Cell

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Cell (沙鲁)
Alias(es)	Perfect Cell
Species/Race	Android created by Dr. Gero 35
Gender	Male
Occupation/Role	Antagonist; seeks to evolve into his Perfect Form and challenge Earth’s strongest fighters
Status	Alive; departs after announcing a deadly World Martial Arts Tournament 50
First Appearance	Chapter 27

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Incomplete form	27 35	Arrives from the future and conceals his Ki while seeking Androids 17 and 18. He is already strong enough to overwhelm the exhausted Piccolo and Android 17.
Post-Android 17 absorption form	37 38	Absorbs Android 17 through his tail, drastically increasing his power and changing his appearance. He defeats Android 16 with a Ki Blast and pursues Android 18.
Perfect Form	46 47	Repeatedly regenerates after Vegeta’s beating, triggering explosive growth and a transformation into Perfect Form. His power matches a normally evolved Perfect Cell, though he lacks Android 18’s infinite-energy reactor.

Background / History

Cell is a future-born creation of Dr. Gero. He travels back in time with the purpose of absorbing Androids 17 and 18, whose assimilation is meant to complete his evolution. The group destroys an embryo in Dr. Gero’s laboratory, but it is not the Cell already active in their timeline. 27

He is capable of suppressing his Ki so thoroughly that the others struggle to locate him. While hiding, he observes the battle between Piccolo and Android 17, then enters the conflict once the two fighters have exhausted each other. 34 35

Appearance

Cell’s appearance changes substantially with each evolution.

• After absorbing Android 17, he develops a large black nose and pronounced sausage-like lips. 37
• Upon reaching Perfect Form, his stature shrinks to that of a normal adult and his features become chiseled with a “wicked, handsome” quality. 47
• His tail is his primary absorption organ; even after Android 16 tears it off, he regenerates a replacement. 37

Personality

Cell is driven by an obsessive desire to reach his Perfect Form and prove himself superior to every fighter on Earth. He considers Androids 17 and 18 components of his own body rather than independent people, describing their absorption as a “fusion” that will make them invincible. 35 38

He is calculating when threatened, hiding his aura and choosing moments of weakness to strike. However, his confidence easily becomes arrogance. He taunts opponents, underestimates Android 16, and accepts Vegeta’s challenge with misplaced certainty. 34 37 48

After attaining Perfect Form, Cell’s goals expand beyond evolution. He seeks powerful opponents, takes pleasure in spreading panic among humanity, and organizes a tournament where killing is allowed. 49 50

Abilities & Skills

Absorption and Evolution

Cell uses his tail to absorb Androids 17 and 18, treating them as the means to attain his completed form.

• Absorbs Android 17 after overpowering him during Android 16’s attempt to protect the siblings. 37
• Pursues Android 18 relentlessly because her absorption is necessary for his intended evolution. 35 38 42
• Cannot absorb Android 16 because Android 16 is a full robot rather than an energy-bearing android. 37
• Can regenerate his tail after it is severed. 37

Regeneration and Adaptive Growth

Cell can restore his body as long as his internal core remains intact.

• Regenerates after Li Lin blasts him apart with a single punch. 44
• Survives Vegeta’s prolonged assault and repeatedly recovers from severe damage. 45 46
• His recovery is linked to explosive growth; Li Lin attributes this to Cell’s Saiyan and Piccolo-derived traits. 46
• His regeneration is ineffective if his core is destroyed. 44 45

Ki Manipulation

Cell possesses refined control over Ki, allowing him to conceal himself and use powerful energy techniques.

• Suppresses his aura to evade detection while searching for the Androids. 27 34
• Uses Ki Blasts to heavily damage Android 16 and overpower opponents. 38 49
• Uses Solar Flare to briefly blind Vegeta during their battle. 40
• Can fly and rapidly close distance on fleeing targets. 38 42

Transformations and Combat Adaptation

Cell can alter his power and body to match the abilities inherited from powerful fighters.

• Assumes a Super Saiyan state when confronting Piccolo and the Androids. 35
• Replicates Trunks’ muscle-expanded transformation, then identifies its loss of speed and agility as a critical flaw. 49
• Demonstrates superior speed against Trunks despite Trunks’ greater raw power in that form. 49

Relationships

• Dr. Gero — Creator; Cell was designed to absorb Androids 17 and 18 and reach perfection. 35
• Android 17 — Intended component and eventual victim; Cell absorbs him to gain a major evolution. 35 37
• Android 18 — Cell’s remaining target after absorbing 17; she repeatedly escapes his attempts to absorb her. 38 42
• Android 16 — Opponent who exposes Cell’s inability to absorb a full robot, tears off his tail, and nearly defeats him with Hell Flash. 37
• Piccolo — First major opponent after Cell reveals himself; Piccolo warns Android 17 of Cell’s true purpose but is decisively defeated. 35 36
• Vegeta — A rival whose arrogance gives Cell opportunities to grow. Vegeta later drives Cell into repeated regeneration, inadvertently enabling his Perfect Form. 41 45 46
• Trunks — Opponent Cell defeats after exposing the shortcomings of Trunks’ power-focused transformation. 49
• Li Lin — The strongest fighter Cell encounters; Li Lin defeats him with one punch while protecting Android 18, forcing Cell to regenerate and reassess the threat. 42 44

Story Role / Major Arcs

Hunt for the Androids

Cell emerges as a future threat after a second Time Machine and an empty shell are discovered. He confronts Piccolo, learns the Androids’ location, and becomes the group’s priority target. 27 28

He takes advantage of Piccolo and Android 17’s battle, reveals that absorbing Androids 17 and 18 is necessary for his evolution, and defeats Piccolo before trying to capture Android 17. 35 36

Absorption of Android 17

Android 16 initially holds Cell off, tears away his tail, and strikes him with Hell Flash. Cell regenerates, catches Android 17 off guard, and absorbs him despite Android 16’s intervention. 37

With his new power, Cell defeats the damaged Android 16 and nearly captures Android 18. Tien Shinhan’s Neo Tri-Beam delays him long enough for Android 18 and Android 16 to escape. 38

Conflict with Vegeta and Li Lin

Vegeta defeats Cell’s post-17 form but deliberately lets him seek Android 18, wanting to fight a stronger opponent. When Cell reaches Android 18, Li Lin intercepts him and blasts him apart with a single punch. 41 42

Cell survives because his core remains intact. Vegeta then repeatedly attacks the regenerating Cell, unintentionally pushing his power beyond its previous limit. 44 45

Perfect Form and the Cell Tournament

Cell’s repeated near-death recoveries trigger his transformation into Perfect Form without absorbing Android 18. 46 47

He defeats Vegeta and Trunks, questions Trunks about Goku and Li Lin, and declares himself the strongest fighter on Earth. He then announces a World Martial Arts Tournament in ten days, threatening to exterminate humanity if no challenger defeats him. 49 50

Notable Quotes

“You should be happy. Once we become one, we will be invincible.”
— Cell to Android 17 35

“The strongest on Earth is none other than me, Cell!”
— Cell 49