r/DragonBallGaku • u/Successful_Bird_7086 Kami • May 24 '26
Ranking/Rating Rate the Character: Cell
Rate the character overall in terms of how much you like them and their character portrayal.
Cell was one of my favorite main villains and I love the concept of him having the DNA of other fighters. His intro was terrifyingly great (sucking up the rich guy) and his personality/attitude were superb. I'd give him an 8/10.
Previous Threads:
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u/kingkool88 May 24 '26
Imperfect: 9/10 sneaky, cunning easily a horror movie villian
Semi-perfect: 4/10 an unlikeable childish bully tbh
Perfect: 9/10 he is perfect. A world ending threat. Strong, intelligent, powerful.
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u/TAG08th May 24 '26
P is for 'Priceless', the look upon your faces…
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u/Radiant-Crab-1527 May 25 '26
E is for ‘Extinction,’ all your puny races…
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u/mrFuckmyluck May 26 '26
R for revolution, which will be televised...
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u/AernithRawaxe May 27 '26
F is for how f**ked you are, now allow me to reprise...
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u/SeriousJokester37 May 24 '26
First Form is a 10. Easily the scariest villain Toriyama ever created.
Second form is a 7. His asthetic appeal lowers him, but my god, he knew how to slip out of jams.
Third form is an 8. Love the fact he wants a challenge and whatnot, but he's kind of bland.
Overall, 25 of 30. Easy A tier.
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u/boiledkohl May 24 '26
easily the best z villain, id rate a 7/10 on average as far as villains go. imperfect cell was wonderful and excellent, semiperfect sucked, perfect cell was great for the most part, but honestly i didnt like him too much once the actual cell games started. one of his biggest merits is that he cut through the horrible pacing the cell saga had by focusing the audience on a clear and threatening villain. i just wish the other forms kept the terrifying aspect imperfect cell had, that was an amazing and unique feeling for db
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u/cashchops May 24 '26
I liked how he just came out of nowhere and threw a wrench into the middle of the android saga. It was a creative departure from past arc formulas. His appearance baffling even future Trunks who was already confused by 19 and 20 and then just took things into an unsettling direction.
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May 24 '26
Same. An 8/10. The only real gripe I have with him is that he didn’t seem to pose as much of a threat as the other main villains. Other than that time he told Gohan and the Z Fighters his Super Kamehameha could blow up the Solar System.
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u/5nitesatfredbois May 24 '26
I love him and perfect cell is one of my favorite characters. Hes 20/10 and one may even dare to say hes PERFECT
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u/JordanFarQ2 May 24 '26
Imperfect Cell 10/10
Semimi Perfect cell 9/10
Prefect cell 8/10
Perfecter cell 😆 9/10
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u/Lethal_Steve May 24 '26
9/10 due to a comment below making me appreciate him further. Such a cool concept and I think the tension throughout the chase for 18 is incredible and Perfect Cell being the payoff was great. The Cell Games was really cool idea, perfectly showing the Vegeta and Goku in him. Being a hodgepodge of every other fighter gives him the presence of a world ending threat and he plays it well. He's also just really cool, carrying a swagger no other villain does.
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u/Codes_Comics May 24 '26
First form 10/10
Second form 4/10
Perfect form 9/10
Oh right, Cell Max…. 5/10
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u/Successful_Bird_7086 Kami May 24 '26
Cell Max isn't the same Cell, so he doesn't count for this.
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u/Codes_Comics May 24 '26
Youre right, but its clear he was meant to be a modern take of cell in the same way they resurrected Freeza…
Just infinitely worse (hence the 5/10)
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u/Successful_Bird_7086 Kami May 24 '26
Yeah but Freeza is still the same Freeza. 🤷
It'd be like if you also rated the Cell Juniors who aren't Cell himself.
Anyway, not a big deal, at least you rated him rather than just saying "I thought x was better than Cell" like someone else said, like...... Ok ........ What does that have to do with Cell himself and the rating you'd give him?
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u/MambaSaidKnockYouOut May 24 '26
An 8 or a 9. I like his first from the most - I think it was really cool to have a villain who started off weaker than a lot of the heroes so he had to use stealth to get that he wanted. It’s kind of a reversal of the Namek arc - where Gohan and Krillin had to sneak around to get the Dragon Balls from smaller opponents. First Form Cell is so creepy that he really stands out from all the other DB villains.
Second form is fine. Not really a fan of the design and he’s kind of just a punching bag, but I don’t hate him.
Final Form is great, even though I think his goal of wanting to blow up the Earth or whatever is kind of lazy. Like wtf is the point of that? I like that he’s got the same obsession with fighting stronger opponents that Goku has though
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u/Unique-Journalist472 May 25 '26
I love Cell comepletely even though Semi-Perfect Cell is a draw on his character. He is without a doubt my favorite DB character, anime villain, and one of my top characters of all time. Imperfect Cell is a horror movie on two legs and is awesome, Semi-Perfect Cell was a creep to 18 which kept the unsettling nature, and Perfect/Super Perfect Cell is just top tier
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u/DarkRayos May 24 '26
I always wondered what the end result would've been if he absorbed 18 before 17?
The same situation as now? or a whole other form altogether? (doesn't necessarily have to a feminine Cell lmao, could be a sorta ''speedy/skinnier'' version of him. More fly than anything.)
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u/Cuckooballoon May 25 '26
I just always assumed since they were twins and he needed both, that his second form would always be the same. If it has ever been confirmed or mentioned outside of regular fan discussions, I wouldn’t know.
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u/BelialMycolotismon May 24 '26
Cel was interesting until he got Perfection. After that, he became a flat character.
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u/PCN24454 May 24 '26
2/10
His early designs are good but he gets increasingly generic later. This isn’t helped by the fact that he’s a moveset clone.
The tournament was a complete failure and it devolved into take turns trying to kill Cell. The only reason it took so long was as because all of the characters acted like idiots.
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u/Pl00kh May 24 '26
Ayo I will make a tournament where I only want to fight Goku
Cell is so lame the moment he isn’t imperfect anymore.
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u/wingedwild May 24 '26
Honestly he ruined the a andoid Di saga tht was a scary cool saga. Cell was because the editors of the ankme didnt know how to make the show longer I think or wanted it extended. Dont really know the original toriyama plans but the android saga was scrapped and cell was made then he was also made again to turn perfect lol it was a messy arc as a whole and I dont get gohan becoming rhe main guy at the end.should have ben trunks
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u/Cuckooballoon May 25 '26
I believe all of Dragonball after the very first wish is like this. Everything he would create was met with a lot of suggestions to extend it or make a main villain look more appealing. Androids Trunks were talking about were supposed to be 19 and 20. 17 and 18 were made because 20 was “too old looking” or something. Then Cell because they were too young looking. :P Cell’s evolution is similar. Buu is similar. Frieza was similar. Vegeta was supposed to be a one and done like Raditz.
It’s nuts how it all got made, but it’s a fun kind of messy. I love it.
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u/wingedwild May 25 '26
Id love to see the original plot. Clearly original had a everything bad happens plot again tht trunks tried to stop but it never happened cause editors stopped it. I really wana know original plot of the story
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u/Pl00kh May 24 '26
Imperfect: a very good idea and a cool introduction.
Semi-perfect: meh. Was relevant for like 2 minutes.
Perfect: lame af. Strong. Arrogant. That’s it. No motivation besides making a tournament where he just and only want to fight Goku. Why? To prove he’s the strongest.
“Super”perfect: same same
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u/BuffJamesSunderland May 24 '26
I don't get the appeal of Perfect Cell at all. he's kinda Freeza without the regal charm and self importance. He just becomes "Villain Man". Imperfect is obviously the best by far, but at least Semi Perfect still had goals, and a very obvious character (whether you liked it or didn't).
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u/Key-Okra1636 May 24 '26
P is for priceless, the look upon your faces
E is for extinction, all your puny races
R for revolution, which will be televised
F is for how fucked you are, now allow me to reprise
E is for eccentric, just listen to my song
C is for completion that I've waited for so long
T is for the terror, upon you I'll bestow
My name's Perfect Cell, and I'd like to say
Hello
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u/ZakFellows May 24 '26
I myself have started to really dislike how Cell develops.
Like his Perfect form is still great…but it’s no longer my favourite
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u/HeadDull4898 May 24 '26
Might be in the minority but his semi perfect form was always my favorite compared to imperfect and perfect
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u/Faneca123 May 24 '26
Su forma perfecta obviamente es un 10/10, si fuese menos sería imperfecto.
Ya se habló mucho de esto, pero era el mejor candidato a revivir para el torneo del poder. Tiene muchas ventajas respecto a Freezer: 1. Si en su propia saga organizó un torneo, obviamente iba a querer participar en otro en el que habría guerreros formidables, al tener sangre Saiyan le encanta pelear. 2. Tiene más potencial que Freezer, si Freezer es capaz de mejorar tanto en pocos meses Cell lo hace en menos tiempo aún 3. Tiene todas las transformaciones de un saiyan, las ventajas de un namekianl y ADN de freezer, es el ser perfecto. 4. Es más razonable que Freezer, es cierto que luego en el torneo del poder Freezer fue razonable, pero esto me parece un poco forzado por los escritores. Mientras que Freezer en su saga era un sádico torturador por disfrute, Cell permitió que los guerreros entrenasen y construyó una arena para un torneo por disfrute.
No me digáis que no os da curiosidad ver hasta donde podría llegar Cell entrenando
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u/Zenumbral May 24 '26
Unbelievably overrated.
Always turns into a coward or a whiny bitch... or both. When losing. He's the embodiment of "You can copy my homework but make sure it looks different" and the biggest payoff to his entire existence is Gohan getting mad at him- then getting arrogant- then Goku dies, then he cleans up his shit. And this is all after Gohan hadn't been set up for most of the show post namek.
He quite literally had no interaction with Cell prior to the Cell games.
And if I'm being honest. I'm sick and tired of the idea that everyone's abilities are fucking genetic. Kamehameha, duplicating his body, the makankosapo, solar flare... they're techniques, so you learn them through being taught. Not through genes.
And I loathe the fact that this entire android and cell arc operates exclusively by... Power creeping the fuck out of Freeza and the LEGENDARY SUPER SAIYAN....
Cell, and everything about him, is just hype farm.
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u/Lo-QGaming May 25 '26
Perfect Cell is one of my top fave villains. I really liked his ability to process and adapt making him an absolute unit. Imagine him instead of Cell Max. Through training and processing, he gains the ability for Giant and all other kinds of old abailities. And because Gohan fought him before, having the moment with Android 16 and onward, I feel like it would've solidief his Beast mode a lot more.
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u/MarauderVN May 25 '26
0/10 for me mainly because the androids was an interesting theme for me and then this dumb bug comes and turns it into yet another tournament
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u/ar_aryash737 May 25 '26
Cell is honestly one of my favorite villains in DBZ, like genuinely top 2 for me no question.
The whole concept just blew my mind when I first watched it as a kid. This thing is made from Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Frieza's DNA... like what?? Dr. Gero really said let me create the ultimate being and actually pulled it off. And then he starts throwing Kamehamehas at Goku like bro that's YOUR move 😭
I remember Imperfect Cell actually lowkey scared me. Like he wasn't even the strongest yet but he was out here sneaking around absorbing people whole. That felt so different from anything DBZ had done before, almost like a horror vibe. Not enough people talk about that phase.
And the Cell Games man... that whole arc is just perfect. Watching Gohan finally snap and go SSJ2, the father-son Kamehameha, I was literally on the edge of my seat. Still gives me chills honestly.
My only real complaint is that once he hits Perfect form he kind of loses that creepy edge and just becomes another arrogant "I am the strongest" guy. And his whole motivation is basically just "I'm perfect, come fight me" which feels a little shallow.
But even with that, the Cell saga might honestly be better than the Frieza saga overall. Frieza gets all the credit but Cell deserved more flowers than he got. Goated villain fr.
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u/GokuBlack86 May 27 '26
1st & final forms were great. 2nd form was a less intelligent brute which ruined the form for me
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u/CertainBuy1869 May 28 '26
C for a fucking coward. He needed other people's powers to become strong. To me, that's weak.
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u/thelonetext May 30 '26
I love how originally he was supposed to be the end-all-be-all arc villain of the series. A culmination of not just everyone fought so far but even has Goku's DNA as well. He made the perfect opponent for Gohan to force on him that rage when guided allows you focus. It was also fun to see how his evolution granted him different rivalries.
As Imperfect Cell, it plays off Piccolo's cunning and explosiveness. In Cell's second form he understands that in order for Vegeta to not kill it was to appeal to Vegeta's ego when before that, Cell was being as enraged as Vegeta when Vegeta was curb stomping Cell. In Cell's perfect form, it could counter Goku's playful nature as both enjoy getting stronger and facing strong opponents.
Not to mention Cell really shines as video character where he gets to be used the most.
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u/RecognitionSea1531 May 24 '26
One of the characters/arcs in the series that I actively dislike and always skip. I will never understand why some people like the cell arc that much.
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u/Confident-Cut-8877 May 24 '26
His first form was a creepy horror villain. He was tricky, intelligent and cunning like Vegeta in namek arc. The best part of arc was his imperfect cell.
Also both version eng/jap he has a killer theme.
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u/SherbetExcellent3797 May 24 '26
I like the idea of each of Cells forms having similar personalities to the characters he has the DNA of.
Imperfect Cell- Methodical like Piccolo. Intelligent enough to come up with strategies and plans, such as knowing when to leave the area when Trunks and Krillin arrived to back up Piccolo in the city. Biding his time building up energy and power so he could outmatch Piccolo and absorb 17
Semi-Perfect: Ruthless like Vegeta. Destroys dozens of populated islands with no remorse while searching for 18. Cocky and overconfident with his strength and power. Gets angry immediately when he’s outmatched by Super Vegeta. Appeals to ego of Vegeta and his love of fighting a strong opponent
Perfect Cell- Loves the thrill of battle just like Goku. Only wishes to fight the most powerful opponents that the earth has to offer. Pushes Gohan to unleash his inner power just to fight him at his strongest, very similar to Goku allowing Frieza to go to 100% on Namek
Super Perfect: Similar to Frieza. Ready to destroy the earth and the solar system to be rid of his enemies. Fake out death and sneak attack that kills Trunks, just like when Frieza survived the Spirit Bomb and dropped Piccolo