A handful of the Z-Warriors are still missing from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Based on what’s been revealed of the anime’s second big-screen movie, the battle with the Red Ribbon Army will unite an impressive cast of iconic Dragon Ball characters.
If the trailers are any indication, the show’s two main heroes will be taking a backseat to some of the weaker Z-Warriors this time around. Apparently, both will be busy training on Beerus’ planet, presumably with Broly. Meanwhile, the people of Earth will be up against a brand-new version of the Red Ribbon Army, who have built two androids to battle the Z-Warriors. From the looks of things, the storyline set on Earth will feature a number of fan favorites, including Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Yajirobe, Bulma, Android 18, and older, redesigned versions of Goten, Trunks, and Pan. Of these, at least two – Gohan and Piccolo – are confirmed to take on the Red Ribbon Army’s Gamma 1 and Gamma 2.
Being a story that brings the focus back to Earth, Super Hero appears to be capitalizing on the opportunity to showcase characters who aren’t Goku and Vegeta. But while it is encompassing a diverse cast of Dragon Ball characters based on Earth, a few haven’t been spotted in any of the artwork or the trailers. Here’s every Z-Warrior missing from Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
Android 17
Given the movie’s Red Ribbon Army plot, it wouldn’t have been a surprise at all if the latest addition to Z-Warriors was involved. During Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power arc, former villain Android 17 was recruited by Goku for his Universe 7 team. 17, whose power level is on par with Goku’s Super Saiyan Blue form, handled himself well in fights with Ribrianne, Top, Agnilasa, and more. In fact, he outlasted all of his teammates and actually managed to be the last man standing when the tournament was over. As the Tournament of Power winner and the saga’s breakout star, it was perceived that Android 17 had a bright future as a member of the Z-Warriors. That may still be case, but he had no part to play in Dragon Ball Super: Broly and may not be in Super Hero either.
That said, 17 could still turn out to be Super Hero’s promised mystery character. As a creation of the Red Ribbon Army, it would make sense if Android 17 was on hand for Gohan and Piccolo’s fight with Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, especially if he feels that the villains are a threat to the environment. And since his power should be close – if not greater – than where Piccolo is in the movie, he’d undoubtedly be an asset to their cause.
Majin Buu
Another Z-Warrior whose help may be sorely needed in Super Hero is Majin Buu. Along with Goku and Vegeta, Buu was seen on a monitor screen in the first Super Hero trailer. He’s apparently one of the characters on the radar of the new Red Ribbon Army, possibly because of his high power level. And there is no denying that Buu is a force to be reckoned with. That’s why he was one of the first characters Goku attempted to recruit when he was putting together his teams for the Universe 6 tournament, the Zeno Expo, and the Tournament of Power. Due to falling asleep, Buu missed out on the Tournament of Power and had to be replaced at the last minute by Frieza.
The prospects of androids attacking the Earth in Super Hero presents Buu with a chance to redeem himself and get in on the action, but his presence in the story hasn’t been confirmed yet. The gap between Buu and characters like Piccolo is no longer what it once was – if it exists at all anymore – but Buu is still levels above the human Z-Warriors and is capable of faring better in combat than most.
Tien
Despite being a major supporting character, Tien isn’t among the characters pictured in artwork of Super Hero’s cast. Though Tien is far from being one of the strongest members of the Z-Warriors, he does have a tendency to show up when the Earth is in danger. He got involved in the battles with Cell, Majin Buu, Beerus, and Golden Frieza. He also helped represent Universe 7 during the Tournament of Power. Tien’s contributions to each fight can’t compare with what Goku, Vegeta, or Gohan have been able to accomplish in the anime, but his roles in past sagas have made him an expected inclusion in Super Hero. But at this point, Tien joining forces with Gohan and Piccolo is unlikely.
Chiaotzu
The absence of Tien’s longtime sidekick is much less surprising. His importance to the anime has permanently earned him the title of a Z-Warrior, but admittedly, it’s been long a time since Chiaotzu has been relevant. That became evident as early as Dragon Ball Z’s Cell Saga when the heroes left Chiaotzu behind for both the search for the androids and the Cell Games. Chiaotzu has continued to make recurring appearances, but they’ve been few and far between. So with that in mind, it won’t be shocking if Chiaotzu doesn’t help fight the Red Ribbon Army (especially if Tien isn’t around).
Yamcha
Throughout Dragon Ball Z, Yamcha’s power level increased at the same pace as Tien and Krillin, but that didn’t stop Dragon Ball Super from neglecting the character. Unlike the other two human Z-Warriors, Yamcha wasn’t on hand for the fight with Golden Frieza’s army, nor did he receive an invite to join Goku’s Universe 7 team. Yamcha was clearly let down by Goku’s snub, so there is a possibility that his omission from the Tournament of Power will motivate him to train harder than ever. With Super Hero being a story about the people of Earth making a stand to protect their planet, the movie feels like the right time for that payoff to happen, but it may have to wait for later.
Master Roshi
A retcon in Dragon Ball Super gave Master Roshi a massive upgrade that enabled him to briefly overpower Tien and challenge Goku in his base form. Thanks to the Turtle Hermit’s preparations for the Tournament of Power, he succeeded in outperforming both Tien and Krillin and even took down some powerful opponents. Since Roshi’s fighting days obviously aren’t over, his power, experience, and battle tactics could be useful if Piccolo and Gohan were to call on him for help in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.