Ultra Super Saiyan

"I know I look like I can, Gohan, but these bulky muscles make it hard to move fast, and if I'm going to beat Cell, I can't have anything slowing me down. I may have great power, but what good is it if I can't catch my enemy? It takes more than brute strength to win a fight."
— Son Goku in "The Cell Games"

Ultra Super Saiyan (超スーパー サイヤ人, Chō-Sūpā Saiya-jin; Fansub "Super Saiyan 1 Stage 3") is the second branch of advanced Super Saiyan that is achieved through intense training in the Super Saiyan form. Like the Ascended Super Saiyan stage, it is a forced increase in the power output of the initial transformation, and thus is not in itself an actual transformation. All natural inhibitions of the body are completely removed in this state, resulting in 100% utilization of strength and stamina reserves. It is important to note that Ultra Super Saiyan is a fan-made term, but has widely been accepted as a proper name for the form.

Appearance

Ultra Super Saiyan Goku

In this stage, the Saiyan is similar in appearance to the Legendary Super Saiyan form. The skin of the Saiyan may become slightly redder due to increased blood flow, and muscle size is increased to the point of practical ridiculousness. The aura no longer flows upward, but flails outward, with surges of bio-electricity becoming more frequent and prominent.

In the series, the Ultra Super Saiyan form was discovered as an advanced stage of Ascended Super Saiyan (itself an advanced stage of the Super Saiyan transformation) that further increased the physical strength of the Super Saiyan form. However, due to this form being so muscular, mass is increased to the point where the user's speed is reduced to debilitating levels. In addition, the Saiyan's energy rapidly depletes due to the effort needed simply to maintain the transformation. Altogether, the negatives of this stage outweigh the positives.

History

Usage and power

Believing that he surpassed his father Vegeta in strength, Future Trunks Brief ascended to the Ultra Super Saiyan form to combat Perfect Cell at the behest of Vegeta's defeat. Although he managed to hold his own for some time, Future Trunks was also unable to defeat Cell because of his inability to maintain equality in speed. Because of his inexperience with these transformations, Future Trunks did not realize that his bulky form would be an inhibitor of his ability to battle, a characteristic that was later noted by both Goku and Cell. Future Trunks assumed that Vegeta was aware of this disadvantage as well, believing this to be the reason Vegeta didn't use the Ultra Super Saiyan form.

Perfect Cell displayed a similar ability to bulk up his muscles when he mocked Future Trunks for using the Ultra Super Saiyan form. When Perfect Cell later fought Gohan in his Super Saiyan 2 form, he ended up losing his temper and resorted to using his slow, Power Weighted form, which failed to help him win the battle.

Data books

It is named Chō-Saiya-jin Daisan Dankai (超サイヤ人 第三 段階, Chō-Saiya-jin Daisan Dankai; Literally meaning "Super Saiyan Third Stage") in Dragon Ball: Daizenshū 7.

Trivia

• Due to the significant drawbacks of the stage, it is the only stage of Super Saiyan in the manga canon that has never been able to win a fight (it is presumed that Super Saiyan 3 could have won against Majin Boo if Goku or Gotenks had put forth all their effort).
• It is hypothesized by Future Trunks that Vegeta is capable of using the Ultra Super Saiyan form, but refrained from using it against Perfect Cell because he knew of its limits. This is highly likely, as Goku immediately realized the drawbacks of the form after attaining it. Given Vegeta's strategic mind and combat intelligence, it would also be logically assumed that he knew of the limitations of the form as well and did not use it, whether or not he never had the ability to attain it.
• Before the Legendary Super Saiyan form was created, several sources claimed Broly was using the Ultra Super Saiyan form due to his muscle expansion.
• Krillin once compared Future Trunks' Ultra Super Saiyan form to a Great Ape, as he said that Future Trunks should not scare him with the transformation since "as far as Krillin knew, Trunks was going to go 'Great Ape' on him."
• In Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2, this form is known as Super Saiyan 1.5 and can only be used as Super Saiyan Future Trunks' ultimate move, whereas he simply uses its massive power output to fire a powerful Finish Buster and reverts back as soon as the move is complete.
• The Budokai Tenkaichi video game series and Raging Blast video game series both include this form as Super Trunks, complete with its flaws of slow movement and a high tension boost ability called Inexperienced Power Up.
• Dragon Ball: Daizenshū 2 speculates about Future Cell's Power Weighted form when talking about Ultra Super Saiyan users due to the similarities between the two forms.
• The Ultra Super Saiyan form greatly resembles Turtle Hermit's 100% Power form, and also creates the same side effects.