Dr. Willow is one of the very first villains of the Dragon Ball Z era faced by Goku and his friends in a film. Since this first appearance, the doctor's fate within the lore has been as surprising as it is tortuous. From her place in Toriyama's oeuvre to her role in the films and the expanded universe, here's a look back at 8 facts you (maybe) didn't know about Dr. Willow.
#8 Dr. Willow Served as a Blueprint for Many Villains (Making of)
Dr. Willow, as one of the first villains of the Dragon Ball Z era, seems to have laid the groundwork for many antagonists that followed. His character, a fusion of scientific genius and evil madness, is similar to that of Dr. Gero, creator of the Cyborgs and Cell, like him he is a brilliant scientist who transferred his brain into an Android body. Dr. Willow also seeks to take Goku's body, a quest that will be repeated by Captain Ginyu and Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super, but he is the only one to fail. His tragic fate, killed by the Genki-dama, also marks a first in Dragon Ball Z and influences future battles. Furthermore, Willow's last words, like Freeza's in Resurrection F, echo a reference to Hell, highlighting the importance of this villain model in the saga. Willow has thus inspired a line of villains, whether created by Akira Toriyama or not.
#7 Dr. Willow is a mutant (films)
Dr. Willow's goal was to rule the world by creating a modified army using her science. After her body was taken by frostbite during her inhumane research, her assistant, Dr. Kochin, managed to save her brain and encapsulate it in a robotic body. This mechanical body, resembling a giant scorpion, contains its brain of an extraordinary size, twice that of a human. Evolving beyond its human form, it seems to have mutated to give rise to its incredible powers.
Dr. Willow is therefore not only a mad scientist, but also a mutant whose appearance and abilities are the result of extreme experiments. He thus embodies the very essence of the mutant, a fusion of science and monstrosity. What sets him apart from ordinary mortals is obviously his gigantic brain. Since the abnormal size of his meninges originally had no explanation, the authors of the Daizenshuu Volume 6 guide speculated and suggested that this "evolved" brain mutated for undetermined reasons and was the source of his exceptional abilities. Willow is inspired by one of the greatest films in cinema history (making of)
Before revealing his terrifying mechanical armor in The Ice Robot, Dr. Willow first appears as a ghostly menace, never fully visible. This staging reinforces the mystery around him and recalls another legendary cinematic antagonist: HAL 9000, the evil computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Like HAL, Willow is initially represented by a single glowing red eye, a symbol of control and cold intelligence. At one point in the film, a close-up of Willow's eye replicates the exact same iconic frame used for HAL, making this homage both obvious and chilling.
Few fans notice it at first, but Dr. Willow shares an unexpected connection with Vegeta and Nappa: the Biomen. These creatures, created by Dr. Kochin to further Willow's plans, are strongly reminiscent of the Saibamen used by the two Saiyans during the invasion of Earth. Like the Saibamen, the Biomen are disposable warriors, obedient and biotechnologically engineered to serve as cannon fodder. Their appearance, combining blue-gray skin, black claws, and red eyes, directly evokes their green cousins. The Biomen, capable of speaking and taking hostages, display a certain tactical intelligence that the Saibamen lack, despite the latter being more powerful individually.
It is even suggested that Kochin was inspired by Saibamen seeds left on Earth after the Saiyan attack to create his own soldiers (although, chronologically, this theory does not really hold up). Just as Vegeta and Nappa used the Saibamen to test the strength of Earthlings, Willow employs the Biomen to sow chaos and capture her enemies. Willow and the Saiyans therefore share the same strategy: sending artificial creatures to the front lines, thus highlighting their inhumanity and cruelty.
#4 Dr. Willow has resurrected Janemba (extended universe)
Dr. Willow made a surprise return in the spin-off Super Dragon Ball Heroes. Returning under the mysterious pseudonym of Dr. W, and allied with the villainous Fu, he participates in a demented plan: to create a new universe in order to be recognized and to dominate him. To achieve his goals, he hunts Xeno Goku and Xeno Vegeta (dimensional variants of the heroes Goku and Vegeta) in Hell, analyzing them with a special device capable of absorbing their most powerful attacks. But his true goal is later revealed: to resurrect Janemba. Using combat data extracted from the two Saiyans, Dr. W reactivates an ancient Soul Purification Machine to infuse Janemba with unprecedented power.
Dr. Willow claims that this new Janemba now possesses all the abilities of Xeno Goku and Vegeta, making him, according to him, invincible. However, the intervention of Putin and Salsa (two demons in the service of a demonic Kaioshin named Demigra), followed by the Saiyans' awakening into Super Full Power Saiyan 4 Limit Breaker, turns the tables. Janemba is once again defeated. Furious, Dr. W flees, but is eventually sucked into the light of the Universe Tree, sending him to a parallel universe. Since his death was not shown on screen, one can easily imagine a possible return.
#3 Doctor Willow has something in common with the Aliens (making of)
Dr. Willow's fortress, hidden in the Tsurumai-Tsuburi mountains, is much more than just a mad scientist's lair. Built by Willow and her sidekick, Dr. Kochin, this massive base houses the forbidden experiments that led to the creation of the Bio-Men, Misokatsun, Kishime, and Ebifurya. It is also where Willow was transformed into a cyborg to escape death. The building, equipped with a laboratory, force fields and giant screens, serves as the scene for a perilous ascent for Goku, who must climb the floors while facing traps, mutant warriors and even a controlled Piccolo.
In many ways, the narrative use of this location recalls the Muscle Tower in the Red Ribbon that Goku had to cross by the past. However, the aesthetic of this fortress is much more original in the saga. It is interesting to note that its design, both exterior and interior, and the nightmarish atmosphere that emanates from it, strongly evoke the works of H.R. Giger, creator of the xenomorphs in Alien.
#2 Willow's soldiers also served as a rough draft for many villains (making of)
The three biological warriors created by Doctor Willow — Misokatsun, Kishime, and Ebifurya — not only made their mark in the film Dragon Ball Z: The Ice Robot, they also influenced many later antagonists. Thus, Ebifurya, a pink brute with ice attacks, through her design and ferocity, inspired adversaries like Giran and some of Cooler's henchmen. Kishime, a green-skinned reptilian being capable of teleportation and electric attacks, paved the way for characters like Soba, seen in the video game Dragon Ball Sagas, but also for the teleportation technique that Goku would later learn.
As for Misokatsun, a huge elastic yellow mass, even if he strongly recalls Buyon, a pink monster who appeared in the Red Ribbon Muscle Tower (like him, he absorbs physical attacks and can reflect Kamehamehas), he seems above all to be at the origin of one of Frieza's most famous soldiers. Indeed, his appearance and abilities also prefigure those of Wings and especially Dodoria, with his massive body and brutality. Moreover, far from the candy pink appearance that Dodoria takes on in the anime, some of Toriyama's depictions show him with golden yellow skin, further reinforcing the parallel with Misokatsun.
#1 Dr. Willow has changed his appearance (extended universe)
As one might guess after the events of Dragon Ball Heroes, Doctor Willow survived and returned in a new form during the New Space-Time War Saga arc. Now known as Dr. W, he first appears as an old man with white hair, dressed in an elegant scientist's suit. But behind this human appearance hides a whole new mechanical body, very different from the imposing machine he was before. More compact and humanoid, this new body retains mechanical elements, such as a double blade attached to his right arm.
In the anime, he joins Bojack and Super C-17 to attack the heroes and disrupt their fight against Goku Black. After quickly realizing that he had no chance against Gohan who had become Super Saiyan, he attacks Krillin, before being interrupted by the arrival of a powerful demon warrior named Hearts. To everyone's surprise, Hearts joins Krillin and the two defeat Doctor Willow, whose new body, however sophisticated, cannot save him.
And if you want to discover even more about the characters from the Dragon Ball films, check out our features on Garlic, Janemba, Broly, Thales, and Bojack.
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