There are very few forms of entertainment that boasted the sheer popularity of the Dragon Ball series. This is especially true for Dragon Ball Z, which was an integral aspect of one's childhood and awakened the love of anime in a ton of young people, which — although this might be too much of a stretch — helped spark the rise of anime and manga in the Western world. The series truly eclipsed the glass ceiling and was revolutionary in more ways than one. In fact, the popularity of this series was so high that Toei actually decided to bring the series back with an official sequel in the form of Dragon Ball Super.
And as is the case with any pop culture phenomenon, the sheer number of fan theories that arose for Dragon Ball Super was nothing short of breathtaking. People from all over the world banded on the internet to formulate incredibly convincing fan theories that actually made sense. In fact, some of these fan deductions made so much sense that they actually ended up making it into the final cut of the series itself! If you're wondering exactly what these instances were, just take a look at 25 of the most convincing fan theories regarding Dragon Ball Super that actually happened.
25 Caulifla, Cabba, And Kale Are Inspired By Goku, Vegeta, And Broly Respectively
One of the major revelations in Dragon Ball Super was that there are a total of 12 universes, and each universe has a mirror world as well. This is the case with Universe 6 and 7, which have certain characteristics that are somewhat similar. Obviously, one such similar characteristic is the existence of the Saiyans, who are mirror images of their counterparts in the alternate universes.
The three Saiyans of Universe 6 are eerily familiar.
This is obviously intentional, since Toriyama purposedly wanted to draw this parallel between these Saiyans. To make these similarities even more obvious, let us inform you by stating that Cabba is a mirror of Vegeta, Cauilfla shares some characteristics with Goku, and Kale is quite similar to the Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly.
24 The Name "Super Saiyan Blue" Was Actually Coined By The Fans
One of the most iconic transformations in Dragon Ball Super, the Super Saiyan Blue transformation has proven to be absolutely amazing when it comes to making sure that the series ended up doing justice to the Dragon Ball name. While one might argue that this transformation is nothing more than a different color palate, the fact of the matter is that this couldn't be further away from the truth. But perhaps the biggest fact about this transformation is one that most people don't know much about.
The name "Super Saiyan Blue" was actually coined by fans.
It's impossible to pinpoint one particular person who gave birth to this transformation's name, since "Super Saiyan Blue" was discussed on various platforms long before it made its official appearance in the series. In fact, there was actually a tongue-in-cheek reference in the manga that made fun of the transformation, before Whis decided to call it "Super Saiyan Blue."
23 The Theory Regarding Why Goku Didn't Combine The Kaio-Ken With The Super Saiyan Transformation
Speaking of the Super Saiyan Blue transformation, there's one more thing that we need to discuss.
Longtime fans of the series were cheering when Toriyama decided to bring back a fan-favorite technique in the form of the Kaio-Ken, which led to one of the most epic moments in the entire series.
In fact, it confirmed a fan theory that has done the rounds for a while.
After all, there was no rhyme or reason as to why the Kaio-Ken technique would've been shelved in the series after making only a few appearances. As it turns out, Goku couldn't use the Kaio-Ken technique with the normal Super Saiyan transformation since the uncontrollable stream of power would lead to his demise. This was negated by the Super Saiyan Blue transformation, which was basically a state of heightened power through extreme control.
22 Frieza Is Not Even An Adult
It goes without saying that when one talks about the most iconic villains in the Dragon Ball series, then Frieza pretty much tops the list in this regard. After all, there are very few villains that actually frustrated the hero so much that he achieved a whole new level of power that was unheard of. However, when it comes to this villain, there's one fan theory that might be worth a mention.
Frieza is actually just a child.
After all, Frieza's father was pretty tall and sounded pretty mature as well, which implies that the Frieza race aged normally, like Earthlings or Saiyans. If that's the case, then logic dictates that Frieza himself is nothing more than a teenager, which is certainly nothing to scoff at.
And speaking of Frieza...
21 Frieza Was Naturally Gifted All Along
The return of Frieza was certainly one of the most celebrated moments in Dragon Ball Super, as it signaled the return of a popular villain who would certainly find it in himself to wreak havoc of the worst kind. However, when Frieza decided trained to achieve a new form, he also confirmed a fan theory that had been making the rounds for a while.
Simply put, Frieza was rumored to be naturally gifted all along.
The main reason why this fan theory was so prevalent was due to the fact that Frieza was perceived to stay in his seat at all times in his normal form. If his other forms were so rarely used, then it would make sense that he wouldn't even bother to train for a day in his life.
20 Brian Drummond Voiced Copy Vegeta, Essentially Facing Off Against Christopher Sabat
The introduction of Copy Vegeta was certainly quite interesting, and provided us with an entertaining scene when what was seemingly an evil version of Vegeta faced off against Goku. However, when it comes to this scene, there's one little thing that we absolutely must mention, due to just how interesting this fact is.
Copy Vegeta is voiced by the person who played Vegeta in the Ocean dub.
In case you weren't aware, the Ocean dub was the first official translation for Dragon Ball Z, but was ultimately overshadowed by the Funimation dub, which has become the most well-known English localization of Dragon Ball Z. So in a way, it was certainly quite interesting to witness Brain Drummond voice the copy of a character whose actual role used to be his domain.
19 Frost Is Voiced By Greg Ayres, The Brother Of Christopher Ayres
Since we're on the topic of voice acting, there's one more thing that we need to mention.
As we've already mentioned, there were certain members of Universe 6 that heavily mirrored Universe 7's fighters. This is the case with Frost, who — surprise surprise — is similar to Frieza. While he seemed to be a good person on the surface, the revelation of him actually being a cheat was not exactly surprising... but we're not here to talk about Frost's personality.
We're here to talk about his voice actor.
You see, the interesting thing when it comes to Frost's voice actor is that he's actually voiced by Greg Ayres. In case you happen to be unaware of who this person is, he's actually the brother of Christopher Ayres, who voiced the character of none other than Lord Frieza.
Ain't that something?
18 Gohan Stopped Fighting Because Of Fear
Gohan was one of the most promising fighters in Dragon Ball Z. His memorable transformation when he achieved the Super Saiyan 2 state for the first time is the stuff of legends. However, for some reason, after this epic moment, the character just ended up losing steam and became irrelevant when Dragon Ball Super rolled out.
However, fans have a pretty convincing theory to explain this.
According to this particular theory, Gohan experienced massive childhood trauma after the events of the Frieza and Cell Saga. After all, Gohan was just 5 years old when he was beaten to a pulp by Frieza and the Ginyu Force! It doesn't take an expert to know that no 5-year-old has fortitude strong enough to go through such disturbing experiences without being traumatized.
17 Active Ki Basically Functions As An Armor Of Sorts
Ki is one of the driving forces in Dragon Ball, and is the primary source of all the energy attacks that have become an iconic part of the series. Everything from the Kamehameha to the Final Flash is all enabled due to the manipulation of ki to form tangible energy, which can then be used to harm a person if the need arises.
However, there's one more application of ki that we need to discuss.
To help add weight to this particular fan theory, let us bring up the scene in the Resurrection F where Goku was mortally wounded by a simple ray gun. While fans were in an uproar about this development, the fact of the matter is that Whis had already stated beforehand that Goku needed to keep his guard up at all times. Perhaps what he meant by this was that by staying alert, Goku's ki would remain active and form a protective barrier, which would have stopped the ray gun's blast dead in its tracks.
16 The Potara Fusion Was Never Permanent, To Begin With
Fusion is certainly one of the coolest aspects of Dragon Ball, which brought forth incredibly powerful characters that could handle even the toughest of challenges with relative ease. However, while the Fusion Dance enabled one particular form of fusion, there is one more form of fusion enabled by the Potara earrings that was generally considered to be permanent.
However, fans were right when they concluded otherwise.
The first hints were dropped when Goku and Vegeta were separated from this supposedly permanent fusion after being absorbed by Super Buu. This brought forth the fan theory that the Potara earrings were only permanent when two deities decided to fuse. However, if two mortals happened to do the same thing, then the fusion would only last for a limited period of time.
15 Goku's More Of A Stupid Anti-Hero Than A Legit Good Guy
One simply can't talk about the most iconic heroes of all time and not mention Son Goku. After all, the fact of the matter is that Goku has imprinted himself in the hearts of millions of kids and adults alike due to his selfless, unassuming nature. It certainly wouldn't be a stretch to say that he is considered to be the prime good guy that everyone looks up to.
However, that might not be the case.
After all, it's not like fans haven't noticed the manner in which Goku talks and acts. As much as the unassuming Dragon Ball fan would like to believe that Goku is a genuinely good person, his need to become stronger by facing adversity is so intense that sometimes he puts the life of his friends and — at times — the entire planet at sake, just so he can quench his unending thirst for battle.
14 Chi-Chi Constantly Derides Goku Because Of An Emotionless Marriage
Since we're already discussing Goku in detail, there's another thing that we need to mention.
The dynamics between Goku and Chi-Chi's relationship are certainly quite interesting — to say the least — and it must be said that things seem somewhat fine on the surface. However, as is the case with most of these fan theories, reading into this situation brings a whole new situation into light.
Simply put, Chi-Chi is mentally, physically, and emotionally frustrated with Goku.
To put this into context, let us remind you of the time when Goku and Vegeta were having a fairly harmless conversation about their love lives. During this talk, Goku said something very telling — he has never kissed Chi-Chi once during their entire marriage. The implications of this statement are certainly quite disturbing, and might also explain why Chi-Chi is constantly berating Goku every chance she gets.
13 Belmod And Marcarita Were Supposed To Be Together
Speaking of lovers, here's one more fan theory that turned out to be right.
During the Universe Survival saga, a large number of Destruction Gods, along with their angels were revealed. One of the most noticeable pairings was Belmod and Marcarita, whose designs were obviously inspired by the designs of Joker and Harley Quinn.
This was done for a reason.
Most fans thought that Belmod and Marcarita were supposed to be lovers, which turned out to be a correct assumption all along. Toyotaro actually wanted to form an intimate God and Angel pairing, but this idea was shot down by Toriyama since he didn't want to create such a dynamic between two deities.
12 The Story Is Being Made Up As It Goes Along
The arrival of Dragon Ball Super was met with universal adorations from fans all across the world, who were rabid for some new Dragon Ball material. While the overall reception to the series might've been somewhat decisive, it still doesn't take away from the fact that Dragon Ball Super has become a global phenomenon.
However, the short-sightedness of the series has not gone unnoticed.
After all, there are many head-scratching moments in the series that have straight-up written off some of the canon rules to provide us with cool fan-service moments. While we're certainly not complaining, it's painfully apparent that Toriyama was just working with a basic outline, while he was writing the plot moments in between as they happened.
11 The Future Trunks Timeline Is The Actual Dragon Ball Timeline
Future Trunks truly is one of the coolest characters in Dragon Ball by a country mile. His introduction in Dragon Ball Z is nothing short of memorable, and it must be said that his presence in the Android and Cell Saga was universally deemed welcome by fans. In fact, the character is so memorable that he returned in Dragon Ball Super after a greater evil threatened his timeline.
This timeline happens to the original one, and not an alternate reality.
After all, in the original timeline, Goku passed away due to a heart attack, which sparked the downfall of the Z Fighters at the hands of the Androids. If Trunks hadn't intervened by going back in time and warning the Z Fighters about the Androids and Goku's heart attack, then the timelines wouldn't have branched out at all.
And speaking of the Z Fighters...
10 Krillin Is The Strongest Earthling
It's a sad truth, but most of the Z Fighters have become largely irrelevant over time, especially after the massive powerups that Goku and Vegeta have achieved. With the advent of this power, all the Z Fighters can do is look on as both these Saiyans steal the show every single time. However, this still doesn't mean they're simply specks of dust that can simply be ignored — that's far from the truth.
In fact, you might be shocked when you find out who strongest Earthling is in the Z Fighters.
While the natural answer might be Tien, that's actually not true. If anything, the strongest Earthling as of right now is none other than Krillin. Yep, that's right — the man who everyone makes fun of for being useless time and time again is actually the strongest human on Planet Earth.
Ain't that something?
9 Jiren's Character Is Inspired By Buddha
Jiren is one of the most mysterious characters in Dragon Ball Super, and his calm demeanor while fighting Goku allowed the latter to unlock a different level of power, based on "Ultra Instinct." However, the fact of the matter is that when it comes to this particular individual, there's a major parallel that has been discussed at length by the fans.
Jiren's character is inspired by none other than Buddha.
There's a reason why Whis stated that Jiren's power level is similar to that of a God of Destruction. After all, he has reached a state of enlightenment which allows him to transcend above any mortal coil and become one with the universe, similar to the concept of opening one's Third Eye. Goku's character is also based on Sun Wukong, who was imprisoned in Buddha's palm and forced to live on earth to pay for his crimes.
8 The Term "Omni-King" Was Coined By A Fan Translator
Perhaps one of the most misleading characters in the entirety of Dragon Ball, Zeno is definitely the most powerful character that Toriyama has ever written into the series. The fact that a volatile childlike emperor can choose to destroy entire universes on a whim is enough to make him an unassailable power that no one can even come close to. However, when it came to the English dub, there's one thing we have to mention about this character.
The name "Omni-King" was coined by a respected fan.
This person just so happens to be one of the most trusted translators in the fandom, and goes by the name of Jake Schultz. Most Dragon Ball fans would be familiar with this name, since Jake is from Kanzenshuu and is generally held in high regard due to his accurate translations.
7 The Movies Were Never Meant To Be Canon
The entire fandom was sent into a fervor when the first piece of Dragon Ball material was launched after almost 20 years of inactivity, in the form of Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of The Gods. Boasting a new transformation, the movie was a breath of fresh air for fans who were thirsting for some new Dragon Ball material. But one piece of vital information was never relayed to the fans — this movie (and the one after that) was never meant to be canon.
Because plans for a new series were already in the works.
While the movies were certainly a great spectacle, they were never meant to be canon in the first place. While the stories were retold in Dragon Ball Super, certain changes were still made so that these scenes could add more to the overarching story of this new series.
6 Saiyans Are Naturally Gifted When It Comes To Learning Techniques
It doesn't take a Dragon Ball expert to state that the Saiyans are natural experts when it comes to fighting. They're tested in battle from the get-go, and always end up being nothing short of formidable fighters that would give any strong fighter a run for their money. In fact, the extent to just how naturally adept they are truly transcend anything that you might've previously thought was the limit.
One look is all they need to understand the basics of a particular move.
Just take a look at the sheer number of techniques Goku has learned over the course of the Dragon Ball series. There aren't many races that would've been able to diversify their arsenal with so many unique and diverse techniques. Vegeta is another Saiyan who was able to learn ki manipulation with ease, allowing him to develop his Final Flash technique.