Goku's Multiple Personality

[Questrider]

Is it just me or does Goku have a different personality whenever he is in a Super Saiyan Form?

In base form, he seems rather unsure of himself sometimes and then once he goes "super", it's like: POOF!, all of the uncertainty is gone. He then displays confidence and this seems to increase with each form he takes. For example, once he hits SSJ3, his love for fighting seems to escalate. Any proof to this?

I think of occasions when this happened such as when he fought Kid Buu, Freeza, and even Super Buu.

[Herms]

He talks slightly differently when he first becomes a Super Saiyan, using the personal pronoun ore instead of his usual ora. This trait disappears after he trains in the Room of Spirit and Time though. Also, awhile ago someone made a thread noting the as a Super Saiyan Goku talks with the same square speech balloons usually used for the villains.

[Questrider]

^He talks all gruff when he's a super saiyan 3 as well.

But what I want to know is: Is there any proof to Goku being less reserved while in a super saiyan state? It seems to me he is.

He just seems more confident and more sure of himself when just moments before (while in base form) he does not display the same confidence.

[ShiningMoon]

Yeah, I like to embrace the idea that Goku has a distinctly different personality which becomes farther than how we normally see him act the higher he ascends. I don't know if there's any proof of it, of course, but I like the idea that going SSJ has somewhat serious mental ramifications. Besides that, it's kind of appealing to think that ascending makes Goku more "Saiyan-like." Also, the idea of SSJ entailing a mental change would jive with the fact that after getting used to holding SSJ, Goku could act more like the way he does in his "normal" state -- as if he's not only getting used to the physical effects of SSJ, but the psychological ones, as well, and so is capable of being in that state and still acting lighthearted. I hope that makes some sense...

I hadn't noticed the square balloons thing before. I'll have to take note of that next time I read through it.

Insofar as goes actions that Goku does in his ascended state that he would never do in base form, I'm thinking of something like in the Buu arc, where he (probably in a bluff) essentially threatens to kill Kaioshin if he stands in the way of his and Vegeta's fight. At least, I couldn't see him doing something like that while in base form.
In general, I think Goku becomes markedly more willing to take risks in SSJ form.

But I guess I haven't really helped things along too much, as I haven't provided any kind of proof, which is what you were asking for. What would constitute proof, exactly?

[Questrider]

^Another good question.
Not sure what qualifies as proof, but even elaborating on the subject seems to bring more credibility to my initial claim.

Pointing out that Goku is more likely to take bigger risks while in the super saiyan state is exactly what I was thinking about.

I guess the only proof we could get would be from one of the many DBZ books that cover everything there is to know about Super Saiyans and more! Has there ever been anything that covers the non-physical changes one undergoes when transforming?

I know SSJ4 is a bad example, but Goku was DRASTICALLY different (personality wise) when he was a Super Saiyan 4. Same case can be made for SSJ3, 2, etc.

Does anyone else want to weigh in?
Drop some knowledge.

[Savage68]

But what I want to know is: Is there any proof to Goku being less reserved while in a super saiyan state? It seems to me he is.

He just seems more confident and more sure of himself when just moments before (while in base form) he does not display the same confidence.

Hmm... I remember the dissertation you made on this from earlier in the year, but I still don't believe any solid, non-dub evidence supporting it exists. Of course he's going to be in a more serious, down-to-business mood after transforming, because a serious, down-to-business mood is most likely what prompted the transformation to begin with. It's correlation, not cause and effect.

[Piccolo Daimao]

No offence, but I thought this was common knowledge. The first time Goku becomes a Super Saiyan, he's a completely different person (which Kaio even notes) and his Saiyan thirst for battle escalates. And a Super Saiyan doesn't have a pure heart.

Vegeta's arrogance appears to take a dramatic boost when he becomes a Super Saiyan. And Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 led to him purposely drawing out the battle with Cell to torture him, which, in the end, resulted in Goku's demise.

[Son_Gohan]

I guess the only proof we could get would be from one of the many DBZ books that cover everything there is to know about Super Saiyans and more! Has there ever been anything that covers the non-physical changes one undergoes when transforming?

I don't think there's one that ever went into that depth. I remember one of the Super Exciting Guide volumes saying how SSJ3 had a calmer heart than SSJ2. Although this change is most evident with Gohan, in the few instances Goku uses the form, there does appear to be a slight change in his personality. While distracting Majin Buu, he goes ballistic after noticing Trunks stop while getting the Dragon radar. It can also be observed in his fight with Majin Vegeta, as their fighting styles seemed far more aggressive; Goku received enough damage to put Buu at full power in what looked to be a matter of seconds. Despite initially being concerned with giving Buu any energy, once taking the first hit by Vegeta it was as if he just forgot about it and became entirely engulfed in battle.

[Godo]

Piccolo Daimao is right, just check the difference between the SSJ and SSJ2 transformations. an example is Goku transforming into a SSJ in Buu's stomach: "I guess that I'll have to blow a hole in you, then!". That was from when he was shit scared just moments prior to transforming.

[Bussani]

I disagree with base Goku not having confidence; he just doesn't have false confidence. When he arrived at the fight with Nappa and Vegeta, he was calm and had complete confidence in his power, which Vegeta even notes when he's fighting with Nappa. It's the same when he arrives on Namek and fights the Ginyu Force--in fact, Vegeta reacts much the same way.

Now, it is possible, even probable, that you're right about the forms having an effect on his personality, but it could also be partly that he shouldn't have confidence in his base form during the parts you're looking at.

[painfuldeath]

No offence, but I thought this was common knowledge. The first time Goku becomes a Super Saiyan, he's a completely different person (which Kaio even notes) and his Saiyan thirst for battle escalates. And a Super Saiyan doesn't have a pure heart.

Vegeta's arrogance appears to take a dramatic boost when he becomes a Super Saiyan. And Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 led to him purposely drawing out the battle with Cell to torture him, which, in the end, resulted in Goku's demise.

Goku's personality as a Super Saiyan is a tad inconsistent though. During the fight with Frieza he was dead serious and lost all of his usual candidness. After RoSaT training however he retains the candidness even as a Super Saiyan. This goes on even into the Buu arc.
On the other hand, with other characters, definite change in personality; heck, even Trunks becomes cocky as a Super Saiyan. Vegeta becomes even more arrogant and Gohan turns from a little kid into a sadistic badass.

[Piccolo Daimao]

Goku's personality as a Super Saiyan is a tad inconsistent though. During the fight with Freeza he was dead serious and lost all of his usual candidness. After RoSaT training however he retains the candidness even as a Super Saiyan. This goes on even into the Buu arc.
On the other hand, with other characters, definite change in personality; heck, even Trunks becomes cocky as a Super Saiyan. Vegeta becomes even more arrogant and Gohan turns from a little kid into a sadistic badass.

It's not inconsistent. Goku and Gohan had mastered Super Saiyan by then, which means that the negative effects of the form would be gone. They just became more able to control how Super Saiyan affects their personality, along with the other stuff they mastered in SSj.

And I don't see any change in Trunks and Goten when they become Super Saiyans. They're the same annoying, hyperactive brats as before, and considering it's implied that they mastered the form too (they can control their chi, an ability which SSjs didn't display until Goku and Gohan mastered it and used it at the Cell Games).

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

He talks slightly differently when he first becomes a Super Saiyan, using the personal pronoun ore instead of his usual ora. This trait disappears after he trains in the Room of Spirit and Time though. Also, awhile ago someone made a thread noting the as a Super Saiyan Goku talks with the same square speech balloons usually used for the villains.

Did the other Super Saiyans have square speech bubbles ever? Also, what about after Goku and Gohan leave the Room of Spirit and Time?

[SylentEcho]

He talks slightly differently when he first becomes a Super Saiyan, using the personal pronoun ore instead of his usual ora. This trait disappears after he trains in the Room of Spirit and Time though. Also, awhile ago someone made a thread noting the as a Super Saiyan Goku talks with the same square speech balloons usually used for the villains.

Yes, I've noticed this. A Super Saiyajin is supposed to be full of hatred and anger, hence the square baloons, because his heart isn't pure. I'm sure he can't ride Kinto-Un while he's Super Saiyajin. This is why he can't even make a spirit bomb while he's Super Saiyajin.

Vegeta's arrogance appears to take a dramatic boost when he becomes a Super Saiyan. And Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 led to him purposely drawing out the battle with Cell to torture him, which, in the end, resulted in Goku's demise.

Thanks for pointing this out. I wouldn't have thought of that.

[Ussj Future Trunks]

I always thought Goku got more and more "Kakarot-like" the more forms he transformed into. He even said he lacked some control over himself in SSJ4 and seems really cocky in SSJ3. The same is true for Vegeta and Gohan. Their Saiyan arrogance is brought out.

[Cipher]

I think it's obvious just from his voice in the anime that he grows colder and more battle-hungry with each form.

For what it's worth though, he actually tells San Xing-Long that he feels less restrained and more vicious as a Super Saiyan 4. It's just after he tries to use Pan as a shield, I think, if anyone wants to find the exact quote.

[Godo]

I think that it's probably just human nature, when someone becomes stronger, they become more confident.

Vegeta became cocky and confident after he got the Powerup That A Saiya-jin Recieves After Surviving From Near Death Experience(TM).
Kuririn became cocky when he got his potential unlocked by the Great Elder on the planet named Namek.
Goku became cocky when he received that power-up from the Holy Water.

They were all in base, if you can say that, and they still got pretty cocky. So yeah, it's all about power.

[roidrage]

Goku transformed in a bout of extreme rage, almost as if he was on steroids, so it makes sense that those emotions would carry over into the transformation. Although it's not quite as dramatic, Vegeta becomes more arrogant the first time we see him as Super Saiyan; in fact, he describes himself as entering an "ecstatic state". I believe the uncontrolled Super Saiyan transformation heightens aggression, cockiness, and fighting spirit, due to the loss of mental restraint that triggers it. When training with Gohan in the ROSAT, Goku says they need to find a way to get rid of that "instability, that restless feeling". They both achieved this with the Full-Power Super Saiyan transformation, which produces no psychological effects.

[hleV]

Rage destroys the real personality temporarily. Basically what [ste]roidrage said.

[Fox666]

The legendary Super Saiyan was meant to be a bloodless warrior that loves to fight.

Goku displayed that personality in Namek, as he let Freeza use 100% of his power, and while he spared Freeza one time, he later finishes him off. You might remember when he screamed to Gohan that he should save Piccolo while he still had the little of sanity he was left.

Overall it seems that Goku was meant to go berserk on Namek, as the Super Saiyan legend said. The idea later changed, due to Toriyama writting habits.