Everything to know about Yamoshi from Dragon Ball Z

The world of Dragon Ball Z has introduced many iconic characters, and long before Goku’s iconic golden-haired transformation shook the Dragon Ball universe, there was another warrior whose name was buried under centuries of myth and obscurity: Yamoshi.

Yamoshi was the first Super Saiyan in the Dragon Ball mythos, whose story was first mentioned during Dragon Ball Z. In this series, he was no ordinary Saiyan. In a world dominated by brutality and conquest, he stood apart.

He possessed a righteous heart, something rare among his kind. Unlike the war-hungry majority of his race in Dragon Ball Z, Yamoshi sought to cleanse the Saiyans of their evil ways. Alongside five like-minded comrades, he led a rebellion against the corrupt Saiyan elite.

Before Planet Vegeta was even established as the Saiyans’ homeworld, Yamoshi’s rebellion unfolded. However, despite this unmatched power, he was ultimately defeated when he ran out of energy. But his spirit didn’t rest.

After death, Yamoshi’s soul in Dragon Ball Z continued to wander the universe, seeking a pure-hearted Saiyan worthy of becoming the next Super Saiyan. This spiritual search would later become the catalyst for a divine ritual requiring five righteous Saiyans to infuse their power into a sixth to create the legendary form.

---

Power and abilities of Yamoshi in Dragon Ball Z

Yamoshi in Dragon Ball Z was the first being to achieve the Super Saiyan transformation, a feat that defined an entire legend. His strength allowed him to challenge and temporarily overpower even the most savage Saiyans. However, power alone wasn’t enough; he was defeated due to energy depletion.

Yamoshi’s techniques and traits:

1) Flight – Like most high-level warriors in Dragon Ball, Yamoshi could use his ki to fly.

2) Saiyan Power – This innate ability allowed him to grow stronger through battle and recovery.

3) Crushing in Hands – According to Vegeta’s recounting, Yamoshi was capable of crushing his enemies with brute strength.

---

Yamoshi and Zalama: The forgotten gods behind Dragon Ball’s Divine legacy

Yamoshi, first introduced through a statement by Akira Toriyama in 2017, was a Saiyan of righteous heart who led a rebellion against his kind. In the heat of battle, Yamoshi became the first Super Saiyan, not Super Saiyan God as often misunderstood, and his spirit has been wandering ever since, seeking a true savior: the one who can achieve the Super Saiyan God transformation.

What’s most intriguing is that Yamoshi knew divine energy, suggesting that someone revealed to him the ritual and power needed for a Saiyan to tap into divine ki. Yet he never achieved the God form himself, leaving behind a prophecy still unfulfilled.

In contrast, Zalama’s power aligns more with the creative divine energy akin to the angels, and possibly even surpasses them. The fact that only Universes 6 and 7 contain the Super Dragon Balls hints at a deeper cosmic design. It's theorized that both races may have once been disciples of Zalama, which would explain their unique access to divine ki without angelic intervention.

If Yamoshi is the seeker and Zalama the source, their connection could be the key to Dragon Ball’s final arc. The true Super Saiyan God Yamoshi seeks may not be a destroyer, but a divine savior capable of wielding the creative power of Zalama himself, possibly Goku, but only if he transcends destruction and embodies divine balance. Their story may only just be beginning.

---

Final thoughts

In many ways, Yamoshi in Dragon Ball Z is the Saiyan spirit, not of rage and destruction, but of growth, rebellion, and the pursuit of a higher purpose. He is a ghost, yes. But more than that, he is a guardian of a legacy that continues to unfold with every battle, every transformation, and every moment of righteous power we see from Goku and the Saiyans.