Anime transformations are a staple of the genre. They're one of the best ways of signaling that a character has undergone a physical, mental, or spiritual transformation, telling the audience that a whole new version of them is set to hit the scene. Some of the best transformations are power-ups, giving a character the strength they need to take down an otherwise unbeatable enemy. While there has been hundreds of anime transformations over the years, only some of them are good enough to change the entire industry.

Some series, like Dragon Ball Z, are known for their transformations. DBZ has dozens of different forms and power boosts, but that doesn't necessarily make them good enough to change the industry at large. Only a few transformations in anime are so powerful that they've changed the way people look at transformations as a whole.

10 Okarun as Turbo Granny

Dandadan

Dandadan exploded in popularity when the anime was released. It's a fresh, hilarious, lighthearted series about two characters uncovering phenomenal supernatural powers and the power of friendship at the same time. While Momo gets great psychic powers early in the first season, the real treasure of the show comes from Okarun's transformation. Before meeting Momo and Turbo Granny, he was a quiet, reserved character who didn't speak up for himself. After his transformation, he's almost too cool to be recognized.

Okarun gets the Turbo Granny power-up and gives Dandadan the uniqueness it needs to stand out from other anime series. Okarun's transformation from a socially awkward young man into a force to be reckoned with gave transformations as a whole a revitalization. With Turbo Granny's powers, Okarun flies through the battlefield, takes on the scariest enemies imaginable, and even calls Ayasa-san Momo-chan like they've been friends for years.

9 Guts in The Berserker Armor

Berserk

Berserk is an anime defined by its main character, Guts. He's one of anime and manga's deadliest one-man-armies who fights more viciously than any other character in the series. While he's undergone a few transformations as a character, none were quite as pivotal as when Guts finally acquired the titular Berserker Armor. It's an armor unlike any other in that it doesn't actually protect Guts from damage. Instead, it makes him stop caring about pain and breaks his body in an attempt to cause insane damage to his enemies.

When Guts finally gets the Berserker Armor, Berserk really catches its stride. It was always a great series for manga readers, but the Berserker Armor really set the stage for the Black Swordsman to finally be the beast he truly is. It also defined his character as a man focused on revenge, sacrificing his body and sanity if it means slaying the God Hand who terrorized him so thoroughly.

8 Denji as Chainsaw Man

Chainsaw Man

Chainsaw Man is one of the best new anime series of the last decade. It stars Denji as the titular Chainsaw Man in a world filled with Devils, people trying to stop them, and so much more. Denji was an outcast of society who found a friend in Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil. When Pochita sacrificed himself so that Denji could live, Denji's life finally got the meaning he was looking for. He was able to transform into the Chainsaw Man and take down his enemies with a crazy amount of ferocity.

Denji's transformation is equal parts funny and heartbreaking. It's a reminder of what it cost Denji to reach this point, but it's still pretty funny to see several chainsaws protrude out of a man's face and limbs. His transformation in a unique one in the industry and certainly made the industry at large better for it.

7 Monkey D. Luffy in Fifth Gear

One Piece

After over 1,000 episodes, it's incredible to think that One Piece is still as exciting as the day it came out, if not even more exciting now. The animation quality has improved immeasurably, the characters are still as lovable as ever, and somehow, Luffy is still getting stronger. Luffy has had a decent number of power-ups and transformations in the series, but none are quite as pivotal as Luffy's transformation into Gear 5 during his fight against Kaido in Wano.

Luffy's Gear 5 form isn't just monumental because of how cool it was, it proved that One Piece and Eiichiro Oda still have plenty of story to tell. Most anime series have a hard time getting through a single 12-episode season - One Piece does not. 1,000 episodes later, it's still just as captivating to see Luffy fight as it was during episode 100. His Gear 5 transformation is heart-pounding, jaw-dropping, and ferocious all at the same time.

6 Deku using Full Cowl

My Hero Academia

Deku is one of the new modern heroes of shōnen. He's a brave, strong young man who uses the powers given to him about as well as anyone could in his position. As a Quirk-less person in a society that values Quirks above all else, Deku was left severely disadvantaged until he got One-For-All, the second-strongest Quirk in the series. The only downside to using One-For-All was that Deku's body couldn't handle the force that it was put through when using the Quirk.

When Deku discovered how to use Full Cowl, however, that all changed. He figured out a way to channel the Quirk throughout his entire body so that he could distribute the strain placed on him. Through this transformation, My Hero Academia changed from a show about someone who could be powerful into a show about someone who finally is. After using Full Cowl, Deku was finally able to take his Quirk to the heights that it deserved.

5 Goku reaching Ultra Instinct

Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball is a franchise known for its transformations. Goku has been part of nearly all of them, including a Great Ape form, Kaio-ken used to double his attack power, and the legendary Super Saiyan form as well. When Dragon Ball Super came out, it seemed like Dragon Ball as a franchise would just be reusing the same old tricks in an attempt to bring their series back to life. While that might be the case, Goku achieving Ultra Instinct revitalized the series like only a Saiyan could.

The Ultra Instinct form broke Crunchyroll's servers when it was first revealed during the Tournament of Power in a fight against Jiren. It's a form that allows Goku to fight at an entirely different level, and even the Destroyer Gods watching the Tournament couldn't help but get on their feet in awe. Just like Luffy's Gear 5 transformation in One Piece, Ultra Instinct proved that Dragon Ball was far from finished.

4 Gon using Limitation Transformation

Hunter x Hunter

Gon's Limitation Transformation during the Chimera Ant Arc of Hunter x Hunter was just as much mental as it was physical. Throughout the series, Gon has always been a light-hearted, caring boy filled with curiosity. When he saw Kite die, however, something inside of him changed permanently. He gained a much darker side that came out in his fight against Pitou when he decided to trade his entire future in order to gain the strength needed to kill the Chimera Ant.

Gon used a Limitation Transformation to sacrifice his potential to draw it all to the current moment, growing significantly in size. While Pitou is one of the strongest villains in Hunter x Hunter, she didn't hold a candle to the newly changed Gon. Hunter x Hunter is no stranger to dark moments, but none were darker than this one. Gon couldn't care less if he died right after the fight, so long as he could take Pitou with him.

3 Naruto Obtaining Sage Mode

Naruto: Shippuden

Naruto is another shōnen series with plenty of transformations. Naruto himself has multiple tailed beast forms, a form where he shares his power with Kurama, and another form that comes directly from the Sage of Six Paths himself. His base Sage Form is different from all of them though, as it's the only form that Naruto actually earned by himself. Every other form was either given to him or is derived from someone else's power.

Naruto himself had to go to Mount Myoboku to acquire this form in order to get the strength needed to finally defeat Pain and protect his village from the Akatsuki once and for all. This form is significant for that reason, as it adds another layer of depth to Naruto's character. While he's never been weak in spirit, working for this form showed that even Naruto can work hard to achieve the results he's looking for.

2 Titan Shifters

Attack on Titan

Attack on Titan is one of the most titanic anime series of the last decade and some change. It features Eren Yeager and his friends as they look to survive the horrors of the titans and discover the world that lies beyond them. At first, the Titans were seen as a mythical force that could hardly be understood. As time went on in the series, however, the main cast of characters got to learn the truth behind their enemies. Titans aren't just random beasts, but people transformed using Titan serum.

Even worse, some people are capable of transforming into Titans, like the Colossal and Armored Titans that broke down the Walls and killed Eren's mother. It was a jaw-dropping realization when it first hit screens back in the mid 2010s, and it changed the industry forever. Anime transformations used to be fun, exciting moments. After the Titans, they finally had the potential to be frightening.

1 Goku reaching Super Saiyan

Dragon Ball Z

Goku's first transformation into the legendary Super Saiyan form in Dragon Ball Z is just that - legendary. It's the biggest transformation in anime because of what it means for the anime industry as a whole. Most series feature their main characters with their backs against the wall, looking for some way to sur their limit and beat unbeatable odds. None had done it quite as well as Dragon Ball Z, showcasing their main character in hues of gold and yellow.

Goku's transformation was clear as day. His hair became gold, his muscles ripped through his shirt, and his demeanor became much more serious. It's the top transformation in anime because of how well it shows off Goku's intention as a warrior and both his physical and mental transformation during his fight with Frieza. His speech is also one of the best in anime, proclaiming that he is the "hope of the universe" and the person to finally end Frieza's reign.