This is the place to learn everything you need to know about super saiyans. Not an extremely important subject, but still important for newbies or people that don't know about the higher levels of super saiyans.
Super Saiyan
The super saiyan is the first transformation a saiyan goes through that requires power rather than just circumstances. Super saiyans looks like the original saiyan, accept their hair turns blond and stands up. Also, his eye-brows turn blond and his pupils turn green and grow slightly bigger. Goku was the first to become a super saiyan in 3000 years. For a saiyan to achieve this level, He must meet certain qualifications:
1. Must be at least partly saiyan
2. Must have a enough ki to surpass that of a normal saiyan
3. Must have a pure heart
4. must become enraged*
a super saiyan's ki, speed, and strength greatly increase in this level
Ultimate Super Saiyan
The ultimate super saiyan is actually not a stage of super saiyan. It is part of super saiyan 1 and is not required for further advancement. Also, this is split into to two sections:
Stage 1: The first stage of the ultimate super saiyan is incomplete. In this stage the Super Saiyan's muscles bulge out a little. Vegeta was the first to reach this stage. All that is required for this stage is being a super saiyan and hard training.The saiyans strength, speed, and ki slightly increase.
Stage 2: This is the complete ultimate super saiyan. The saiyan's muscles bulge out even more. Trunks was the first to acieve this stage. This has the same requirements as stage 1.The saiyans strength and ki slightly increase, but its speed decreases
Super Saiyan 2
The super saiyan 2 is the next true stage of super saiyan. Super saiyan 2's look like super saiyans, but their hair slightly longer, and stands up straighter. Also, their muscles bulge out, but they also grow taller, so they have a natural look, unlike the ultimate super saiyan. Gohan was the first to achieve this level of power. For a saiyan to achieve this level, He must meet these qualifications:
1. Must be a super saiyan
2. Must have a enough ki to surpass that of a normal super saiyan(may, or may not be an ultimate super saiyan)
3. must become enraged*
a super saiyan 2's ki, speed, and strength greatly increase in this level
Super Saiyan 3
The super saiyan 3 is the second most powerful super saiyan stage. Super saiyan 3's look very different then the other levels of super saiyan. While their eyes remain green, their eye-brows dissapear. Also, their hair turns from blond to orange-yellow and grows very long. The hair shoots back but remains lifted. And just like the super saiyan 2, the super saiyan 3's muscles bulge and they grow taller. Lastly, the super saiyan 3's hair seperates into peices(When other levels of super saiyans power up, they get this effect on their hair). Goku was the first person to achieve this level. For a saiyan to achieve this level, He must meet some qualifications:
1. Must be a super saiyan 2**
2. Must have a enough ki to surpass that of a normal super saiyan 2
3. must become enraged*
a super saiyan 3's ki, speed, and strength greatly increase in this levelUnfortunately, unlike the super saiyan 1-2, super saiyan 3 and 4 can accumulate ki, but cannot contain it. The only way for a super saiyan 3 to remain a super saiyan 3 is to constantly battle, but if they do that, they will eventually be worn down by the fight. the only way a super saiyan 3 can stay a super saiyan 3 indefinitely is to be dead!
Super Saiyan 4
The super saiyan 4 is the most powerful super saiyan stage. However, it is speculated whether this is indeed a super saiyan, because they don't look like othe super saiyans, and it's from DBGT, which didn't involve Akira Toriyama. A super saiyan 4 looks very different then other super saiyans. Their hair is black a long their hair flows behind their ears and then onto their sholders. Their bodies are covered with short, red hair, with the exception of theit hands, face, and chest. Their eyes also get a red rim around them. Lastly, they have a thick tail. Goku was the first person to achieve this level of power. For a saiyan to achieve this level, He must meet some qualifications:
1. Must be at least a super saiyan
2. Must have a tail
3. Must see the moon and become a golden oozaru
4. Must then take control of the oozaru form
a super saiyan 4's ki, speed, and strength GREATLY increase in this levelUnfortunately, unlike the super saiyan 1-2, super saiyan 3 and 4 can accumulate ki, but cannot contain it. The only way for a super saiyan 4 to remain a super saiyan 4 is to constantly battle, but if they do that, they will eventually be worn down by the fight. the only way a super saiyan 4 can stay a super saiyan 4 indefinitely is to be dead!
*If a saiyan has extremely high ki, they don't need to be enraged to transform. They simply need to concentrate to transform. Also, any saiyan that has already transformed doesn't need to get mad either.
**An exception to this is Gotenks. He can transform to super saiyan 3 without being a super saiayn 2 this is because they had such a high ki level fused they could become a super saiyan 3.