Dragon Ball: The rarest Super Saiyan form only appeared once and everyone missed it

The Super Saiyan transformation of Dragon Ball Z could be the most nostalgic and famous power-up in anime, as almost every anime fan has a fond memory of it. However, there existed a form that resembled the Super Saiyan, but not quite accurately, and it appeared only for a single episode.

During the Other World Tournament arc, Goku and Pikkon went to Hell to take care of Frieza and some other villains whom the former killed earlier in the series. The villains were creating a fuss over letting them go from Hell, so Pikkon was assigned to take care of this, and Goku tagged along.

While Pikkon handled Frieza and others, Goku went against the Ginyu army. While fighting these rebels, Goku displayed a strange form that had the Super Saiyan aura but not the golden hair.

---

The rarest Super Saiyan form that most Dragon Ball Z fans missed

Pikkon as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

After the Cell Games arc, where Cell was obliterated by Gohan, who was the first to transform into Super Saiyan 2, a deceased Goku visited King Kai as they went towards the Grand Kai's planet. As they reached that planet, Goku met a new person, the top student of West Kai. His name was Pikkon, and he resembled Piccolo.

Unfortunately, Goku's stay on this planet gets interrupted as they receive a message from Hell about some rebels who are trying to force their way out of it. These were Frieza and his Ginyu Army, without Ginyu, Cell, and Frieza's father, King Cold.

Pikkon was ordered to go there and take care of matters, but Goku also accompanied him, hoping to witness his fighting style. As soon as they reach Hell, Cell jumps towards Goku in hopes of getting revenge, but Pikkon interferes and takes care of him, Frieza, and King Cold with ease.

Goku fighting the Ginyu army (Image via Toei Animation)

On the other hand, Goku fights Frieza's underlings, the Ginyu Army. The army was without its leader, Ginyu, who was still alive on Planet Namek because he transferred bodies with a frog. As expected, the fight between Goku and the Ginyu army was pretty one-sided, as Goku was stronger than the first time he faced them during the Frieza Saga.

But a strange thing happens during this fight. As the army jumps at Goku to take him down, Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan, but not quite completely. His hair goes up, and his body gets covered with the Super Saiyan golden aura, but his hair doesn't turn golden.

It is speculated that Goku was supposed to keep his Super Saiyan form secret from Pikkon because they were to fight later in a tournament. The preview of this episode also showed Goku being transformed into Super Saiyan, so the episode's editors likely made a last-minute change and removed Goku's golden hair, thus giving rise to a new form: a base Goku but with Super Saiyan powers.

Later in the series, when Goku faced Pikkon in the tournament, his Super Saiyan transformation surprised not only Pikkon but also everyone present at the moment.

---

Final thoughts

The Other World Tournament arc of Dragon Ball Z was a filler arc of the series, meaning any events that happened in the arc were not present in the source material.

So, this transformation could even be considered non-existent if looked at from the canon aspect. This transformation is similar to the False Super Saiyan form Goku achieved against Lord Slug, with the only difference being that Goku's eyeballs weren't white. This could mean this form was a controlled False Super Saiyan form of Goku.

---