Why Super Saiyan 4 Is Goku’s Coolest Transformation

Over the course of Dragon Ball, there are a number of transformations that serve as milestones and mere opportunities to stress the character’s limits. From the time Goku first became a Super Saiyan in the Namek Saga to the arrival of the sagas such as Kaioken Form and, more recently, God Form and Ultra Instinct, each of the forms has contributed a new level to the power system in the series. However, one transformation is special not just because of its power but also because it is tied to Saiyan ancestry. There has been much discussion about which form of Goku is better and one such form that has risen to stardom is Super Saiyan 4.

However, as compared to most other transformations that rank higher followers in terms of version numbers and present golden or silver hair as well as the flaming aura, Super Saiyan 4 is vastly different. Appearing in the anime series Dragon Ball GT, it replaces the golden hair with a messy black hairstyle, red fur, and piercing yellow eyes, which gives the character a look both wild and royal. Indeed, while GT was not for everyone, this kind of transformation was one of the enjoyable things it brought. As we know, Super Saiyan 4 has returned through Dragon Ball Daima, which means that it has again drawn attention to this particular transformation of Goku, which is still one of the most popular and powerful transformations that have ever appeared in the anime.

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The Birth of a Primal Legend, Super Saiyan 4

A Return to Saiyan Origins

Super Saiyan 4 was first introduced in Dragon Ball GT when Goku opposed the alien villain known as Truffle. Unlike previous transformations, which relied on emotional outbursts or godly rituals, this one required a far more primal approach. The way to awaken it was not anger or divine energy but sheer embrace of Saiyan identity—Great Ape. Before going for the Super Saiyan 4 transformation, Goku had to restore his Saiyan tail, which had not seemed very important throughout the Dragon Ball Z series.

After getting his tail back, Goku went into the Great Ape stage, but this time was coated with the Super Saiyan energy, making him the Golden Great Ape. But with this power, there was a consequence: full submission to its authority. Goku rampaged on the battlefield, making him nearly destroy everything, but he gains his senses once his granddaughter, Pan, arrives and reminds him of who he is through her pleas; he returned to his sense of being and used the Great Ape energy and formed back into an adult with overwhelming power and his serious demeanor, which we dearly missed through all of GT. The result? The form, which was not just about power but about fully tapping into the Saiyan race’s true potential, Super Saiyan 4.

A Power Surge Like No Other

From Super Saiyan 3 to Super Saiyan 4

Super Saiyan 4 was not only about the new visuals but the transformation in strength and abilities. And unlike previous transformations where the increase was very noticeable, none was as drastic as the transition from Super Saiyan 3 to Super Saiyan 4. While SSJ3 increases power exponentially at the same time, it significantly affects endurance and energy. Super Saiyan 4 is an improved form where the power is not so destructive and takes less toll on the body. As a matter of fact, SSJ4 Goku was so strong during his fight with the Shadow Dragons that even when Eis Shenron tricked him and blinded Goku with his Ice Claw attack, he was still going toe-to-toe with the Shadow Dragon when Goku clearly said his power was slashed in half.

This change also brought a better equilibrium in the use of energy, as before with every transformation, Saiyans were not able to sustain it for long or even tap into it at will, especially the case with Super Saiyan 3, which greatly drained one’s energy in a very short time. Super Saiyan 4 gives Goku the power of a Super Saiyan without rapidly draining his energy. It also boosted his endurance to make him one of the toughest fighters within GT.

The Best Transformation Finally Becomes Canon

After Fans Begged For The Return of Their Favorite Transformation

Even though Dragon Ball GT was excluded from mainstream continuity, Super Saiyan 4 was always a beloved concept among fans. Obviously, it was not only the aesthetic value that made it famous; it was the effort of getting there as well. A standing favorite because it was awesome to see more of the Saiyan elements, as well as emphasizing that instinct was as strong as change. Unlike godly transformations, which were provided to the characters through rituals or training with gods, or in Super’s case, a tingly feeling in their back. Super Saiyan 4 was achieved by Goku after regressing back to his pure Saiyan self and pure will alone.

As for now, with Dragon Ball Daima being heavily influenced by GT, the future of Super Saiyan 4 has been revived again. As a series that constantly tries to tackle divine power and other multiversal threats, it is refreshing to see a more savage and hardened version of this particular character. Many fans interpreted this as a signal that Dragon Ball still remembers its roots and that the primal saiyan power is still viable in the narrative.

Why Super Saiyan 4 Stands Above the Rest

A Transformation Like No Other

Although Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct are quite interesting and unique additions to Goku’s power, Super Saiyan 4 stands on its own. It can be literally translated as not only the change of hair color or its aura, but the systematic rewriting of what it is to transform into a Saiyan. The integration of the Great Ape within the intelligent human results in a shift that feels like something earned and needed to defeat their enemies, not just because they wanted to grow stronger for fun. Goku once said:

This is why, for the majority of fans, such fans believe that while it is connected to GT, the Super Saiyan 4 Transformation is cooler for Goku. As for this form, it returns to Daima, thus becoming a part of the main series of the Dragon Ball again. It is more feral and powerful, rooted in Saiyan history in a way none of the other transformations are. As for whether it will figure in future battles or not, only time will tell, but what one cannot dispute is the fact that Super Saiyan 4 is here to stay and is still one of the most iconic and definitely the coolest transformations in the Dragon Ball series.

Dragon Ball GT

Release Date

1997 – 1996

Network

Fuji TV

Showrunner

Akira Toriyama

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  Masako Nozawa

  Oob (voice)

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  Yûko Minaguchi

  Uncredited

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