The narrative of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball holds so many different elements and aspects that it is sometimes hard for fans to keep track of everything. The array of characters and their individual storylines is so vast that it sometimes gets confusing for readers and viewers. However, this problem is also faced by the creator of Dragon Ball.
Toriyama created Dragon Ball for almost forty years before he passed away. In those forty years, he not only created the manga and helped out with the anime series but also contributed to the gaming series and other formats. Thus, it was tough for him to remember every detail. But once this confusion bore fruit in the form of Super Saiyan 3.
Toriyama once confessed to the fact that he accidentally created Super Saiyan 3, thinking that he was creating Super Saiyan 2, which he already did long before in the Cell saga. His forgetfulness led him to create one of the most unique and popular Super Saiyan power-ups ever.
Akira Toriyama created Super Saiyan 3 as a mistake
In 2013, V-Jump interviewed Toriyama before the release of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, and this interview was translated by Kazenshuu. During the interview, Toriyama was asked whether he kept notes for background information and plot points. It was there that Toriyama revealed the story of how he created Super Saiyan 3.
Toriyama stated:
No, I don’t do that. That’s why I keep on forgetting things. If I don’t forget stuff, new ideas won’t come to mind. For example, you know how there’s “Super Saiyan 3”? I didn’t know that. (laughs) The whole time, I thought that was “Super Saiyan 2”. And I drew that myself. (laughs) Anyhow, I thought “2” was the one with long hair. It was like, “Man, I’ve really forgotten stuff…”.
According to the manga creator, Toriyama tends to forget things, and this usually helps him develop new ideas. One of these ideas was Super Saiyan 3, which he initially thought was Super Saiyan 2. Although he drew Super Saiyan 2 by himself, he forgot about it and accidentally drew Super Saiyan 3.
Akira Toriyama Drew Super Saiyan 2 and Forgot About It
The first character to achieve Super Saiyan 2 in Dragon Ball was Gohan during the Cell Games saga. It was a shocking twist, as Gohan was just a child at the time, and no one expected him to become Super Saiyan 2, and that too during his fight against Cell. It was one of the most epic moments in Dragon Ball history, and yet Akira Toriyama forgot about it.
The first Super Saiyan 3 was achieved by Goku during his training in the other world. However, its first proper use was during the fight against Majin Buu. As Goku was the main character, Toriyama probably thought that he was creating Super Saiyan 2 with Goku but forgot about Gohan and his legendary fight against Cell.
Super Saiyan 3 may be stronger than Super Saiyan 2, as it gives four times more strength, but it drains more energy. Therefore, the extra strength is short-term and can prove to be more dangerous for the Saiyans.
You can watch the Dragon Ball series on Crunchyroll.
