Goku is one of the most iconic anime characters and over the years his Saiyan transformations laid the foundation for the trope of anime power-ups and transformations across the board. Today, most anime transformations bear some semblance of Goku’s transformations- either as a sign of influence or simply paying homage to Goku.
Goku All Saiyan Forms Debut In Anime Series
Goku’s Saiyan forms have become key references for power-ups and transformations in the battle shonen genre we all know and love today. With Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach being heavily inspired by the late Akira Toriyama’s creativity, Dragon Ball’s Goku and his several Saiyan forms have driven inspiration not just in Japan but also in media and fiction around the world.
Episodic Debut of Goku’s Saiyan Forms
While some of Goku’s transformations debut in canon and non-canon movies, in the following table we have focused on his transformation debuts in the several Dragon Ball anime series.
| Transformation | Series | Episode | Episode Title |
| Great Ape (Oozaru) | Dragon Ball | 12 | “A Wish To The Eternal Dragon” |
| Kaio-Ken | Dragon Ball Z | 23 | “Lesson Number One” |
| Super Saiyan (SSJ) | Dragon Ball Z | 95 | “Transformed At Last” |
| Super Saiyan Full Power (Mastered Super Saiyan) | Dragon Ball Z | 168 | “Meet Me In The Ring” |
| Super Saiyan 2 (SSJ2) | Dragon Ball Z | 229 | “Vegeta’s Pride” |
| Super Saiyan 3 (SSJ3) | Dragon Ball Z | 245 | “Super Saiyan 3?!” |
| Super Saiyan God (SSG) | Dragon Ball Super | 9 | “Thanks for Waiting, Lord Beerus! A Super Saiyan God Is Born at Last!” |
| Super Saiyan Blue (SSB) | Dragon Ball Super | 24 | “Clash! Frieza vs. Goku This Is the Result of My Training!” |
| Ultra Instinct | Dragon Ball Super | 130 | “The Greatest Showdown of All Time! The Ultimate Survival Battle!” |
Additionally, Goku also has a few special moves that combine two or more of his Saiyan forms- these cannot be called full transformations and are more akin to special techniques Goku uses or is capable of in battle. An example would be that time when he combined Super Saiyan Blue and his Kaio-Ken to deliver a devastating finishing blow to Hit.
