Top 20 Dragon Ball Transformations

“Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” (2013)

Following a dry spell of new animation for the series, Goku hopped back on the proverbial nimbus with more than just his classic yellow ‘do.’ Unable to compete with the God of Destruction, Beerus, Goku abandoned the golden locks and unveiled the first new form the franchise had seen in years. It took the Dragon Balls, an ancient legend, and a six-way Saiyan ceremony, but it paid off with not just a new stage of Super Saiyan, but the series’ first Super Saiyan God. Goku’s displayed near-divine feats of strength before, but his epic first bout with God Ki was literally out of this world.

“Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn” (1995)

No potara? No problem. When the incarnation of all evil decides to make the afterlife Hell in more ways than one, this saiyan duo join fingers to debut a new kind of fusion. The appropriately named Gogeta doesn’t just look cool, he’s also strong enough to make Janemba wish he still had an afterlife to go to. But what’s almost more impressive is that this new form managed to become iconic with barely a few minutes of screentime. This isn’t the series’ first fusion, and it’s far from the last, but the outstanding direction and effortlessly cool techniques make Gogeta’s debut hard to forget.

“Dragon Ball Super: Broly” (2018)

Frieza’s two-for-two when it comes to instigating golden-haired transformations. After murdering Broly’s father, the space tyrant shows off his acting chops and sends the rampaging Saiyan into an utter frenzy. As disheartening as it is to see Broly completely lose control of himself, it does provide some of the most bombastic and unreal action the series has ever seen. He’s able to keep up with Goku and Vegeta’s combined assault as a mere Super Saiyan, and that’s without any proper training. Who knew Frieza was such a believable thespian? Thankfully, he got his comeuppance in the form of a glorious thrashing from the same Saiyan he provoked. Now that’s some karmic justice.

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

As if this misguided deity didn’t have enough of a superiority complex, he decided to fuse with the only worthy individual in the entire cosmos: himself. They were technically from different timelines, but that didn’t make the result any less imposing. Zamasu’s near-immortal body paired with Goku Black’s Saiyan strength was enough to pass judgment upon the entirety of Trunks’ timeline, Goku and Vegeta included. There’s an undeniable novelty about a villain fusing, especially when the stylish upgrades lead to some creative imagery and exceptional fight choreography. The most damning downgrade is that Fused Zamasu’s merging didn’t quite quell his penchant for dramatic monologuing.

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

If there’s one thing we know about this energetic anime icon, it’s that he doesn’t go down easily. After Jiren seemingly ends Goku’s tournament prospects, the Saiyan climbs to a new form that’s more than your average palette swap. Instead of yet another boost in raw power, this transformation’s focus on instinctual movement paved the way to one of the most high-speed and jaw-dropping fights in “Super.” It isn’t enough that he finally landed a blow on Jiren, he proceeds to flex his insane reactions by casually walking through a ki-blast barrage unscathed. It’s a downright epic sequence, but what’s even better is that it isn’t even Ultra Instinct’s full potential.

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

From gold to red to blue, there’d been a lot of Saiyan hairstyles by the time “Super” rolled around. And yet, Goku’s evil doppelganger proved he was more than a cheap knockoff by presenting his own shiny transformation. Enter: Super Saiyan Rosé, not just one of the most visually distinct forms in the series, but also one of the coolest. While functionally it’s not too different from your average golden-haired power-up, the pink tinge adds a lot of personality and flair to Goku Black’s techniques. He was already plenty threatening before, but the unique aesthetic ensured that, while he had Goku’s face, this villain wasn’t forsaking any of his menacing identity. Just ask Vegeta.

“Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'” (2015)

Blue is an apt color for this brawl, since that’s exactly how Frieza feels when he learns his gold form is already irrelevant. Goku’s unveiling of the cyan hair is as breathtaking as it comes, but, naturally, no form is complete without a flashy display of strength. Luckily, against Frieza’s new golden coat, this scuffle is so bright it practically needs sunglasses. The blues don’t stop there, and Vegeta reveals that, for once, he’s on par with Goku thanks to his own teal ‘do.’ It’s immeasurably satisfying to see this duo handily woop their age-old nemesis, even if the form’s redundant name isn’t quite as cool as the new color. “Super Saiyan Blue” rolls off the tongue much easier.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Step aside, Gotenks, there’s a new fusion in town, and this one doesn’t have to do that silly dance. Admittedly, Goku and Vegeta have always had a pretty glaring weakness in the teamwork department, but a pair of potara earrings helped smooth that over real quick. It’s a neat bit of character development to see them literally come together for the greater good, even if the ensuing fusion is a bit overconfident. Vegito’s easygoing swagger is a perfect foil against the self-serious Super Buu - and don’t even get us started on the smack-talk. To be fair, as the two strongest heroes in the series combined, their confidence is totally earned.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Training, eating candy - pretty much the same thing. The bubblegum-looking Majin Buu had turned countless innocent people into snacks, so it’s deeply poetic when he is chocolatified himself and eaten by a manifestation of his own evil. Apparently, Majin Buu plus Evil Buu equals Super Buu, who has all the power of his prior forms with a much more sinister mentality. It’s a little sad to see the round one go after he developed such a heartwarming bond with Mr Satan, but the evolution raised the stakes and led to some amazing fights. Though, for what it’s worth, Earth was probably better off with the candy-eating Buu.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Leaving two superpowered kids in charge of defending the planet probably breaks a few parenting rules, but these Saiyan offspring are the exception. Before their fathers did it, Goten and Trunks linked fingers and debuted the first ever fusion in the entire franchise. As immature as he is all-powerful, Gotenks would sooner come up with cool names for his attacks than actually use them in combat. Hey, at least he got serious when put up against Super Buu - not. He holds back his Super Saiyan 3 transformation for “dramatic effect,” a gaffe which nearly costs them the fight. Gotenks may not be much more composed than Goten or Trunks, but at least it’s one less kid to babysit.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Like a radar to a Dragon Ball, Cell tracked down Android 17 and 18, but he didn’t achieve his flawless form alone. It takes a village to royally screw the Earth, and that honor belongs in part to Krillin and Vegeta. The former for not destroying 18 when he had the chance, and the latter for putting his pride above the planet. While it spells doom for the Z-warriors, at least the transformation itself features all the scale and spectacle befitting this kind of turning point. It’s hard to label anything as “perfect,” but Cell’s satisfied smirk as he completes his mission comes pretty damn close.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

At a time when donning the bottle-blonde look was still a novelty, Goku’s perennial rival launched back onto the scene with a “Big Bang.” Don’t get it wrong, Vegeta was far from a hero, but the androids were a worthy stomping ground to prove he’d surpassed Goku. He wasn’t just spiky hair and power levels, though, the new form also prodded him to pose important moral questions like “do androids feel fear?” Back before he was fully rehabilitated, but after he was a straight villain, this was the first time it was easy to really root for Vegeta. He’d finally caught up his rival, and even tore off an android’s hands just to prove it.

“Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'” (2015)

It took him a few extra years, but this infamous villain finally achieved what Saiyans had been doing since Namek. To be fair, Frieza had already transformed a handful of times, so his new coat of paint is a bit shinier than Goku’s initial golden ‘do.’ It’s nice to see an old villain return to relevance, especially since the palette-swap also contrasts nicely against the ever-growing list of Saiyan hair colors. It’s just a real shame that by going for the gold, Frieza epically face-planted in front of Goku and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan Blue. Despite the less-than-gilded debut performance, the visually-arresting revival of this classic villain is at least worth a silver medal.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

In a franchise no stranger to dramatic power-ups, few literally shake the Earth as much as this. Goku stretches his lung-capacity to the max with a primal roar that tells even Buu to stay clear of his home, or risk some serious thrashing. All that bravado lives up to expectations with a massive power-spike, a no-nonsense demeanor, and a lot more golden hair. For the low cost of his eyebrows, Goku told the planet, Buu, the universe, and beyond that he wasn’t done evolving just yet. Much like the hair, this form is all the coolness of Super Saiyan, but just more of it. What’s not to love?

“Dragon Ball Super: Broly” (2018)

As Janemba will attest, this fusion has a habit of making quick work of his foes, and Broly is no exception. Gogeta was easily flying circles around the belligerent Saiyan before, let alone when he decided to skip the rainbow and go straight from gold to blue. Rocking a new hair color, Gogeta demonstrates his signature style with aplomb, and delivers a gloriously animated Kamehameha that’s in serious contention for one of the best in the whole series. With power-levels high enough to crack open reality itself, it’s a testament to the phenomenal production values that this clash somehow does its overpowered combatants justice.

“Dragon Ball GT” (1996-97)

When a parasitic alien infests most of Earth, this grand tour proved Saiyans could go even further beyond, but not in the way most expected. Instead of adding more hair extensions to the Super Saiyan 3 mullet, Goku’s newest leap in evolution harkened back to one of his race’s classic forms: the Great Ape. The beastial qualities are a welcome breath of fresh air after years of golden locks, especially since it modernizes one of the franchise’s earliest transformations in an inventive way. The badass design and epic fights to come are appreciated, but this form’s biggest contribution is proving that “GT” could still meaningfully add to the series’ lore.

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

Goku wasn’t the only one shattering his limits in the “Tournament of Power.” Vegeta’s never been one to linger behind for long, so when his rival debuted a new silver form, the egotistical Saiyan decided to challenge Jiren with his own upgraded transformation. Bolstered by his will, his pride, and his promise to Cabba, Vegeta goes from blue to - well, a different shade of blue. Repetitive colors aside, it’s notable as Vegeta’s only form to date that Goku hasn’t reached himself. For once, Vegeta wasn’t just riding in his rival’s wake; he was forging his own path. Plus, if his showing against Jiren is anything to go by, this matured state skipped pretty far ahead in evolution.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

Goku’s son never wanted to fight, so it’s poignant that the only thing capable of spurring him on is the dying words of an android who learned to love humanity. When Cell crushes 16, he also unleashes the power that had been boiling inside of Gohan since his very first appearance. The beautiful imagery and outstanding score lead towards an epic scream that culminates literally hundreds of episodes of build-up. It’s all but impossible to resist getting chills from this iconic moment that’s fittingly just as emotionally affecting as it is exhilarating. With one transformation, “Dragon Ball” powered-up Gohan from a great character into a masterful one.

“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)

With Namek five minutes away from becoming space dust, Gohan’s stubborn Dad faced off against his toughest adversary yet with nothing more than some ki, an old saiyan folklore, and plenty of willpower. But when Frieza makes the mistake of hurting Goku’s friends, he counters with a transformation that’s iconic to not just “Dragon Ball,” but all of anime. The haunting yell as the world crumbles around him is downright cathartic, particularly since this was the first time Goku ever tried on the bleach-blonde look. This moment’s impact on the franchise can’t be understated, but it's how well it caps off this fight in particular that makes it the gold standard in more ways than one.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Frieza's - Final Form
There’s a Good Reason That Out of All His Forms, This Has Remained His Most Iconic Look

Gogeta - Super Saiyan 4
The Only Thing Cooler Than a Fusion, Is a Fusion That Can Go Super Saiyan 4

Goku - Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-Ken
Bringing Back This Long-Forgotten Technique Led to Double the Auras, and Twice the Fun

Vegeta & Baby - Super Baby Vegeta
Being Overtaken by a Parasite Probably Wasn’t Vegeta’s Idea of Getting Stronger Than Goku

Top - God of Destruction
This Pride Trooper Abandoned His Just Ways to Become a Weapon of Destruction - Literally

“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)

Somehow, some way, this spiky-haired Saiyan manages to keep climbing higher. He’d unlocked new forms before, including in this very tournament, but none had commanded this kind of attention As each God of Destruction stands to offer their respect, it becomes clear that the silver hair isn’t just another leap for Goku - it’s an exclamation point on a journey over twenty years in the making. Ultra Instinct was cool before, but with hype music and stellar animation backing it up, the mastered form delivers one of the most iconic brawls in the entire franchise. Goku went beyond his limit break for the sake of everyone he loved, and really, there’s nothing more classic “Dragon Ball” than that.