Exploring the Canon Status of Dragon Ball Super's Super Saiyan Blue

In the expansive world of Dragon Ball Super, one of the hottest topics among fans revolves around the three stages of the Super Saiyan Blue (SSSB) transformation. This transformation is often split into SSSB, SSSB Kaioken, and SSSB with the power of a God. Let's delve into whether these forms are canon and how they differ across the manga and anime.

Canon in Dragon Ball Super Manga

Within the framework of the Dragon Ball Super manga, these three stages of Super Saiyan Blue are indeed considered canon. The manga presents these forms as integral parts of the official narrative and the character development. Two of the greatest warriors, Goku and Vegeta, are featured extensively in showcasing their growth in power and techniques through these transformations.

For example, the SSSB Perfected form is detailed in the manga To the Power of a God! (Piano). Vegeta achieves this form and Power-Up Version of SSB allows the user to fully utilize the SSB power. It is consistent with the concept of a higher level of SSJ present in the Cell Saga, like level 4 SSJ, which doesn't have a power multiplier but fully leverages the SSB power.

Super Saiyan Blue in the Anime

Here, the situation becomes a bit more complicated. While the manga clearly establishes these transformations as canon, the anime adaptation can sometimes depict these changes differently. This leads to some confusion about the canon status of these forms across different media.

The anime introduces two distinct forms of SSSB:

SSB Kaioken: This form is used by Goku, with the Kaioken technique stacked on top of the SSSB form. This is a one-time incident according to the manga, where Goku multiplies his power utilizing the Kaioken technique on SSSB. This form is not stable and is thus called “Super Saiyan Blue: Full Power” by fans, meaning that it doesn't last as its own form. SSB Evolved (SSBE): This form is unique to Vegeta and represents a complete evolution of SSSB. This form is as strong, if not stronger, than SSB Kaioken. SSBE is a new transformation that has its own power multipliers and is more than just a grade of SSB Perfected. It is a separate branch of the SSB evolution tree.

Total Characterization

The distinction between the manga and anime versions of SSSB is significant. In the manga, the SSSB Perfected and SSB Kaioken forms are presented as one grade of SSB, and a single-use transformation that isn't its own form. The anime, however, takes both these concepts and creates distinct forms: SSB Kaioken for Goku and SSBE for Vegeta. These forms can be flipped on and off, much like any other transformation.

Conclusion

While the manga remains the definitive and only true canon source, the anime's depiction of SSSB has led to the creation of distinct forms. These forms, SSB Kaioken and SSBE, are separate branches of the SSB evolution tree, each with its own unique characteristics and power levels.

For those interested in the detailed nuances of Dragon Ball Super, it's crucial to refer to the manga for the definitive interpretations of these transformations. However, for those enjoying the dynamic show that is Dragon Ball Super, these anime adaptations offer an exciting new evolution of the popular character powers.