There aren't any transformations in anime more famous than the Super Saiyan transformation in Dragon Ball, but fans might not have understood it as well as they thought they had. According to the series' creator Akira Toriyama, there has been a pretty common misconception about the form that may change how fans look at it and the series as a whole forever.

The Super Saiyan transformation is one of the reasons why Dragon Ball stands out as one of the best anime series of all time. There are few major shōnen series that don't have a transformation similar to Super Saiyan, and it's Dragon Ball that made these visually stimulating power-ups so iconic and prevalent. Fans have always thought that they've had a pretty good understanding of what exactly goes into the transformation, but Toriyama wants people to think about the form differently.

Super Saiyan 2 and 3 Seem Like The Next Versions of Super Saiyan 1

The Two Transformations Have Become Iconic

Super Saiyan 2, 3, and even 4 have always seemed like the natural progression of the Super Saiyan transformation. Goku was the first character in Dragon Ball to unlock the Super Saiyan transformation, and not too long after, Gohan became the first character to take the form a step further through Super Saiyan 2.

Super Saiyan 2 seemed like a whole new beast. Gohan had even spikier hair, lightning flickering around him, and power on an entirely new level. Somehow, Goku pushed past even this form further during the Buu Saga when he unveiled the legendary Super Saiyan 3 form. This transformation came with even longer hair, a loss of eyebrows, and some of the strongest abilities seen in Dragon Ball Z.

Super Saiyan 4, one of the most iconic transformations in anime, debuted in Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball DAIMA. In both series, Super Saiyan 4 seemed like the absolute peak of the Super Saiyan form. Goku had black hair in GT and red hair in DAIMA, fur coming from his body, and his tail came back. Each upgrade of the original Super Saiyan form seems like a new form in and of itself, but Toriyama revealed that there may be more to the form than meets the eye.

Super Saiyan 2, 3, and 4 Are Just Powered-up Versions of Super Saiyan 1

Toriyama Revealed a Huge Fact behind the Transformation

According to a somewhat recent interview with Akira Toriyama, the mythical creator behind the Dragon Ball franchise, the Super Saiyan forms 2, 3, and 4 are just powered-up versions of the base Super Saiyan form. "Super Saiyan 2 and 3 are nothing more than powered-up variations of Super Saiyan. After the fight with Beerus, Goku realized that mastering his normal state and Super Saiyan would raise his level more and sap less strength, so I think he probably won’t become Super Saiyan 2 or 3 anymore," said Toriyama

For the longest time, fans have thought that Super Saiyan 2, 3, and 4 have been new forms, but that isn't the case. They're just the regular Super Saiyan forms u more energy quicker than normal. These forms have been a huge help to Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan when they've needed bursts of energy, but with the new forms that Dragon Ball Super has put forward, there won't be any need to use these old forms again.

Goku Probably Won’t Use Super Saiyan 2, 3, or 4 Again

With Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct, the Forms Are Basically Useless

For better or for worse, Super Saiyan 2, 3, and 4 will probably never come back in Dragon Ball Super. Each of the characters who have unlocked these forms now has a stronger form that eclipses their stamina-draining Super Saiyan upgrades.

Goku and Vegeta have unlocked the Super Saiyan God form, a transformation that might already be stronger than Super Saiyan 4. Goku has his Ultra Instinct form, Vegeta now has Ultra Ego, and even Gohan has unlocked the dominant Gohan Beast form.

With these newfound abilities, the upgraded Super Saiyan transformations will probably be left behind for good. It's not a bad thing; if Dragon Ball wants to be taken to new heights, it's going to have to leave some of its old elements behind, and it already has. Characters like Tien and Yamcha were some of the strongest in the original Dragon Ball, but now in Dragon Ball Super, they don't stand a chance.