
Anyway, as we all know their are a lot characters in Dragon Ball/Z/GT that we don't know much about. Among those kinds of characters is Android 18 aka Juuhachigou aka #18 aka C-18. Loved by many for her badassery, cold personality, and good looks yet we know so little about her.
We never get to see her side of her story much. Add on to the fact that usually has that cold stoic demeanor on her face doesn't help with seeing what she is thinking.
We know little to nothing about her past except that she and her brother 17 were kidnapped by Dr. Gero and they were turned into cyborgs, that both she and her brother had their memories erased by Gero, and that they used to be part of a biker gang. Other than that, nothing.
We also don't get any reasons behind her actions like: why she is in more of a hurry than 17 and 16 to find Goku? Why does she blackmail (or extort) Mr. Satan for money? Why does she kiss Krillin? Hell, why did she marry him and have a kid? (Actually, I love how she ended up with Krillin, I love those romance stories where the beauty and the dork get hooked up. ) Well, I will try to analyze her and try to find more in her than the pretty, cold, badass that we know her as.
What I like to do when trying to figure out a character that is hard to understand or I don't know much about a character what I like to do is look at other characters that are like the one character and relate them to that one character so don't be surprised when I bring up characters from other anime, cartoons, movies, shows, books, or even plays.
Lets start with the first controversial thing about 18 that we notice: she and her brother are not as cruel or twisted as their future counterparts. Well, why is this? For one thing it is most definetly because of Future Trunks' interference by giving Goku the antidote. But how did this affect 17 and 18? Did the fact that Goku lived cause Gero to change his designs for the androids thus making 17 and 18 stronger and improving 16? Or could it have been that because 17 and 18 had a purpose (that being to go after Goku). Though if the latter were the case, why is 16 not in the future? That and the fact that Trunks states that the androids of the present timeline were stronger than the ones from his timeline, so, I feel the former is more accurate. Perhaps its both these reasons.
Then there is how 18 acts throughout the Cell saga, it seems that she wants to get to Goku as fast as possible yet she lets 17 "be the boss." 17 nor 16 are not in much of a hurry to get to Goku yet 18 doesn't push them much though then again she does go along with going slow way just fine though she is still impatient. Well, for sure like her brother she really only truly wants to have fun but her interests are rather different to her brother. She likes to shop for clothing appparently. Her interest isn't much into fighting considering how she seems to prefer shopping over it and perhaps something else. She, also like her brother, seems to have a laidback personality. How is that when she seems so pushy towards getting to Goku? Well the character Sloth from Fullmetal Alchemist is quite focused on the goals set by his creator though he complains and doesn't ever use his full potential while fulfilling these goals. The reason? He wants to finish his tasks as soon as possible so he can go back to doing his favorite passtime, sleeping. Maybe the reasons behind 18's behavior is because she wants get to finish the job before her as soon as possible in order to get to do whatever she wants as soon as possible.
Then there is that infamous little kiss she gave to Krillin after all his friends and Vegeta end up pounded flat into the ground by her and her brother. Now why Krillin? Now besides teasing or mocking his weakness and or to scare him could have there been another motivation? Now of course I don't think she was like all head over heels for him right there, but I do think there was some attraction behind. Now, I know what you're thinking. What?! She was attracted to a short, bald, noseless guy?! Well, believe it or not I have found a surprising number females who Krillin lovers, yeah they think he's cute. If real life girls see Krillin like that, then is it so ridiculous that 18 could? Now lets take a look at more direct evidence. Lets fast forward to the very end of the Cell saga where Future Trunks goes back to his time to destroy the androids and Cell. Before he gets to 17 and 18, 18 is all upset because 17 killed a boy she thought was cute. Now really, think about this, why would one boy matter after killing so many others. What did he do? What did he look like? Wanna take a bet that boy was every bit as scared as Krillin was if not more so? It seems 18 likes to flirt with her enemies. So perhaps she kissed him as a way of flirting as well as teasing or perhaps to reward him for talking to them as humans instead threatening and attacking them as monsters? Who can really say for sure?
And then there is when 18 (offscreen) marries Krillin and has a daughter. Now you have to admit had to have started her growth of feelings for him. I think she was touched by his wish though given her lack of understanding for what she was feeling took her frustration out on Krillin. Now how did Krillin completely capture her heart? Well, in the Pixar movie Wall-E the protagonist Wall-E tries to get the attention of the cold EVE. He tries to do so by keeping going to her over and over and over and try to do nice things for her and in the end he succeeds in getting EVE's heart. One could say that Krillin does the same thing for 18.
Then of course how she acts while their togethor in the Buu saga. She still is within her cold demeanor and doesn't really show any physical affection. (She does smile at him several times and yells his name when he launches himself at Buu.) Well, perhaps the reason why 18 doesn't really ever break her cold demeanor is because she is too proud (like Vegeta)? Or could it be that she doesn't like being touched very much (besides her daughter obviously). This is similar to how Revy and Rock are as a couple in Black Lagoon. Yeah these two don't communicate much affection towards each other (Revy like 18 has a dark and somewhat mysterious past) yet they obviously care for one another. Perhaps it is similar in the case of Krillin and 18?
Also people have always assumed that Krillin is completely pushed over by 18. I disagree. While 18 is little pushy and bossy she doesn't completely order Krillin around. Remember when we first see them togethor in the Buu saga? Gohan tells them about the tournament and 18 and Marron keep telling him that he should join as a fighter. He isn't too sure at first but decides to do it. Yeah he decides to do it, he is not forced into, sure 18 eggs him on to do join but he isn't intimidated or anything. In fact do any of you ever see him intimidated by her at all in DBZ? Nope. In fact in the last episode of DBZ you'll see that Krillin didn't join the tournament though 18 is annoyed with him for it.
And thus I conclude this look 18. I don't think myself an expert on 18 butI would like to hear what you guys think of what I written here as well as what you think goes on behind those cold eyes?