Lack of females characters in Dragon Ball

[Bebi Hatchiyack]

I was looking on the wikia for inspiring myself for creating a female OC as a way to kill time and was baffled by how much Dragon Ball lack females characters. For male characters you have a list of 4 pages full of characters meanwhile females got just one page. Look for yourself.

Wikia males characters list:
https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Males
https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Cate ... uture+Cell
https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Cate ... rom=Kuruzo
https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Cate ... from=Sarta

Wikia females characters list:
https://dragonball.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Females

In my opinion more females can bring a lot of good things, first and it's obvious diversity not only in genre but more about power and phisycal abilities, also provide to our already crowded males cast more partner for making a familly and other stuff. Do you think Dragon Ball lack female character and also do you think it's a good or bad idea ?

Would you want more female characters also and what kind of characters do you want ? More like Chirai or more like Android 21 ? A female character for example that I would love to see is a dark vilainous one using a special kind of Ki named Anti-Ki that can be dangerous even for people like Whis or Beerus. The kind of character being a cross between a Witch and a Majin. Her characterization would be between Beryl from Sailor Moon and Azula from Avatar. Her outfit would be a cross between Zangya and Tanya von Degurechaff.

[NewKakarot]

Just wanna point out that a bunch of characters in the male lists barely even count as real characters. What I mean is that a bunch of those are just generic henchmen or soliders. Some of these (like, say, Appule) don't really have any impact on the main story. I think that while there aren't a lot of women in the series, the ones who are end up being more impactful than the men (with the only exceptions being the main characters).

[RandomGuy96]

It's a comic book series for ten year old boys.

[Bebi Hatchiyack]

Just wanna point out that a bunch of characters in the male lists barely even count as real characters. What I mean is that a bunch of those are just generic henchmen or soliders. Some of these (like, say, Appule) don't really have any impact on the main story. I think that while there aren't a lot of women in the series, the ones who are end up being more impactful than the men (with the only exceptions being the main characters).

That's true but you can argue we have also a lot more of henchwomen and bunch of not very usefull female character

[sunsetshimmer]

It's show for boys so it's obvious, but i wouldn't mind more females tho.
I think the main problem isn't lack of females in general but lack of relevant female fighters or female villains.

The only relevant female fighters are #18 and Pan, but even they doesn't do that much with #18's biggest feat being beating Ribrianne and Pan being mostly a support fighter with only one villain killed on her own (Natto).
We also have no main female villain except for Towa in games and only few side villains like #18, Oceanus Shenron and Zangya.

I'd really like to see female being a main villain for once.

[Jackalope89]

It's show for boys so it's obvious, but i wouldn't mind more females tho.
I think the main problem isn't lack of females in general but lack of relevant female fighters or female villains.

The only relevant female fighters are #18 and Pan, but even they doesn't do that much with #18's biggest feat being beating Ribrianne and Pan being mostly a support fighter with only one villain killed on her own (Natto).
We also have no main female villain except for Towa in games and only few side villains like #18, Oceanus Shenron and Zangya.

I'd really like to see female being a main villain for once.

Android 21. Main villain in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Anyway, its not so much a lack of female characters, its that a lot of them get shoved into the background as housewives after a time. Bulma being about the only exception.

Chichi, Videl, 18, and others have all gone through this. Making it possibly the weakest point of Toriyama's storytelling.

[Kataphrut]

I mean, in the past few years they've added Future Mai, Caulifla, Kale, Kefla, Ribrianne, Android 21, Berryblu and Cheelai, plus several minor female fighters, Angels and a GoD in Super. They know there's a demand for more female representation (even if it mostly comes form the waifu crowd but you know, ends justify the means), it's getting better. The big problem is that Toriyama likes to rotate out the supporting cast and one of the go-to excuses for shelving a character is having them settle down to raise a family. For female characters, that carries a load of unfortunate implications, especially since most of them end up having babies. For the record, I think this is why the les-pandering they've got going on with Caulifla and Kale is going to be good for them in the long run. Even if nothing comes of it (and let's be honest, nothing will) having that angle makes it less likely they'll suffer the baby-factory fate.

Give credit where due for keeping Bulma important for so long I guess.

[CJStriker_CBR]

In my opinion more females can bring a lot of good things, first and it's obvious diversity not only in genre but more about power and phisycal abilities, also provide to our already crowded males cast more partner for making a familly and other stuff. Do you think Dragon Ball lack female character and also do you think it's a good or bad idea ?

I honestly feel that it has gotten allot better with more Female Characters introed in just with just DB Super and recently the Broly movie alone then we have seen in the past 30 years of lore of DB before!

But it is not just how many new Ladies you have in a series but like with any character it is the persona's and development that they are Given. Major New Ladies like Angel Vados in the U6 Arc ~~~ Mai in the Goku Black arc ~~ Caulifla, Kale, Ribrianne/Brianne, Kakunsa, Rozie, GoD Helas, Angel Marcarita in the ToP arc ~~ Cheelai in the Super Broly Movie ~~~~ These are just some of the main New Ladies not only Intro-ed but given some time to Develop in their respective arcs, the movie, having important roles in the story of the last few DB arcs and important status in the DB Lore as well!

Not to mention the other ladies like Cocotte, Monna, Caway, Vikal, Sorrel, Hopp, Rylibeu and Angel Kusu to say a few and I know I am likely missing out on many more!

Combine this with the Return of Android 18 in the ToP, Bulma's Increased presences in Super, Pan being Re-Introed and the popularity around Game Characters like Android 21 and Chronoa's the Kai of Time, Honestly IMO we are in a Renaissance Era of DB Females being added in and having major roles in the story and in the lore like never before!

At this point now if a Super 2.0 happens it really might not about or as important as how many Newer Female Ladies they can add, but Toei continuing to Role with the Ladies both classic and new into a new series, adding in their development and importance in the events of the DB story and lore going forward, that is the more important factor that Toei should be doing with their DB Female characters going forward.

Also, while their is weight to the ideal that DB has mostly a male audience and usually that is why it is mostly a male heavy roster, their are many male fans like me and I know many others that Want to see more female characters and the ones around used more in the story going forward and that we gravitate to enjoying and supporting the female characters more. Their is indeed a Fandom of male fans in the Fandom that want to see more ladies getting involved more in these stories and we enjoy the unique characterizations they each bring to the Lore!

[KBABZ]

I haven't seen Super to know how well Caulifla and Kale's inclusion has been, but Cheelai I think was an incredible addition to the Broly movie. She stood out, had motives, was a bad guy with a heart of gold, and was a pivotal character to the plot of that movie. Not bad for a lady with no fighting ability and a story that's mostly about that!

I am however still eternally annoyed at Videl's devolution from spunky fighter to a mom. Android 18 I can understand because she was kinda forced into her role by Dr. Gero, but Videl loved fighting with a burning passion, so to see that be completely eliminated is kinda insulting to me.

[Polyphase Avatron]

I'd really like to see female being a main villain for once.

Same here. The closest thing we got was the somewhat ambiguous gender of Linda Young's dubbed Freeza.

[KBABZ]

I'd really like to see female being a main villain for once.

Same here. The closest thing we got was the somewhat ambiguous gender of Linda Young's dubbed Freeza.

Would Android 21 count? (well, Evil 21 specifically)

[JohnnyCashKami]

Doesn't Grandma Freeza count?

[sunsetshimmer]

Android 21. Main villain in Dragon Ball FighterZ.

Right, completely forgot about her.
Still, only in video game sadly.

[MasenkoHA]

Instead of creating more female characters they should treat the ones they have (namely Bulma, Chi Chi, and 18) better. Their names might as well be Vegeta’s wife, Goku’s nag of a wife, and Krillin’s inexplicably hot wife at this point.

[Shaddy]

I think there's no reason to not have more strong and prominent woman fighters in the series. Hell, I'd like to see them more on the villain's teams and armies. That said, I don't actually expect things to change much (though Caulifla, Kale and Ribrianne's persistent presence in the ToP was a nice surprise), and many of the ones on OP's list barely count on the same level anyway.

[MajinMan]

Instead of creating more female characters they should treat the ones they have (namely Bulma, Chi Chi, and 18) better. Their names might as well be Vegeta’s wife, Goku’s nag of a wife, and Krillin’s inexplicably hot wife at this point.

What’s wrong with Bulma? She’s usually involved in the plot one way or another.

[Thanos]

To be fair, the series dates back to 1984, where even in the West, things that would now be construed as blatant sexual assault and predatory behavior would be met with either disbelief of the victims or a "oh, you!" kind of response... and of course, Japan has different standards altogether. Not to mention, since the series' revival there has been solid female representation (Kale/Caulifla, #21, Towa, Cheelai, etc.). Toriyama is definitely an old-fashioned sort of guy, so fair play to him being a bit more inclusive on that front.

[saiyanhajime]

The disappointment is that the series almost goes there several times with having prominent, important females and then reigns itself back in. Bulma's relevance fades off in Z. But in fairness, she's back in Super. I think ChiChi is actually pretty great, honestly. Her absurdly realistic motherly nature is at odds with the absurdly unrealistic world in which she lives and I think it's great. I just wish we saw more of her still. 18 is cool and stayed cool when she had a kid. Videl is where I take issues. Her personality completely change, she's not even the same character and shes now boring and irrelevant and I hate it? I think it would be way more interesting if she still had some bite to her as a contrast to Gohan and pushed him a little? I don't know. The saiyan women added in Super could be awesome but they feel a little too token for me and I think it could have been handled in a much more interesting way, but hey.

I would be inclined to say that DB overall really isn't that bad within the context of it's culture, age and target demographic when it comes to female representation. But that doesn't mean it's anything close to good about it, either.

[KBABZ]

Bulma's relevance fades off in Z. But in fairness, she's back in Super.

I think Bulma has spikes and troughs. She's obviously very important in the starting arc, and she features for an entire third of the Red Ribbon Arc thanks to the repair of the Dragon Radar and her joining the adventure (plus the brief stint with the drone at the end). She's VERY important in getting the Namek arc going and she even has a couple Chapters to herself with Mr. Popo. And up until Gohan and Krillin leave her for the Namekian village she feels important there too before becoming luggage. By virtue of Future Bulma and her participation with the Androids she's pretty involved with the Cell arc too. It's Buu where she feels completely ancillary, and in literally every single tournament arc in the original anime content, she's only there to cheer and be worried for her friends in the ring.

[Bebi Hatchiyack]

The disappointment is that the series almost goes there several times with having prominent, important females and then reigns itself back in. Bulma's relevance fades off in Z. But in fairness, she's back in Super. I think ChiChi is actually pretty great, honestly. Her absurdly realistic motherly nature is at odds with the absurdly unrealistic world in which she lives and I think it's great. I just wish we saw more of her still. 18 is cool and stayed cool when she had a kid. Videl is where I take issues. Her personality completely change, she's not even the same character and shes now boring and irrelevant and I hate it? I think it would be way more interesting if she still had some bite to her as a contrast to Gohan and pushed him a little? I don't know. The saiyan women added in Super could be awesome but they feel a little too token for me and I think it could have been handled in a much more interesting way, but hey.

I would be inclined to say that DB overall really isn't that bad within the context of it's culture, age and target demographic when it comes to female representation. But that doesn't mean it's anything close to good about it, either.

My problem with Chichi is on the Z part during early Dragon Ball she was seen fighting and even doing a Budokai Tenkaichi once she get married to Goku and got Gohan she become a dumb overly protective mom with most of the time stupid reaction like she'd rather have gohan study than protecting earth to its irremediable doom smh. In Z she is just a running gag at this point. That's one of my deception for her I would have loved to see her train along with Goku and reached high power and battle alongside Goku and Gohan as a family protecting earth against vilain. At least have her being still prominent until the Cyborg arc where she can be more on the advisory side and being the second brain after Bulma of the group.

The disappointment is that the series almost goes there several times with having prominent, important females and then reigns itself back in. Bulma's relevance fades off in Z. But in fairness, she's back in Super. I think ChiChi is actually pretty great, honestly. Her absurdly realistic motherly nature is at odds with the absurdly unrealistic world in which she lives and I think it's great. I just wish we saw more of her still. 18 is cool and stayed cool when she had a kid. Videl is where I take issues. Her personality completely change, she's not even the same character and shes now boring and irrelevant and I hate it? I think it would be way more interesting if she still had some bite to her as a contrast to Gohan and pushed him a little? I don't know. The saiyan women added in Super could be awesome but they feel a little too token for me and I think it could have been handled in a much more interesting way, but hey.

I would be inclined to say that DB overall really isn't that bad within the context of it's culture, age and target demographic when it comes to female representation. But that doesn't mean it's anything close to good about it, either.

I have the same issue as you on Videl in Super she is kinda wasted potential. At least having her fighting some henchmen of the Frieza force along with Gohan as a support would have been nice and doing some stuff like helping training Gohan for the ToP.

If a Super 2.0 happens it really might not about or as important as how many Newer Female Ladies they can add, but Toei continuing to Role with the Ladies both classic and new into a new series, adding in their development and importance in the events of the DB story and lore going forward, that is the more important factor that Toei should be doing with their DB Female characters going forward.

Also, while their is weight to the ideal that DB has mostly a male audience and usually that is why it is mostly a male heavy roster, their are many male fans like me and I know many others that Want to see more female characters and the ones around used more in the story going forward and that we gravitate to enjoying and supporting the female characters more. Their is indeed a Fandom of male fans in the Fandom that want to see more ladies getting involved more in these stories and we enjoy the unique characterizations they each bring to the Lore!

I'm one of those male that want more female character for the sake of my own Dragon Ball story the less I have to create character the better I am lol. For exemple with Kanba/Cumber and Shallot addition I got the oportunity to get ride of my own created Saiyan because now I can work with Saiyan who have their own lore and it's easier to modify something than to create something new that would need to fit into the DB lore. You can call me a lazybones but I prefer using what is at my disposal in the lore and remodel the Lore of Dragon Ball as I see fit.