Artificial Human No. 13

Directory: Characters → Villains → Film villains

"Free will. Pitiful humans! War, segregation, hatred! Is that what you've done with your free will boy? Don't you lecture me with your thirty dollar haircut, Goku dies!"
— Super Android 13!

Artificial Human No. 13 (人造 人間 13号, Jinzō Ningen Jūsan-Gō; FUNimation "Android No. 13") makes his debut in Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13!. Doctor Gero's thirteenth creation, No. 13 is designed to serve Gero's vendetta against Son Goku, who overthrew the Red Ribbon Army as a child.

Artificial Human No. 17 asserts during the Androids Saga of Dragon Ball Z that Gero destroyed the first fifteen Artificial Humans he had designed, however, this disturbs the canonicity of both the mainstream series (as Artificial Human No. 8 makes cameo appearances throughout both Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT) and Super Android 13! (which features Artificial Human No. 13, Artificial Human No. 14, and Artificial Human No. 15 as its lead villains). The film indicates that Gero is murdered by Artificial Human No. 17 and Artificial Human No. 18 prior to personally completing Artificial Human No. 13 through Artificial Human No. 15 (leaving an underground supercomputer to finish the models posthumously).

Biography

The New Android Threat

"Now I can't believe that the great Goku is catching an ass whoopin' from those boys! If he can't even handle the Indians, why bring out the Chief?"

Android 13 was completed by Dr. Gero's self-aware supercomputer later than Androids 14 and 15, who by this time were already taking up arms against Goku and Future Trunks. Upon his arrival on the scene, 13 confronted Goku, leaving Trunks and Vegeta to struggle against 14 and 15. Shortly after, Piccolo intervened to assist Goku as well. Ultimately, Androids 14 and 15 were defeated following Trunks and Vegeta's transformations to Super Saiyan, however, even their deaths were fail-safe in Gero's plan as 13 paused to absorb components from 14 and 15, resulting in his fusion into Super Android No. 13.

Super Artificial Human No. 13

Super No. 13 easily withstanding Piccolo's assualt.

Vegeta is the first to attack the newly transformed Super Artificial Human No. 13 (合体 人造 人間 13号, Gattai Jinzō Ningen Jūsan-Gō; Literally meaning "Coalescence Artificial Human No. 13") only to be quickly brought to his knees by Super No. 13's amazing new strength. Goku, Future Trunks, and Piccolo's attempts are also foiled with little effort on Super No. 13's part. Becoming desperate to stop the Android threat before he grew out of control, Goku was forced to prepare his ultimate weapon, the Spirit Bomb, whilst Vegeta, Piccolo, Son Gohan, and Trunks distracted Super No. 13. The Spirit Bomb's effectiveness was amplified when Goku made a transformation into a Super Saiyan during the process of gathering energy. Krillin stated that only a calm-hearted person could sustain a Spirit Bomb, and when Goku transformed into his Super Saiyan form, his body absorbed the Spirit Bomb's immense energy. When Super No. 13 lunged at Goku, one punch from Goku sent Super No. 13 into the depths of the Spirit Bomb where he was disintegrated by its Ki.

Personality

Android 13 was created for the sole purpose of destroying Goku. In the original Japanese version of the film, his serious demeanor regarding this task is demonstrated in Android 13's personality, while in the Funimation dub, his attitude is essentially that of a stereotypical "redneck" (which his character design also appears to have been modeled after). In the dub, he scarcely refers to Goku by name, preferring instead to call him by such titles as "city boy," "son", or "boy."

In addition, the English dub provides a further glimpse into Android 13's psyche and to a small extent, humanity, when he lectures Trunks about how people have misused their free-will to create more sufferings like war, segregation and hatred; the original Japanese version and Chinese dub feature completely different dialogue from the character during this sequence. Also in Funimation Entertainment's dub, Dr. Gero's computer directly relays information to him, which is something only subtly hinted at in the original Japanese version of the film.

Other appearances

Android 13 makes his first playable appearance in a Dragon Ball video game spin-off in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2. He has since featured in one other video game, the following installment of the Budokai Tenkaichi series. Each of these games allow the character's fused "Super Android 13" transformation to be played. He is also set to appear in Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2.

Special abilities

• Android Barrier
• Energy Attack, the most basic form of energy wave used by androids.
• Flight, the ability to fly without the use of Ki.
• Full Power Energy Wave, used against Gohan after Gohan fired him a Masenko in Super Android 13!. It is one of Android 13 Blast 2 attacks in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
• Full Power Energy Blast Volley a technique he used against Goku.
• Deadly Assault, a rush attack that Android 13 used in his base form during his battle with Goku. It is one of Android 13's Super Attacks in Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2.
• S.S. Deadly Bomber, No. 13's signature technique, where he generates a red ball of spiraling energy that homes in on its target. This attack was named in the Japanese version of the film Super Android 13! and is also named in Budokai Tenkaichi 2. In his Super form, he is capable of unleashing a more powerful version of this attack called the Full Power S.S. Deadly Bomber.
• S.S. Deadly Hammer, a rush attack used against Goku and Vegeta. No. 13 grabs and pummels the opponent with punches and kicks, and finishes the opponent off with a large, red energy blast.
• Super Explosive Wave
• Silent Assassin 13, he used this attack in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
• Hi-Tension, he used this technique in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
• Wild Sense, he used this technique in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
• Pump Up, he used this power up move in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

Power

No. 13 during his transformation into his Super form.

No. 13 has the advantage of having virtually unlimited energy and stamina, as well as being generally undetectable as a result of not being an organic life form.

In his standard form, No. 13 is able to keep up with Goku even as a Super Saiyan. While in this base form, he doesn't seem to be as strong as No. 17 and No. 18, who are able to keep up with and even surpass a Super Saiyan's power. After absorbing the components of No. 14 and No. 15, No. 13 is given an enormous power boost.

In his Super form, No. 13's appearance becomes almost unrecognizable from his standard form, with the exception of his widow's peak hairline and few pieces of apparel he dons. His skin pigment turns blue, the pupils and irises in his eyes apparently disappear and the whites turn yellow, his hair turns orange and is raised in a similar manner to Vegeta's, and his muscle mass increases dramatically. Coupled with his new appearance, No. 13's power skyrockets ferociously. Despite being attacked by Piccolo, Goku, Vegeta, and Future Trunks, the latter three in their Super Saiyan transformations, No. 13 is absolutely unfazed. His body also becomes so tough that Trunks' sword shatters upon striking No. 13's arm. It is only when Goku forms a Spirit Bomb and absorbs it as a Super Saiyan that any damage is done to No. 13 at all (curiously, it is also this damage that results in No. 13's death).

Voice actors

• Japanese dub: Kazuyuki Sogabe (Movie), Moriya Endo (Video games)
• FUNimation dub: Phillip Wilburn (Movie), Chuck Huber (Video games)

Trivia

• Android 13 is the only purely synthetic android capable of fusion.
• Android 13 is the only character to harbor two Red Ribbon insignias (one on his cap and another on his vest), as all other androids have only one.
• Interestingly, even though Android 13, 14, and 15 were not featured in the Manga, the "Androids A-B-C's" section mentions that Androids 13, 14, and 15 were very close to the Android concept.
• During his fight with Goku, there's a moment where he punches the mighty Saiyan in the groin. This was edited out with a flash of light in english dubs.
• In Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Android 13 says a number of things to his fellow Androids, such as...
  • When fighting Android 17, 17 will say, "You're a bit outdated, your starting to collect dust" Android 13's responds by saying, "Hey, you respect your elders, boy"
  • When fighting Android 16, 16 will say, "You Are Not Cool". Android 13's responds with "Then fight me and we'll find who's good enough for the job."
  • When fighting Dr. Gero (Android 20), 13 will say, "I won't let anyone interfere, not even you." Dr. Gero's response is, "You're a defective unit, I should just destroy you."