Further details are available at the end of the post for all characters, especially since some characters are subject to debate regarding what the colors reference, which are acknowledged in those detailed explanations.
- DBZ Version -
- DBZ Version -
- Super Saiyan Full Power -
- DBS Version -
- DBZ Version -
- Perfect body -
- Final form -
- Final form -
- DBS Version -
- Super Saiyan Blue -
- Super Saiyan Rosé -
- Super Saiyan 3 -
- Serious form -
- Ready to fight -
- Untamed -
- Friendly -
- Cell Game -
- Super Saiyan 2 -
- Adult -
- Extended potential -
- Saiyans arc -
- DBS version -
- Super Saiyan -
- DBS version -
- Super Saiyan Blue -
- DBGT version -
- DBS version -
- DBZ version -
- Super Saiyan -
- Saiyan arc -
- Super Saiyan -
- Super Saiyan Blue -
- Super Saiyan Blue -
- 25th Tenkaichi Budokai -
- Saiyan arc -
- Fused -
- EXTRA NOTES / ANALYSIS -
BARDACK - With how important it is for Bardack to fight for his loved ones (especially in his new DBS version), it is fitting that he wears his lover's colors. Ironically, the version of this character that's featured in the game is the one from DBZ, a version who isn't really associated to Gine: if she ever existed for this version of the character, she never crosses his mind and doesn't play any role in his stories. So the colors here are a reference to the newer version of Bardack, a version clearly shown and mentionned as unusually interested in the well-being of his wife and children. Speaking of which, he also wears the colors of his two sons. Finally, avenging his four teammates mean so much to him that he also wears their colors.
BEERUS - Whis' colors are not much of a surprise, since Beerus and Whis are a constant duo that often appear together. Whis is the angel in charge of Beerus, but it wouldn't be farfetched to consider them best friends as well.
BROLY (DBZ) - Broly simply wears his father's colors, the two of them being the antagonists of DBZ movie 8, marking Broly's first appearance. Paragus is the only person having a link to this version of Broly.
C-16 - The reference to C-8 comes from them being cyborgs and pacifists.
C-17 - With the playable version of this character being taken from DBS, it makes sense that his alternate colors are those constantly shown in DBZ (except for his final appearance at the very end of the Boo arc).
C-18 - On the contrary of the playable version of C-17, she wears the DBZ costume from her beginnings during gameplay, so giving her her usual DBS costume makes sense, which is how she is mostly shown nowadays.
C-21 - Though it is never directly stated, various clues heavily point at C-21 being Gero's wife (or at least being based on his wife). Her wearing his colors as an alternate costume almost certainly confirms those clues.
CELL - With Cell Juniors being alternate, smaller versions of Cell himself, it's a classic to have him wear their alternate colors.
COOLA - This is based on his brother's colors, making his body completely white except for the crystal parts. It is noteworthy that the crystals do not change to purple to match Freeza in this alternate costume, keeping Coola's classic blue color.
FREEZA - Those colors are based on his ancestor, Chilled, from the Episode of Bardack.
GINYU - Those flashy colors are based on the colors of the Namek frog he unwillingly inhabited for years.
GOGETA - This fusion uses the colors of the other fusion between Goku and Vegeta, Vegetto! With Gogeta's DBS look and personality, some fans have developed the feeling that aside from minor physical differences due to the varying fusion methods, Vegetto and Gogeta are indeed the same person in the end, and these shared colors will likely make this impression even more intense. For some other fans, it may give them a glimpse of the hypothetical fusion between Gogeta and Vegetto which some fans also liked to imagine for years.
GOKU BLACK - Based on Future Trunks' default costume in DBS. Having this alternate will also give his ally Zamasu alternate colors, as he will wear Shin's costume colors.
GOTENKS - Those colors are from Dragon Ball Heroes. While an adult Gotenks already appeared quite a while ago with colors that don't differ that much from his kid counterpart, this is from the more recent version of him called onto missions through space and time. Those versions are called "Xeno", this alternate palette being based on "Xeno Gotenks".
HIT - There is much debate concerning Hit's alternate colors, with some people thinking it could come from the Kaio Shin of Time in DBH and the Xenoverse game series. However, the dark purplish-red tint doesn't really match. This specific purplish-red dark tint is extremely specific and only associated to Whis. The explanation comes from their common high-rank skill at manipulating time, with Whis himself noting - when watching Hit in action - that he didn't know anyone like him existed among mortals in that regards, implying this is quite a unique link between him and Hit.
JANEMBA - This is simply based on the colors of his alternate form, the giant, playful baby, before he gets serious and transforms to his in-game form.
JIREN - Jiren wears the flamboyant colors of the God of Destruction he serves, Vermoudh. With such colors, the contrast between the superhero he represents for everyone and his actual stern personnality is even more ironic.
KRILIN - Those colors are taken from the costume Krilin wore during Bulma's birthday party in DBS and the Battle of Gods movie.
MAJIN BOO (Untamed) - This is from the positive reincarnation of this monster. While it could have been taken from DBZ's epilogue episodes with Oob's first appearance, those colors actually match the DBGT rendition of Oob.
MAJIN BOO (Friendly) - This is taken from the opposite of Boo, the negativity in him being given its own incarnation. What better alternate version than the incarnation supposed to be the complete opposite of the character?
NAPPA - This is taken from Raditz' colors, with the brown armor and the bluish parts (instead of Nappa's usually black parts). Incidentally, this also brings the armor closer to the manga colors, as well as Nappa's first appearance in the anime (his colors were soon permanently changed, along with Vegeta's).
PICCOLO - Piccolo wears the colors of his father, Demon King Piccolo.
SON GOHAN (Cell Game) - With the darker purple and red accessories, Gohan goes a few years back to when he was a smaller kid. This also brings him closer to his manga colors (specifically on his Perfect Edition "Kanzenban" cover).
SON GOHAN (Adult) - Another step back in time with adult Gohan going back to the top, with his Cell Game costume when he led the show. Incidentally, those colors bring him close to his manga counterpart in the Tournament of the Strongest, who goes back to wearing that costume for the event. The white part of his clothes reference the cape.
SON GOKU (Saiyan arc) - Some people believe the colors reference his DBGT counterpart. While the colors could match, the yellow and blue tints are way off-mark from the plain blue and darker, orangy yellow. But on the other hand, the very pale blue and desaturated yellow seem to fit properly with the final Tankobon (first edition) cover with "normal Goku" saying goodbye to the audience, marking his final appearance (back then).
SON GOKU (Super Saiyan) - This is simply going back to the hero's very first appearance, at the very beginning of the story.
SON GOKU (Super Saiyan Blue) - While being different gameplay-wise, the Super Saiyan Blue is just a hair-palette-swapped version of regular Goku physically. It shares the exact same costume with the exact same alternate colors.
SON GOKU (DBGT) - This brings back Goku to how he was as a kid in DB, and in two different ways! These are clever alternates skin as they give the illusion of accessing the original DB Goku, basically giving you the choice between DBGT Goku and two DB Gokus.
TEN SHIN HAN - This is getting back to the colors of his very first appearance in the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai.
TRUNKS - This is based on the DBS version of the character, with the green pullover. However, much like every other skin in the game, it is strictly limited to clothes and does not change his regular hair color from purple to blue to match DBS as well.
VEGETA - All versions of Vegeta use his first anime colors. Those colors were decided by the anime staff and were soon changed to the colors we all know once Vegeta arrived on Earth. We don't know where those colors came from, if they were given by Toriyama who later changed his mind or if they were decided by the anime staff without knowing Toriyama's take on it first. In any case, it is considered a mistake and as such, was corrected in DB Kai. However, it is quite a famous design discontinuity that marked fans' memories and it regularly makes its way in games as a bonus, just like in this case. As for other skins, the character's hair are not taken into account, so Vegeta does not have red hair in his regular form even with this alternate palette.
VEGETTO - It is based on Goku Black, which is quite an odd choice as the two only share an arc and don't even actually get to meet (since Vegetto directly faces the fused Zamasu in all formats).
VIDEL - Except for a few details, Videl almost get a full alternate costume with this one, just by changing the colors. "Almost" though. With the ability to change her hairstyle, she is the one closest to having the most "canon" variations of her character. These colors are based on the new costume she gets when waking up from her injuries at the hand of Spopovitch during the Tenkaichi Budokai. She keeps those for the remainder of the Boo arc afterwards.
YAMCHA - Based on his famous career as a baseball player. This is not taken from the DBS baseball suits shown recently, but from his original DBZ performances.
ZAMASU - Ah, wouldn't he like to be the ruler of everything... or what's left of everything once all gods and mortals alike are gone. Anyway, his costume is based on the Zen-O one, surely a fantasy that Zamasu has to take on his throne. As it turns out, he actually wears the colors of his killer in the end.