Cell

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Cell
Alias(es)	Mysterious Monster; Android Cell; Perfect Cell
Species/Race	Bio-android
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Created by Doctor Gero's underground computer; later trained under Malvis in the God of Destruction Realm
Occupation/Role	Artificial life-form designed to become the strongest being; antagonist of the Cell Games
Status	Revived; undergoing special training in the God of Destruction Realm 113 115 118 122
First Appearance	Chapter 25

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Incomplete / First Form	25–29	Emerges after maturing from an egg transported from the future; increases his power by draining human life energy.
Second Form	43	Absorbs Android 17, becoming taller, more muscular, and substantially stronger and faster.
Perfect Form	48	Achieves his complete form after successfully absorbing Android 18.
Full-Power Perfect Cell	63	Releases his previously restrained full power while fighting Super Saiyan 2 Gohan.
Reverted Second Form	64	Loses Perfect Form after vomiting out Android 18 following Gohan's assault.

Background

Cell was created by a computer that Doctor Gero had left operating in a hidden underground chamber. The computer collected cells from Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, Frieza, and other powerful fighters through tiny spy robots, then fused them to create an artificial warrior intended to surpass humanity's limits 28.

In his original future, Androids 17 and 18 had already been defeated by Trunks, preventing Cell from completing himself. Cell killed that timeline's Trunks, stole his Time Machine, regressed himself into an egg to fit inside it, and traveled to the past. After arriving, he remained underground for three years to mature 27 28.

After emerging, Cell began draining humans for biological energy. He encountered Piccolo, revealed his identity and objective, and disclosed that absorbing Androids 17 and 18 was necessary to reach his Perfect Form 25 27 28. Malvis subsequently overwhelmed him with a single finger, but Cell escaped using Solar Flare and resumed his hunt 29.

Cell eventually located Androids 17 and 18 during Android 17's battle with Piccolo. After overpowering Android 17 and overcoming Android 16's interference, he absorbed Android 17 and transformed into his Second Form 38 41 43. He later achieved Perfect Form by absorbing Android 18, though this occurred off-page between the immediate conflict and the fighters' return from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber 48.

Appearance

Cell is a green, humanoid bio-android with insectoid traits. In his initial form, he resembles a massive cicada-like creature and possesses compound eyes, a spotted carapace, antennae, and a long absorption tail 24 25 71.

• First Form — Green, insect-like humanoid with compound eyes and a needle-tipped tail used for draining life energy 25 27.
• Second Form — Taller, bulkier, and more humanoid, while retaining his spotted back carapace, antennae, distinctive lips, and absorption tail 43.
• Perfect Form — A completed form capable of releasing a purple aura layered with golden energy flames 57.
• Full Power — His aura becomes intensely molten gold when he unleashes his full strength 63.

Personality

Cell is consumed by a belief that he is destined to become the ultimate life-form. He regards the people he drains as fuel rather than victims and sees Androids 17 and 18 chiefly as components required for his evolution 27 28 39.

His confidence regularly becomes arrogance. He underestimates Piccolo, Android 16, Malvis, Gohan, and the future Android 18, often revealing crucial information or leaving openings because he assumes victory is assured 28 29 41 63 71.

Cell also craves combat as entertainment. After attaining Perfect Form, he establishes the Cell Games to test his peak strength against Goku and Earth's fighters, while intending to kill humanity after satisfying himself 53 61. When overwhelmed, however, his composure collapses into panic, rage, and desperation; he resorts to an unstable muscular transformation, self-destruction, and attempts to take Earth down with him 64.

Following his resurrection, Cell endures Malvis's harsh training alongside Frieza, Nappa, and Raditz. Though repeatedly defeated by Broly, he continues training after being healed with Senzu Beans 115 117 118.

Abilities & Skills

Biological Absorption

Cell's tail can expand into a large mouth capable of swallowing targets and absorbing their energy or bodies.

• Drains humans to increase his strength during his incomplete stage 25 27.
• Absorbs Android 17 to evolve into his Second Form 43.
• Absorbs Android 18 to obtain Perfect Form 48.
• Cannot absorb fully mechanical Android 16 because he has no biological life energy 41.
• Losing his tail does not permanently stop him; he can regenerate it 42.

Regeneration

Cell inherited Piccolo's regenerative traits and can restore severe injuries.

• Regenerated his collapsed shoulder and extensive wounds after Malvis injured him 29.
• Reconstructed his body after Goku's Kamehameha Wave seemingly destroyed him 59.
• Regenerated from the grievous damage inflicted by Gohan before being forced out of Perfect Form 64.
• His recovery has limits under sustained overwhelming damage; during Broly's training, his regeneration could no longer keep pace with the injuries inflicted 118.

Genetic Mimicry

Cell possesses the cells and combat data of multiple powerful fighters, allowing him to reproduce their techniques.

• Contains cells from Goku, Piccolo, Vegeta, Frieza, and others collected by Doctor Gero's spy robots 28.
• Uses Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon and Goku's Kamehameha Wave 27.
• Uses Solar Flare to blind opponents and escape 29.
• Uses Four Witches Technique to divide into four bodies 57.
• Uses a tracking version of Destructo Disc derived from Frieza's cellular memories 58.
• Uses Instant Transmission during his battle with Goku 60.

Ki Control and Combat

Cell is an exceptionally adaptive fighter whose fighting style combines the techniques and instincts of his genetic sources.

• Can conceal his ki to evade pursuit after escaping Piccolo and the others 29.
• Creates defensive energy barriers capable of withstanding Goku's barrage of ki blasts 60.
• Produces Cell Juniors to attack Gohan's allies and provoke Gohan's hidden power 62.
• Can fight Goku at high speed while holding back much of his true strength 55 57.
• Uses physical strength, ki attacks, aerial mobility, ambush tactics, and copied techniques interchangeably 27 57 58.

Self-Destruction

When reduced to Second Form and unable to defeat Gohan, Cell converts himself into a living bomb intended to destroy Earth.

• His unstable energy becomes dangerous enough that outside interference could trigger the explosion prematurely 64.
• Trunks contains Cell inside an energy barrier and destroys him before the detonation can engulf Earth 64 65.

Relationships

• Doctor Gero's computer — Cell's true creator; continued Gero's abandoned cell-fusion research in a hidden underground facility 28.
• Doctor Gero — Indirect creator whose data, spy robots, and original research made Cell possible 28.
• Piccolo — First major opponent to uncover Cell's identity and objective; Cell possesses Piccolo's cells and regeneration 27 28.
• Android 17 — One of Cell's required absorption targets; Cell absorbs him to achieve Second Form 39 43.
• Android 18 — Cell's second required absorption target; her absorption grants Perfect Form, while her later expulsion causes his devolution 48 64.
• Android 16 — A mechanical opponent Cell cannot absorb; Android 16 tears off Cell's tail and briefly contests him in battle 41 42.
• Malvis — Easily defeats and humiliates Cell during their first encounter; later revives him for punishing special training 29 113 115.
• Goku — Cell's principal intended opponent in the Cell Games; their battle is initially evenly matched, though Cell retains greater reserves 53 55 60.
• Gohan — Cell attempts to force Gohan's hidden power to awaken, but Super Saiyan 2 Gohan utterly overwhelms him 61 62 63 64.
• Trunks — Cell killed the Trunks of his original future to steal the Time Machine; another Trunks later destroys him before his self-destruction can consume Earth 28 64.
• Future Android 18 — Defeats the future-timeline Cell after severing his tail; Trunks then finishes him with a ki blast 71.
• Broly — Cell is repeatedly used as one of Broly's training opponents in the God of Destruction Realm 115 117 122.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Incomplete Cell Arc

Cell arrives from the future, drains civilians to develop his strength, and battles Piccolo. His explanation of his origin reveals that Doctor Gero's computer had collected the fighters' cells and that Cell's evolution depends on absorbing Androids 17 and 18 27 28.

Hunt for the Androids

After escaping Malvis and Piccolo, Cell continues absorbing humans and tracks the battle between Piccolo and Android 17. He defeats Android 17, survives Android 16's resistance, and evolves by absorbing Android 17 29 38 41 43.

Cell Games

Having attained Perfect Form, Cell summons Earth's strongest fighters to a tournament intended to determine the planet's fate. He battles Goku, creates Cell Juniors to force Gohan's anger, and provokes Gohan into awakening Super Saiyan 2 53 55 62.

Defeat and Destruction

Cell's Full-Power Perfect Form and later muscular transformation both fail against Gohan. He expels Android 18, regresses to Second Form, and attempts to self-destruct, but Trunks annihilates him before the explosion can destroy Earth 63 64 65.

Future-Timeline Cell

A separate Cell from Trunks's future hides and gathers strength after that timeline's Android crisis. Trunks and Android 18 lure him out; Android 18 defeats him, and Trunks destroys him with a ki blast 71.

Resurrection and Special Training

Cell is revived alongside Frieza, Nappa, and Raditz. Malvis assigns him to brutal training against Broly, where Cell repeatedly suffers catastrophic injuries but continues participating after being healed 113 115 117 118 122.

Notable Quotes

“They are merely energy sources for my growth.” 27

“My name is Cell—I am an Android.” 27

“Once I defeat you completely, I'll kill every human on Earth. Not a single one will be left alive.” 61

Trivia

• Cell's future Time Machine was discovered alongside eggshells and a giant cicada molt, which foreshadowed his emergence 24.
• He did not know he possessed regenerative ability in the future timeline because that world's Piccolo had already been killed before Cell could learn of it 71.
• Cell initially mistakes Malvis for an android because he cannot sense Malvis's ki 29.