Why did Toriyama change the design of the Super Saiyan?

[Kaboom]

All in all, as fun as it might be to make up theories, the most likely answer is just, "Toriyama doesn't remember or care about the differences anymore and is just 'spicing up' his Super Saiyan drawings."

[Saiga]

More and more, I'm starting to think the sparks have nothing to do with SS2 and are just about power. Of course, it's also likely that Toriyama's art style changed over the years but I don't find that answer satisfactory to me.

[Gokuden]

Super Saiyan went from Bulky, to Athletic, and finally to cute with sparks as we see here.
It looks close to the One Piece\Fairy Tail art, the more sharp look of recent manga.

I remember reading an article on this site that DragonBall was more round, and DragonBall Z was more square, maybe the recent manga wave in Japan is sharp.

[DragonBalllKaiHD]

The sparks around aura is still a feature for SSj Grade 5. You see that in the manga when Gohan, Goku and Vegeta transformed into SSj Grade 5. The reason a regular Super Saiyan is shown with some sparks was probably due to immense power. Vegetto is an excellent example of that.

(I'm just referring to Grade 5 for just the fun of it.)

[hleV]

I think right now the lightning for SSJ is only there to display one's power, but that didn't necessarily apply for the real DB series back then.

[Piccolo Daimao]

More and more, I'm starting to think the sparks have nothing to do with SS2 and are just about power. Of course, it's also likely that Toriyama's art style changed over the years but I don't find that answer satisfactory to me.

Same here. Especially since, even in the actual original manga, Vegetto displays sparks when he first transforms into a Super Saiyan.

[Bussani]

So did Nappa when he powered up, funnily enough.

[batistabus]

This might just complicate it more, but for the OPFZ x DBZBOG crossover ticket, Goku is drawn with an electric aura. His hair isn't like Gohan's SS2 hair, but it's not really like Goku's SS1 hair either. It should also be noted that Luffy is depicted to be in Gear Second mode, so maybe SS2 would make more sense?

[Fox666]

deleted

[Gonstead]

Imagine Luffy or Goku using each others respective techniques. Luffy using Kaioken and Goku using Gear Second.

[lash]

This might just complicate it more, but for the OPFZ x DBZBOG crossover ticket, Goku is drawn with an electric aura. His hair isn't like Gohan's SS2 hair, but it's not really like Goku's SS1 hair either. It should also be noted that Luffy is depicted to be in Gear Second mode, so maybe SS2 would make more sense?

It's just drawn in a more OP- like fashion(look at the curvature in Goku's eyes), but that's clearly SSj1 Goku's hair.

[batistabus]

It's just drawn in a more OP- like fashion(look at the curvature in Goku's eyes), but that's clearly SSj1 Goku's hair.

I don't know, it looks a little different to me. I don't think Toriyama's trying to mimic Oda's style...it just looks like he changed his style for the nth time.

Gear Second is more like the Kaio-ken than Super Saiyan. But if it was a form of Super Saiyan, it would be the first one I guess.

Even so, Gear 2nd, Super Saiyan 2...they both have 2...I don't know.

[Wobbuffet]

Super Saiyan 1 and Super Saiyan 2 were always too similar to begin with. Maybe the differences become more subtle after you master both forms?
I mean, it was Goku who said that they were separate forms, but maybe they are just different forms of the same transformation, while Super Saiyan 3 is the only true transformation above Super Saiyan.

Does this make sense?

[hleV]

His hair isn't like Gohan's SS2 hair, but it's not really like Goku's SS1 hair either.

Wanna elaborate on that? 'Cuz to me it's SS1 hair alright. Obviously not SS1 hair from, say, Freeza arc, but in the Boo arc SS1 hair does look just like in that picture.

[batistabus]

His hair isn't like Gohan's SS2 hair, but it's not really like Goku's SS1 hair either.

Wanna elaborate on that? 'Cuz to me it's SS1 hair alright. Obviously not SS1 hair from, say, Freeza arc, but in the Boo arc SS1 hair does look just like in that picture.

The way it's parted/the way certain spikes stick up in the front just look off to me.

Then again, like most of where this problem comes from, it could just be a result of what Toriyama thought looked good that day.

[Rocketman]

I like anything that makes it harder for the people going NO WE MUST ANALYZE EVERY TINY LINE!

I HAVE TO KNOW GOHAN EXACTLY SO MY LIST OF MADEUP HORSESHIT NUMBERS IS SUPERIOR TO OTHER HORSESHIT NUMBER LISTS

[InfernalVegito]

Hair changed significantly. More spiky.

[DBZGTKOSDH]

Freeza arc


Artificial Humans arc


Cell Games arc


Boo arc


Battle of Gods


Super Saiyan 2


Goku is definitely a Super Saiyan in that picture.

[dprez]

He didn't seam to care too much about consistency when he was writing the original manga, so we shouldn't expect much from these one-shots.

Too me, that's just Ssj Goku. He could be Ssj2 because of the sparks, but the hair looks Ssj1. Toriyama most likely just drew a cool looking Super Saiyan Goku without thinking too much beyond that. If he had intended for Goku to be the strongest form of super saiyan before the obviously different Ssj3, then yes, he "forgot" the hair and simply added sparks. These days I would think he'd have to know of the two original super saiyan forms, aside from 3.

I would think that by now for Toriyama, "Super Saiyan" is a very broad term, in the sense of what he would make it look like. Big golden hair and an aura of some sort.

[DBZGTKOSDH]

Super Saiyan 1 and Super Saiyan 2 were always too similar to begin with. Maybe the differences become more subtle after you master both forms?
I mean, it was Goku who said that they were separate forms, but maybe they are just different forms of the same transformation, while Super Saiyan 3 is the only true transformation above Super Saiyan.

Does this make sense?

I agree with this as well.