The Story of Bardock: A Captivating Tale in the Dragon Ball Universe
Bardock is one of the most intriguing characters among the supporting cast of Dragon Ball. We first encounter this character in the storyline that explains how Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta, later becoming iconic in the Dragon Ball Super manga.
However, throughout these stories, Bardock never achieves the Super Saiyan transformation. Despite readers never witnessing him reach this form, they know that Bardock possesses all the necessary traits to become a Super Saiyan.
As a result, there has been a plethora of fan art depicting Goku’s father achieving this legendary form, which grants warriors of his race impressive power.
This fan-created illustration showcases all the characteristics of Goku’s father achieving the Super Saiyan mode. If he could have actually attained this golden-haired form earlier, Bardock might have had a chance to defeat the villain Frieza before he wiped out nearly the entire Saiyan race.
Bardock in Dragon Ball
The first glimpse of Bardock appeared in the Dragon Ball Z movie from the 1990s. This marked the only appearance of this Saiyan warrior for about 30 years, until Goku’s father returned in the Broly movie and in the Granola arc of Dragon Ball Super.
Thanks to Dragon Ball Super, readers have gained more insight into Goku’s father’s personality. Unlike other Saiyans, he is a kind-hearted individual who vehemently opposes injustice. He demonstrated this when he fought against Frieza, fully aware that he would lose. He also displayed his bravery when he defeated Gas to save Granola.
Bardock’s original design was created for the special television program Bardock – Father of Goku, produced by Toei Animation. Animator and character designer Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru was primarily responsible for designing Bardock and his team during the production of the special in the mid-1990s.
Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru’s original design of Bardock underwent minimal changes after receiving slight adjustments from the series’ creator, Akira Toriyama.
Bardock’s face features a scar, and his consistently cold and serious demeanor embodies the brutality of a warrior race. Yet, he closely resembles Goku. He wears battle armor similar to that of Frieza’s army.
