Summary
Transformations are some of the most recognizable and iconic aspects of theDragon Ballfranchise. In fact, this series became the trendsetter in the anime industry for the trope of a character getting angry and yelling at the top of their lungs to initiate a transformation to make themselves stronger, which just goes to show how central a theme these forms hold in the overall setting of the franchise.
Although it’s different now, most of theSaiyan transformations followed the Super Saiyan lineinitially, even well into the non-canon franchise ofDragon Ball GT. Super Saiyan 4 was introduced in this series and won over fans because of its impeccable design and story significance. Let’s take a deeper look at this fan-favorite form and see why it remains arguably the best-designed form in the entire franchise.
Story Arc
Baby Saga
AlthoughDragon Ball GTlargely followed the Super Saiyan line when it came to the transformations of the main characters,Super Saiyan 4 was a departurefrom the design language of the previous forms. This is because where each iteration was just a bulk-up of the previous form with longer golden hair and spikier aura, Super Saiyan 4 brought an entirely new aspect to the table with its fur body, change in hairstyle, and Great Ape influences. The form seemed to sport the user having a change in demeanor with a more serious disposition.
To turn into a Super Saiyan 4, the user needs to be exposed to Blutz Waves, a special kind of energy that’s emitted by celestial bodies, for an extended period of time. This prompts their transformation into a Golden Great Ape, upon which they need to regain their consciousness and turn back into their original state, albeit with a different appearance and far greater strength. The appearance of Super Saiyan 4 is a mixture of the Great Ape and Super Saiyan forms, acting as a great callback to the original Saiyan transformation ofDragon Ball.
The very first Super Saiyan 4 was Goku, who achieved this transformation in his battle against Baby Vegeta. Even at his strongest, Goku had been unable to significantly harm this enemy, but whenhe transformed into Super Saiyan 4, the roles were reversed and Baby couldn’t do anything to him. Until the end ofGT, this was Goku’s signature form and he used it very well against multiple powerful enemies to defeat them.
Eventually, Vegeta would also unlock this form when Bulma invented a machine capable of generating Blutz Waves. In the fight against Omega Shenron, both the Saiyans would fight against the villain in their strongest states but were unable to faze him. So, this led to them fusing to form the greatest power in the universe and the one to hold the title of strongestDragon Ballcharacter for almost 20 years; Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta.
Shadow Dragon Saga
Just when things were looking dire against Omega Shenron, even for 2 Super Saiyan 4’s, Goku and Vegeta underwent the Fusion Dance, fusing them into the most powerful character in the entirety ofGT. With Gogeta’s introduction,Omega Shenron’s defeat seemed certaindue to the insane power gap between them, since the former was the culmination of the strength of 2 Super Saiyan 4s with a power boost on top of that, which was shown repeatedly with how he was bullying around the strongest villain in the franchise at the time.
The Saiyans? They’re here. I am they. We are one. Unfortunately for you, Omega.
Gogeta’s personality was a far cry from that of his first-ever appearance in theFusion Rebornmovie. While he was completely serious and stoic in the film, his personality inGTwas incredibly fun, taking time out to humiliate and deride Omega Shenron due to their difference in strength. The series took Goku’s childish personality and exaggerated it to a huge degree, making Gogeta a lovable character, but also showed signs of Vegeta’s ruthlessness when he got serious, reinforcing that he is a nightmare to face.
