An image forming apparatus includes image forming units forming toner images with first toners having different colors and a second toner having a different softening point from the first toners, an image transfer unit superposing the toner images one on top of another and transferring the superposed toner images onto a recording medium at least such that the toner image formed of the second toner is at the top of the superposed toner images, an image fixing unit fixing the transferred toner images, and an image controller that causes the image forming unit that uses the second toner to form the toner image over at least part of an image area and also causes the image transfer unit to perform the transfer such that the toner image formed of the second toner is at the top of the superposed toner images in the at least part of the image area.