Super Saiyajin 4's Color Scheme

[Black Hawk]

It was my idea to make the body red. ... I made the fur red because it pretty much just seemed strong; I place a lot of importance on those sorts of impressions (laughs). ... I also made a gold-haired version. However, I thought that black hair looked better, and decided upon that version. The combination of black and red is a more dynamic color scheme.

Thanks to Herms, we're privy as to the out-of-universe reasons for Super Saiyajin 4's color scheme, but how might we rationalize its color scheme from an in-universe standpoint? We somehow go from brown with Ōzaru to gold with Super Saiyajin and Golden Ōzaru to red and black with Super Saiyajin 4. Any thoughts?

[TheGreatness25]

I mean, there can't really be an in-universe explanation any more than there is one for why Bulma's hair is blue or why Super Saiyan God was red. But here goes:

Black hair is obviously because that's Goku's natural hair color. The "red" (magenta, I'd say) fur might have something to do with the brown of the Great Ape form degenerating? I have no idea. Vegeta has a different shade of "red" than Goku too. And then Gogeta has brown fur and red hair. Maybe since Vegeta seems to have brown hair with red fur, they did that Vegetto thing where they invert the colors to give him red hair and brown fur?


In before anyone says Vegeta's hair isn't alluded to being brown (especially by Toei, not so much by Akira Toriyama)

[Desassina]

Looking at DB GT, it would seem that TOEI got inspiration from bikers, strippers and rock stars. Red and black go well together, but I can't see any in-universe explanation.

[TheGreatness25]

Looking at DB GT, it would seem that TOEI got inspiration from bikers, strippers and rock stars. Red and black go well together, but I can't see any in-universe explanation.

lol I don't see it (except Bra of course), but that does sound funny.

[Marco Polo]

God ki

[Xeztin]

Well, my guess is that Super Saiyan 4 creates a new body rather than it being a transformation because Goku nor Vegeta doesn't seem to have any strain from it unlike SSJ1-3. A body that's half Oozaru and half "human" is created because his normal body can't handle the power. The color scheme would be because Goku's natural hair color is black and the form acts as his new base. The pinkish red fur that he and Vegeta have to me would be the new thing, Like SSJ1-3's hair got longer and longer, while SSJ4 and possibly a 5 would change fur and hair color+length. In my opinion since SSJ4 acts as a base, if there was a SSJ5 it'd probably act as going Super Saiyan. I'd go with that gray fur and silver hair SSJ5 fan design to keep in line with SSJ4 having different hair and fur colors. Does this make sense? Oh! my explanation of Goku and Vegeta having different shades of red/pink fur would be because each person's SSJ4 varies in shades depending on the personality. Vegeta is this cocky, arrogant, malevolent guy so he'd have a darker shade of red, almost crimson while Goku is light hearted and kind so he'd have a lighter shade which almost is Pink.

[SSJ Human]

Maybe the red comes from the blood they've shed over collective battles throughout their lifetimes. That's the best I could come up with, though I admit it's stupid.

[Son_Gohan]

Perhaps it's a throwback to the Original Saiyan/Super Saiyan, whose fur was red.

[SSJ Human]

Perhaps it's a throwback to the Original Saiyan/Super Saiyan, whose fur was red.

I never thought of it that way. Good point.