Are you a fan of anime? Or, enjoy watching muscular humanoid aliens fight eachother? If the answer is yes to either of these questions, Dragon Ball must be a name that means something to you!  Dragon Ball Super: Broly hit theatres not too long ago, with a wider release slated for January 2019. More than three decades after Akira Toriyama inaugurated his quirky tale about a boy with a monkey's tail, the legendary franchise's popularity refuses to wane.

2018 proved to be a gigantic year for Dragon Ball. Arc System Works produced arguably the greatest video game adaptation in decades, while Dragon Ball Super concluded its multiyear run on a somewhat decent arc. As the icing on the cake, Dragon Ball Super: Broly is making waves as potentially the franchise's best movie! Suffice to say, Toriyama's property seems unlikely to fade into the night anytime in the near future.

Now, in all fairness, Dragon Ball's history does not merely consist of epic transformations and heartbreaking sacrifices; along the way, many twists have inspired fans to speculate on what the future may hold for the franchise. While some venture into truly crazy territory, occasionally, enthusiasts put together theories that shame the actual source material! Once in a while, their predictions are even on the money!

Here are 25 incredible Dragon Ball Fan theories (we can't believe are true)!

25 All Super Saiyans Are Saiyans, But Not All Saiyans Are Super

Via comicvine.gamespot.com

A Super Saiyan's blonde curls serve as the key identifier that the transformation transpired. Consequently, is someone like Nappa capable of taking the next step? Basing one's potential on their hairline might seem like a ludicrous idea, but genetics play a crucial role in determining whether a Saiyan has the power to evolve.

In an interview, Toriyama announced the concept of S-Cells. Every Saiyan inherits a definite amount of this biological element, and a specific threshold needs to be surpassed to unlock any transformations. Certain emotions amplify the production process, but some Saiyans are simply born more super than others! Genetics is key.

24 Frieza Vs. Goku In Slow-Mo

Via ultimosoft.com

Dragon Ball popularized the trend of shounen anime stretching battles across way too many episodes. In approximately five minutes, Namek is scheduled to follow Planet Vegeta into the great unknown; conversely, here are half-a-dozen episodes of Frieza and Goku duking it out while the clock glacially ticks down to zero!

Dragon Ball Z has a couple of plot holes...

Newgrewshew theorized this battle is actually being presented in slow-motion. Multiple times throughout the franchise, characters explicitly express an inability to physically follow battles. These are powerful people trained in the art of combat, yet, they frequently need a play-by-play to hold any hope of discerning the action! As mere mortals, why did we ever believe Goku and Frieza were traveling at our speed?

23 Super Saiyan Goku Made Goten

Via YouTube.com (MoodZi)

Alongside to being the spitting image of his father, Goten unlocked the Super Saiyan transformation with absurd ease. Clearly, Goku's second child was born with an overabundance of S-Cells. Did the child win the genetic lottery? Or, is there more to Goten's birth than meets the eye?

Born in Age 767, Goten grew up without a father, as Goku passed away prior to his son's arrival. Preoccupied with training and fighting an illness, Goku and Chi-Chi barely found a moment to themselves, with the one exception occurring right before the start of the Cell Games. As part of his training, Super Saiyan Goku refused to power down to his base form; consequently, the hero must have conceived Goten while he was transformed. Logic_Nuke seems to have cracked the code!

22 Master Roshi Is Still Number One!

Via otakukart.com

Fans love to speculate that Krillin is actually the strongest fighter in the franchise, with the other characters jumping ahead due to unfair power-ups. The bald one is a gift from the manga heavens and fully deserves every ounce of support flung in his general direction.

Toei, we are waiting for that Krillin: Rookie Cop spin-off!

Krillin is definitely a competent combatant, but the title of strongest human belongs to Master Roshi! Despite garnering a fair amount of pre-match hype, Krillin ended up being Universe 7's first elimination during the Tournament of Power; conversely, Master Roshi lasted well into the closing stages and eliminated multiple powerful opponents!

21 Only A Life Sentence For Kais

Via dragonball.wikia.com

During the chaotic Majin Buu saga, Dragon Ball Z introduced fusion, which enables two individuals to combine forces to birth an exceptionally powerful combatant. Besides a silly dance, fusion can be achieved with the use of the potara earrings; however, for the longest time, this method was believed to be permanent. Overcome by Evil Buu, Goku and Vegeta were left with no choice but to bite the bullet, although the influence subsided once Vegito was absorbed by the villain.

Dragon Ball Super retroactively resolved this inconsistency by explaining that the fusion is only forever if dealing with Kais. Fans thought as much, but it was nice to have an official statement!

20 Dragon Ball Super: Broly Alters The Legendary Super Saiyan's Backstory

Via comicbook.com

Broly's story was slightly terrible in Dragon Ball: The Legendary Super Saiyan. Somehow, the film successfully introduced a brilliant backstory alongside an infamously silly one and, for some reason, opted to prioritize the latter. Breaking all kinds of power scales as a mere toddler, Broly's birth threatened King Vegeta's pride, and the ruler decided to terminate such a potentially powerful soldier.

Rather than focus on Vegeta, Broly hated Kakarot because the Saiyan cried too much as a baby. With the announcement of Broly's return, many wondered whether the Legendary Super Saiyan was set to receive a much-needed makeover. A couple of months prior to the movie's debut, Toriyama confirmed the character benefitted from some alterations. Thank you!

19 Pride Trounces Destruction

Via collider.com

With the franchise's most recent anime striving to gather momentum in the build-up towards the final arc, Dragon Ball Super revealed the multiverse contained a fighter who surpassed the Gods of Destruction. Who could this foreboding prophecy be referencing? Stoic and mimicking Krillin's hairstyle, the odds were firmly stacked in Jiren's corner.

Taking into account that an Ultra Instinct Goku more than held his own against the Pride Trooper, acknowledging Jiren's place in the pecking order inadvertently diminishes Beerus as an obstacle for the Saiyan to overcome. As helpfully pointed out by the user GodsVileandDarkwing, the manga outright states that Jiren is stronger than Universe 11's God of Destruction. However, that does not mean that Jiren trounces each and every deity.

18 Goku: What Is Love?

Via aminoapps.com

Generally speaking, action-shounen properties seldom concentrate on romance. Out of the big three, Naruto is the only series that went out of its way to establish a significant other for the male protagonist. One Piece's Luffy literally captures the heart of the Grand Line's uncontested beauty queen, but Boa Hancock can barely evoke a reaction from the pirate.

Dragon Ball is scarcely any different. Generally, Goku treats Chi-Chi as nothing more than a companion who occasionally feeds him. During the painful two decades that separated Dragon Ball Z and Super, the husband's oblivious behavior prompted discussions on whether their marriage is a sham. Dragon Ball Super took this a thousand steps too far, with Goku stating that he does know about kissing.

17 Dragon Ball GT Is Glorified Fanfiction

Via animereporter.wordpress.com

Prior to the release of Evolution, Dragon Ball GT was the franchise's black sheep. Even once Hollywood defecated all over Toriyama's property, some still consider the anime to be the brand's low-point. Unlike the terrible movie, GT looks and sounds like Dragon Ball, but lacks its predecessor's heart or soul.

Typically, any anime-exclusive arcs are regarded as filler by the wider community. Essentially, they are not canon and add nothing to the overall experience. With the anime's popularity unwavering, Toei created Dragon Ball GT to extend the property's lifespan; unfortunately, the sequel met scrutiny from Japanese and Western fans. Dragon Ball Super takes place prior to the events of GT, but the former has effectively retconned the latter. Viewed as a filler arc, Dragon Ball GT is rather decent.

16 A Super Apology

via Giant Bomb

Entertainment properties exude timelessness. As children, Dragon Ball exceeded the limitations of reality. It was larger than life. DC and Marvel periodically reboot their prominent heroes, ensuring Superman and Spider-Man continue to churn out new adventures. Putting aside properties like Golgo 13 that have been producing content for half-a-century, mangas tend to have a definite start and end. One Piece holds the Guinness record for most printed comic series by a single author, and the pirate manga has never stopped telling one continuous narrative.

Following a decade of writing, Toriyama gleefully ended Dragon Ball and put the franchise in the rearview mirror. If it was not for the trainwreck that was Dragon Ball EvolutionSuper may have never come to fruition.

15 Super Saiyan Shortcut

Via wall.alphacoders.com

Back in the '90s, life was simple. Angered by Frieza's psychotic antics, Goku screamed himself into pop culture history. Progressively, Dragon Ball Z upped the ante by introducing newer forms of Super Saiyan, with each transformation just increasing its associated number. During this period, characters stuck to a specific pattern, but fans questioned whether there was any need in perfecting each stage.

Dragon Ball Super threw this out of the window! Rather than wasting time reaching Super Saiyan 3, Vegeta skipped straight ahead to Super Saiyan Blue. Technically, the Prince accomplished the same in Dragon Ball GT, but the more recent version succeeded without the use of an external machine.

14 Jiren Is Number One

Via dragonball.wikia.com

Jiren's lackluster backstory diminished some of the antagonist's shine, but the Pride Trooper managed to push Goku beyond his limits! With the two set to have their final showdown, Toei's marketing department worked tirelessly to ensure everyone was hyped for the upcoming battle!

Throughout most of the Tournament of Power, speculation ensued concerning whether Jiren was truly the final boss. Some hoped another enemy would appear, but many predicted against Dragon Ball Super throwing out such a massive twist during the last handful of episodes. Ultimately, Jiren earned the privilege of being the sequel's Majin Buu.

13 Mixed Breeds Trounce Pure Saiyans

Via knowyourmeme.com

They may act like snot-nosed kids with too much energy and unearned confidence, but Goten and Trunks have every reason to be arrogant. Goku and Vegeta are rather powerful, but the pure Saiyans are at risk of being outpaced by their offspring. As an 11-year-old, Gohan surpassed his father and the prideful Prince, while Goten and Trunks could go Super Saiyan before they could walk. As a baby, Pan has already displayed incredible control over her ki.

Dragon Ball has not specifically confirmed mixed breeds are superior to purebloods, but the theory holds water. Emotion is heavily tied to the species' power, and humans are slightly more expressive than the average Saiyan.

12 Dragon Ball Super's Ending Is Just The Beginning

Via ComicBook.com

The sudden announcement of Dragon Ball Super's conclusion shocked many viewers. Nothing lasts forever, but the Tournament of Power seemed like a stepping stone to an even greater encounter. With Beerus yet to suffer a defeat and Goku only scratching the surface of Ultra Instinct's potential, surely, Dragon Ball Super could not simply end?!?

11 days prior to the anime's final episode, Toei released a poster promoting a theatrical sequel to the series. At the time, Broly's inclusion had yet to be confirmed, but this announcement eased any worries that Dragon Ball was set for another lengthy period away from the limelight.

11 Frieza Is A Careless Ruler

Via dragonballgoku.com

Even though an argument can be made for any of the main villains, Frieza arguably holds the distinction of being Dragon Ball's greatest antagonist. A conqueror of worlds, the monster scoured the galaxy in search of planets worthy of adding to his collection. As the son of a powerful warlord, Frieza was born with a monstrous golden spoon shoved in his mouth, and the villain genuinely believed he was born to rule.

Following a couple of transformations, Frieza finally achieves his ultimate form, only to suffer a loss at the hands of Goku. Taking into account Frieza's entitled personality, fans speculated whether the villain was fighting at his full-potential or not. Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' confirmed Frieza had never trained a day in his life, and four months of push-ups allowed him to far surpass his own limitations.

10 Dr. Gero Modeled Android 16 After His Son

Via ComicBook.com

When compared to the other androids, Dr. Gero clearly treated Android 16 differently. A member of the Red Ribbon Army, the talented scientist devoted the entirety of his existence to seeking revenge on Goku, as the Saiyan nearly single-handedly destroyed the organization.

Android 17 and 18 are perceived as little more than instruments of destruction by their creator, but Dr. Gero modeled their brother after his own deceased son. The anime and manga do not extensively touch upon the android's manufacturing process, but magazine interviews confirmed this theory. Dragon Ball FighterZ expanded upon this element by introducing Android 21 as the character's mother.

9 Feel The Emotion!

Via dragonball.wikia.com

In one of the anime's more contentious tweaks to the lore, Dragon Ball Super tried to unnecessarily explain the biological process behind going Super Saiyan. Universe 6's Caulifa and Kale are told to focus on a tingly feeling in their backs to activate the transformation, and Cabba's advice proves to be right on the money!

Must be those S-Cells...

While this explanation was primarily used to help Universe 6's Saiyans, who may very well operate uniquely to Universe 7's iterations, the tingling sensation is not limited solely to these newer characters. Many theories have developed concerning the franchise's iconic transformation, but most believe the conversion is triggered by emotion. Biology plays a part, but one's mental state remains a critical factor!

8 Frieza, The Betrayer Of Universes

Via dragonball.wikia.com

With Majin Buu hibernating for the Winter, Universe 7 was left with no choice but to welcome Frieza into the fold. Far from a team player, fans immediately predicated the villain betraying Goku and company. Apparently aware of this expectation, Dragon Ball Super wasted little time establishing a partnership between Frieza and his Universe 6 doppelganger, Frost.

Seeking to be the last warrior standing, Frieza desired to use the Super Dragon Balls to facilitate his own ambitions. Ultimately, the villain's goals aligned with the rest of the crew and Frieza proved to be a valuable member of the roster. The Tournament of Power mishandled Gohan and Krillin, but Frieza was written splendidly!

7 Dragon Ball Adheres To The Parallel Universes Theory

Via dragonball.wikia.com

Out of all the arcs, the Android Saga coincided with the widest-reaching consequences to Dragon Ball's universe. Opening with the arrival of a time-traveler bearing a striking resemblance to Bulma, Future Trunks introduced a whole new world of possibilities.

Returning to warn the Z fighters about an upcoming menace, Trunks wished to redirect history. In his future, Android 17 and 18 effectively destroy the human race. Introducing a time machine tends to convolute matters, and viewers wondered whether this implies the existence of alternative timelines. Despite successfully defeating the androids, Trunks returned to an unchanged future, which confirmed this theory. Unfortunately, Future Trunks is cursed to live his life.

6 Goku Is Almost A Monster

Via coub.com

Dragon Ball Z's English dubbed presents Kakarot in a slightly more heroic light than the original Japanese version. That's not to say the Saiyan fought solely for selfish reasons, but Goku was always preoccupied with testing his strength.

When not eating, Goku can be found training.

Following the end of Dragon Ball Z, Goku's behavior steadily drew criticism, especially concerning the protagonist's parental skills. Is Goku a traditional superhero or a fighter who occasionally saves the world? Dragon Ball Super settled this argument. Continuously seeking new opponents to fight and showing complete disregard for any potential consequences caused by his actions, Goku's worst traits were highlighted by the sequel.