Super Saiyan 3 is a form of power that allows a Saiyan to fight at their highest ability, but this is not an ideal state because it consumes a lot of energy.

The Dragon Ball anime/manga has many impressive moments, especially the transformations to increase the power of the characters that always hold a special place in the hearts of fans.

For example, when viewers saw Super Saiyan 3 for the first time, it was an amazing reveal. This transformation broke the established pattern, bringing something completely new and unexpected. But what many people don’t know is that the design we see was not Akira Toriyama’s first idea for this form.

Goku in Super Saiyan 3 state

The brilliant creator of Dragon Ball had another original vision for the Super Saiyan 3 state. Instead of the user having bulky, waist-length blonde hair and no eyebrows, the author imagined a creation Others are gentler. Ultimately, it seems Akira Toriyama went for a more dramatic design to really highlight this new transformation.

Clearly, this change was a wise choice as the final design encapsulates the essence of a strong and striking evolution. Very few people can use Super Saiyan 3, only Goku and Gotenks, raising this state to an almost mythical level in the Dragon Ball universe. It’s like a mark, a reminder of the glory days of the series, when each upgraded Super Saiyan was a creative and exciting experience.

Super Saiyan 3 sketch among Toriyama’s lost manuscripts

When exploring Toriyama’s early drawings, did you notice that Super Saiyan 3 looks very similar to Gohan’s appearance in the Cell saga, except with longer hair in the front and tail.

If the original outline of Super Saiyan 3 appeared in the anime, it would look like this

Artist Nicolas Rivas’s recreation of a Super Saiyan 3 sketch shows a visually younger Goku, similar to teenage Gohan. Perhaps Toriyama sought to give Goku a more mature and majestic appearance, so he did not choose to use this design.

In Dragon Ball Super , the Super Saiyan 3’s role is overshadowed by the introduction of new transformations and characters. However, this transformation still has many interesting things in terms of character development and image design, so fans are still looking forward to the return of Super Saiyan 3.

Toriyama’s decision to change the original design may have been influenced by a number of factors, but it ultimately contributed to one of the most memorable moments of the series.