Were you ever disappointed with the lack of female fighters?

Humpski · Post by **Humpski** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:54 pm

I was.
When you really think about it the ratio of male to female fighters in the Dragon Ball Z universe is painfully small. I thought it could have benefitted from a few more.

Let's see, we've got:
Ranfan
Chi-Chi
#18
Videl
Pan (If you can call her a fighter)

And two non canon fighters:
Seripa (Who you never see fight)
Zangya

Unless I'm missing anyone that's only 7. I'm sure there are close to 200 male fighters. Kinda lopsided numbers.

Did Akira Toriyama have something against empowering women? Or has he ever stated that he just doesn't like them to get beat up or something?

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 3:57 pm

I think it's more that it's just a Shonen title. For boys. Which means the lovely ladies of DbZ are more likely to be in comedic or love interest roles than fighters. Thank God for Toei giving us Celipa and Zangya, eh?

EDIT: In terms of being dissapointed, no, I'm really not. At least the few female fighters were good characters.

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:03 pm

The female characters served there purpose. Sure most of em got shoved to the side after Cell, but the majority of the series's fans are young males. Most of DB's audience isnt interested in women yet. I think Toriyama knew that when he was developing the series. He knew it had a target audience.

DaemonCorps · Post by **DaemonCorps** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:18 pm

Sun_Wukong wrote:He knew it had a target audience.

Yeah. It's called a Shonen manga for a reason. But yeah, it is kinda disappointing to know that the women weren't given as big of a role as the men.

Though in more recent shonen titles, thw female characters are given more significant roles. Tite Kubo's "Bleach" is a good example of this. But it still seems like the current manga-ka are doing this to make up for the whole exclusion of women playing a major role n previous manga. It's kind of a lose-lose situation if you think of it that way.

As for the whole shojo genre... I think it's more of a step back. There always seems to be one guy not knowing that he's the center of a conflict between two girls fighting over him. Then again, I could be completely wrong (I'd prefer to stay away from those manga if I can).

But at least female charcters have progressed from being the damsel in distress (though some authors still dabble in that theme if only for the sake of showing how much more powerful that character truly is).

Mr.Piccolo · Post by **Mr.Piccolo** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:41 pm

Not being sexist or anything, but the villains were getting tougher as the series progressed and the females probably would be more of a burden later on if anything.. Most of the known warriors like Tenshinhan were pushed aside anyway so to have characters on his level or even stronger would be a slap to Ten's face as well. Besides, wasn't Videl's fight bad enough?

DaemonCorps wrote:more significant roles. Tite Kubo's "Bleach" is a good example of this.

Yay Bleach reference. Yeah like half of the high officials in the Gotei 13 are females but the theme for the two major arcs are indeed "damsel in distress" tales...(I know you mentioned that but I just wanted to mention Bleach again :B)
-Rick

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:50 pm

No, goddammit.

Chuquita · Post by **Chuquita** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:59 pm

Not really disappointed.

I'd like to have seen what Goku and Vegeta's mothers looked like, but that's about it.

Kirbopher · Post by **Kirbopher** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:04 pm

I really wanted Videl to get more screentime. Her fight with Spopovitch was cool and all, but she ended up getting the everloving SHIT kicked out of her by the end of that.

mAcChaos · Post by **mAcChaos** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:11 pm

I wouldn't have minded the female characters getting more screentime, but not as fighters. That would have been hilarious.

Prince Vegeta · Post by **Prince Vegeta** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:19 pm

Who do you think was the strongest from them all?

Sorry for off-topic

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:32 pm

Prince Vegeta wrote:Who do you think was the strongest from them all?

Sorry for off-topic

Chi-Chi, duh.

FDLink · Post by **FDLink** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:37 pm

Dragon Ball GT proved why prevalent, combat-active female characters are a bad idea: Pan.

Granted, I've only seen about half of the FUNi dub of GT (and none of the Japanese original, but I can't imagine it's much better...) but every time Pan was the center of attention I felt like changing the fucking channel. So shrill, so annoying, and so pathetically weak (though the same could be said about virtually every other chick in DB). Unfortunately for me, Pan was basically center of attention all the time, as she is apparently the replacement for the entire cast of Z besides Goku, so that made GT suck even more.

Now, maybe if they'd had a forefront female character who didn't make me want to vomit with rage and could actually keep up with the male characters in terms of strength, I wouldn't be so cynical.

However, it's fairly clear that DB was always best left with the dudes.

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:51 pm

FDLink wrote:Dragon Ball GT proved why prevalent, combat-active female characters are a bad idea: Pan.

Like you said, it's mostly FUNi's dub that gave you a bad impression. Pan had so much potential as a character and a fighter from what Toriyama gave us of her at the end of Z. Had she, in GT, been a competent fighter, contributed to the story, maybe reached Super Saiyan, and overall had been better, then she would have been awesome. But instead, Toei decided to change her into some sucky excuse for a character that was bold and punky and tomboyish for 2% of the time, and then weak and whiny and having to be saved every episode for the other 98%.

Pan was just one of several examples of a ruined character, rather than an entire ruined concept.

QuantumDestiny · Post by **QuantumDestiny** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:57 pm

Nope, I think the small amount of female fighters made them that much more awesome. I couldn't really picturing the women continuing anyway with peace and having kids... Besides they DO have a LOT of power over the men!!

tainted saiyan · Post by **tainted saiyan** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:25 pm

Prince Vegeta wrote:Who do you think was the strongest from them all?

Sorry for off-topic

18 or Pan. Probably 18, considering Pan was pretty weak.

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 7:36 pm

SSj Kaboom wrote:
Prince Vegeta wrote:Who do you think was the strongest from them all?

Sorry for off-topic
Chi-Chi, duh.

Seconded.

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:29 pm

tainted saiyan wrote:
Prince Vegeta wrote:Who do you think was the strongest from them all?

Sorry for off-topic
18 or Pan. Probably 18, considering Pan was pretty weak.

Pan never reached Super Saiyan during the scope of GT. 18 easily manhandled a very powerful SSj Vegeta. 'Nuff said.

Big Momma · Post by **Big Momma** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:46 pm

Call me a n00b, but I'd still kill to see an SSJ Pan.

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 9:50 pm

Big Momma wrote:Call me a n00b, but I'd still kill to see an SSJ Pan.

Keep on reading my Fanfic, then.

ZOMG SPOILERS!!!1!

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:56 am

Being in Karate' school, it's pretty lopsided there, too. Women just aren't as attracted to Martial Arts, and Dragonball reflects this. Besides, the female characters, for good reasons or otherwise, have stood as some of the most well-known characters in the story.