Dragon Ball is one of the most iconic anime and manga franchises in history. Its fighters are instantly recognizable, its attacks have been echoed by generations of fans, and its protagonist, the once strange, tailed boy in the mountains, has become the unofficial mascot of the medium in which he made his name. Akira Toriyama's masterpiece series acted as an immeasurable number of fans' introduction to the world of anime and manga, and will likely continue to do so for years to come.

Arguably more iconic than any Dragon Ball character not named Goku is the Super Saiyan transformation. From the moment it was introduced during the Namek Saga, Super Saiyan changed the landscape of shōnen manga forever, and inspired the transformations of countless protagonists following in Goku's footsteps. According to Akira Toriyama, the legendary artist behind Dragon Ball, the form wasn't introduced because he wanted to give his main character a flashy makeover, or because he needed to boost sales, but rather it was out of necessity.

Super Saiyan Was Born Out of Necessity

Goku's Most Iconic Look Was a Needed Change

During a time when power levels meant something in Dragon Ball, the Super Saiyan transformation debuted and forever changed the way strength worked in the series. Goku, the goofy, fighting-obsessed protagonist of the series, rarely had to abandon his kindhearted nature, but Super Saiyan introduced a side of him that wasn't as friendly as he usually appears. According to Toriyama, the transformation was necessary to help manage the absurd levels of strength Dragon Ball's fighters had begun to reach.

At that point, the series began introducing characters that were a far cry from warriors like Master Roshi, who handed Goku his first loss during the World Martial Arts Tournament. These were fighters who could turn entire planets into dust on a whim, and Toriyama needed to come up with something to reflect that level of power.

In a 1995 interview, he said, "When I came up with the idea of the Super Saiyan, in order to show that Goku had gained a massive power-up all at once, I thought 'there’s no choice but to change his form, too'. But in of design, the facial expressions and such would become like the design for a villain." Just like that, Toriyama found a way to have his protagonist jump even further in strength, and created what is arguably the most iconic transformation in anime and manga history in the process.

Transformations Were a Double-Edged Sword For Dragon Ball

Super Saiyan Introduced a Trend of Transformations In Dragon Ball

While Super Saiyan has become an instantly recognizable aspect of Dragon Ball, it also introduced a trend that Toriyama wasn't quite fond of. After recalling how and why the form was introduced during the fight with Frieza, he went on to say, "Before long, 'they should transform' became the norm, so that was a pain." Considering the number of transformations that followed Super Saiyan, for both heroes and villains alike, it seems Toriyama had little choice but to listen to his editors on the subject.

each of the main Saiyans has found a way to sur it, but the blonde look is still the series' most iconic.

Source: Dragon Ball Daizenshuu 6 (translation by Kanzenshuu)