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Editor-in-Chief Explains Why Dragon Ball's Super Saiyan Hair Turns Blond
posted on by Jennifer Sherman
Although Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama has already revealed whey Super Saiyan hair is golden, some fans remain in the dark about the light-colored locks of the franchise's powered-up heroes. Hiroyuki Nakano, the 11th and current editor-in-chief of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, set the record straight when he appeared on Fuji TV's Nonstop! television program on Monday. Nakano appeared on the show as part of a feature to mark the 50th anniversary of the magazine.
In the episode, Nakano said that Toriyama had previously said he wanted to eliminate the labor involved in coloring characters' hair black. Toriyama's assistants were busy when the decision was made, and the yellow hair helped with work efficiency.
Nakano explained that it is difficult and labor-intensive to color hair black in manga. When Super Saiyan hair turns gold, it can remain white in a typical black-and-white manga manuscript. Making hair blond also simplifies the design and eliminates some fine details. Therefore, the change in color cuts back on the labor involved in creating character appearances.
Nakano added that every minute and second are precious when drawing manga that serialize weekly. He said that reducing time on certain parts of the process by even a little allows creators to "spend time on story and drawing cool pictures."
Source: Livedoor News via Hachima Kikō
Image via Dragon Ball Wiki
