Android 18 is a young woman turned into a cyborg by Dr. Gero so she could kill Goku. She first appears in chapter 349 of the manga, published in Weekly Shōnen Jump in November 1991, as a terrifying enemy; a few in-story years later she is Krillin's wife and Marron's mother. Few Dragon Ball characters switch sides this cleanly, or this convincingly.
Who she is
Android 18 and her twin brother Android 17 were ordinary humans before the Red Ribbon Army's scientist rebuilt them. Unlike Gero's earlier creations, their bodies remain largely organic: the key mechanical parts are a tiny reactor that gives them limitless energy and a self-destruct device. That is why they never tire and never age. The project's hidden purpose was not to beat Goku, though. The twins existed to be absorbed by Cell so he could complete his perfect form.
Her human name, Lazuli, was only revealed by Toriyama in 2014. The twins were born as a fallback: editor Kazuhiko Torishima was unimpressed with Androids 19 and 20 as the arc's villains, and when he grew dissatisfied with 17 and 18 as well, Toriyama came up with Cell.
Her story across the series
- Dragon Ball Z: Gero activates her and her brother as a last resort, and 17 promptly kills him. The twins overwhelm Vegeta, Trunks and the others, then set out to find Goku almost as a game. Cell absorbs her and reaches his perfect form; when Gohan lands a crushing blow, 18 is expelled and survives. Krillin, who has fallen for her, uses a wish on Shenron to remove her bomb. Seven years later she is his wife, enters the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament for the prize money and unmasks Goten and Trunks in disguise. She dies during Majin Buu's rampage and is brought back by the Dragon Balls.
- Dragon Ball GT: Baby takes control of her like almost everyone on Earth; later she is beaten by her brother, manipulated by Dr. Gero, who also kills Krillin before fusing with his clone into Super 17.
- Dragon Ball Super: at Bulma's party she tries to attack Beerus and is dropped with a single strike. She joins Universe 7's team for the Tournament of Power, lured by a cash prize that does not exist, and in the anime sacrifices herself to keep 17 in the fight. In the film Super Hero she battles Cell Max.
In Future Trunks' timeline, by contrast, 18 is a ruthless killer who terrorizes Earth with her brother for twenty years until Trunks destroys them both.
Powers and abilities
Android 18 flies, fires barrages of energy without ever running dry and can raise protective barriers. At her debut she outclasses Super Saiyan Vegeta, and her infinite stamina makes her a nightmare in any drawn-out fight. From Krillin she also picked up the Destructo Disc.
| Moment | What happens |
|---|---|
| Activation | Woken up by Dr. Gero together with 17 |
| Cell saga | Absorbed by Cell, then expelled |
| After Cell | Krillin wishes away her bomb |
| 25th tournament | Reaches the final against Mr. Satan |
| Tournament of Power | Fights for Universe 7 |
Relationships
- Krillin is her husband, the one person who sees her as a person rather than a weapon.
- Android 17 is her twin, and she stays fiercely loyal to him even when their paths split.
- Marron is her daughter, who shares her love of shopping.
- Mr. Satan owes her a great deal: in the tournament final she throws the match in exchange for double the prize, 20 million zeni.
Why she matters: our take
Android 18 is one of the series' best female characters because she never needs rescuing. At her debut she is stronger than nearly everyone, and for a stretch she is the only woman who fights the male cast on equal terms. Her turn from enemy to Krillin's wife could have felt forced, yet it works thanks to her personality: she stays cool, practical and very interested in money, but genuinely devoted to her family.
She is also a character Super handled better than GT, giving her a real role in the Tournament of Power and a strong moment with her brother.
Did you know? Screenwriter Yūsuke Watanabe originally set his first draft of Battle of Gods at 18 and Krillin's wedding. Toriyama moved the action to Bulma's birthday party, and Watanabe believed he did it so fans could imagine the wedding for themselves.
Trivia
- She is voiced by Miki Itō in Japanese across every series and related media.
- In Funimation's English dub she is voiced by Meredith McCoy, except in Dragon Ball Z Kai, where the role went to Colleen Clinkenbeard.
- She is a perennial favorite with cosplayers, and fighter Ronda Rousey has said she wanted to be Android 18 as a child.