Thoughts on Super Saiyan Hair becoming more refined as the series progressed?

[emperior]

I'd have kept SS1 simple just so 2 has more distinguishing features from it down the line. 2s entire problem is that, besides Gohan in his initial appearance, the form looks way too similar to SS1 by the time the Boo arc rolls around.

I've always thought this. Super Saiyan 2 would be a lot more memorable if they never changed the SSJ1 look from the Namek/Early Androids one.
It would also avoid debates such as "Was Gohan SSJ1 or 2 against Dabura"

By the way, my favorite Super Saiyan 1 hair art style is that from the early androids arc (which is just a little different from Namek and Cell Games)

[ekrolo2]

I'd have kept SS1 simple just so 2 has more distinguishing features from it down the line. 2s entire problem is that, besides Gohan in his initial appearance, the form looks way too similar to SS1 by the time the Boo arc rolls around.

I've always thought this. Super Saiyan 2 would be a lot more memorable if they never changed the SSJ1 look from the Namek/Early Androids one.
It would also avoid debates such as "Was Gohan SSJ1 or 2 against Dabura"

By the way, my favorite Super Saiyan 1 hair art style is that from the early androids arc (which is just a little different from Namek and Cell Games)

Toriyama kind of fucked Gohan in the Boo arc. Originally, Gohan's regular and SS1 hair had a big bang and a smaller one underneath it with SS2 having only one. Then after the Dabura fight, it's always just one bang and the SS1 hair looks more detailed to boot.

Of course, if SS1 stayed simple or if SS2 was a bigger departure from 1, it'd be harder for him to complicate matters. That's why, for all its nonsense inclusion, 3 is pretty unmistakable from the others whereas 2 blends in too much.

[Vijay]

I like the super-refined, multiple stranded bangs over the wavy hair which we saw in Frieza & Android Arc

It gives extra depth, or shall I say edgyness to the overall design where the hair looks strikingly appealing, yet distinct. Ex: SSJ2 Goku's hair @ Kid Boo in Ep 279

[DanielSSJ]

I think the mid-Cell arc has the best looking Super Saiyan hair. It's got a bit of detail here and there, but it isn't made up of a bunch of individual spikes like the modern day Super Saiyan.
[spoiler][/spoiler]

On the other hand, I appreciate modern-day Toriyama draw Super Saiyan if only due to how he uses round curves to draw the hair now, as opposed to it being made up of nothing but sharp angles.
[spoiler][/spoiler]

[Kaio_Krazy]

I like both styles for different reasons. I like the overall volume and more distinction between characters the original style has, but I also love the visual detail and "cleaner" look that the spikier style has.

The Cell arc look is pretty good too, as it's a transition point between the hair styles.

When I was younger, and didn't have access to any clip of dragon ball I wanted on a whim, so I actually wasn't sure if I had just imagined that super saiyan looked different from how it was later on. Not until budokai tenkaichi 3 did I realize that my memory wasn't faulty.


I still live playing as Goku (mid), just to see this version of super saiyan.

Edit: Damn it! I got ninja'd about mentioning BT3!

Actually, that bottom one is Super Saiyan 2 Goku, whose hair is spikier, a bit shorter, and he has shorter and fewer bangs.

I'm aware, but for whatever reason, I just could not find a good head on shot of SSJ1 Goku from BT3. In the game, the two forms look almost identical anyways, and seeing as I was just using it as an example of how the detailing was different, I didn't think it would matter if I used SSJ2 instead.

[TheKingOfKamehamehas]

I thought it was very cool until Boo came along and then I couldn't even tell the difference between Super Saiyan 1 and 2 (Kind of happy that Super kept SSJ 2 to a minimal degree except for Trunks.) I always thought the wild hair when Goku transforms and fights Freeza was to symbolize this untapped power that Goku had trouble harnessing and as the series progressed, the hair became more spikier and finer to show that he had mastered this power.

I am pretty sure it was just Toriyama's art style changing over the years though.

[KorgDTR2000]

On the other hand, I appreciate modern-day Toriyama draw Super Saiyan if only due to how he uses round curves to draw the hair now, as opposed to it being made up of nothing but sharp angles.
[spoiler][/spoiler]

"Modern-day Toriyama" is a funny way to put it, since the length of time from that drawing's publication to now is longer than the length of time between that drawing's publication and the end of the manga by over five years.

[DanielSSJ]

"Modern-day Toriyama" is a funny way to put it, since the length of time from that drawing's publication to now is longer than the length of time between that drawing's publication and the end of the manga by over five years.

You got me there. I guess a better example would be this promo image of Battle of Gods and One Piece: Film Z.
[spoiler][/spoiler]
P.S. I also really like how lean Goku looks in that picture.

[Beek King]

When I was younger, and didn't have access to any clip of dragon ball I wanted on a whim, so I actually wasn't sure if I had just imagined that super saiyan looked different from how it was later on. Not until budokai tenkaichi 3 did I realize that my memory wasn't faulty.
I still live playing as Goku (mid), just to see this version of super saiyan.

Even if some may criticize it for clashing a bit I actually liked BT how each character looked just the way they did in the saga they were introduced. For example Kid Goku looked starkly different from GT Goku, having those round eyes. Makes me want another game like this that also has Goku's form from 23rd Budokai/early DBZ that was notably less muscley and chiseled.

On topic though I also prefer the early form of SSJ hair, just like the style in general. DB never looked bad of course but the Cell/Buu saga art style I liked somewhat less.

[floofychan333]

I like the refining of the hair. It shows more precision and care in drawing. Since Toriyama created the SSJ form because he didn't want to ink Goku's hair, it's safe to say that it's less refined and detailed because he was feeling somewhat lazy, but as the series went on I think he's started to put much more detail and effort into SSJ hair, which is a good improvement.

[Kendamu]

I think the mid-Cell arc has the best looking Super Saiyan hair. It's got a bit of detail here and there, but it isn't made up of a bunch of individual spikes like the modern day Super Saiyan.
[spoiler][/spoiler]

On the other hand, I appreciate modern-day Toriyama draw Super Saiyan if only due to how he uses round curves to draw the hair now, as opposed to it being made up of nothing but sharp angles.
[spoiler][/spoiler]

I like how it looked here, but I also like the super flowy look that came before it. The reason I say this is because, along with the rest of the little changes made to drive home the point that Son Goku and Son Gohan had mastered the Super Saiyan form, the hair needed to evolve along with it to complete the look.

You could say that the way it looks now is just a further evolution of that and it would make sense in terms of the plot. Based on pure opinion of how it looks, though, FPSSJ and SSJ on Namek are my favorites.