Dragon Ball Wiki
Advertisement

"That's right, you may have anticipated my attacks so far, but you have no idea what I am capable of now... and what you don't know... could hurt you."
Goku in "Raising the Stakes"

Super Saiyan 4 (スーパーサイヤじんフォー Sūpā Saiya-jin Fō) is a Saiyan transformation which first appeared in Dragon Ball GT. The form is a different branch of transformation from the earlier Super Saiyan forms, such as Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan 3.[5]

Overview

The only way a Saiyan can attain Super Saiyan 4 is if they have a high enough power level and become a Golden Great Ape (or Broly's variant) and regain conscious control over the form. Even after this form is attained, it cannot be accessed at will and requires exposure to Blutz Waves every time the user wishes to transform, however, Goku is apparently a special case, capable of using the form whenever he wishes.[6] In Dragon Ball Heroes Gohan acquired the form without a tail while training, and Xeno Trunks was originally going to have acquired the form too showing that even Half-Saiyans born without tails can still acquire Super Saiyan 4.

The Super Saiyan 4 form was designed by Toei Animation's character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru.[5] The form is a combination of the Super Saiyan and Great Ape forms attained through the Golden Great Ape form, it gifts the Saiyan with primal power,[7] though they retain a humanoid appearance.

This form gives the user the super strength and speed of a Great Ape, but with a calm, clever mind. But for others, it can make them very cold and aggressive.[8] A user of this form loses some of their rationality.[9]

The form's power is too great to be utilized by a child and so a child user is aged into an adult when using it. The form possesses all of the power of Golden Great Ape.[10]The form itself is non-canon.

Appearance

Vegeta DBGT Ep 59 001

Vegeta's Super Saiyan 4 form seen for the first (and only) time in the anime

In this form, the Saiyan's hair color differs, the same goes for the tail and the body is covered in red fur. A Saiyan in this form also possesses a shadow trim around their eyes and over the eyelids that varies in color, such as crimson. The hair is lengthened while becoming wilder, reaching down to the middle of their back, while two long pointed bangs of hair appear on both sides of the neck. It also makes the individual considerably larger in height and muscularity, as shown by Vegeta when his time limit ended and he reverted to his considerably smaller size.

The aura in this form loses the arcs of electricity, once again shaped like a regular Super Saiyan's smooth aura, (although in various video games, the aura was depicted as reddish with a small yellowish glow and sparks of bio-electricity). In the case of the Fusion Dance warrior Gogeta, the coloration of the aforementioned features seemingly switches, as Gogeta's hair became a bright shade of red whereas his fur became a dark shade of brown and the trim around his eyes were black instead of red. His aura also has yellow sparkles to it.

Broly's Super Saiyan 4 transformation is fairly similar to Goku's, Gohan's and Vegeta's Super Saiyan 4 transformation. All of which possess having very long black or dark colored hair, a reddish colored fur, and a red outline for around the eyes. However, the main key differences are that Broly is utilizing his Legendary version of the Super Saiyan 4 transformation, which does not have any visible pupils in his eyes, and has massively oversized muscles. While in this form, there is also a yellow colored aura.

Usage and Power

"Light breaks the darkness! This form is my instrument - I have no limits."
Goku in "Baby Put to Rest"

The Super Saiyan 4 form is a condensed version of the Great Ape's power,[11] drawing the power of its user up to its utmost limits.[5] While Goku's Super Saiyan 3 form was unable to even faze Baby Vegeta, as soon as Goku transformed into a Super Saiyan 4, becoming an adult once more in the process, their roles in power became polar opposites, with Baby Vegeta being almost unable to hurt Goku. At the time of its debut, Super Saiyan 4 was the mightiest form in the entire series.[12] However, it is noted that Vegito may have been even stronger than Super Saiyan 4.[13]

This transformation allows users to utilize more powerful signature techniques. For example, Goku develops an attack he calls the 10x Kamehameha, as it is ten times (10x) stronger than the Super Kamehameha, Gogeta uses a powerful combined attack named 100x Big Bang Kamehameha in video games, and Broly has an attack named Gigantic Destruction. Like the Super Saiyan God form, this form also seems to allow the user to absorb energy attacks. However, unlike Super Saiyan God, the Super Saiyan 4 form does not use up the user's power when absorbing energy attacks. This is shown when Goku absorbs Great Ape Baby's Revenge Death Ball Final and turns it into a 10x Kamehameha.

Super Saiyan 4 also enhances the users Saiyan Power ability in seemingly real time as during Goku's battle against Eis Shenron he was frozen solid by the Shadow Dragon, requiring Nuova Shenron's aid to escape. Afterwards however, Goku adapted to and became completely unaffected by Eis Shenrons next usage of the attack as he instantly broke free while completely unfazed from the event. To which, Goku noted firmly that the same technique does not work twice on him. Later, against Syn Shenron, despite being blinded by Eis, once recharged by the other Saiyans' ki, Goku adapted so completely from Syn's previous assault that just using his other senses let him react to all of the Shadow Dragon's attacks effortlessly.

Goku ascended SS4

Golden Great Ape Goku in the process of transforming into a Super Saiyan 4

Unlike the Super Saiyan 3's strain due to the utilization in ki, this form does not require as much energy to maintain as Super Saiyan 3, allowing the user to stay in the state at a much longer duration. Although the form doesn't require much energy to use or maintain, the user can still fall out of the form if they run low, similar to Super Saiyan 3.[14] And while its ki consumption does not strain the user himself, it does become straining when used in conjunction with Fusion Dance, significantly shortening the fusion time limit; as evidenced by Gogeta defusing within ten minutes instead of the regular half-hour limit.

In the Xenoverse series, both Beerus and Whis note the form to possess amazing power, Goku, Vegeta, and Gogeta think that the form might be able to surpass Beerus. Whis considers it powerful enough to ask Goku if he would be willing to become a God of Destruction.

In the Prison Planet Saga, Super Saiyan 4 Goku: Xeno proves to be able to battle Super Saiyan Blue Goku evenly in the manga and anime, however in the game Goku: Xeno is defeated and has to catch his breath after the battle, while Goku does not, with Goku: Xeno noting that Goku is a step above him in power.[15] In the anime, Vegito: Xeno manages to fight on par with Super Saiyan 3 Cunber using this form, seemingly indicating that he was more powerful than Super Saiyan Blue Vegito - who could only clash evenly with base Cunber, while in the manga Super Saiyan 4 Vegito: Xeno appeared to be the weaker of the two versions of Vegito, as he was the one who could only clash evenly with base Cunber.

In the Extra Pack 2 Story Mode, thanks to Fu altering and messing around with the timelines, a post Tournament of Power Goku as your partner meets Vegeta and himself while they are training in Whis' arena of godly ki, both of whom are being manipulated by Fu. Vegeta opts to battle the Future Warrior as the concept of two Kakarots annoys him. During the fight, Fu begins to flood Goku and Vegeta with Blutz Waves and turns them into Super Saiyan 4, much to Elder Kai's dismay, to which the Goku working with the Time Patrol responds with Super Saiyan Blue and feels compelled to fight himself who is using a form he does not even know about. During the fight, it is also implied that Super Saiyan 4 Goku (whose Super Saiyan state possessed the mastered energy of a god and was close to awakening Super Saiyan Blue) has comparable power to Super Saiyan Blue Goku (from the Tournament of Power), with Super Saiyan 4 Goku having the advantage in power. However both he and Vegeta inevitably lose the battle.

GokuSuperSaiyan4DBGT

Goku's Super Saiyan 4 form seen for the first time

This form is a transformation from Golden Great Ape, achieved when a Golden Great Ape has achieved a "human heart" - causing the birth of this form, which has both the tremendous power of the Golden Great Ape and the reasoning of a "human heart".[5] Unlike the main Super Saiyan forms, a user of this form will always appear as an adult,[5] this is because this form raises the power of the user to their prime physical condition, the user will not only appear as an adult but also look considerably younger, similar to the way they did during their prime years, (e.g. Goku's skin turning back into its original peach color, Vegeta's hair becoming the iconic flame-like appearance he always sported through his prime years)

The Super Saiyan 4 form is first achieved by Goku in Dragon Ball GT after transforming into a Golden Great Ape and witnessing his granddaughter Pan crying to calm him down. In this new form, Goku has enough strength to dominate Super Baby Vegeta 2, whose attacks (including the Revenge Death Ball) have no effect on Goku in this form. However, after Baby Vegeta transformed into a Golden Great Ape, things are far more even but despite Baby Vegeta's new power (even gripping Goku between his hands Goku still broke out of it with minor difficulties). Eventually, the two have a double Knock-out. Baby Vegeta is rejuvenated by Bulma's Blutz Waves Generator, however, and Goku regains the full power of Super Saiyan 4 to face him.

Goku's next opponent upon achieving the form is Super 17, who has easily defeated the other Z Fighters and proved to be Super Saiyan 4 Goku's first real challenge. Because of his energy absorbing abilities, Super 17 is able to turn all of Goku's energy attacks into his own power, making him stronger with each attack. Eventually, Goku reverts to his base form and kills the android (with the assistance of Android 18) using his Dragon Fist attack followed by a Kamehameha.

VegetaAndGokuSS401

Vegeta (left) and Goku (right) as Super Saiyan 4s

Super Saiyan 4 proves to be incredibly helpful when Goku uses it to take down most of the evil Shadow Dragons. However, he meets his match in Syn Shenron, the strongest of the seven Shadow Dragons, who absorbs all of the Dragon Balls and becomes Omega Shenron. Omega Shenron's power proves to be far greater than that of a Super Saiyan 4, and Goku is thrashed around for most of the fight. Seeing how bad this situation has become, Vegeta uses Bulma's Blutz Wave Generator to grow a tail and become a Golden Great Ape like Goku. When he finally gains control, Vegeta is successful in becoming a Super Saiyan 4.

SuperSaiyan4Gogeta

Gogeta's Super Saiyan 4 variation

However, even as a team, Goku and Vegeta still stand no chance against Omega Shenron. It is not until they fuse into Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta that their power vastly exceeds that of the Shadow Dragon. However, Gogeta spends too much time playing around with Omega Shenron and the fusion wears off in ten minutes rather than the usual 30 minutes, due to his own tremendous power, ultimately failing to finish Omega Shenron off in time (but manages to land a Big Bang Kamehameha on Omega which made him regurgitate the Dragon Balls, reverting him back into Syn Shenron). Goku eventually kills Omega Shenron with the Universal Spirit Bomb.

During the Dark Empire Saga, Goku: Xeno and Broly Dark both utilize this form in their three-way battle with each other and Mira (Towa absorbed). Vegeta: Xeno later uses this form against Demon God Gravy, though is unable to take him down due to his injuries, at the same time Goku: Xeno uses the form against Demon God Shroom, but is at a disadvantage for the same reason. This leads to the two fusing into Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta: Xeno to battle the demons.

SSJ4 Vegito Xeno

Vegito: Xeno as a Super Saiyan 4

Goku: Xeno utilized this form for nearly the entirety of his appearance in the Prison Planet Saga of Super Dragon Ball Heroes, battling Super Saiyan Blue Goku with it. Vegeta: Xeno also utilized this form for the entirety of his appearance and fuses with Goku: Xeno to form Super Saiyan 4 Vegito: Xeno. Vegito: Xeno then battles and defeat Super Saiyan 3 Cumber before defusing back into Goku: Xeno and Vegeta: Xeno.

Super Saiyan 4 Broly is fought by Beat and his friends in the Dragon Ball Heroes: Victory Mission manga repeatedly, and acted as a minion for Genome, who wished to access the Dragon Balls. He was powerful enough to defeat Eis Shenron, Nuova Shenron (true form), and Rage Shenron (Electric Slime Body Build) with minimal effort, and also easily take out Super-Class Froze and Super-Class Beat, as well as being completely unaffected by attacks from the latter's Super Saiyan 3 form. During instances where he is present, he is also accompanied by a thunderstorm.

Variants and enhancement

Super Full Power Saiyan 4

Main article: Super Full Power Saiyan 4

Fully-powered Super Saiyan 4 Goku

Goku as a fully-powered Super Saiyan 4

An advanced version of the Super Saiyan 4, which takes its user beyond their limits. It is achieved by absorbing an extreme amount of Saiya Power from other Saiyans.

In Goku's first usage of this state it is described as a "fully-powered Super Saiyan 4" and gained a red aura which occasionally flashes over his whole body.

Dark corrupted

Main articles: Dark Dragon Ball and Super Saiyan 4 Full Power

Xeno Broly

Broly Dark

Broly in this form is utilizing his Super Saiyan 4 transformation, along with wearing the Time Breaker Mask, which also significantly increases his power, while also being infused with the Seven-Star Dark Dragon Ball, increasing his power even further.

Super Saiyan 4 Kaio-ken

Main article: Super Saiyan 4 Kaio-ken

SS4 Kaioken1

Xeno Gogeta utilizing Super Saiyan 4 Kaio-ken

In Super Dragon Ball Heroes, Xeno Gogeta uses Kaio-ken alongside the Super Saiyan 4 to combat Demon God Shroom

Video Game Appearances

PhOFyRJ

Super Saiyan 4 Vegeta, Gohan, and Goku in Dragon Ball Heroes

In Dragon Ball Heroes, new characters were given this transformation. Beginning in November 2014, Super Saiyan 4 Broly appeared followed by GT Gohan in November 2015. In November 2017, Bardock also achieved this transformation. Vegito: Xeno received it in November 2018.

In Xenoverse 2 as part of the Super Pack 4 DLC, there is an outfit and accessory based on Super Saiyan 4 Goku. When the upper body portion of the outfit is worn by female characters they also wear bra-like top to cover their chest which they wear over the Super Saiyan 4 Suit. The suit and accessory can be worn by all races and genders. In the Infinite History Saga, thanks to Fu altering and messing around with the timelines, a post Tournament of Power Goku as your partner meets Vegeta and himself while they are training Inside Whis's Staff, both of whom are being manipulated by Fu. Vegeta opts to battle the Future Warrior as the concept of two Kakarots annoys him. During the fight, Fu begins to flood Goku and Vegeta with Blutz Waves and turns them into Super Saiyan 4, much to Old Kai's dismay, to which the Goku working with the Time Patrol responds with Super Saiyan Blue and feels compelled to fight himself who is using a form he does not even know about. During the fight, it is also implied that Super Saiyan 4 Goku (whose Super Saiyan state possessed the mastered energy of a god and was close to awakening Super Saiyan Blue) has comparable power to Super Saiyan Blue Goku (from the Tournament of Power), however both he and Vegeta inevitably lose the battle, even when fusing into Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta in some scenarios.

Trivia

Original SS4 Arbitrary Fusion

A Freeform Fusion which resembles the unused Super Saiyan 4 design

  • Gold was considered to be the head hair color of the Super Saiyan 4 form (like the core Super Saiyan forms); however, it was decided that black head hair went better with the red body hair.[7]
  • Xeno Trunks was originally going to achieve Super Saiyan 4 during the Dark King Mechikabura Saga, however the developers could not decide on the hair color (purple or black) and so it was scrapped in favor of Super Saiyan God.[16]
    • The URLs for Xeno Trunks and Xeno Pan's profiles for the Big Bang Mission anime include Super Saiyan 4 in their title.[17][18]
  • Goku rapidly ages back to an adult whenever he becomes a Super Saiyan 4, also, his skin changes back to its light peach coloration. Upon transforming for the first time, Goku says "This body and its amazing power is needed right now to defeat Baby."
  • Interestingly,  in the Japanese version, Goku in this form pronounces the pronoun ore correctly, but still mispronounces words like omae to ome. This applies to Xeno Goku as well. 
  • When Vegeta transforms, as well as turning it wild, his hair turns back into its flame-like appearance he sported throughout Dragon Ball Z.
  • When transforming into Super Saiyan 4, both Goku and Vegeta lose their shirts, but when they revert to their base forms, their shirts can be seen again (however, Gogeta still has his vest on when he is a Super Saiyan 4). The clothes are even repaired; in the Super 17 Saga, when Goku attempted to sacrifice himself with Super 17, he reverted to his child state, and his gi was fully intact, despite the fact that it had been previously blasted off.
  • When Goku goes Super Saiyan 4, his clothes change compared to his child clothes, including their size, and his shirt part is removed by the transformation, leaving him only with clothes up to the waist. When Vegeta goes Super Saiyan 4, his clothes also change from his normal attire. In addition to losing his shirt, his gloves also become full gloves, when they are normally fingerless gloves. A similar change happens to Goku, whereas his socks, belt, and wristbands are blue, whereas the wristbands were originally light red/pink, and the belt and socks were white. In addition, Goku's knot-tied belt is replaced with the blue sash he previously wore in DBZ. In Goku: Xeno's case, however, nothing changes apart from his clothes being shredded by the transformation.
  • When Goku reverts to his base form from Super Saiyan 4, Goku still has his tail. Yet, when Vegeta reverts to his base form from Super Saiyan 4, his tail vanishes; this is most likely due to the fact that he achieved this form via non-natural means (the Blutz Wave Generator) and not via the usual method of absorbing Blutz Waves through his tail due to his lack of a tail.
Super Saiyan 3 - Ape

The Super Saiyan 4-like mental image that appears in Dragon Ball Z

  • When Goku first transforms into a Super Saiyan 3 on-screen (in Dragon Ball Z), there is a vision in his mind of him transforming from a Great Ape to a more monkey-like Saiyan, to his adult form, and finally into a baby. The monkey-like form bears a large resemblance to Super Saiyan 4.
    • In Dragon Ball Heroes, it is shown that half-Saiyans like Gohan are capable of achieving it. However, this may be due to the fact that Gohan possessed a Saiyan tail in his childhood and thus capable of achieving the Golden Great Ape form and Super Saiyan 4 as a result.
    • Bardock is the third pure Saiyan and third in Goku's bloodline to become Super Saiyan 4.
  • Despite Cunber having obtained Golden Great Ape with complete mastery, he apparently never advanced to Super Saiyan 4. This may be because of his different energy nature as an ancient Saiyan.
  • The Wrath State introduced in Dragon Ball Super: Broly is highly reminiscent of Super Saiyan 4, both transformations utilize the power and strength of a Great Ape without changing shape. However, while Goku and Vegeta in Super Saiyan 4 are conscious of their actions, those in the Wrath State such as Broly become feral and uncontrollable.
    • Broly's hair and eyes in his Wrath State also look similar to a Super Saiyan 4's.
  • The seven Saiyans to have reached this transformation in the series have shown differences in appearance among one another:
    • Goku's variation is the first to be seen. When he transforms into a Super Saiyan 4, he has scarlet red fur on the top half of his body, his hair remains black, and his eyes change to golden-yellow.
    • Vegeta's variation is the second seen. When he transforms into a Super Saiyan 4, his hair turns dark brown, the fur on the top half of his body is crimson red, and his eyes are green.
    • Gogeta's variation is a completely different coloration from Goku's and Vegeta's. In this form, Gogeta's hair is red, the fur on the top half of his body is brown, and the eyes change to a blue color. The reasons for these alterations in Gogeta's Super Saiyan 4 form from Goku and Vegeta's forms are unknown.
    • Broly's variation is also different. In this form, Broly has black hair like Goku, but his fur is a blood red color. Broly's variation takes on numerous traits of the Legendary Super Saiyan forms, including a much larger and more muscular body, and he loses the irises and pupils in his eyes.
    • Gohan's variation is the fifth seen. When he transforms into a Super Saiyan 4, he has scarlet red fur, his hair remains black, and his eyes change to golden-yellow, similar to Goku.
    • Bardock's variation is nearly identical to Goku's. He gains scarlet red fur, his hair remains black, and his eye-color is golden-yellow. The key difference in appears of Bardock's form is that his hair gains more spikes to its style and he still secures his tail around his waist, due to the fact that his jumpsuit pants being shown in half awkward looking.
    • Xeno Vegito's variation is the seven variation seen. In this form, Xeno Vegito's hair goes from dark/reddish brown to black, the fur on the top half of his body is crimson red, like Vegeta, and his eyes are blue.
  • In the Super Saiyan 4 form, Goku's voice is noticeably deeper and rougher like his Super Saiyan 3 form as an adult than his regular adult voice. Vegeta's voice is also slightly deeper.
  • In the Blue Water dub, Goku's voice in his Super Saiyan 4 form matches his regular adult voice. Vegeta's voice also matches his regular voice.
  • Gohan is the first hybrid Saiyan to transform into a Super Saiyan 4 in the franchise.
File:Mira Super Saiyan 4.png

Mira in his Final Form

  • When the part Saiyan-Demon Mira takes on his Final Form, his appearance resembles a tail-less Super Saiyan 4. His figure was also advertised alongside the Dragon Ball Heroes Super Saiyan 4s.[19]
File:DBXV2 Female Future Warrior (Super Pack 4 DLC) Super Saiyan 4 Suit - SS4 Wig & Tail (Clothing & Accessory).png

Female Future Warrior wearing the Super Saiyan 4 Suit and SS4 Wig & Tail accessory in Xenoverse 2

  • In Xenoverse 2, when the Future Warrior has the Super Saiyan 4 suit equipped, it will appear as it does on Goku or Vegeta, though the tail stays static. However, if a female equips the suit, the chest area is still covered up by a black bra. Some believe this implies that the chest is not covered with fur like the males, however this is most likely not the case, as the Saiyans areola disappears as seen with Goku and Vegeta. The most likely explanation for the chest being covered is that even though the areola disappears, the female breast is sexualised in many cultures, thus not having the bra would lead to a possible higher MPAA rating.
    • Additionally, though the areola of male Super Saiyan 4 disappears the same may not be true for female Super Saiyan 4, as Female Super Saiyan 3 retain their eyebrows while male Super Saiyan 3 lose their eyebrows thus female Super Saiyan 4 may retain their areola in a similar manner (possibly their areola and nipples are retained so Saiyan mothers can still breastfeed their young while transformed). It should also be noted that the suit itself apparently doesn't cover the female Future Warrior's breasts (including her areola) thus necessitating the bra for the sake of modesty.
  • Most Dragon Ball video games associate this form with Goku in Dragon Ball GT, with three exceptions, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 has DBZ Goku utilizing this form instead of his GT self, who is entirely omitted from the game and its story, with DBZ Goku taking his place in the Shadow Dragon Saga of GT, but Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World had GT Goku return in the roster, along with his ability to become Super Saiyan 4, however, DBZ Goku can still transform into a Super Saiyan 4, making it the only video game in the entire Dragon Ball series for the form to be shared by regular Goku and his GT self, Dragon Ball Fusions also had GT Goku, but cannot transform into Super Saiyan 4, his Dragon Ball Super self-does instead. Super Dragon Ball Heroes shows Xeno Goku being able to transform into the form, making him another variant of Goku besides GT Goku to have the form, and the only adult incarnation of him becoming the form. This is the third time an adult version of Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 4 since Fusions and Budokai 3/Shin Budokai - Another Road. In Xenoverse 2, Goku in his Whis Gi outfit has the ability to transform into a Super Saiyan 4 instead of Super Saiyan Blue because of Fu's antics.
  • In the Infinite History Saga featured in Xenoverse 2's Extra Pack 2 DLC, Whis has some knowledge or knows of Super Saiyan 4.[20]

Gallery

References

Site Navigation

Advertisement