SSJ & SSJ2 were epic.
To see little Goku whose adventures I had seen since he met Bulma to become the Saiya-Jin of Legend and dethrone that vile Freeza as the most powerful in the universe was epic. One that appears every thousand years or so (I know what you are going to say, so you can save it). To see his growth was amazing from the child to the Super-Saiya-Jin. He didn’t actively seek it out like Vegeta. He just wanted to improve himself and become better and voilá.
SSJ2 was the culmination of Gohan’s growth, from being afraid of facking Raditz & crying a-lot to surpassing his father & all & defeating the cyborg menace. The greatest threat the universe has ever seen (other than Boo I guess). The design was soooooooo kewl. Same for OriginalSSJ Goku.