Super Saiyan 3 is one of the rarest transformations in Dragon Ball history, and upon an explanation courtesy of Goku, fans know exactly why that is.
Out of all the Saiyan transformations throughout Dragon Ball continuity-including Dragon Ball Z, Super, and GT-arguably the one that is the most rarely seen is Super Saiyan 3, and the series has one genius answer for exactly why that is, though it's not a fully satisfying one.
Super Saiyan 3 is the third form of Super Saiyan that increases the Saiyan's power exponentially, though it comes with a pretty sizable downside. Super Saiyan 3 drains a Saiyan's ki much faster than the previous two transformations, so while it is incredibly powerful in small bursts, or when fighting an opponent that should be taken down quickly, it isn't ideal in a fight where stamina is required, such as a tournament. Throughout Dragon Ball Z and Super, the only Saiyans to attain this transformation were Goku and Gotenks (the fusion of Trunks and Goten), making it an incredibly rare form when compared to SSJ1, 2, God or Blue. While that could be because SSJ3 simply drains too much energy to be worth it, there's another reason why it's so rare-one that is an extension of the form's ki-draining side effect.
Super Saiyan 3 is Secretly an Otherworldly Transformation
In Dragon Ball chapter #475 by Akira Toriyama, Goku confronts Buu and Babidi in an effort to buy Goten and Trunks more time to learn the Fusion Dance. At this point, Goku has returned from the grave for just twenty-four hours, and he only has a bit of time left. This means he can't be the one to beat Buu, and with Vegeta dead and Gohan presumed dead, the only ones left to fight Buu were Goten and Trunks-and they don't stand a chance against Buu unless they fuse. So, Goku does what he can to give Goten and Trunks all the time they need, and in the process, try out an all-new transformation he learned in the afterlife: Super Saiyan 3.
It is now common knowledge that Super Saiyan 3 uses up a lot of ki, and in Dragon Ball chapter 476, Goku explains exactly why that is. According to Goku, SSJ3 is a transformation that should really only be used in the Other World, or anywhere time doesn't flow. When it is used in a place like Earth, too much energy gets used up too quickly, and it isn't a worthwhile transformation, despite its near-unparalleled power. This implies that SSJ3 is something of a divine Super Saiyan transformation akin to the Super Saiyan God, one that shouldn't be used by mortals as it simply doesn't work in the mortal realm. When taking a look at some other examples, the evidence seems to check out.
Super Saiyan III Is Not Designed for the Mortal World
When Goku faces Beerus in Dragon Ball Super on King Kai's World, which exists outside of the flow of time, Goku becomes Super Saiyan 3 and battles the God of Destruction. In the anime Dragon Ball Z Fusion Reborn Goku fights Janemba as SSJ3 in hell, a location where time does not flow like it does on Earth. When Goku displays SSJ3 in DBS Tournament of Power to the Saiyans of Universe 6, he can only stay in this form for a brief period due to the ki drain. This is because the tournament takes place in a location where time flows as it should. Super Saiyan 3 was never meant to exist in the mortal world. It is a fascinating aspect of Saiyan Transformations and deserves more exploration.
0 Comments