TOP 25 Dragon Ball Z Theories (TRUE)

Akira Toriyama 's Dragon Ball Z has been around for decades. Since its debut, it has captivated audiences and won over fans with its action-packed stories. There are many anime that have been around longer than Dragon Ball Z, but this series has broken through to the mainstream and is highly regarded by fans.

Other popular series have emerged, but it seems there will always be ownership and excitement around Dragon Ball Z as well as the other sagas. Whether it's through anime, movies, or the long list of video games that are still in production, Dragon Ball Z has found a way to hook its audience.

However, with all of these series having been around for so long, fans began to develop an obsession with coming up with theories to revive the series. They also hope to be able to influence the story by suggesting original scenarios that could be taken up by the creators.

This behavior often results in thriving online fan communities where debate and speculation take place. It's always impressive when fans understand a series so well that their own predictions and guesses come true in the official storyline. Whether by pure chance or because the creator listens directly to fans, it always creates a surprise. It's amazing when a creator can work with their audience to create something unique together within a shared work.

That being said, here are the 25 Dragon Ball Z Fan Theories (That Were Actually Confirmed)!

25. Saiyans never needed to train

The Saiyans have always been a powerful race that embraced conflict and domination. Despite their strength, there were still legends about a Super Saiyan who raised their people and tapped into untold powers. 💪 Rumors about Super Saiyans have started to grow, and although it takes a lot of strength to get there, it seems that it's not as complicated as expected.

Indeed, power being innate, training would not be the origin of their power. Super Saiyan training only begins when Goku decides to improve himself to fight the many adversaries who invade the Earth.

24. The androids were conscious in Cell's body

During Android 17 's final appearance in Dragon Ball Z, he donates his energy for Goku's Spirit Bomb against Majin Buu and remarks, "I haven't heard that voice in a long time". 👂Many fans naturally thought this was a plot error since Android 17 never meets Goku during this time. However, Dragon Ball Super easily fixes this "mistake" when Goku and 17 are reunited.

Android 17 explains that after being absorbed by Cell, he could still hear everything happening outside and could conspicuously see through Cell 's eyes. This sheds fascinating light on how the Cell absorption process works.

23. Goku is the only entity stopping Earth from being conquered

Goku is clearly the hero of Dragon Ball Z and so it's no surprise that he has saved Earth from destruction on several occasions. However, Goku's role as Earth's protector is actually much more complex than most people believe. The Red Ribbon Army would have taken over the planet if Goku wasn't there to intervene. Also find out right here how old Goku is !

Additionally, if Goku hadn't teleported Cell away during his self-destruction, then Earth would have been destroyed. Not to mention that Goku's power was necessary to bring down Majin Buu. That said, if Goku had never existed, Raditz would never have invaded Earth and Dr. Gero would have no grudges to avenge!

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22. Saiyans have incredible mimicry skills!

Saiyans are generally praised for their raw combat ability and their ability to transform into ferocious great apes. However, there are also many skills that Saiyans possess that are much less obvious than some of their powers. For example, Saiyans have an incredible ability to imitate and learn the attacks of others . Dragon Ball Z contains various instances where Saiyans are able to copy the techniques of others with very little training required.

This has been shown with Goku or Gohan taking on the Kamehameha and with Goku adopting Krillin's Destructo Disc technique. Goten and Trunks also show a similar predilection for adapting their allies' movements.

21. Hybrid Saiyans are stronger than Pure Saiyans

On the surface, it may seem like a pure-blooded Saiyan would be stronger than someone whose bloodline has been diluted, but it's actually the opposite when it comes to Saiyans. The increasing strength of characters like Gohan , and later Trunks and Goten , seems to imply that Saiyans are actually stronger when human DNA is added to the equation.

In fact, it even seems that the more diluted the blood, the more Saiyans seem to be able to become Super Saiyans and access deeper power. The Dragon Ball Z manga ultimately confirms that half-saiians are stronger due to their half-human blood, confirming a theory that many fans had assumed.

20. Frieza was defeated by Goku because of his laziness and lack of training

Many fans have speculated that because Frieza 's base power was immense, he never really had to dig deep and rise to greater levels of strength. Sure , Frieza is still exceptionally strong, but he doesn't need to work for it.

As a result, Goku is able to beat him (although a lot of effort is required), but if Frieza worked harder and trained more, then he would definitely be able to beat Goku. 👊 This is more or less confirmed in Dragon Ball Super when Frieza trains for the first time. By doing this, not only does he become stronger, but he unlocks a new form in the process: Golden Frieza .

19. Goku can't combine his Super Saiyan and Kaio-Ken

Once Goku goes Super Saiyan , his Kaio-Ken attack suspiciously disappears. Fans began to speculate that the only reason for this would be that these two maneuvers cannot be used in tandem due to the different ways in which they drain and strain the body.

A solution to this problem was eventually found when the Kaio-Ken attack made its long-awaited return when used in conjunction with Super Saiyan Blue . 🔵 Since Super Saiyan Blue is all about restraint and controlling the use of energy in his body, Goku can finally return to his basic technique, but not without a price!

To find out more about this kind of power, we wrote a blog article on the Best Attacks in Dragon Ball Z !

18. Saiyan and Human share common DNA

The idea that Saiyans and humans share some sort of genetic connection is a fairly popular theory. This makes perfect sense when you consider how uncannily similar Saiyans are to humans. This may seem a bit superficial, but when Saiyans and humans breed, their children are born without the typical Saiyan tail. This suggests that there is a link between their DNA. 🧬

Additionally, humans share their distant roots with apes and it is certainly no coincidence that Saiyans are capable of transforming into great apes, which are a crucial foundation of the Saiyan species .

17. Movies are all supposed to be specials

There is a lot of debate about whether the DBZ movies are supposed to exist in the show's timeline. Especially since there are a lot of inconsistencies and it can sometimes be difficult to place the films correctly. Fans are still arguing about this, but TOEI has stated bluntly that the films were always intended to be treated as creative one-shots. This is why even the original Dragon Ball films all take such radical approaches.

This theory gains even more credibility with Dragon Ball Super given the fact that the first two arcs of the series literally repeat the last two Dragon Ball Z films. All this in order to bring them into the main plot of the saga.

16. Krillin is the strongest human

There is still a lot of debate over who is the strongest human in Dragon Ball Z , with fans bringing Awesome Turtle, Krillin, and Ten Shin Han into the argument. Ten Shin Han essentially thrives in a life of training that goes unseen, while Krillin adopts a more domestic life and becomes a police officer. 👮

It's fair to say that Ten Shin Han was stronger than Krillin at one point, but when Dragon Ball Z ends, Krillin is slightly over the top due to his energy and mindset. Dragon Ball Super takes the character even further by placing him as the best of all humans in the Tournament of Power. This character is also the subject of numerous episodes in which he is the main or even secondary antagonist.

15. Android 16 was modeled after Dr. Gero's son

Android 16 is definitely the strangest android to appear during the Cell arc. The stoic machine takes a more pacifist approach than his murderous android comrades, but this docile attitude may actually date back to the conditions surrounding the creation of Android 16.

Akira Toriyama confirms that Dr. Gero had a son in the Red Ribbon Army who unfortunately met an untimely end. It makes sense that Gero tried to give his son a second life with Android 16. This also explains why the android has a gentler and more peaceful outlook on life than his counterparts.

14. Goten's date of birth and Super Saiyan status

The timing would indicate that Goten is conceived during the preparation period preceding the Cell Saga. Meanwhile, Goku and Gohan's training required them to stay in their Super Saiyan form 24/7 in order to exceed their usual limits. 🕓

As a result, it stands to reason that Goku was a Super Saiyan when Goten was conceived. This may not be the reason Goten is able to become a Super Saiyan at such a young age, but it certainly plays a role. Team Four Star proudly put forward this rather ingenious theory.

13. Cell can create Junior Cells thanks to Android 17 and Android 18

Cell creates his Cell Juniors after absorbing Android 17 and 18. The absorption gives him a large power boost. Many fans believe that the reason he is now able to reproduce on his own in this way is because he has the reproductive organs of Android 17 and 18 inside him.

It's a pretty bizarre idea at first, but strangely enough, it seems quite logical. Cell constantly uses his DNA to his advantage and this is just another example of him doing things to get the most out of what he has to do.

12. Vegeta is still second best after Goku because Toriyama resents the character

There are definitely Vegeta fans who will always hope that their favorite character will one day surpass Goku. Vegeta has many moments where he is in the spotlight, but it is unlikely that he will ever be superior to Goku. Creator Toriyama's opinion of Vegeta is one of the main reasons for this. Toriyama loves Goku and sees him as a symbol of hope. However, he is not really a big fan of Vegeta .

In fact, when fans wrote him letters expressing concern about Vegeta's battle fatigue, he intentionally wrote about his disappearance during the Buu Saga. Vegeta may be a great foil for Goku, but Toriyama will never let him win.

11. Paikuhan reached the afterlife because of a heroic sacrifice

It's easy to forget that one of the main challenges of the afterlife in Dragon Ball is managing to keep your body intact. The majority of individuals are transformed into indescribable souls, some of which are destined to be reincarnated. Goku maintains his body thanks to his immense amount of good deeds and his relationship with Kami. However, Paikuhan too enjoys this same luxury.

Since Paikuhan is practically as strong as Goku in the world tournament, there would be very few individuals powerful enough to send Paikuhan to the afterlife. 👼 For this reason, it makes sense that Paikuhan probably sacrificed himself honorably for the greater good, which seems realistic given his character.

10. Merging Potalas are just permanent unions only for Kais

Dragon Ball Z presents two different forms of fusion to its audience. The fusion dance requires a certain degree of skill to master, but the advantage is that it is not permanent. There are also the Potalas , which are said to be permanent and clearly cause a lot of concern.

That said, both times Goku and Vegeta use the earrings, the fusion is broken by unforeseen circumstances. However, the fact is that Potalas are only permanent when used by Kais . Not all of the fusions that the show depicts in this regard are broken, arguably a flaw in these famous earrings.

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9. Dr. Gero hid Android 16's DNA from Cell

When Cell enters the picture, he already has Android 17 and 18 on his radar, but he has absolutely no knowledge of Android 16 . This seems like an oversight at first, but then Android 16 proves to be an ally and unexpected advantage in the battle against Cell.

Most of 16's actions come from the fact that this android is actually using the DNA of Dr. Gero's son who fell in battle. Due to the personal factor involved here, Dr. Gero intentionally hides information about Android 16 from Cell, in order to protect his son and prevent him from meeting another unfortunate end.

8. Majin Buu is a hidden critic of the USA

Many fans considered Buu 's tendency to turn his enemies into food, his intimidating nature, and his passion for feasting as a veiled insult to the United States . 🇺🇸

Japan and the United States have obviously had a complicated history, but it's worth pointing out that the Buu Saga originally aired in the '90s and a number of Buu's attacks have been eerily reminiscent of the fallout of the Second World War .

7. Goku and Frieza, a slow-motion fight

One of the most famous moments in Dragon Ball Z history are the final "five minutes" of Goku and Frieza's fight on Namek . Frieza cheekily states that they have five minutes before Namek explodes, but their fight continues for nine episodes.

It's never officially stated by either character, but a nice twist here is that these nine episodes actually play out in slow motion. These characters have become so strong that it would be impossible to show those final minutes in real time, so the episodes slow down the fight so fans can see exactly what Goku and Frieza are doing. At the climax of a battle, five minutes can feel like an eternity.

6. The story of Trunks from the future is the main story of Dragon Ball

According to this Dragon Ball theory , the timeline that is presented in Dragon Ball Z is actually not really the "main" timeline of the show's universe. Due to the emphasis on Future Trunks ' story and how the series constantly harkens back to the "current timeline", it's actually a much more dynamic story if Trunks' universe is the main story .

The fall of Goku seen in the future saves the "main story", but it is in fact a much more complex story that encompasses all of this. He's already experienced all of this, so everything is still filtered through Trunks' experience, even though he's not the main character.

5. Frieza is just a child

It's crazy to think that someone as vicious and destructive as Frieza is just a petulant teenager, but it's also oddly fitting. Frieza is really just a rebellious kid who has no better way to communicate than through combat and destruction.

Frieza is quite light-hearted in his fights in his first appearances, but it was the introduction of his father and older brother that really sealed the deal on the villain's true age. No exact ages are given for King Cold or Cooler, but if they are older than Frieza, it stands to reason that he is probably quite young. 👶

Our article on the Most Powerful Characters in DBZ talks about Frieza!

4. Gohan was supposed to become the main protagonist of Dragon Ball Z

Goku definitely runs the show in the original Dragon Ball series, but the show ultimately chronicles his growth as he becomes an adult. Dragon Ball Z then begins with the poignant addition of Goku's child, Gohan!

Goku continues to grow in Dragon Ball Z, but Gohan develops a lot more and it's clear that the main point is that he surpasses his father. This plan comes to fruition, but it's obvious that Toriyama chickened out and ultimately had to make Goku the hero again. Gohan still gets a lot of attention in the Buu Saga, but it's definitely Goku's fight to take over the lead role.

3. Bulma's wish for a boyfriend started the Saiyan saga

Throughout the series, Bulma constantly brings up the fact that she wants to use the Dragon Balls to wish for a boyfriend. 👫 Although it never happens, there is enough time between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z for fans to think she could have gathered the orbs and made her wish come true.

Since Bulma ends up marrying Vegeta , it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that Bulma's desire for a boyfriend is actually what inadvertently causes the Saiyan invasion. It's a complicated way to rewrite some of history, but it's also a testament to Shenron's powers and the mysterious ways fate can work.

2. Namekians and Kais are connected

In the vast universe of Dragon Ball, it is always the Kais who are in charge of celestial affairs. They are the ones in control, but there is a strange stipulation on Earth and Namek regarding Kami, Dende, and the Great Elder of Namek.

All of these great Namekians share certain Kai-like powers and responsibilities. Because of this, some fans have speculated that the Namekians are actually a distant form of Kai . Although their appearances aren't that similar, it would explain why they can live so long and how they are allowed to dominate places like Earth.

1. Bulma's mother is an Android

Very oddly, the appearance of Bulma's mother, Mrs. Briefs , never changes in Dragon Ball Z. Meanwhile, she appears almost as young as Bulma despite the fact that she is supposed to be close to 70 years old. 👵 As Bulma ages, her mother does not. The answer behind this could easily be that Dr. Briefs designed an android .

We learn that Red Ribbon is going bankrupt because of Capsule Corp and its technology, so they could have cooperated their robotics and androids division. Additionally, Android 18 and Krillin's daughter Marron prove that androids can still have children, which corresponds to the birth of Bulma . It's never officially stated, but it's never refuted either.

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Do you have any other theories that we haven't thought of or that you came up with yourself? We are waiting for your comments!