'Dragon Ball's S-Cells Can Be Traced Back To 'Dragon Ball Z'

Fans have been trying to figure what turns a Dragon Ball character Super Saiyan, but after the creator revealed it was all in their bloodstream fans were thrown for a loop.

The revelation of Dragon Ball's "S-Cells" added a confusing layer to Dragon Ball Super, but apparently its roots go all the way back to Dragon Ball Z.

So the word Toriyama uses to describe the quality that's good for increasing S-Cells is 穏やか/odayaka, meaning gentle or calm. Odd as it may seem, Vegeta does at least claim to meet this criteria when he first transforms. pic.twitter.com/cgz6NbddGz

— Todd Blankenship (@Herms98) December 2, 2017

According to Twitter user @Herms98, the Super Saiyan criteria series creator Akira Toriyama uses was met and referenced by Vegeta the first time he went Super Saiyan. Gohan and Krilling wonder why he was able to transform because a Saiyan needed a pure heart, and Vegeta responded with "My heart was calm and still. Calm and pure. However, it was purely evil."

Toriyama once stated in a Q&A that "It's not like anyone can become a Super Saiyan through training an anger. In order to become a Super Saiyan, one's body must contain something called 'S-cells.' Once these S-Cells reach a certain amount, a trigger such as anger will explosively increase the S-Cells and cause a change in the body: that's Super Saiyan."

But in order to increase these S-Cells, "Having a gentle spirit is the best way to increase one's S-Cells, but most Saiyans have trouble with this, which I think is why no Super Saiyans appeared for such a long time and they became the stuff of legend."

But the transformation isn't limited to the number of S-Cells or a gentle heart, as Toriyama elaborates, "However, one can't reach the quantity necessary for becoming a Super Saiyan simply by having a gentle spirit, so a certain amount of battle power is indeed necessary."

Vegeta's mentality here not only aligns with Toriyama's S-Cells, but factors in the dialogue Goku had when he first transformed as well saying, "Despite my calm, quiet heart I am the legendary warrior awakened by intense anger."

Fans are still debating whether or not Toriyama Star Wars like addition to the series was planned, but there is evidence that the roots of it were planted long ago.

Dragon Ball Super's "Universal Survival" arc is part of the recent simulcast agreement that sites like Crunchyroll and Funimation have scored. Dragon BallSuper airs on Crunchyroll Saturday evenings at 7:15 p.m. CST. Adult Swim airs the English dub during its Toonami block Saturday evenings at 9:30 p.m, and it will soon be available to stream on FunimationNOW.