Most Underwhelming Dragon Ball Transformations

Key Takeaways

SSJ Blue offers little to impress, trading speed and body changes for blue hair and aura.
Golden Frieza’s lackluster golden form looks the same with minimal explanation in DBS.
Trunks’ Super Saiyan Rage lacks depth, an unexplained transformation relying on plot armor.

As a long-time fan of Dragon Ball, I can’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment when it comes to some of the transformations in this iconic series. While the franchise has certainly delivered on many fronts, there are instances where the transformations fell short, often leaving fans like me scratching our heads.

As a passionate Dragon Ball fan, I must admit that even though this anime is globally renowned and highly-watched, it isn’t flawless. There are some storylines that miss the mark, characters that don’t quite live up to their potential, and transformations that fall short of the grandeur often expected. It’s these elements that occasionally bring the series a bit lower than the lofty heights many of us tend to imagine for it.

As a dedicated Dragon Ball fan, I’ve got to admit that transformations weren’t really a thing until the Frieza saga rolled around. Before then, it was just minor power-ups or visual tweaks here and there. But boy, did things change after Goku unleashed his Super Saiyan form! The franchise decided to go all out with new forms, especially in the Dragon Ball Super anime. Honestly, a lot of these new transformations didn’t live up to the hype, leaving many of us fans feeling underwhelmed.

7 Super Saiyan Blue

Blue Aura And Loopholes

In the initial story arc of Dragon Ball Super, transitioning from the Super Saiyan God form to the Super Saiyan Blue transformation leaves some fans feeling underwhelmed. Rather than the leaner build, swift movement, and striking God Ki exhibited in the Super Saiyan God form, the Super Saiyan Blue bypasses these features for a blue hair color and aura.

Furthermore, as Goku had to transform into Super Saiyan God prior to turning blue, the series doesn’t provide a reason for Vegeta acquiring this form without going through any rituals or procedures to become a Super Saiyan God initially.

6 Golden Frieza

An Expensive-looking Frieza

Fans often express issues regarding Frieza’s golden-hued form in Dragon Ball Super. For the first time, this cosmic tyrant and Dragon Ball Z’s most cherished antagonist reappears, determined to defeat Goku and Vegeta. In his latest transformation, he sports a gleaming golden appearance, but unfortunately, it’s hard to distinguish between his new form and his standard final form since the gold coating is merely an addition on top.

Besides being rather sluggish in the reasoning department, no clear account has been given on how Frieza managed to attain a new form comparable to Super Saiyan Blue, save for the fact that he underwent intensive training for a period of four months.

5 Trunk’s Super Saiyan Rage

Trunks Getting God-level Ki For No Reason

In the Zamasu and Black Goku saga, I found myself transforming into a unique blend of Super Saiyan Blue and regular Super Saiyan during the heat of battle. My hair turned golden instead of the usual blue, which left everyone – including me – a bit puzzled, as this strange amalgamation of forms was never clarified in the series. It was definitely an unexpected twist that didn’t quite live up to its potential.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but ponder if Trunks’ Super Saiyan 3 achievement might have added a touch more logic to the storyline. Instead, his sudden strength equalizing with Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta when fighting together feels an awful lot like plot armor. This is especially striking given that none of the other Saiyans, even Gohan, managed to pull off this particular transformation.

4 Ascended Super Saiyan

A Saiyan On Steroids

In the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku and Gohan honed their skills to achieve the Super Saiyan form for battling Cell. On the other hand, Vegeta and Trunks aimed higher, evolving into what was called the Ascended Super Saiyan. Unfortunately, this new form fell short in both aesthetics and effectiveness during combat.

The modification in their form solely added more muscular build for the pair, however, this increase in weight made them slower and caused them to burn through energy at a quicker pace.

3 Golden Great Ape

A Fancy Great Ape

In the classic Dragon Ball anime series, there was only one significant transformation – the Ozaru form. It was an awe-inspiring metamorphosis because it multiplied a Saiyan’s power by tenfold, enlarged their physical size, but at the cost of total self-control. This loss of control ties in neatly with the lore that Saiyans possess tails, which is what enables them to undergo this transformation initially.

In Dragon Ball GT, both Goku and Vegeta can transform into Golden Great Apes. This transformation occurs because they’ve mastered the Super Saiyan 3 form. However, the Golden Great Ape is not particularly impressive; it only differs from its normal form by having golden fur. Essentially, it serves as a stepping stone towards the superior Super Saiyan 4 transformation.

2 Piccolo And Nail Fusion

Like Nothing Even Happened

Namekians have an exceptional talent for merging with one another, dramatically boosting their strength. This fusion ability was initially demonstrated during the Frieza Saga in Dragon Ball Z, when Piccolo combined forces with a near-death Namek known as Nail, thereby enhancing his power significantly.

The only problem with this fused form is that it brings no difference to how Piccolo looks; he feels much stronger and is able to keep up with Frieza’s second form. This form, compared to the Great Namekian form, which makes them huge in size, is a massive letdown, and only serves to suddenly bring Piccolo to a similar power level to Frieza.

1 Frieza Full Power

Frieza After 6 Months In The Gym

Before I, the gamer, shattered Frieza’s pride for good and left him vulnerable on the brink of destruction on Namek, Frieza attempted to counter my newly acquired Super Saiyan form by pushing himself beyond his typical final form into a more powerful state. This new form, reminiscent of the Super Saiyan form that emerged later in the series, was his Full Power form. It boosted his strength and allowed him to withstand my attacks and even retaliate.

However, unlike Frieza’s Final Form that underwent a radical transformation and intensified his intimidating presence, Frieza’s Full Power form merely augmented his musculature without significant alteration.

2024-08-24 19:33