The fact that Toriyama describes moving up in rank as a promotion makes it seem like it's an official thing for the Saiyans as a people.
And the ten strongest below the royal family would have included Goku and Raditz if there was only four left.
And Vegeta naturally would have felt he could do whatever he wanted.
EDIT: Dammit, I can't remember what I was going to say.
edited 12th Jun '15 10:03:21 AM by unnoun
That's possible, especially given how much distance exists between Nappa and Vegeta's battle powers. Vegeta could easily have invented the super-elite rank for himself, then given Nappa the elite title because there were no other Saiyans left to outrank him.
edited 12th Jun '15 10:13:02 AM by TobiasDrake
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.The fact that, of the four who escaped the genocide, none was a mid-class Saiyan does not mean that such a rank doesn't exist.
A rank escalation like low-class, elite, and super-elite is clearly missing a stage or two. It's like offering serving sizes of Small, Extra Large, and Jumbo.
edited 12th Jun '15 12:37:53 PM by TobiasDrake
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.So Krillin, Tien, Yamcha and Yajirobe got a lot stronger after training with Kami then Goku did after training with Kami.
The average power level of humans is pretty low, but most humans don't know about ki, and most people don't train as much as our cast members do.
So. I am kinda curious about what the upper limit actually is.
I don't get the impression that there's anything unique about Krillin innately. Other than the nose and height things. But he's trained a lot.
Frankly, Goku's talents don't seem to be innate either, and tend to have a lot more to do with what he's learned over his adventures. He's a Saiyan from Earth.
Kakarot would have been weak as shit.
But overall.
...I mean, most of the Saiyans, and Frieza's men know how to use ki.
The ones that don't fire ki blasts have those blaster thingies, and still know how to fly.
I don't think it's an innate thing, because as easily as Goku learned the kamehameha, he still didn't do it until he'd seen it done, and he still wasn't firing regular ki blasts all the time or with that much regularity.
And learning how to fly apparently took him a little while.
I'm curious as to what Krillin exactly is. I mean, can you call him a dwarf? All his proportions are right. He's just...really short.
My various fanfics.
x5, That's what makes sense to you, but not necessarily what makes sense in Dragonball. Do note that toriyama says pretty much every Saiyan is a low-class warrior, save 10 mid-classes and 2 elites.
To justify your argument, you're introducing elements into the series that are just not there. The ranks we were given are low, elite and S. elite, then Toriyama, decades later, gives the same ranking scheme, but uses different terms that ultimately mean the same thing.
x6, It's "interesting" to say that Goku was made by Dr. Gero having an orgy with King Cold and a sack of potatoes, but that in no way makes it right.
x2, Kakarot would've been stronger than Goku was when Raditz visited Earth. He was extremely disappointed in Goku's power level, and the only talents Goku acquired on Earth that was of any benefit was the ability to sense ki.
edited 12th Jun '15 1:28:22 PM by Cruherrx
"If you weren't so crazy I'd think you were insane."
It sure doesn't.
Also, that example is terrifying, and I never want to see anything like it again.
I mean, that poor sack of potatoes.
One Strip! One Strip!I suppose if you put something in the water.
Then again, most types of Alcohol don't mix well with water, or get diluted if my understanding of things is right.
One Strip! One Strip!

edited 12th Jun '15 9:58:27 AM by Cruherrx
"If you weren't so crazy I'd think you were insane."