Throughout Dragon Ball’s history, fans have witnessed countless Super Saiyan forms, from Super Saiyan 1, 2, and 3 to the divine transformations like Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue in Dragon Ball Super. However, there is a unique transformation that sparked debate for years but was nearly forgotten: the False Super Saiyan.
Now, after more than three decades, this form has unexpectedly been brought back by Bandai Namco in Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO.
False Super Saiyan Debuts Officially in New DLC
As the spiritual successor to the popular Budokai Tenkaichi series, Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO continues to expand its roster with a new DLC titled Super Limit-Breaking NEO.
This expansion not only adds many character versions from Dragon Ball’s early days but also surprises fans by giving Goku the False Super Saiyan form, a transformation that previously appeared only in the Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug movie.
So far, Bandai Namco has only confirmed False Super Saiyan’s appearance through a promotional trailer. It remains unclear whether this will be a separate character or a transformation Goku can activate during battles.
What Is False Super Saiyan?
False Super Saiyan appeared in the Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug film when Goku faced off against the villainous Namekian Lord Slug. During the battle, Goku unleashed a power surge unlike anything seen before.
What makes this form unique is that while it shares many traits with the Super Saiyan transformation, Goku’s hair does not turn golden. Instead, it simply stands up more, his body radiates a golden aura, and his eyes change color.
Because of this, many fans view it as an “unfinished” version or a stepping stone between Goku’s normal state and the true Super Saiyan form.
Since the Dragon Ball Z movies from that era are not part of the official storyline (canon), False Super Saiyan never reappeared in the main anime, making it one of the most debated transformations in Dragon Ball history.
The Fascinating Story Behind False Super Saiyan
Few know that False Super Saiyan’s existence actually stems from Akira Toriyama’s early development of the Super Saiyan concept.
The Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug movie was released in Japan just 10 days before the official debut of the Super Saiyan form in the Dragon Ball Z manga and anime.
At the time of the movie’s production, Toei Animation only had Toriyama’s initial sketches of the Super Saiyan design. In this early version, Goku’s hair remained black instead of the iconic golden color that would come later.
Later, Toriyama decided to change the design, giving Super Saiyan the now-famous golden hair. This change helped artists save time by not having to color the hair black in the manga and created one of Dragon Ball’s most iconic images.
However, the Lord Slug movie was completed before this update could be applied, making False Super Saiyan a unique relic in Dragon Ball’s history.
A Gift for Longtime Fans
Although never officially part of the main storyline, False Super Saiyan has always been a hot topic among Dragon Ball fans.
Bandai Namco’s decision to include this form in Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is seen as a special treat for longtime fans, showing the company’s willingness to explore even the lesser-known details from Dragon Ball’s 40-plus years of history.