Ever since Goku first became a Great Ape at the end of the Pilaf Saga, transformations have been a part of Dragon Ball. They became far more prominent in DBZ and beyond, with Goku’s initial transformation into a Super Saiyan still being the series’ most iconic moment. Unfortunately, most subsequent transformations have failed to match the impact of the trend-setter.

Dragon Ball is filled with stunning transformations, but many of them fail to live up to the hype built around them. Some of them are rendered useless as soon as they’re introduced, while others only get a single shining moment before they’re made irrelevant. These 10 transformations are the most disappointing, relative to the expectations fans had for them.

1

Piccolo Only Makes Things Worse by Becoming a Super Namekian

Fusing with Kami Doesn’t Even Make Piccolo Strong Enough to Defeat the Androids

One of the most important moments in Piccolo’s life is his fusion with Kami. It’s both the ultimate culmination of his growth from a maniacal villain to a true hero, and the source of his second biggest power-up in Dragon Ball Z. However, while it’s great that Piccolo finally found the inner strength to do what should have been done a long time ago, the Super Namekian appears too late to achieve anything.

After fusing with Kami, Piccolo only engages in a single major fight in DBZ. And, while his battle against Android 17, is undeniably one of the coolest in the franchise, it’s also a battle Piccolo doesn’t win. Not only that, but Piccolo’s choice to fight 17 is what alerts Imperfect Cell to the locations of the Androids, leading to them all being defeated, and the Androids being absorbed.

2

Super Saiyan Grade 2 is a Display of Vegeta’s Hubris

Perfect Cell Humiliates Super Saiyan Grade 2 Vegeta

Throughout the Cell Saga, the Z-Warriors’ Saiyan quartet all strive to surpass the newly discovered limits of the original Super Saiyan form. The first fighter to display a superior form of Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan Grade 2, is Vegeta. Despite becoming more powerful than ever, and having the chance to redeem himself for his loss against Android 18, Vegeta drops the ball.

Using Super Saiyan Grade 2, “Super” Vegeta completely overwhelms Semi-Perfect Cell. Vegeta then makes the mistake of helping Cell absorb Android 18, allowing him to achieve his Perfect form. As a result of Vegeta’s poor decision-making, Super Saiyan Grade 2 is rendered useless by the end of the first fight it’s used in, as Cell becomes too strong for Vegeta to even damage him.

3

Super Saiyan Grade 3 Teaches Future Trunks How Out of His League He is

Super Saiyan Grade 3 is Horribly Impractical

Super Saiyan Grade 3 is an intentionally bad transformation, but that doesn’t change the fact that Future Trunks had been hyping himself up as having surpassed Vegeta, prior to unveiling it. Had he entered the form against Semi-Perfect Cell, it may have been able to make a difference, but he didin’t wish to further damage Vegeta’s ego by using it. As a result, Grade 3 is only ever used for a single fight, against Perfect Cell.

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The issue with Super Saiyan Grade 3 is how impractical it is. This is something Perfect Cell demonstrates to Future Trunks as, while the Saiyan does indeed have more power than Vegeta, the form makes him too slow to hit the ultimate android. The fight ends with Future Trunks surrendering, and the transformation isn’t used again until Dragon Ball Super, where Caulifla learns the same lesson as her predecessor.

4

Full-Power Super Saiyan is Just Another Stepping Stone

Neither Goku nor Gohan Win Their Fights Against Cell Using Full-Power Super Saiyan

Aesthetically, Full-Power Super Saiyan is much more striking than either of the “Grade” forms. Goku and Gohan having Super Saiyan hair, but more normal faces is a fantastic visual that really shows how they’ve achieved total mastery over their Super Saiyan powers. Unfortunately, this form is no more practical than either of the “Grade” transformations before it.

Goku and Gohan both use Full-Power Super Saiyan during their first fights against Perfect Cell. Father and son achieve similarly poor results, and neither is able to defeat him in this form, with Gohan just getting tortured in it. While the form has made regular appearances since this point, no importance has ever been placed on it.

5

Super Saiyan 2 Only Impacts a Single Moment in the Series

Super Saiyan 2 Made an Outstanding First Impression

After being built up as Goku’s legacy for all of Dragon Ball Z, Gohan becomes the first person to achieve Super Saiyan 2, and uses its power to save the universe from Perfect Cell. Without a doubt, this is one of the most iconic moments in the franchise, and Super Saiyan 2 Gohan is the most popular version of the character. It’s just a shame that the Buu Saga quickly sweeps aside everything that made the transformation special.

The Buu Saga reveals that both Goku and Vegeta have unlocked Super Saiyan 2 off-screen, and that the power of Super Saiyan 2 is useless against Majin Buu’s weakest form. Super Saiyan 3 and Ultimate are quickly introduced as superior forms, and Fusion achieves better results than anything else. The final memorable fight to prominently feature Super Saiyan 2 in DBZ is one that Goku could have ended in seconds, as he held back Super Saiyan 3 while battling Majin Vegeta.

6

Super Saiyan 3 Doesn’t Do Much For Either Goku or Gotenks

Super Saiyan 3 Fails to Defeat Any Version of Majin Buu

While there’s plenty of recent hype around Super Saiyan 3, following the debut of Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta in Dragon Ball DAIMA, it shouldn’t be forgotten how useless the form really is. When Goku first transforms into Super Saiyan 3, it’s with plenty of pomp and circumstance, and he becomes the first fighter to seriously challenge Fat Buu, but he still fails to kill the destructive Majin. This is because Super Saiyan 3 rapidly drains a user’s energy and, by extension, drains Goku’s limited time on Earth.

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Failure would continue to follow the transformation throughout the rest of Dragon Ball Z. Using Super Saiyan 3, Gotenks attains more raw power than even Super Buu, but he still loses because of his own stupidity. Later, when Goku uses the form against Kid Buu, he once again falls victim to the form’s swift drainage of energy. By the time of Dragon Ball Super, Goku’s strongest form doesn’t even allow him to lay a finger on Beerus.

7

Super Saiyan God Was Swiftly Abandoned

Goku and Vegeta Rarely Ever Use Super Saiyan God

Super Saiyan God had the potential to be the first transformation in the series to match the impact of the original Super Saiyan form. Introduced in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Super Saiyan God helped usher in the modern age of the franchise, and it was hyped up as the next big step in Goku’s growth as a fighter. Of course, this isn’t how things panned out.

Following an all-time great battle between Goku and Beerus, Super Saiyan God was abandoned in the very next DBZ movie. With the introduction of Super Saiyan Blue, it was immediately outclassed. While the form still makes occasional appearances, it’s never for any big moments, and it largely feels redundant.

8

Super Saiyan Blue Has Never Successfully Defeated a Main Villain

Super Saiyan Blue Appears Weaker Than Any Prior Transformation

If any form in Dragon Ball should not have been created, it’s Super Saiyan Blue. Immediately replacing the far more distinct Super Saiyan God with something more gaudy and generic, there was never any reason for it to exist. Goku and Vegeta never fought any villains using Super Saiyan God, and yet Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ introduced a supposed upgrade to the form.

A combination of Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan Blue is one of the longest-lasting transformations in the franchise, with it still being used today. Despite this, it feels like a weaker form than any before it. Super Saiyan Blue has never been successfully used to defeat the main villain of an arc, and Goku and Vegeta have clashed with numerous Z-Warriors and Tournament of Power fighters while using it.

9

Fit Buu Fell Asleep Before the Tournament of Power

Majin Buu Trained For Nothing

It cannot be overstated how excited many fans were to see Majin Buu compete in the Tournament of Power. The hype got even bigger following his excellent fight against Universe 9’s Basil, and it peaked with the introduction of Fit Buu. Fit Buu is the result of Fat Buu putting serious work into his training and, during his sparring match against Goku, it really seemed like he had regained his position as one of Universe 7’s strongest fighters.

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Tragically, Buu did not go on to participate in the Tournament of Power. Just like during the Tournament of Destroyers, Buu falls asleep, denying fans the chance to see him in action. Fit Buu reverted to Fat Buu, and the former hasn’t been seen since.

10

Ultra Ego isn’t Enough to Make Vegeta One of Universe 7’s Strongest Warriors

Vegeta Caught Up to Goku Just in Time For Them Both to Become Outclassed

Ultra Instinct is far and away the greatest transformation in modern Dragon Ball. It’s unique, it was well built-up, the pay-off when Goku finally accessed it was outstanding, and it’s a sight to behold in action. Received two arcs after Goku discovered Ultra Instinct, Vegeta’s Ultra Ego shares none of these qualities.

Just in terms of its practicality, Ultra Ego never gets to score significant wins against major villains, like Ultra Instinct got to against Jiren and Moro. While Ultra Ego does make Vegeta strong enough to keep up with Goku and Granolah, Gas’ power puts it to shame. This is doubled up by the end of the Granolah the Survivor Saga, where Black Frieza debuts, kills Gas, and defeats both Goku and Vegeta with a single attack.

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  Dragon Ball

  Dragon Ball tells the tale of a young warrior by the name of Son Goku, a young peculiar boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when, once all 7 are gathered, grant any wish of choice.

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  With the help of the powerful Dragonballs, a team of fighters led by the saiyan warrior Goku defend the planet earth from extraterrestrial enemies.

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  With Majin Buu defeated half-a-year prior, peace returns to Earth, where Son Goku (now a radish farmer) and his friends now live peaceful lives.