First character to show each Saiyan form in Dragon Ball Z

Today, let’s look back at the key Saiyan transformations in Dragon Ball Z—and, most importantly, who was the first character to show each one.

It starts with the most primal and terrifying Saiyan form: Oozaru, the Great Ape. In DBZ, the first to reveal it is Gohan, when he loses control after staring at the moon—an instant reminder that Saiyan power doesn’t always come with discipline.

Next comes the transformation that changed the franchise forever: Super Saiyan. The first to achieve and display it is Goku, pushed over the edge by rage and despair against Frieza. In that moment, the legend stops being a legend—and the power scale of the entire universe shifts.

But the Android/Cell era adds extra layers within Super Saiyan itself. First is Super Saiyan (Grade 2), often called “Ascended.” or Super Saiyan Dai Ni-dankai. The first to show it is Vegeta (Super Vegeta), betting everything on raw strength and proving he could break past limits too—just in the most Vegeta way possible.

Right after that comes Super Saiyan (Grade 3), the “Ultra” form or Super Saiyan Dai San-dankai: even bigger muscles and explosive power… but with a major drawback. The first to present it is Future Trunks, in a transformation that looks unstoppable, yet turns out to be too slow to be ideal—a perfect lesson that more power doesn’t always mean a better fighter.

Then we reach Super Saiyan 2. The first to awaken and demonstrate it is Gohan during the fight with Cell. It’s the moment all that pressure finally snaps into total release—and the kid becomes the most frightening warrior on the battlefield.

And to close it out in DBZ, there’s Super Saiyan 3, first shown by Goku in the Buu saga: an extreme form with an unforgettable look, and an energy drain that makes one thing clear—every step upward comes with a cost.