Is Dragon Ball failing with its female characters?

Key takeaways

• Some fans criticize Dragon Ball for neglecting female characters like Chichi, while others appreciate the depth of characters like Bulma and Android 18.
• Bulma displays qualities that make her vital to the Z-Fighters, while Android 18 evolves from an assassin to a key member of the team.
• Female characters like Kale and Caulifla gain prominence in Dragon Ball, indicating a positive direction for future representation.

The characters of Dragon Ball are some of the most iconic and beloved in the entire anime industry. From the beginning of the various iterations of the franchise, Goku and friends have been loved by millions of fans worldwide for decades. Although there are many flaws that people associate with these characters, they have managed to gain praise from fans and keep them interested throughout this time.

However, over the years, some have begun to express the feeling that the female characters in the series are more of an afterthought and that they deserve a more central role. Some even go so far as to say that there are no compelling female characters at all or that the ones that exist are just wasted, so let's go over how Dragon Ball treats them and watch if the series fails to represent these women.

How it fails the female characters

One reason why they are not well represented

Many feel that most, if not all, of the female characters in the franchise are wasted. Although this may seem harsh, there is some merit to this, because Dragon Ball's The main heroes and villains are predominantly male, like the Saiyans and pretty much every single enemy they've fought since the series started. Because of this, some fans feel as if the women are just unimportant supporting characters who don't really add much to the series.

An example they usually give is Launch, who was a pretty interesting character back in the original Dragon Ball series whose personality would change every time she sneezed. She was a great character but was completely forgotten when Z began, often relegated to only occasional cameo appearances. Another example of this that is much more present is Chichi.

While Chichi started off as an incredibly likeable and fiery character in the original Dragon Ball series that many fans immediately liked, she has devolved into an almost nothing character who has had no noticeable contribution to the series other than being Goku's wife. This is pretty bad character development, as the show took a likable character and made her entire identity into someone who has very little, if any, significance to the overall story. In fact, Goku barely even sees her anymore due to how often he trains.

In a series so dedicated to fighting as a central plot point as Dragon Ballmany find it quite strange how none of the main fighters the story follows are women. Sure, the Saiyans have been and always will be the main characters, but with all the new people being introduced, even as supporting characters on an arc-to-arc basis, many fans feel like they might as well be made to be women instead.

Why the female characters work

How they earn their roles in the series

Conversely, there is a growing sense that the female characters of Dragon Ball is among the largest in the entire industry. While some of the criticism is certainly justified, many detractors tend to overlook what the series gets right in this aspect, such as layered and badass characters like Bulma and Android 18, who serve as some of the best characters in the franchise.

Bulma shows that you don't have to be a warrior to be relevant in a series where fighting is at the center. She has no super strength or unnatural abilities that make her one of the strongest in the universe. Instead, her intellect is second to none as it allows her to create machines that defy the laws of physics, where she has been an integral member of the Z-Fighters since the early days. It's safe to say that if it wasn't for her, none of the Z-Fighters, not even Goku, would have been able to reach the heights they did.

Anything! Take care of yourself! Saiyans are so annoying!

On the other hand, Android 18 is an extremely layered character who has had an amazing arc and development over the years. Starting out as a ruthless and powerful killing machine, she eventually learned to use her powers for good, becoming a crucial member of the Z-Fighters and eventually marrying Krillin, who proudly acknowledges her as the more powerful of the pair.

As for where the series is headed in the future, it's likely headed in a great direction in terms of female representation. The strength of characters like Bulma and Android 18 are as prevalent as ever and more female characters are being put in the spotlight for all the right reasons, namely Kale and Caulifla. While some criticism of this aspect of the series is justified, there are just as many good things that female characters have going for them in Dragon Ball.

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll.