For over three decades, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has been one of the biggest anime series of all time. The shonen series comfortably leans into archetypes of the action-heavy genre as it caters towards chaotic battles and constant spectacles. Dragon Ball never struggles when it comes to developing greater and stronger threats and it’s allowed many dangerous races to enter the fray over the course of the series.
Dragon Ball continues to introduce new threats, but it’s always been the most fascinated with the powerful Saiyans, which make up a large percentage of its cast. Saiyans get lots of attention, but there are also many advantages that naturally come their way.
10 Saiyans Are Natural Warriors
Training is an essential principle in the Dragon Ball universe, but there are some individuals who are just naturally predisposed to excel in the battlefield. Saiyans are revealed to be a race whose primary purpose is to battle and conquest. This means that a killer instinct is second nature to Saiyans and that a life as a warrior is the norm for the majority of them. The competency of the Saiyans as fighters is exactly why Frieza resorts to them as the ones to handle his dirty work.
9 Saiyans Receive A Zenkai Boost After Near-Death Experiences
One principle that seems to have somewhat fallen out of fashion in Dragon Ball is the concept of a Zenkai boost that Saiyans experience when they’re pushed to the brink of death. This concept indicates that a Saiyan’s natural power level will receive a dramatic boost when they nearly meet their end, yet are able to recover. Vegeta even intentionally asks Krillin to inflict massive damage on him during the fight against Frieza so that he can take advantage of this natural perk. A Zenkai boost means that most Saiyans will grow increasingly powerful the more that they fight.
8 Saiyans Can Gain Strength And Size Through Great Ape Transformations
One of the earliest demonstrations of power for the Saiyans in Dragon Ball is depicted through their intimidating Great Ape transformations. The Saiyans typically invade planets while in this form since it’s the most conducive for mass destruction.
Lower Saiyans can’t control themselves while in this state, but the boost of power that accompanies the transformation is still often considered to be worth it. A Saiyan’s strength doesn’t just get multiplied by ten, the Great Ape can also unleash deadly energy blasts and has plenty of abilities that aren’t present in a Saiyan’s normal state.
7 Saiyans Have Access To Advanced Technology
Strength is often treated like the most important quality in Dragon Ball, but there are plenty of opportunities where advanced technology and intelligence are responsible for saving the day. Saiyans are hardly the most brilliant aliens in the universe, but the technology that they have access to is vastly superior to what’s present on Earth. Saiyans have advanced spaceships and battle-enhancing technology, which only becomes more impressive after they align with Frieza. Saiyans also seem to be quite advanced when it comes to biotechnology since they’re also able to generate Saibamen as living weapons.
6 Saiyans Maintain A Youthful Appearance And Have Lengthy Lifespans
In many respects, Saiyans don’t look that different from humans, which makes their contrasting biological traits stand out even more. It’s largely been presumed that Saiyans have a comparable lifespan to humans, but Akira Toriyama has inferred the opposite. Saiyans live longer than humans, they just typically die in battle so they might not reach an advanced age. In Dragon Ball Super there’s a reference from Vegeta that an 80 year-old Saiyan is still young. They still look youthful and like they’re in the prime of life.
5 Saiyans Have The Ability To Become A Super Saiyan
Dragon Ball has embraced the Super Saiyan iconography so much that it’s sometimes easy to forget there was a period that didn’t feature these transforming powerhouses. Arguably one of the biggest perks of being a Saiyan is that it comes with the opportunity to ascend into a Super Saiyan, and beyond.
The requirements for this aren’t easy and the transformation is largely apocryphal before Goku turns it into a reality. Plenty of humans and other species grow stronger in Dragon Ball, but don’t have a similar advantage to embrace like the Saiyans.
4 Saiyans Have A Revered Reputation And Are Feared By Other Races
The universe in Dragon Ball is incredibly vast, but it’s still a place where reputation goes a long way. There is no shortage of planets full of pacifistic races that know to fear the Saiyans, even if they’ve never met them. The Saiyans have been able to cause so much damage to other planets that they’re known for their warrior tendencies. This notoriety makes things easier for the Saiyans since sometimes they don’t even need to do any work and defenseless individuals will just surrender because they know what Saiyans can do.
3 Saiyans Are Natural Manipulators Of Ki
There are lots of powerful individuals in Dragon Ball, but just because someone is strong doesn’t mean that they’re able to manipulate ki and accomplish greater feats like energy attacks or even flight. Saiyans are born with a natural capacity to manipulate ki, which complements their warrior nature. Planet Vegeta’s gravity is ten times that of Earth, which contributes to the cultivation of their powers. Accordingly, ki-based maneuvers like flight aren’t difficult for them to accomplish, which is demonstrated with how Goten and Pan naturally take to it, while someone like Videl requires more training.
2 Saiyans Possess Resilient And Malleable Armor
There have been some memorable outfits and style changes throughout Dragon Ball, many of which reflect the different mentors that characters like Goku have had during their adventures. The Saiyans have freedom in their appearances, but there’s a standardized set of armor that functions as Vegeta’s first iconic look, as well as a popular design change for Krillin and Gohan during their time on Namek. Saiyan armor is aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also explained to be naturally malleable to fit the user, as well as provide incredible protection against attacks.
1 Saiyans Have The Potential To Fulfill A Super Saiyan God Ritual
The privilege of turning into a Super Saiyan is no easy feat, but there’s also the urban legend of a Legendary Super Saiyan and a Super Saiyan God that inspires fear and curiosity in individuals like Frieza and Beerus. This has less to do with power and more about fate, which can be very inspirational for young Saiyans. The concept of a Super Saiyan God ritual gets introduced in Battle of Gods, which shows that every Saiyan has the potential to contribute power to their kin for a greater good.
About The Author
