Throughout the Dragon Ball series there have been many characters with a variety of forms and transformations. Frieza has around six different forms that vary in shape, size, and strength. Cell has 4 forms, and Majin Buu has around 4 different incarnations. But the most iconic Dragon Ball forms and transformations come from the Saiyan race. With Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot’s newest DLC coming, which could add Super Saiyan Blue, let’s look at every form available to the first person who was able to unlock the mysterious legendary power of the Saiyan race, Goku.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is the latest Dragon Ball game, released in January 2020 by Bandai Namco. Like most Dragon Ball games, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot retells the story of Dragon Ball Z, going through each saga in the series. The first Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot DLC, New Power Awakens – Part 1 begins the Dragon Ball Super saga by introducing characters, transformations, and moves from the Dragon Ball movie Battle of Gods. It’s in this movie that Goku and Vegeta obtain a new form, one different from the traditional transformations in Dragon Ball Z.
At launch, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot gave Goku 4 transformations that the player can unlock as they progress in the story: Kaioken, Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, and Super Saiyan 3. All 4 forms come with different appearances and moves. The New Power Awakens – Part 1 DLC adds Super Saiyan God, and the upcoming DLC, likely called “New Power Awakens – Part 2,” could add Super Saiyan Blue.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Form - Kaioken
Kaioken is a technique exclusive to Goku. Created by King Kai, Kaioken was originally meant to increase a person’s power for only a heartbeat, however, Goku is able to maintain the form for a longer period of time thanks to training. In the anime, Kaioken doubles Goku’s power level and increases his speed, strength, and senses. Goku’s aura changes to a crimson color, giving Goku a glow and outline that gives the illusion of his entire body changing in appearance. In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Kaioken gives Goku a slight boost in power, dealing more melee damage, but drains a little bit of his health every second it’s activated.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Form - Super Saiyan
The legendary power of the Saiyan race, Goku unlocked Super Saiyan in his battle against Frieza after seeing his best friend Krillin get killed. Filled with rage, Goku powered up and obtained a new form. In his Super Saiyan form Goku’s hair changes from black to golden blonde, his eyes change from black to green, and his aura gains a golden appearance. The form also multiplies Goku’s power level and increases his muscle mass.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Form - Super Saiyan 2
While having a similar appearance, Super Saiyan 2 is different from Super Saiyan. Goku actually wasn’t the first to obtain this form, either, as his son Gohan was the first to obtain it in his battle against Cell. Goku obtained Super Saiyan 2 while training in the Other World. Similar to the normal Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2 multiplies the power of the Saiyan.
What makes Super Saiyan 2 different from Super Saiyan is the slight change in hair and the electric current that surrounds the Saiyan. In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Goku’s golden blonde hair becomes spiker and a slight flickering electric current can be seen around him.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Form - Super Saiyan 3
Super Saiyan 3 has the most drastic changes out of the traditional Super Saiyan transformations. Goku was the first Saiyan to obtain Super Saiyan 3, unlocking it after years of training in the Other World. Gotenks, the fusion of Goten and Trunks, was also able to unlock it. Besides an increase in power, Goku’s golden blonde hair grows exponentially, with the very end of his hair nearly reaching his legs. One of the odder changes is the disappearance of Goku’s eyebrows in this form.
Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Form - Super Saiyan God
Introduced in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and included in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot’s first DLC, New Power Awakens – Part 1, Super Saiyan God is obtained through a special ritual that involves six righteous Saiyans holding hands in a circle and transferring their ki into the person chosen to become a Super Saiyan God. Goku was the first to go through this ritual. Vegeta also became a Super Saiyan God. In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Goku’s appearance while in the Super Saiyan God form does change significantly when compared to the other Super Saiyan forms.
In the Super Saiyan God form, Goku’s hair and eyes change to a magenta red color. His aura is initially blue, but changes to a fiery mix of red, orange, and yellow. In his Super Saiyan God Form, Goku also obtains the God Kamehameha, which is a more powerful version of the normal Kamehameha. God Kamehameha appears to be magenta red in color, just like the Super Saiyan God form, and is capable of blasting an opponent out of Earth, as seen in Goku’s Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot Super Finish scene. In the Dragon Ball Super anime, while in the Super Saiyan God form, Goku and Vegeta have the aura of a god and are able to sense godly ki, such as the God of Destruction Beerus.
There are other forms in the Dragon Ball series that are in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, but not accessible to Goku. These include an enhanced form of Super Saiyan accessible to Vegeta and Future Trunks, where their body mass and power increase massively. This form is known to Vegeta as Super Vegeta. Adult Gohan has a form called Potential Unleashed that transforms him into Ultimate or Mystic Gohan. There are also forms in the Dragon Ball series that have yet to make an appearance in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot. There’s the popular, but non-canon, Super Saiyan 4 from Dragon Ball GT, as well forms from Dragon Ball Super, such as Goku Black’s Super Saiyan Rose, Ultra Instinct, and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue Evolved form.
Players may not have to wait long for the addition of more transformations in Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot as Super Saiyan Blue, the evolved form of Super Saiyan God, could be included in the second DLC. As Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot continues to tell the story of Dragon Ball Super, players could see more characters make their in-game debut. Maybe one day the Saiyans of Universe 6 will get to show their Saiyan pride against Goku and Vegeta.