Artificial Human
From Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
Artificial Humans (人造 人間, Jinzō Ningen; FUNimation "Android") are robotic/cyborg Humans, most of them created by the evil scientist Doctor Gero. Most of the Artificial Humans are said to have unlimited energy and have eternal life as well as having no aura unlike Saiyans, Humans, and others. There are at least eight Android models shown to have been fully functional (out of the Red Ribbon Army series) throughout the series (eleven if Cell, No. 20, who is really Doctor Gero, and Super No. 17, who is his half Artificial Human half Machine Mutant, are all counted).
History
The Artificial Humans served as the main villains of the Android and Imperfect Cell sagas, each serving a purpose of their own. Originally, all of the Artificial Humans had been created to kill Goku, however, most of the Artificial Humans turned to the side of good or were killed. In the Future Trunks timeline, however, the Artificial Humans succeeded in their plans for world destruction, managing to kill all of the main Z Warriors (except for Goku, who died of a Heart Virus, and Future Gohan, who survived but was killed 13 years later) until finally being killed by Trunks almost 20 years later.
There are three types of Artificial Humans seen in the series, according to their power supplies:
- The kind that have no drawback and an unlimited power supply (such as No. 16, No. 17, and No. 18).
- The kind which require constant intake of energy, usually stolen from victims, to keep their power reservoir from draining, otherwise causing the Artificial Human to malfunction (such as No. 19 and No. 20).[1] Curiously, Doctor Gero oversees his configuration into the latter rather than the type with no apparent limitations (though it is implied by No. 18 that this was because the energy-absorbing model was easier to control).
- Future Cell. See below.*
There are also three types of Artificial Humans seen in the series, according to their base materials:
- Cyborg (サイボーグ型 の 人造 人間, Saibōgu-gata no Jinzō Ningen) types: Artificial Humans made from an original Human as a base (such as No. 17, No. 18, and No. 20).
- Robot (ロボット型 の 人造 人間, Robotto-gata no Jinzō Ningen) types: Artificial Humans which were made up completely from mechanical parts (such as No. 13, No. 14, No. 15, No. 16, and No. 19). For some reason, the total artificial construct type have a blood-like crimson liquid substance; this is presumably a kind of power oil.
- Future Cell. See below.*
- Future Cell is the only example of the third kind of Artificial Human depicted in the series known to exist, both based on base material and power supply. He is a bio-mechanical Artificial Human constructed bio-artificially rather than from machine parts and/or a Human base. Also, his power runs on some form of cross-organic Ki-based on cells from different Humans, Saiyans, and other races, making it generally circulate the same way as that of organic warriors.
His cells also possess elements of the first two power supply types as well. For one, he is able to absorb the energy of others and integrate them into his being through his tail, either by sucking them up or swallowing them whole. The latter method actually transforms him into a stronger state, and if he absorbs both No. 17 and No. 18 this way, he enters a form of evolution he describes as "perfection". Also, his cells can store memory of any form of power they ever taste, allowing him to return to that form if he should ever nearly become vaporized after losing it. Thanks to this, and combined with the Zenkai healing factor of his Saiyan cell properties, he can return from near-death stronger than ever before no matter how severely he should be weakened beforehand.
Red Ribbon Army series
- Prototype Artificial Humans (Considered early test models)
- Super Prototype Artificial Humans (Considered early test models)
- Sergeant Metallic (Created by the Red Ribbon Army, destroyed by Goku, and later again by Pan, but may have not been made by Gero.)
- Artificial Human No. 2 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 3 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 4 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 5 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 6 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 7 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 8 (Created by Gero (and Flappe in the anime), considered failure, but lives in peace in Jingle Village.)
- Artificial Human No. 9 (Considered failure and destroyed) (Another name for the rebuilt Blue.)
- Artificial Human No. 10 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 11 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 12 (Considered failure and destroyed)
- Artificial Human No. 13 (Created by Gero's Super Computer, considered failure and destroyed in manga, although the Android A•B•C section implies that they were nearing completion.)
- Super Artificial Human No. 13 (Fused with parts of No. 14 and No. 15 and killed by Goku in Dragon Ball Z Movie 7.)
- Artificial Human No. 14 (Created by Gero's Super Computer, considered failure and destroyed in manga, although the Android A•B•C section implies that they were nearing completion. Killed by Future Trunks in Dragon Ball Z Movie 7.)
- Artificial Human No. 15 (Created Gero's Super Computer, considered failure and destroyed in manga, although the Android A•B•C section implies that they were nearing completion. Killed by Vegeta in Dragon Ball Z Movie 7.)
- Artificial Human No. 16 (Purely robotic, considered failure, killed by Perfect Cell, but possibly resurrected.)
- Artificial Human No. 17 (Considered failure, fused with Hell Fighter No. 17, resurrected, and living in peace by himself.)
- Future Artificial Human No. 17 (Considered failure, reigned terror on Planet Earth for nearly 20 years, but eventually killed by Future Trunks.)
- Super No. 17 (Fusion of No. 17 and Hell Fighter No. 17 and killed by Goku and No. 18.)
- Artificial Human No. 18 (Considered failure, but living in peace with Kuririn.)
- Future Artificial Human No. 18 (Considered failure, reigned terror on Planet Earth for nearly 20 years, but eventually killed by Future Trunks.)
- Artificial Human No. 19 (Considered success, but killed by Vegeta.)
- Artificial Human No. 20 (Formerly Gero, but killed by No. 17 and again by Super No. 17.)
- Cell (Killed by Gohan and Kuririn.)
- Unnamed Blue Artificial Human (A huge blue Artificial Human with red eyes who appears in the flashback that Trunks Brief tells Goku about in "Mystery Revealed" and comes out and attacks Future Gero.)
Other Artificial Humans
- Artificial Human No. 8000 (From Dragon Ball Online and based off of Artificial Human No. 8.)
- Artificial Human No. 8000 Mk. 2 (From Dragon Ball Online and based off of Artificial Human No. 8?)
- Artificial Human No. 8000 MX (From Dragon Ball Online and based off of Artificial Human No. 8.)
- Artificial Human No. 19000 (From Dragon Ball Online and based off of Artificial Human No. 19.)
Trivia
- In the Ocean Group dub, ReaCoom is mistakenly called an Android in one episode.
- To date, no single video game has featured all of the androids that appear in the Dragon Ball series and the movies based on it. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 comes close, but still does not include Androids #14, #15, or Dr. Kochin. Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2 features them all except Dr. Kochin.
- The #17 and #18 of the main timeline and the #17 and #18 of Future Trunks' ruined timeline seem to have differing morals: In Future Trunks' timeline, the duo enjoy destroying everyone and everything in sight, not caring who they hurt, while looking for a good time in the process. However, in the main timeline, #18 impatiently wants #16 to fight Goku whereas #17 just wants to have fun driving around. While the main timeline's trio scare and surprise many people, none of them ever actually kill anyone, excluding Dr. Gero.
- Trunks notes that the androids of his timeline, while much stronger than him, are not as strong as the ones seen in the main timeline. This may be due to the fact that Dr. Gero's bug sized robot tracking device had gathered information later on that noted Goku's strength. In the main timeline, Goku would have been considerably stronger than before he died in Trunks' timeline, as he spent three years training. This also helps to highlight the main timeline androids' difference in mentality from the sociopaths of his timeline, as they could've laid waste to the others and to the world with even more horrowing dominance if they'd wanted to.
- Although they are all called Androids, #17, #18 and Dr. Gero are actually Cyborgs. Cell, on the other hand, is completely bio-mechanical.
- All, or nearly all of the Androids that are featured, have been capable of keeping up and even surpassing the intensity of Super Saiyan level, but would be easily defeated by anything beyond that level. A possible exception would be Cell's Super Perfect form, which could possibly match that of the Super Saiyan 2 level.
- Despite being mechanical, thus having no soul or inner essence, even the full androids still manage to make it to other world after their destruction (As Android #19 and Kochin's Bio-Men are seen in Fusion Reborn)
- Android #16, on the other hand, seems to be an exception, never being seen anywhere in Other World since his destruction at the hands of Cell.
- Some Dragon Ball Z video games that use aura to show ones level of Ki, (such as Budokai 3) do not show an aura for Androids, a possible reference to their unlimited Ki.
- Oddly enough, nearly every numbered android after #8 featured in the movies and anime is stronger than the next number, with some exceptions, leaving #13 to appear strongest. This seems contradictory, as the later models are weaker and weaker.
- Goku has only fought six Androids; three in the anime (Android #19, Android #8, and Cell) and three in the movies (Android #13, Android #14, and Android #15).
References
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