DRAGON BALL SUPER: Yo! Android 17 Returns!!

[deh_tommy]

In Dragon Ball, I find that almost every main or supporting character starts off as either (a)a rival to Goku, (b)trying to kill Goku, or (c)an antagonist in general. Androids 17 and 18 (technically cyborgs, but that’s neither here nor there) were no exception, being introduced as potential villains (who, in an alternate timeline, would go on to lay waste to the Planet) before being abruptly assimilated and killed off by the real big bad of the arc, Cell. Eventually, he spat Android 18 out and was killed by Gohan, and everyone killed by Cell and the Androids were brought back to life by the titular Dragon Balls. #18 would later fall in love with and marry Kuririn (Krillin in the anime); #17, on the other hand, never really showed up again beyond a cameo or two (he had his own arc in the sequel show, Dragon Ball GT, but he spent most of the time brainwashed and fuelling the body of his evil clone).


...until now. After all these years out of the spotlight, Android 17 makes his return within the pages of Dragon Ball Super!
Full pages from Chapter 31 are posted below, as the full series (barring Chapters 2-15) are available for free on viz.com. Remember to read from right to left. If you enjoy what you see here, please support the official release.



The King(s) of the multiverse and everything in them finds that most of them aren’t really up to snuff with his expectations, and (following an accidental suggestion by Goku) declares a large tournament: ten fighters from each of the chosen Universes will square off against each other in a massive battle royale. The losers will be erased from existence while the winners get to survive and will be gifted with a complete set of Super Dragon Balls. The Gods of their respective Universes are promptly given 48 hours to recruit their teams. Kaioshin (Supreme Kai) and Beerus, the respective Gods of Creation and Destruction for Universe 7 (where most of the series takes place) subsequently task Goku with bringing together a team to fight in the Tournament: however, under no circumstance is he allowed to reveal what will happen to the Universe should they fail. We open on a flashback to the Cell Games...

















Goku goes to talk to Dende, who tells him that #17 has made his home on a large island where he works as a park ranger wildlife conservationist, protecting said island all by himself from evildoers and poachers.

















































With Android 17 recruited, who else will join the heroes? Will they find out about Goku’s deception? Will #17 get his boat? Find out next time on DRAGON BALL SUPER!!

...yeah, I’m really late with this, since the Tournament of Power just wrapped up this morning. Sorry!

Comments

[zachbeacon]

So I'm guessing Goku's lie comes back to bit him.

Also...

"Fake News"

I liked Hercule in DBZ. I like him less now that he's quoting Trump.

[ekrolo2]

Lol, implying anyone writing new DB would throw in a reference like that.

Satan's whole shtick concerning the Cell Games and later Boo arc was lying about what happened to paint himself as a hero for selfish reasons in the former case and out of necessity in the latter one.

[locuatico]

It IS a reference. to pretend otherwise pretty much ignores that nothing exists in a vacuum.
I am pretty sure this was from the translation, however. but to pretend the phrase "fake news" isn't a refference to the current dismissal of facts by a certain gorup of people is naive, in particular because Satan had NEVER used the phrase "fake news" before this point

[ekrolo2]

Or it's just a phrase, one that everyone uses all the time and wasn't created or first used by Donald Trump, because, contrary to what people think nowadays, Trump is not the alpha and omega of everything ever.

Also, Toriyama and Toyotaro do not give a crap about politics, the closest DB ever came to that was having Oolong dressed as a communist (because communists are pigs hehehe, that sort of thing) but besides that? It isn't a thing afterward, certainly not when the series moved away from gags and more into battle-centric series.

But then again I don't believe everyone and their dogs is obsessed with the modern political climate and constantly think about and insert it into every possible story ever so yeah, I guess I am naive that way.

Or I'm just fucking sick of everyone doing this and/or trying to portray everything as political when, based on where the story comes from, it probably isn't a thing nearly as much as people think it is.

[locuatico]

I did not knew that Toriyama and Toyotaro were also in charge of writing the english translation! how very involved they are into this!

That was sarcasm, by the way, because I specifically mentioned this was something from the TRANSLATOR. Because, depsite what people may assume, Translation is not a 1-1 process and many, MANY times you have words and phrases changed entirely because the proper translations sometimes just doesn't work. Go compare the "Princess mononoke" dub to the original text if you don't believe me.

With that in mind, whoever wrote "fake news" was more than likely an american who DOESN'T live in a vacuum and is quite aware that the phrase "Fake News", while maybe not necessarily new, became A LOT more prominent in the united states in 2016, which for SOME HUGE COINCIDENCE happened at the same time as the 2016 elections was happening. and that phrase is now often associated with someone dismissing actual, provable facts as "fake news".

Or don't you think it is a LITTLE strange that satan just HAPPENS to call it "fake news" even though there was nothing that guaranteed saying that rather than, say "probably just a fan" or the like?

Or maybe, given that he is a celebrity that boasts big time about his success (even though he is pretty weak) and has denied LITERAL VIDEO FOOTAGE as called it fraud, that MAYBE the translator (who again, is not toriyama nor toyotaro) used as a jab at the person who DID IN FACT popularize the phrase "fake news"?

Yes, the phrase "fake News" may have existed before. but if you think it that before 2016 it was anywhere as prominent as it is now, I have bad news for you.

[ekrolo2]

The translator is not the author and treating them on the same level is faulty at best, particularly if you know anything about Viz' history with translating Dragon Ball related material. They have on quite a few occasions failed to properly translate certain things properly or just flat out fuck things up, like how Majin Boo is called Djinn Boo in the Viz manga which are NOT the same thing.

Hercule is something Satan is NEVER called in the manga or the original anime, that's a dub term that Viz took on because... having a dude called Satan is bad but the various graphic violence is okay, like you seeing Freeza's intestine hanging out of his torso when he floats.

So yeah, we're probably in agreement that its a translation thing over a Toriyama or Toyotaro one but I wouldn't use someone pushing some modern political jab into the story as reason to like Satan less for saying he most definitely did not actually say.

[zachbeacon]

Well if you're going to be pedantic....

Mr. Satan probably didn't say it.

Hercule clearly did.

Thanks to slight variations in the translation they're effectively slightly different characters. I have no real attachment to Mr. Satan because I've only seen the dubs but I am very disappointed in Hercule.

[zachbeacon]

Exactly. The second Lupin the 3rd series was made in the 70s but the 90s English dub references people and events from the mid-90s. Things change in a translation.

(Just as an aside, I will always love the original Gundam movie dub where they gave Bright lines like "shot first and ask questions afterwards" and "piece of pie".)

Though this is the DragonBall world and its easy to forget how weird the "normal" stuff gets even outside of the main plot. The POTUS in DBS is probably some sort of talking lizard or something.

(Insert Ted Cruz joke here)

[deh_tommy]

Typical SJWs, because of them we got dogs and Freaky Alien Genotypes in the cabinet now.

[zachbeacon]

I heard President Lizardman is so sick of all these violent Saiyan illegal immigrants that he's going to build a dome and make Planet Vegeta pay for it.

Joke's on him. It was destroyed ages ago.

(I am very amused that autocorrect tried to turn "Vegeta" into "Vegetables". No wonder Goku always won. He'd never lose to food.)

[zachbeacon]

I always liked that - while he was a fraud - he wasn't an Irredeemable one. Heck he used his celebrity and knack for lying to the public to help save the world when the Goku needed energy for that Spirit Bomb.

(I was going to say something about his obvious love for his family too but that might be Trump's one redeeming* trait)

*Obviously "redeeming" is debatable. His son-in-law and at least one of his children committed treason.

[locuatico]

"But couldn't just be someone who came to see the aftermath of the..."
"Fake news! there was no young man! in fact, young men are a myth!"
"why are you sweating so much?"
"This interview isover!"


Also, I do feel that, considering the focus they gave to the androids in ths arc. it's weird that it wasn't CELL the one they brough back for the tournament rather than Frieza.

[deh_tommy]

At this point, I think Freeza had become far more powerful than Cell or Boo ever were (this takes place after Resurrection [f], where he invaded Earth and achieved his Golden form).

[locuatico]

Yes, I am aware. I mean that, narratively speaking, it makes more sense for Cell to be there.
The writers brought back Frieza once more because it would create conflict within the group (okay, that and nostalgia) and Cell would have made more sense for that. Form the obvious with C17 & C18 to the less obvious reasons such as Vegeta allowing Cell to absorb them because he wanted to prove he was stronger.

And come on, they retconned C17 to be even stronger than he originally was with no clear explanation of how.

*masakox voice* MARKETING

[deh_tommy]

To be fair, though, Frieza was probably more recognisable since he had a whole arc and film to himself, whereas Cell would probably need reintroduction. That, and Frieza is called to be resurrected again when the Tournament is over, and Frieza with his empire could have more future story and character potential compared to a villain like Cell, who mostly acts alone.

Android 17 was at least alive for all that time he had between Kuririn/Krillin’s wish and the Tournament of Power. Plus, there’s the whole stint between Frost and Freeza/Frieza, and the closest Cell has to a counterpart is The Preecho.

Re: *masakox voice* MARKETING

[locuatico]

Setting aside that Frieza is probably more recognizable the same way the joker may be more recognizable than Lex Luthor (IE, they are both so recognizable that it becomes a moot point), there was the entire Black Goku arc to re-introduce him and this panels show just how easy it would be to do so...

I am also dubious on Frieza necesarily having more story potential because of his empire (since this would be like the third time they fight against his emprie) than, say... a recently ressurected Cell being a wild card unleashed in the universe once more.
I also think than, on character potential, Cell is better than Frieza. there is young Trunks discovering more about his future self. There is Gohan's character being the one who originally managed to defeat Cell.
Overall, Cell feels like a more personal villain than Frieza.

Re: *masakox voice* MARKETING

[deh_tommy]

I bring up his armada because said armada consists of actual characters (like Zarbon, Dodoria, the Ginyu Force, Cold, Sorbet, Tagoma, etc.). whereas someone like Cell would most likely go solo. You raise a good point, though.

Re: *masakox voice* MARKETING

[strejdaking]

Well, in Japan, Cell is the least popular DBZ villain while Frieza the most. Also, it makes Ressurection F saga feel less disconnected from the rest.

Wait...

[silverzeo]

WHy is that one dude wearing that "Mighty Mask" mask?

[silverzeo]

Also, in the color Dragonball Z books, don't we also know both 17 and 18's real names... as well as that 17 married a wild life veterinary, and not only has his own kid, but some step kids too?

[beeyo]

Lapis and Lazuli, I believe are their names

[janegray]

Glad to see 17 back. I always liked the twins, and was disappointed that 17 disappeared and 18 stopped fighting. It's good to have them back in the field :)

[thenicochan]

I've been a huge fan of #17 and #18 since I was a kid, and that hasn't changed any now. Hell, one of my favorite things about Dragon Ball Fighterz is how they get precedent in the final story mode. Which is super awesome.

I'm thrilled they're bringing #17 back. I even more thrilled that he's got a positive opinion on Krillin. It strikes me as a little odd that the twins don't really hang out or keep in touch, but that also kind of fits their lone wolf personalities. I've been watching the Super dub and can't wait to see the twins get to, y'know, do something again.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

I liked 17 a lot more after I read what he got up to following the Cell Games (I somehow forgot his brief cameo during the Buu arc), so seeing him back in action makes me happy.