While Dragon Ball isn't particularly a good example on how to write female characters, I never realized back when I was younger that Bulma was way ahead of female archetypes in the 1980s.
Sure she started as a fanservice girl that the male characters perv upon and a convenient plot device in assembling the dragon balls, but she didn't follow the typical formula of marrying and becoming a humble mother in the background of the story.
In Dragon Ball Z, she's 32 years old and unmarried, running the largest corporation in the planet and providing the Z fighters with the coolest gadgets. She got pregnant from a one night stand and showed up as a single mom. It wasn't treated like a shameful thing or a punishment. She's filthy rich, successful, doesn't need anyone and happy with her life.
Her relationship with Vegeta started as purely physical without any pining that followed. Bulma just accepted it as it was and went on with her life raising their child. Eventually they developed genuine feelings and married.
Vegeta became a house husband whom Bulma provides for. The issue of Vegeta needing to be a breadwinner just because he's a man never comes up, nor was it a source of ridicule for him. All Bulma asked for him is to be a good father.
Thanks for listening to my ramblings.
janainaart
annaxmalina
baratheonpilled
kianamaiart
blakekathryn
snowghoul
