Time Patrol Trunks

Lore & Background

Future Trunks originates from a timeline where the world lies in ruin due to Androids #17 and #18. Created by Doctor Gero, these artificial humans killed everyone except Goku's son, Gohan, after Goku succumbed to a heart virus. Living with Bulma and training secretly under Gohan, Trunks awakens his Super Saiyan transformation after Gohan is murdered in an ambush. For three years following Gohan's death, he serves as Earth's sole protector until Bulma finishes the time machine. He travels to the past, giving Goku a special medicine and warning of the future events. Upon returning to his own timeline, he defeats the Androids and his timeline's version of Cell. Later, after reaching Super Saiyan 2 while fighting Babidi and Dabura, he faces Goku Black, who slaughters Earth's residents. When Black reveals himself as a rogue Supreme Kai named Zamasu from an unaltered present timeline, Trunks transforms into the new Super Saiyan Rage form. He eventually gathers energy from all remaining life into his sword to create the Spirit Bomb Sword, cutting Fusion Zamasu in half before retreating to a new future timeline where Zamasu's actions never occurred.

In Their Own Story

Trunks first appeared as an infant in chapter #337 on August 26, 1991. By age eight, he participated in the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai, defeating Son Goten in the junior division despite both cheating equally; Goten is his best friend and rival, though Trunks is older and stronger. Future Trunks first appeared in chapter #331 on July 15, 1991, as a seventeen-year-old who singlehandedly killed Frieza and King Cold. After Goku returned from Planet Yardrat, Trunks confided his tragic story. He later fought Cell in the present timeline but was killed during the martial arts tournament before being revived by the Dragon Balls. In the future timeline, he trained with Vegeta in the Room of Spirit and Time, obtaining two additional grades of Super Saiyan which increased strength but decreased speed and ki consumption, leading him to abandon them after his fight with Cell. Upon returning to the past, he attained Super Saiyan 2 and learned techniques like the Galick Gun and Final Flash. When Black and Zamasu blamed his time traveling for their actions, it fueled his rage into the Super Saiyan Rage form.

Reader's Guide

Trunks possesses superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, and energy blasts utilizing ki. Both incarnations can transform into Super Saiyan; Future Trunks achieved this in his early teens, while present Trunks did so at age eight. Signature attacks for Future Trunks include the Burning Attack and Super Buster Cannon. He is known for wielding a longsword kept in a scabbard across his back and uses Bukū-jutsu for flight, though he also pilots crafts like the time machine. Present Trunks can fuse with Goten using a technique taught by Goku to become Gotenks. This fusion allows them to use humorous attacks like the Galactic Donut and their signature Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack, as well as achieve Super Saiyan 3 easily.

Did You Know?

• Akira Toriyama initially debated changing the voice actor for child Present Trunks but decided to keep Takeshi Kusao after hearing him a few times.
• The cries of infant Trunks were provided by Hiromi Tsuru in an uncredited role.
• Future Trunks abandoned two additional grades of Super Saiyan because they increased ki consumption and decreased speed, despite offering more strength.
• Present Trunks and Goten cheated equally during their match at the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai, with Trunks winning despite being older and stronger.
• In Dragon Ball Daima, a mini version of Trunks is voiced by Tsubasa Yonaga, breaking the usual pattern of Takeshi Kusao voicing the character.