Cell's Transformations

Cell's transformations are different from those of, say, Freeza's or the Saiyans'. In order to transform into his second and third (kanzentai, or "perfect") forms, he has to absorb two specific individuals (those being Jinzôningen #17 and #18). Cell absorbs people through his tail, the end of which can expand to fully surround and take in an entire person. It is possible for Cell to absorb others, but they do not result in physical changes. Cell's desire to complete his evolution and reach perfection was what fueled him. After he reached perfection, the curiosity of the limits of his own "Perfect" power was the major trait of his character. It was his curiosity of the limits of his own power when compared to Gohan's that eventually lead to his defeat.

BABY CELL

Cell's original, larval form floats in Dr. Gero's basement laboratory. In our present timeline, this "Larval Cell" is killed by Trunks and Kuririn when they discover the basement (which included some blueprints). In Trunks' future, he was still in Trunks' timeline searching for the Jinzoningen when Trunks returned from the present timeline. He gets killed by Trunks. In the future timeline which is another alternate timeline, Cell grows to full-size, cracks out of the machine, turns from a larva into its imperfect form, kills Trunks (therefore stealing his time machine), reverts to it's larval form, and travels back to our present timeline in order to absorb Jinzoningen #17 & #18. LARVAL/HUSK/COCOON CELL

Shown here in the middle of returning to his original larva form, Cell grew from the above "baby" form into a larva form, which also included a giant husk (which Gohan, Bulma, and Trunks discovered out in the woods). The larva would break out of this husk, which would result in Cell's first actual form (which was very lizard-like). In the future timeline, Cell kills Trunks and steals his time machine. Cell, in his first form, cannot fit into the time machine, however, and is forced to degenerate into his larva form. This larva form somewhat creates a purple egg (which Gohan and the others also find); when Cell arrives in the timeline, he bursts from this egg, encased in the husk as larva. The larva breaks out of the husk, leaving it empty in the woods near the time machine. This husk was the first thing discovered, and the first indication that something evil was on its way... and may have even been here for years! In our timeline, once Cell breaks from the husk, he never returns. It is only in the future timeline that the degeneration occurs. This form's effectiveness in combat (if it has any) is never shown, although it is possible it has some level of defensive capabilities since it is a larval form for Cell to grow, and being a "perfect" being it would have someway of defending itself.

FIRST FORM ("seru" / "CELL") (IMPERFECT CELL)

Cell first appears to us, already in first-form, absorbing every human he comes across in Ginger Town. Unlike his larva form, Cell fully walks upright on two legs. His facial features have not yet fully developed, and he still retains an orifice-like mouth (which generally obscures four teeth, as revealed in "Silent Warrior"), rather than traditional human-like features seen in later forms. The two sections of his head shoot off in different directions, rather than nearly straight up, as in the next two forms. Cell is later shown using the power he absorbed from his victims by having an aura with the appearance of wailing souls. Cell has orange color parts near his adominal area, the back of his head, and even near his crotch area. He has two wings which are both green with black spots. He has a dark green and light green mix all over his exo-skeleton (including head, arms and legs). He has five fingers and three toe's just as similar and Freeza's (three fingers in the manga, but changed in the show like Dodoria and the Namekusei-jins), including his tail, but then has a stinger included at the end of his tail. He also has black sections as well near his adominal area, in the middle between the two sections on his head, and even the black part of opposite side of his tail. He even has blue veins in both of his arms, legs, and even some in the upper body. While in this form, Cell attains greater power by absorbing all of the people he comes across, regardless of their strength. Rather than fully absorbing people, though, he seems to suck the life out of them by stabbing them with the pointed end of his tail, which literally drains the victim of their body mass.

This Cell is from a future timeline where he has killed Trunks and stolen the time machine. He has returned to the past (our present timeline) in order to fully absorb Jinzôningen #17 and #18. By absorbing each of these, Cell will reach another stage (one at a time), ultimately resulting in his kanzentai ("perfect") stage. Until then, Cell absorbs all humans he comes across.

Note that, in the original Japanese version, Cell's voice does not change from form to form.

SECOND FORM ("dai 2 [ ni ] keitai") (SEMI-PERFECT CELL)

After absorbing Jinzôningen #17 (and a great deal of innocent humans), Cell reaches his second stage. In his Semi-Perfect form, Cell's facial features begin to resemble a human's more and more.Cell's wings disappear, and he becomes much more humanoid, also becoming bulkier. While the nose is not yet fully formed (as it will be in the next stage), he now has an actual mouth. The two off-shooting sections of his head now go straight into the air, as well. In this form, he is at his 2nd largest (because of Power-Weighted Perfect Cell) with his height being more than double that of Vegeta. His tail is longer than before, and protrudes from his back, as well as becoming orange and black. His voice deepens than his previous form. The back of his head and the black section on his forehead are now formed together as a ball in between the two sections on his head. His lips are now the color pink, and the black sections above his lips like a mustache (except its part of his skin). He now has blue eyes in this form. He even has feet like shoes in this form and metal plates all around both of his ankles. He has the same shape of ears as Freeza's, except that his has an orange line that goes down to his chin and to the both sides of his ears.

In this stage, Cell's power has increased exponentially, but he is still no match for the newly powered-up Super Saiyans. His rear end is handed to him by "Super Vegeta," who ultimately makes the mistake of letting his pride control him; Vegeta allows Cell to absorb Jinzôningen #18, thus completing himself and achieving his kanzentai ("perfect") form.

Note that, in the original Japanese version, Cell's voice does not change from form to form.

KANZENTAI ("PERFECT FORM") (PERFECT CELL)

When Vegeta allows Cell to absorb Jinzôningen #18, his absorption process is complete, resulting in the "perfect" form. Cell is an organic being in every way, now (or so he explains), complete with fully-formed nose and mouth.Since he no longer has a need to absorb other creatures, his tail is retracted and now used for creation of Cell Jr's, although in Dragon Ball GT and in the video game Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road, it is shown that Cell can still extend his stinger from his back and absorb other people. Along with his previous two forms, Cell can brandish an aura with the same color as a Super Saiyan. He is also smaller than in his previous form, being only about Piccolo's height. His wings have grown back and now are shaded black. His exoskeleton is colored light-green with black spots and has black sections located on his shoulders, chest, the metal plates on his ankles are now shaded black, and now the orange section near his crotch are also shaded black. His skin is now pale all in his face and hands, he now has purple lines in both sides of his cheeks, and the orange line across from his ears and chin are now changed into a yellow color. His eyes are now pink, and his blue veins are now purple.

Cell's power, in this form, is greater than that of even the Super Saiyans (Goku, Vegeta, Mirai Trunks). Vegeta and Mirai Trunks, even in their advanced Super Saiyan forms, are unable to so much as scratch him. Goku declares his first loss against Cell during the "Cell Games," leaving only Gohan to challenge the monster. Gohan undergoes a new transformation (into Super Saiyan 2, thanks to a great deal of Cell's physical and mental abuse, pushing Gohan over the edge) to battle Cell after the tragic death of #16 (simliar to Freeza killed Kuririn on Namek causing Goku to transform to SSJ1), ultimately defeating him.

Note that, in the original Japanese version, Cell's voice does not change from form to form. Also, the Daizenshuu 4 writes "DEVELOPED FORM" under "kanzentai," but this is not quite as accurate a translation as "perfect form."

SUPER SAIYAN CELL... ? USSJ CELL... ?! (POWER-WEIGHTED PERFECT CELL)

As noted over on the Saiyan transformations page, there are many times that (once he becomes "perfect"), Cell "powers up" with the same golden aura typically attributed to characters that are in Super Saiyan. Technically, Cell does indeed have Saiyan blood flowing within him, and verbally notes this on more than one occasion. Are we to assume that Cell can power up into Super Saiyan, along with Goku and the others?To make matters even more complicated, Cell appears to even go "USSJ," the interesting stage between SSJ1 and SSJ2. in two instances. The first time Cell shows off this stage is shortly after Trunks transforms into USSJ2; Cell mocks him by also turning into an extremely "buff" stage, scoffing at the drop in speed and high energy consumption. Later, when SSJ2 Gohan knocks back Cell's giant Kamehameha with no problem, Cell makes the same mistake that Vegeta and Trunks had made, earlier; he bulks up his muscle size, which increases his over-all strength... but drastically reduces his speed. Is this USSJ? We don't really know for sure, but it's pretty convincing...!

Gohan was still able to effortlessly cripple him in a single heavy kick to the stomach (a heavy hit to the head in the manga), causing him to regurgitate Jinzoningen #18 and revert to his Semi-Perfect form.

This form appears as a playable character only on Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Battlers and in Budokai 1.

Note that, in the original Japanese version, Cell's voice does not change from form to form.

SECOND FORM ("dai 2 [ ni ] keitai") (SEMI-PERFECT CELL; Loss of Jinzoningen #18 after split)

Little to know this, Gohan's awesome powers have proven to be too much for Cell. After being forced to regurgitate Jinzoningen #18, Cell's perfect power vanishes as his body reverts to his Semi-Perfect form. Enraged with SSJ2 Gohan, Cell attacks him, but to no avail. Knowing that his chances of winning have disappeared with his perfect power, Cell engorges himself with a buildup of ki, in a last ditch effort to defeat Gohan by destroying himself and the Earth. Gohan then realizes that there's no way that he can save the Earth, and as a result, Goku steps in. After a heart-felt goodbye to his son, Goku uses his Instant Transmission technique to transport Cell to Kaio-sama's planet moments before he explodes. Unable to stop himself, Cell destroys the tiny planet along with Goku, Kaio-sama, Bubbles, and Gregory.Amongst the rubble of the destroyed planet, Cell regenerates. By destroying himself, Cell recieved a Zenkai and regenerated into his ultimate form, Super Perfect Cell. Cell also somehow absorbed the knowlege of how to perform the Shunkan Ido (Instant Transmission), and returns to Earth, only to reappear and randomly kill Mirai Trunks.

Note that, in the original Japanese version, Cell's voice does not change from form to form.

SUPER KANZENTAI ? (SUPER PERFECT CELL)

Since Cell is comprised of the greatest fighters across the universe, this naturally includes many of the Saiyans (including Vegeta and Goku). Saiyans that are recovered from near death exponentially increase in power (as seen by Goku and Vegeta during the Freeza arc).When a single cell of Cell's is able to live through the blast on Kaiô-sama's planet, it somehow "remembers" the structure of kanzentai Cell (remember that Gohan had kicked out #18, which resulted in Cell degenerating back into 2nd form before exploding). (See Above) This cell completely resurrects Cell into a "super" kanzentai form; one that is not only "perfect," but also has a great power-up due to the Saiyan DNA! Cell appears to almost be in Super Saiyan 2, so to speak, due to the large amounts of energy and lightning that surround his body.Enraged, Vegeta blindly rushes at him in his Super Saiyan form, but is slapped aside. Cell attempts to kill Vegeta, but Gohan intercepts Cell's attack. SSJ2 Gohan is left wounded, without the use of his left arm and his ki supply reduced to half. However, he is told by Goku that his ki issue is just in his mind, and that he can destroy Cell. Gohan desperately engages Cell in a Kamehameha wave struggle at the behest of the late Goku. Cell gains the upper hand several times, nearly overwhelming the exhausted Gohan nonchalantly, but the other fighters try to force cell to stop by attacking him when he cant stop the blast, they fail as Cell simply flares his aura and knocks them all back. As he is about to finish off Gohan, Vegeta distracts Cell with a surprise blast to the side of his head being much stronger than the others Vegeta's blast does what the others failed to do. With Cell caught momentarily off guard, Gohan draws out all of his reserves to obliterate Cell completely.

Note that, in the original Japanese version, Cell's voice does not change from form to form.