In 2023, the Dragon Ball Super manga incorporated the storyline from the “Super Hero” movie, which led to issues regarding the powerful Androids created by Dr. Hedo.
These Androids were shown to be capable of competing with characters at the Super Saiyan Blue level, a revelation that poses a significant plot inconsistency.
This plot inconsistency is not new to the Dragon Ball series. Akira Toriyama, the series’ author, faced a similar issue during the Android saga in Dragon Ball Z, where Androids 17 and 18 were significantly more powerful than Frieza and the initial Super Saiyans.
Dragon Ball Super Manga Faces a Power Scaling Issue with Super Saiyan Blue
The ongoing issue raises questions about why human technology, as opposed to the advanced technology of the Frieza Force, can produce such powerful beings.
A critical point is why Earth-based scientists, like Bulma, Dr. Gero, and Dr. Hedo, can create Androids capable of rivaling or surpassing God Ki-level fighters like Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta.
Despite the Frieza Force’s vast resources across multiple planets, they have not produced similar advancements. One plausible explanation within the canon is that these human scientists are depicted as super-geniuses, whose intellects surpass even the greatest minds in the galaxy.
Bulma, for instance, is established as one of the smartest characters in the series, having invented a time machine in Future Trunks’ timeline. Dr. Gero created Androids with infinite energy and designed Cell, a being capable of absorbing others to grow stronger.
Dr. Hedo continues this trend with the Gamma androids, who can compete with Super Saiyan Blue fighters. This portrayal suggests that these Earth scientists possess unique genius-level intellects that enable them to achieve feats beyond the capabilities of even the most resource-rich alien factions.
The introduction of Super Saiyan Blue in the Dragon Ball Super manga has compounded the issue, as it has become the standard transformation for Goku and Vegeta in combat. This leads to difficulties when introducing new antagonists or rivals that can challenge these God Ki-empowered forms.
Consequently, the power scaling in Dragon Ball Super can sometimes appear inconsistent, with characters rapidly gaining strength to match or surpass the protagonists, diminishing the perceived specialness of the Super Saiyan Blue form.
While the Dragon Ball Super manga’s integration of the Super Hero storyline has amplified the problem of human-created Androids competing with God Ki-level characters, this is part of a broader, long-standing issue within the franchise.
The unique genius of characters like Bulma, Dr. Gero, and Dr. Hedo offers a partial explanation within the story’s context, but it also highlights the challenges the series faces with power scaling and maintaining consistent internal logic.