Summary
As the most powerful warriors in the universe, the Saiyan race is known for their ferocious nature and their love of the battlefield. What makes the Saiyan race so unique is the fact that they prefer to fight with their fist and muscles, rather than using advanced weaponry. After all, who needs a laser gun when you can turn into a Great Ape, right?
That’s right, as fans of this legendary series already know, a member ofthe Saiyan race can transform into a Great Ape when they see a full moon.This form grants them immense destructive power. Unfortunately, the story rarely portrays the Saiyans wreaking havoc in this form. At least that is the case in the originalDragon BallandDragon Ball Z. So the scope has been expanded include the non-cannon stories, such as the spin-offs and the video games as well. With that in mind, here are some characters with the strongest Great Ape forms.
8Raditz
The Average Power Level of a Saiyan Great Ape
Raditz is Goku’s older brother and a member of the Frieza’s army. Unlike elite Saiyans like Vegeta, however, Raditz is a low-born Saiyan. This is one of the reasons why he is weaker than Vegeta. That being said, his power level is still above the average of what you will find in Frieza’s army.
Raditz doesn’t have the chance to showcase his Great Ape formin the anime or the manga. Fortunately, we get to see him turning into a Great Ape in variousDragon Ballgames, such as in theBudokai Tenkaichi 2andSuper Dragon Ball Heroes.His power level as a Great Ape may still be below the other Great Apes, but make no mistake, he can still level an entire city when he goes berserk. Interestingly enough, Raditz retains his signature long black hair even after transforming into a Great Ape.
7Son Gohan
Potentially Stronger Than Little Goku’s Great Ape
Gohan used to be the most powerful fighter in the series. In fact, he was touted to be Goku’s successor as the protector of the Earth. However,he decides to pursue a career in Science and marry the love of his life,leaving the world of combat behind him.
Gohan turns into a Great Ape twice throughout the mainDragon Ballstory. The first time is when he trains under Piccolo. The second time is when they fight Vegeta. Both times, he displays a level of power that is far greater than when Goku transformed into a Great Age when he was around Gohan’s age.
6Vegeta
The Upper Level of Saiyan Great Ape
Vegeta is the prince of the Saiyan race and is set to rule this race of warriors until Frieza destroys his planet and kills his people. Due to the royal blood that runs through his veins and his obsessive nature, Vegeta becomes one of the most powerful warriors, both on his home planet and among Frieza’s army.
Unfortunately for Vegeta, the royal bloodline and the power that he is so proud of is shattered by Goku when they meet for the first time at the beginning ofDragon Ball Z.In his desperation,Vegeta transforms into a Great Ape.Thanks to his royal blood and extensive training, Vegeta manages to retain his sanity even in this monstrous form. As a seasoned warrior, his destructive power is immense. If Yajirobe hadn’t cut Vegeta’s tail at the time, Vegeta would’ve killed Goku and destroyed the Earth.
5King Vegeta
One of Saiyan’s Race Strongest Great Ape
King Vegeta is Vegeta’s father and the ruler of the Saiyans. Like his subjects, King Vegeta is a formidable warrior with extraordinary strength. There was even a time when he was the most powerful Saiyan in the universe. But as he gets older, he loses some of that bravado and the will to fight.This leads to the fall of the Saiyan raceand them living under the tyranny of Frieza.
Similar to Raditz, King Vegeta doesn’t have the chance to show his Great Ape transformation in the mainDragon BallSeries. However, he does get to be a Great Ape inDragon Ballgames likeBudokai Tenkaichi 3.His Great Ape form is quite similar to Vegeta’s, but his pure strength is way greater than the crown prince.
4Bardock
Slightly Stronger Than King Vegeta’s Great Ape
Bardock is Goku and Raditz’s father.He has been a Saiyan warrior his whole life and has participated in countless wars in the name of his King. He is also one of the few people who is openly against Frieza and dares to openly oppose the tyrant, even if he ends up losing his life in the process.
Bardock and the other Saiyan warriors who often fight in the frontline transform into Great Apes all the time. Considering his remarkable fighting prowess and wealth of combat experience, Bardock is easily one of the strongest Great Apes among the Saiyan Warriors. Similar to King Vegeta, we get to see Bardock’s Great Ape form inDragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Gokuand mostDragon Ballgames.
3Crimson-Masked Saiyan
Nearly As Strong as Goku’s Great Ape
This one is most likely a character that not many people, not even the fans of the series, know about. After all, this character first appeared in a limited, non-televised series and manga called theSuper Dragon Ball Heroesthat was created to promote theDragon Ball Heroesgame.
In the simplest terms, Crimson-Masked Saiyan is basicallyan incarnation of Goku Black.One who has better control of Goku’s highly trained body. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Crimson-Masked Saiyan is way stronger than the original Goku Black. Needless to say, his Great Ape form is super powerful as well.
2Son Goku
The Incredible Might of the Golden Great Ape
Goku may not have royal blood running through his veins nor is he a legendary warrior mentioned in the ancient prophecy. But through the sheer power of determination, Goku managed to become one of the best and most powerful fighters in the universe.
Goku successfully reached that height without having to rely on his Great Ape form. There is, however, a story arc inDragon Ball GTwhereGoku transforms into a mythical creature known as the Golden Great Ape.It is essentially a Great Ape in the Super Saiyan form. Needless to say, Goku’s pure destructive power in this Golden Great Ape is unparalleled. There are other characters who manage to obtain this form, but Goku’s is still the most fearsomely powerful of them all.
1Broly
The Most Powerful Great Ape in the Multiverses
While it’s true that in combat,Goku is superior to Broly thanks to his wealth of skills and experience,Broly is stronger than Goku when it comes to pure strength. After all, he is the legendary Super Saiyan mentioned in the ancient texts of the Saiyan race.
In a normal list of the Saiyan’s race, Goku will definitely sit quite comfortably above Broly. But since it is about the Great Apes, which is pretty much the embodiment of strength and rage, Broly’s legendary Great Ape form is absurdly way more powerful than any other Great Apes in the Saiyan race.
Broly’s legendary Great Ape form is the only one who still somewhat retains his human form. His fur is also green, unlike the other Great Apes. Similar to the other characters discussed here, viewers can see Broly’s terrifying yet majestic legendary Great Ape form in the variousDragon Ballgames, particularly in theDragon Ball Heroes.
