Summary
Broly was inspired by Trunks' rare Super Saiyan Third Grade form. The Super Saiyan Third Grade transformation results in a slow but powerful physical form. Although Super Saiyan Third Grade was considered a failure, Broly has become an iconic character in the Dragon Ball series.
Dragon BallBroly is one of the most iconic villains the series has ever seen, being a Saiyan warrior who can rival Goku in power. What might surprise fans to know is that Broly was actually inspired by a rare Super Saiyan form that many fans feel is one of the worst transformations in the series.
Broly was originally created by screenwriter Takao Koyama and designed by Akira Toriyama for the film Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, released in Japan in 1993. Broly was supposed to be a powerful and evil Saiyan, a dark counterpart to Goku in every way. Broly would appear in three films, known as the “Broly Triple Threat” trilogy, however these films are considered non-canon, as is Broly’s existence in general.
Broly was eventually revived and redesigned for his first official appearance in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, which toned down the character's previously evil nature and turned him into a more sympathetic character.
Broly was actually inspired by Trunks' worst form
Broly's muscular physique appears due to Super Saiyan level 3
In the 1995 Daizenshuu 6 databook, there is information about the Dragon Ball movies and specials that had been released up to that point, Broly's creator, Takao Koyama, revealed that the inspiration for the idea of Broly actually came from watching the episode “Trunks Ascends”, in which Future Trunks transforms into the rare Super Saiyan Third Grade.An enhanced and extremely muscular base form of Super Saiyan, distinct from Super Saiyan 3.
Super Saiyan Third Grade is often considered one of the worst Super Saiyan forms, both practically and visually, so its connection to a beloved character like Broly is a real surprise. It is said that this transformation allows the user to use 100% of their power without any inhibitions. However, they become so muscular in the process that it makes it difficult to react quickly, as evidenced when Cell easily defeated Trunks in this form. Slow but powerful, it is essentially useless against an opponent like Cell, but the form's appearance has a menacing nature, which seems to be what inspired Koyama.
Upon closer inspection, Broly's transformation into Legendary Super Saiyan definitely resembles Future Trunks' transformation into Super Saiyan Three, and the two even strike similar poses while transforming. While most people might consider Super Saiyan Three a complete failure, its role in the story ultimately led to the creation of Broly, so even something that seems terrible on the surface can lead to unexpected bursts of inspiration.
Since Broly would become such an iconic character that he eventually made it into the series, fans should be glad that Future Trunks got the wrong form to face Cell. While Super Saiyan Third Grade might have been better left in the dust, it had a much more lasting impact on the series than many of the other transformations, some of which seemed more important. It will be interesting to see what role Broly's latest incarnation plays in the overall story of the series. Dragon BallBut he will certainly make an impact greater than his inspiration.
