When fans think of Goku’s legendary transformations, most immediately jump to original Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan Blue or Ultra Instinct. Some even think of the meme-worthy Super Saiyan 3 with its flowing mane of golden hair and lack of eyebrows. But there’s one form that always seems to fly under the radar, despite being arguably one of Goku’s most visually stunning—and that’s Super Saiyan 2.
It’s the form with the perfect balance of raw power, sleek aesthetics, and that electrifying aura, yet Goku seems to treat it like a relic of the past. This sleek, lightning-wrapped form had its prime in the Dragon Ball Z era, only to later be overshadowed by shiny new power-ups. But why doesn’t Goku ever bother using this form, despite how cool it looks?
Super Saiyan 2 Made Its Debut During the Cell Games Saga
It Made the Super Saiyan Form Even More Epic
First introduced during the Cell Games saga, Super Saiyan 2 was a monumental leap in power and aesthetic. It wasn’t Goku who debuted it, though—it was Gohan. When Gohan snapped during the battle against Perfect Cell, he revealed his SSJ2 form (having first achieved it offscreen while training in the hyperbolic chamber) and dished out one of the most satisfying beatdowns in anime history. This transformation was visually distinct, with the aura crackling like a thunderstorm and the hair standing even spikier than the usual Super Saiyan look. Add the electricity coursing around the body, and it becomes a form that screams raw power and intensity. For fans of DBZ, this was the moment. Gohan’s ascension to Super Saiyan 2 was not just powerful—it was legendary.
Then Goku got his hands on it. During the Majin Buu saga, Goku unveiled that he, too, had reached SSJ2. While it didn’t come with the same earth-shattering emotional baggage that Gohan’s transformation carried, Goku still made it look effortlessly cool. His duel with Majin Vegeta during this saga saw both Saiyans at their SSJ2 peaks. They fought to a brutal standstill, with their hair spiked to infinity, lightning zapping around them, and fists moving faster than sound. Goku and Vegeta both looked like gods of destruction well before that title officially entered the Dragon Ball lore. But after that fight, Goku seemed to forget SSJ2 even existed. He moved on to bigger (and bluer) things, leaving Super Saiyan 2 in the dust.
What Makes Super Saiyan 2 So Cool?
This Form Is Arguably the Best-Looking
Sure, Super Saiyan 1 was groundbreaking—it’s the form that broke the internet before there was an internet. But SSJ2 refined that formula and took it up a notch. It’s like Super Saiyan 1 on steroids, but without going overboard. The first thing that hits you about Super Saiyan 2 is the electricity. This is what sets it apart from its predecessor. The blue lightning bolts zig-zagging around the golden aura are just cool. It’s visually striking and adds an edge that makes the form seem more volatile and uncontrollable, yet somehow more refined. Then there’s the hair.
Goku’s spiky mane gets sharper and more intense, giving him a more feral and untamed look. Fans know Goku means business when his hair defies physics in SSJ2. And it’s not just the aesthetics—the power boost is insane too. In the lore of the series, SSJ2 is supposed to be a 100x multiplier of Goku’s base strength, which is a significant jump from the original Super Saiyan. Yet, despite these perks, Goku still seems to bypass Super Saiyan 2 for other transformations. And that’s a tragedy, especially since it’s arguably his best-looking form.
Goku Needed Stronger Power-ups to Fight His Enemies
Fighting Literal Gods From Other Dimensions Would Be Too Much For Super Saiyan 2
One reason Goku skips Super Saiyan 2 is the infamous Dragon Ball power creep. As the series went on, the stakes got higher, the enemies got stronger and the power-ups needed to match that. Even once Super Saiyan 3 and its beefed-up power level came into play during the Buu Saga, Goku started to skip right over SSJ2. By the time Dragon Ball Super rolled around, transformations like Super Saiyan Blue and Ultra Instinct entered the fray, making SSJ2 seem a bit outdated. Super Saiyan Blue, for example, combines the raw power of Super Saiyan with the divine energy of god ki.
Ultra Instinct, meanwhile, isn’t just a transformation—it’s a state of mind where Goku moves without thinking, dodging attacks like a cosmic ninja. With these god-tier transformations available, why would Goku bother with something like SSJ2? The answer seems to be that he just doesn’t need it anymore. In terms of power scaling, SSJ2 just isn’t cutting it anymore in the grand cosmic battles that Goku is facing in Super. Against foes like Jiren or even Beerus, the God of Destruction, SSJ2 just can’t compete with the likes of Super Saiyan Blue or Ultra Instinct when it comes to taking on universal-level threats. For Goku, who’s always looking for the next challenge, it is simply a stepping stone and is too weak to be of any real use in the higher-tier battles of Dragon Ball Super.
TERSEDIA JUGA: