Dragon Ball Daima’s latest episode delivers another barrage of action-packed moments as the Saiyan prince, Vegeta, clashes with the mighty Tamagami Number 2. At the peak of the intense fight, Vegeta’s unseen form finally makes its debut.
Fans of Vegeta are excited to see his Super Saiyan 3 transformation, but many are surprised by how different it looks compared to the version we’re used to. If you're wondering why, let’s take a look at the reasons below!
Why Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3’s Design Looks Different in Daima
After years of speculation, Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 3 form finally arrived in Dragon Ball Daima Episode 12! A glorious moment for the mini prince indeed, as this marks the first time in the series that an enemy was defeated while in the SSJ3 form. However, it also ignited a lot of questions and theories among fans of the shonen anime.
Although it might seem like another retcon from the series that left many Dragon Ball Super viewers puzzled, it still stirred discussions in the community. One of the most common questions was this — why is Vegeta’s hair in SSJ3 different from Goku’s?
Before Daima, Goku had been shown ascending to this level in Dragon Ball Z, where viewers saw his yellowish golden hair grow longer and fall downwards. The only other Saiyan known to achieve this form in the series is Gotenks. In his case, some of the fused fighter’s massive hair sticks out to the side, while the rest flows down to his feet.
In comparison to these two Z-fighters, Vegeta’s SSJ3 form was drawn differently. He retains the upward-pointing hair typical of his SSJ2 form, but it appears wilder and larger in the successor form. Plus, it’s much lighter in color, giving Vegeta an almost glowing appearance.
After this transformation became canon, concept art of Super Saiyan 3 drawn by Akira Toriyama resurfaced in the Dragon Ball: Super History Book. This artwork reveals the creator’s original vision for the Super Saiyan design, showing Vegeta’s SSJ3 form presented in a similar way, though without the Saiyan tail.
So far, it’s been in line with how Vegeta’s normal and Super Saiyan forms were also designed, and fans appreciate his distinct look. It may also symbolically reflect that he isn’t bound to follow Goku’s path or replicate his achievements.
What This Transformation Means to the Series
In Episode 12, the focus is on two fighters from rival camps trying to defeat the Tamagamis, with Majin Duu taking on Tamagami Number One and Vegeta facing Tamagami Number Two.
Neva raises the stakes by elevating the already unbeatable power of Tamagami Number Two, pushing Vegeta to his limits.
Amazed, Goku asks when Vegeta gained this form, and Bulma mentions he’s been training for it. Even though Vegeta wins the fight effortlessly, Goku still offers him a Revive Bug at the end of the episode. Naturally, Vegeta refuses.
Knowing Vegeta, he would reject Goku’s offer, but he’d probably take the bug if his energy were truly depleted after the fight with the Tamagami.
Super Saiyan 3 is a form known to drain power quickly, making it impractical in a fight. In the past, Goku and the fused Gotenks may have attained this form but failed to defeat their foes, as they couldn’t maintain it before time ran out.
Some fan theories suggest that Vegeta could retain this form for so long because his mini form is more resistant to mana and power depletion, or it could be related to the Demon Realm’s atmosphere.
One thing’s for sure: Vegeta may have watched Goku surpass him by attaining Super Saiyan 3 in Dragon Ball Z, but we never saw him try to reach that level during the Buu saga. Vegeta pushing himself to learn this form and stepping out of his comfort zone might indicate that he’s ready to take on another type of fusion with Goku.
Considering Majin Kuu and Majin Duu’s evident team-up in the future, this change in Vegeta could be the key for them to acquire the last Dragon Ball.
What are your thoughts on Vegeta’s SSJ3? Let us know in the comments!
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