Android 17 (人造人間１７号, Jinzōningen Jū Nana-Gō), Lapis (ラピス, Rapisu) when he was an ordinary Human, is the twin brother of Android 18 and Dr. Gero's seventeenth android creation, designed to serve Gero's vendetta against Goku who overthrew the Red Ribbon Army as a child. Despite his interests not initially deviating from this expectation, Android 17 takes it upon himself to kill Dr. Gero, who is uncooperative with Android 18's curiosity in activating Android 16.
Overview []
Appearance[]
Android 17 is an adolescent with a short, slim build, much like his twin sister Android 18. He has shoulder-length black hair and thin, blue eyes. Underneath his hair, he has two gold hoop earrings. He wears an orange bandanna around his neck. He wears a short sleeve black shirt with the Red Ribbon Army's logo, and, underneath, he dons a long-sleeve white shirt. He wears a belt to hold up his blue jeans which have a tear just above the knee of the left leg. Just below the first belt he wears another belt with a gun holster and another pouch, although he removes it by the time he and Androids 16 and 18 arrive at Goku's house. Android 17 wears green socks and blue and white sneakers. During his cameo in the Buu Saga, he wears a blue jacket over his clothes, and during the Super 17 Saga, he wears a tan, knee-length jacket.
When appearing in Dragon Ball Super, Android 17 wears a white shirt with green sleeves and blue jeans. He has black shoes and wears a tan colored belt. On his sleeve is an orange armband that says "Ranger." 17 also has black gloves, his hairstyle was changed slightly to resemble 18's hairstyle but in the opposite direction, now parting to the left instead of the middle.
Personality[]
Initially a reckless anarchist, Android 17 later reveals himself to be little more than a rebel without a cause. Android 17 also hated his cybernetics, as Android 18 revealed when refusing and seeing through Semi-Perfect Cell's attempts at convincing Android 18 into merging with him. When he is revived by Shenron because of a wish that restored both the lives of all of Cell's victims and all the damage caused during the Cell Games, Android 17 goes on to live a life of peace in obscurity. At the end of Dragon Ball Z, Android 17 provided energy for Goku's Super Spirit Bomb to destroy Kid Buu. He reappears in Dragon Ball GT when the scientists Dr. Gero and Dr. Myuu brainwash him telepathically, and he is eventually merged with Hell Fighter 17 (a Machine Mutant version of himself created by the scientists in Hell) to form Super 17. Yet, even without the ability to maintain his mind, 17 still exhibits some of his sensitivity, mostly towards his sister. This is in stark contrast to his alternate self from Future Trunks's timeline, where he is a murderous sociopath who cares for no one but himself and Android 18. While under Dr. Myuu's control, he forces his transformed-self to reveal his own weak point, thus allowing Goku to kill him.
Android 17's strongest personal trait is his sense of self. He does his best to resist the will of Dr. Gero (or later, Dr. Myuu), and fights a futile battle against Imperfect Cell to assert his identity and his pride. He is also overconfident in his power, believing that nobody was stronger than him and denying if someone says otherwise, until seeing Cell and Android 16's strength in battle. He has a Colt M1911, which is shown used by Future Android 17 against civilians, although it is assumed to be generally ineffective against the likes of the Z Fighters. This pistol can be seen holstered to his character model in the video game Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3.
He is also shown to be very childlike for his age, often treating his trying to locate Goku to fight him as nothing more than a game, even deliberately avoiding asking for directions in order to "play the game." Similarly, he has a tendency to go off the road during their travel to Goku's house simply because he thought it was "fun", much to 18's irritation. In the anime, when he holds up two hunters in order to trick them into donating their energies to Goku's Super Spirit Bomb needed to defeat Kid Buu, Android 17 says something along the lines that they won a game.
Android 17's rebel without a cause personality has since been tempered by his occupation, as he channeled his somewhat anarchistic and childish tendencies into handling poachers and other persons of illegal intent or occupation within the Royal Nature Park with startling efficiency. His hyperactive nature merely lacked a proper focus before, and when given an ongoing objective, it can be seen that 17 is extremely focused and dedicated to achieving his goals. 17, however, did not lose his sense of humor in his work, as when he stopped the two hunters and tricked them into giving energy to the Super Spirit Bomb, 17 was clearly amused. His slide into maturity is likely a contributing factor to his marriage to his zoologist wife, as well as his decision to have a child and adopt two more. It is mere speculation, but his decision to adopt two of his three children may have been influenced by his and his sister's kidnapping at the hands of Dr. Gero.
Android 17 is very outdoorsy, and finds it hard to sit still due to his infamously hyperactive personality. His love of the outdoors may have been influenced by the nature-loving Android 16, with whom 17 was close friends. 17's choice in a wife (a zoologist) may have been influenced by his occupation as a Park Ranger and enjoyment of the wild.
Biography[]
Background[]
Android 17 was originally a human named Lapis, and the younger of he and his twin sister Lazuli. The twins were notorious delinquents, who Dr. Gero would meet by chance while looking for fresh material for his experiments. He then kidnapped them and restructured them into Android 17 and Android 18. He is the first artificial human, out of he and his twin sister, designed by Dr. Gero to be created by fitting a human being with both bio-mechanical and cybernetic enhancements. The bio-mechanical enhancements are organic substances patterned after human cells, which makes it possible for Cell to merge with the androids at a cellular level. Since they are human-based, they can become stronger if they train. Though they do not need to eat, they do need to hydrate. Also, their cells deteriorate slowly, so they age slowly too.
Dragon Ball Z[]
Cell Saga[]
Android 17 and his twin sister Android 18 are awakened by Android 20, when he is pressed into a desperate situation by the Z Fighters, who have surpassed his expectations because of the intense training they endured after Gero collected their statistic data. Severely disloyal to Gero in contrast to the android models which precede himself and his sister, Android 17 turns rogue on the scientist, impaling and decapitating him. Android 17 and 18 then proceed to activate Android 16, and decide to challenge Goku not because they have been commanded to do so, but merely as a form of entertainment.
When Vegeta (as a Super Saiyan) intercepts the trio, 17 and 18 implore 16 to step in and fight, interested to see him in action (their main purpose for activating him in the first place). However, Android 16 refuses to fight him, thus prompting Android 18 to volunteer. When Future Trunks, Krillin, Piccolo and Tien Shinhan arrive as Vegeta's reinforcement when Android 18 dominates Vegeta in the fight, Android 17 takes the opportunity to ask if Android 16 will join the fight, though as he initially assumed Android 16 once again opts not to. When 18 breaks Vegeta's arm during the battle, Future Trunks breaks Android 17's non-interference truce because he could not bear to see Vegeta injured. Android 17 intervenes and fights against Future Trunks, dealing one hard hit to his head, almost knocking him out. Android 17 also chokes Tien when the latter tries to punch him, and he does not let him go until Piccolo tries to save Tien. He then effortlessly defeats Piccolo, dealing a single blow that nearly tears through the latter. At the conclusion of the encounter, everyone is rendered incapacitated besides Krillin, who is spared so that Android 17 may see the others healed by Senzu Beans for another battle. This is one of many examples that set Android 17 and Android 18 apart from their future timeline counterparts, especially considering they are much stronger in the mainstream timeline than in Future Trunks' future.
Later, Android 17, Android 18 and Android 16 arrive at Kame House, asking where Goku is. Piccolo (after fusing with Kami), challenges Android 17, hoping that he can defeat at least one of them and prevent Imperfect Cell from absorbing just one of his targets and achieving his perfect form, which would spell doom. Android 17 accepted Piccolo's challenge and contends to fighting Piccolo one-on-one, rather than fight with Android 18; this vastly increasing Piccolo's chance to win. Piccolo appears to have the upper hand in the battle; until Android 17 confesses that up until now he has not been taking their struggle seriously. Once both choose to go at full power, they find that they are an even match. Equal in both power and strength; Android 17 having an advantage because of his unlimited energy and speed, and Piccolo matching that with his regeneration and variety of energy attacks (Scatter Shot, Light Grenade, as well as other attacks). Android 17 almost gets injured by Piccolo's Hellzone Grenade attack, but he protects himself with an Android Barrier.
The fight is an apparent draw until Cell's arrival interrupts the match (ironically, Cell is able to detect Android 17 through the nearby presence of Piccolo, who had engaged Android 17 in an effort to impede Cell's progression to perfection). Piccolo assists Android 17 in avoiding Cell and Android 17 thanks him in return. While Piccolo tries to aid in the battle against Cell, he is tossed aside after Cell admits to have become stronger. Android 17 ends up horrified when he witnesses Cell brutally disposing of the Namekian. While Android 17 is struggling to defend himself, Android 16 steps in to fight Imperfect Cell and is able to hold Imperfect Cell off for some time, repeatedly surprising him with intense attacks such as his Hell's Flash. However, this sudden turning of tables creates an overconfidence in Android 17, who lingers to the scene of the battle, where the wounded but thriving Cell surprises and ultimately absorbs him, triggering his transformation into Semi-Perfect Cell.
All evidence of Android 17 is destroyed along with Cell's initial body, when Cell detonates himself as a last ditch effort to emerge victorious in the Cell Games (as his design allows him to regenerate so long as a single cell of him remains intact). However, 17's life is restored after the Z Fighters use the Dragon Balls to revive those who died as a result of Cell's campaign. A second wish made to Shenron by Krillin removes the self-destruct device within Android 17 and Android 18's bodies (Krillin originally intends to use the wish to turn Android 17 and his sister into Humans, but this proves beyond Shenron's power). Krillin did this because he thought 17 and 18 were meant to be a couple, until Android 18 angrily corrected him and revealed that 17 was actually her twin brother.
Interlude[]
After the conflict with Cell, Android 17 becomes a park ranger in the wildlife preserve area of a gigantic royal nature park, where he is well paid. He is an outstanding guard who does not hold back against poachers. It is an ideal job for #17, as he loves to be on his own and is not big on cooperating with others; since he is so good at his job, he takes in a high salary. Android 17 also marries a zoologist; they have one child and two adopted children, and live happily in an isolated house inside the nature park. He went and met #18 and Krillin one time, but did not talk about what he had been up to, maybe because he considers such a wholesome lifestyle embarrassing.
Majin Buu Saga[]
Kid Buu has destroyed the Earth with his Planet Burst technique, killing Android 17 again along with nearly everyone else. While fighting Kid Buu on the Sacred World of the Kais, Vegeta asks Dende to make a wish to Porunga for the Earth and the lives of all its good-willed inhabitants to be restored. The fact that Android 17 was not exempt from this wish, as confirmed by his appearance, is proof of Android 17's inherent goodness.
Goku is gathering energy for a Spirit Bomb in an effort to defeat Kid Buu and in a mountainous region, Android 17 is walking down a forest trail when he recognizes Goku's voice, then encounters two hunters passing through. Android 17 raises his rifle to trick the two into raising their hands, unaware that they are supplying Goku with their energy. To the hunters' confusion, the android smiles and proclaims "You beat me to it", before raising one of his own hands. The manga-equivalent of this scene does not feature the hunters; Android 17 merely raises his hands to pass on his energy while saying "So it's Goku, huh? I haven't heard that voice in a long time."
Dragon Ball Super[]
Universe Survival Saga[]
Dragon Ball GT[]
Super 17 Saga[]
Dr. Gero and fallen colleague Dr. Myuu brainwash Android 17 telepathically via Hell Fighter 17, a Machine Mutant version of himself created by the two scientists in Hell with the design of merging with him into the ultimate killing machine. Before merging, 17 asks Android 18 to join him, a gesture which she mindlessly obeys until a fatal attack on Krillin brings 18 back to reality, causing her to attack her brother. Seeing what she has done, he then targets Marron so he can gain full control of 18, but 18 defends her from 17's energy wave, leaving her in a critical condition. Android 17 locates his Hell Fighter counterpart and the two finally merge, becoming Super 17.
The Z Fighters are shocked by the transformation until Vegeta attacks him, resulting in being knocked back by one punch. Majuub then tries in vain, followed by Goten and Trunks who attempt a combined attack, to no avail. Gohan then tries a Kamehameha, which does absolutely nothing to the super android (it was absorbed). Dr. Gero then tells Super 17 to demonstrate his true power, which leads him to strike down every Z Fighter, again using only a single hit. The Saiyans then assume their Super Saiyan forms, but Super 17 releases a Flash Bomber, weakening them enough to revert from Super Saiyan. Pan's ploy to have Gero bring 17 to a halt is ruined when Dr. Myuu reveals his programming placed him in full control of the super android, and so Super 17 kills Dr. Gero, for the second time. Piccolo and Dende create a gateway between Hell and Earth, allowing Goku to escape and confront Super 17, before any other Z Fighters can be killed. Goku is later joined by Android 18, whose appearance reminds 17 of both his own and Dr. Myuu's true nature, contributing to the ends of both Myuu (who was killed by 17's Electro Eclipse Bomb) and Super 17 himself.
As is revealed after the end of the fight, the real Android 17's psyche gives the Z Fighters a chance to destroy the super android, and both Android and Hell Fighter 17 in the process, by taking complete control of the body of Super 17 and powering up as Android 18 was launching shots of energy. This reveals to Goku that Super 17 cannot simultaneously move while absorbing energy, thus leaving him vulnerable to physical attacks. It is then that Goku uses the Super Dragon Fist technique to literally punch his way through Super 17, with the resulting hole rendering him unable to absorb the ensuing barrage of Kamehamehas, finally killing him.
Goku's final request of Shenron, after the battle with Omega Shenron restored the lives of those who did not deserve to die between the Super 17 and Shadow Dragon Sagas revived Android 17.
Forms and Fusions[]
Super 17[]
Android 17 takes on the form of Super 17 in Dragon Ball GT when he fuses with his duplicate Hell Fighter 17. In the Dragon Ball Collectible Card Game, Android 17 has the power to transform into Super 17 without Hell Fighter 17, and takes on a different appearance: he gains purple shoulder pads, his eyes go yellow, his belts are black instead of brown, and the Red Ribbon symbol on his belt is colored.
Android 17 also appears as Super 17 without having fused with Hell Fighter 17 in the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi scenario "The True Ultimate Android", however he is said to be weaker without Hell Fighter 17 and refers to himself as Imperfect.
Android 1617[]
By performing EX-Fusion with Android 16, 17 can fuse with him to create Android 1617 who was introduced in Dragon Ball Fusions.
Android 1718[]
By performing EX-Fusion with his sister, 17 can fuse with her to create Android 1718 who was introduced in Dragon Ball Fusions.
Cell 17[]
By performing EX-Fusion with Perfect Cell, 17 can fuse with him to create Cell 17 who was introduced in Dragon Ball Fusions.
Video games[]
- Dragon Ball Z III: Ressen Jinzōningen
- Dragon Ball Z: Gekitō Tenkaichi Budōkai
- Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Son Goku Densetsu (in cutscenes)
- Dragon Ball Z 2: Super Battle (in cutscenes)
- Dragon Ball Z: The Legend
- Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors
- Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II
- Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors (Support-type character)
- Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 (Support-type character)
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3
- Dragon Ball Z: Sagas
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2
- Dragon Ball Z: Bakuretsu Impact
- Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
- Dragon Ball Z: W Bakuretsu Impact
- Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu
- Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit
- Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World
- Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Battlers
- Super Dragon Ball Z
- Dragon Ball: Raging Blast
- Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2
- Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team
- Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butōden
- Dragon Ball: Zenkai Battle Royale
- Dragon Ball Heroes
- Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi
- Dragon Ball Z For Kinect
- Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z
- Dragon Ball: Xenoverse
- Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden (Assist character)
- Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle
- Dragon Ball Fusions
- Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2
Voice actors[]
- Japanese: Shigeru Nakahara
- Ocean Group dub: Ted Cole (DBZ), Cole Howard (Kai [TBC])
- Blue Water dub: Ethan Cole
- FUNimation dub: Chuck Huber
- Latin American dub: Genaro Vásquez (DBZ, DBGT, DBZ Kai Buu Saga), Rolando de la Fuente (DBZ Kai until Cell Saga)
- German dub: Timm Neu
- Italian dub: Patrizio Prata
- Portuguese dub: Ricardo Spínola
- Brazilian Portuguese dub: Figueira Júnior, Sérgio Corsetti (episode 285)
- Catalan dub: Joaquim Sota
- Hebrew dub: Yuval Segal
- Tagalog Dub: Robert Brilliantes (DBZ Kai)
- Hungarian dub: Crespo Rodrigo (DBZ), Szabó Máté (DBGT)
Trivia[]
- Android 17 and Android 18's respective human names, Lapis and Lazuli, when combined, is shown as "Lapis Lazuli," which is a deep-blue semi-precious stone prized for its color since antiquity.
- Android 17 is revealed to be a very adept driver. He easily manages the stolen truck while driving off-road and successfully gave the Toad Warriors, a group of motorcycle bandits, the slip by luring them into an oncoming train and swerving at the last second. It may be explained due to 17's previous human life before being turned into an android along with 18; 17 may have known how to drive during his human existence.
- In Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Chi-Chi says 17 is the younger twin.
Gallery[]
Main article: Android 17/Gallery