told.
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