Super Saiyan 3 (SSJ3) Dragon Ball Z - Figures

Dragon Ball is one of the first manga series to really push the transforming technique into the spotlight. Protagonist Son Goku makes his first ever groundbreaking transformation into Super Saiyan in the 318th chapter of the Dragon Ball manga (124th chapter of Dragon Ball Z). Fans were shocked and impressed by the emotionality of the incredible scene in question. Krillin killed by Frieza sends Goku over the edge summoning the purest of rage. Eventually this form became standard until some variations were introduced later. The most shocking form is the Super Saiyan 3 form. Making its debut in the 474th chapter of Dragon Ball (280th chapter of Dragon Ball Z) Super Saiyan 3 made a huge impact with the new longer hair and no eyebrow style. Used first against Majin Buu and Babidi, Super Saiyan 3 has only been mastered by two people canonically, Goku and Gotenks. Despite Vegeta attaining a comparable level of strength to Goku, he never learned the Super Saiyan 3 form. Despite its handful of brief appearances in the series, Super Saiyan 3 remains a fan favorite. Three figures that demonstrate the overwhelming power of the Super Saiyan 3 form are, “Banpresto’s Dragon Ball Super Goku Fes!!”, “S.H.Figuarts’ Dragon Ball Z Super Saiyan 3 Son Goku”, and “Bandai’s Figuarts ZERO line Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks”.

Dragon Ball Super Goku Fes!! Vol. 3 Figure

Sculpted by Hiroyuki Nakazawa and manufactured by Banpresto, Dragon Ball Super Goku Fes! Super Saiyan 3 Goku is awesomely detailed and colored. The light coloring adds an almost cartoon quality while the detail in the facial expression, clothes and muscles offer something more. Goku’s signature move, the Kamehameha charge-up pose is on display with life-like hand and finger sculpting. Goku developed the form in Heaven so the lack of halo suggests this is a scene from the later Dragon Ball Super, perhaps even during his fight with Beerus on King Kai’s planet.

Product Name: Dragon Ball Super Goku Fes!! Vol. 3
Series: Dragon Ball Super
Manufacturer: Banpresto
Sculptor: Hiroyuki Nakazawa
Specifications: Painted, non-articulated, non-scale figure with stand
Height (Approx.): 14 cm | 5.5"

S.H.Figuarts Dragon Ball Z Super Saiyan 3 Son Goku Figure

S.H.Figuarts’ Dragon Ball Z Super Saiyan 3 Son Goku is fully articulated with five sets of optional hands and three different optional expressions. The range of poses available is limited only by the imagination. The most obvious pose for Goku however, is either a Dragon Punch or Kamehameha; which with the optional parts, is completely possible. The folds in his clothes–especially his bottoms and shoes–is amazing and fits well with the articulated joints. His hair is colored a more solid yellow than usual depictions and features his classic halo above his head. This Goku is likely facing off against Majin Buu (Fat buu) to buy some time for the boys to finish their training and master the fusion technique.

Product Name: S.H.Figuarts Dragon Ball Z Super Saiyan 3 Son Goku
Series: Dragon Ball Z
Product Line: S.H.Figuarts
Manufacturer: Bandai
Specifications: Painted, articulated, non-scale PVC & ABS figure
Height (Approx.): 155 mm | 6.1"
Also Includes: 5 pairs of optional hands, 3 optional expressions

Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks "Dragon Ball Z" Figure

With said time bought and fusion mastered, Trunks and Son Goten come out of the hyperbolic time chamber as Gotenks! Wearing the typical metamoran fusion clothing and demonstrating a mix of Goten and Trunks personalities, Gotenks’ arrival was amazing. The only thing that let him down was his childish nature; Goten and Trunks were 7 and 8 respectively when they fused for the first time. Not only could Gotenks reach Super Saiyan, but having seen Goku activate the Super Saiyan 3 form, the fused boys decided to try it themselves, and to everyone's shock, succeeded! Bandai’s Figuarts ZERO line is interesting here in that some of the parts demonstrate a fade from a solid opaque color, to a more transparent color, allowing for an interesting visual effect.

Product Name: Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks "Dragon Ball Z"
Series: Dragon Ball Z
Product Line: Figuarts ZERO
Manufacturer: Bandai
Specifications: Painted, non-articulated, non-scale PVC&ABS figure with stand included.
Height (Approx.): 160 mm | 6.3"

About Super Saiyan 3 (SSJ3)

Super Saiyan is a form that is accessible to Saiyans and half-saiyans. Traditionally an extreme emotional episode paired with a large power level was required; Universe 6 Saiyans however discovered another method of transforming cued by a tingling sensation in the back.

Background

Super Saiyan 3 was first discovered by Goku when he was dead in the otherworld. The reason Goku was able to discover the form is that the power drain of the Super Saiyan transformation is far less significant when inhabiting an ethereal body (i.e. when dead). The debut however was against Majin Buu as a way to stall for time. Goku goes through the transformations one by one explaining them as he goes.

Special Abilities

Where Super Saiyan God and Blue are stronger forms and focus on sealing ki within the body, Super Saiyan 3 does the opposite by blasting it out. More ki output means a higher power output up until a certain point and Super Saiyan 3 is the pinnacle of ki output. The users speed and strength easily surpasses the normal Super Saiyan form but the strain on the body is too great to maintain for long periods of time.

Other Important Dragon Ball Z Characters

Without the Super Saiyan form there would be no Super Saiyan 3. The same can be said for all of the other forms in between. Here are a couple of the forms in between that also appear in the manga and anime.

Super Vegeta / Super Trunks

Having long achieved the original Super Saiyan form, Vegeta and Trunks’ first inclination was to try and boost it or modify it to allow for a greater power output. Vegeta discovered the Ascended Saiyan form or Super Saiyan second grade. This increased his power and speed by almost three times. He was sadly no match for Perfect Cell and was quickly disposed of. Trunks went one step further reaching Super Saiyan Grade 3 (known by fans as Ultra Super Saiyan). This form almost resembles the Legendary Super Saiyan Broly with muscles that are far too big to be practical. Trunks too loses the fight against Cell due to a disparity in speed.

Super Saiyan 2

First attained by Gohan during the Cell games, specifically when Cell crushes 16’s disembodied head. Gohan is able to easily punch Cell around without much effort. The power difference between Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan 2 is immense. Gohan however loses the form after some time due to lack of training whereas Goku and Vegeta eventually become users themselves.