Goku might have attained the Super Saiyan form in ages, but that does not mean he was a pioneer in the field. While Super Saiyan was extremely rare before Goku’s arrival, it was not unheard of. So who else achieved it in Dragon Ball? Akira Toriyama answered it a long time ago.
In an interview with Saikyou Jump, Akira Toriyama discussed the intricacies of Dragon Ball and shared some extra tidbits from the author himself.
Akira Toriyama Discusses the First Legendary Super Saiyan
In the interview, Akira Toriyama was questioned whether the Legendary Super Saiyan feared by Vegeta was also the Super Saiyan God who appeared in the Battle of Gods movie. To this, the author answered that both were the same person.
The mangaka immediately launched into the story of Yamoshi, who existed a long time ago when Planet Vegeta did not belong to the Saiyans. He had a righteous heart despite being a Saiyan.
He and his five comrades started a rebellion, but he was cornered by combatants and became a Super Saiyan for the first time, though his transformation and fearsome fighting style shocked the other Saiyans.
Since Yamoshi was severely outnumbered, he was eventually worn out and defeated. But his defeat was only the beginning of the legend.
Afterwards, Yamoshi’s spirit wandered in continuous search of six righteous-hearted Saiyans, seeking a new savior: Super Saiyan God.
Next, Toriyama also commented that Beerus knew about Yamoshi because of a prophetic dream. Yamoshi is also recorded in the Namekian Book of Legends because the elder Namekian who wrote it probably sympathized with the spirit of Yamoshi.
Why were Frieza and Beerus Afraid of Yamoshi in Dragon Ball?
The first indication that Goku wasn’t the first Saiyan is in the shocked faces of Vegeta and Frieza. Vegeta, being from Planet Vegeta himself, must have heard of the legend of the first Super Saiyan. Frieza, on the other hand, has plenty of knowledge regarding the Saiyans and must have come across the information on Yamoshi.
Anyone would be intimidated if a legend came true in front of their eyes, and that is probably what the surprise on Frieza’s face entailed. Since the legends are always told from the perspective of the Saiyans, the destructive power of Yamoshi’s form must have been emphasized. Frieza thus learnt to fear the Super Saiyan form without having any first-hand knowledge of it.
As for Beerus, he picked up details on Yamoshi due to his prophetic dream, and must have seen the rage and desperation with which the Saiyan could fight. Beerus might not be intimidated by Yamoshi, but being awed could be a possibility.
You can read Dragon Ball on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.
