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Dragon Ball Super has made a lot of creative decisions that have been quite divisive for people, with some creating new questions within the fandom. One of the most pressing questions is how Mai, one of Pilaf's gang members, is a child in Super, considering that she was a grown woman when she was first introduced to the series.
The Pilaf gang has received a bit more time in the spotlight in Super, as compared to the Z portion of the story, and they have had a comedic approach to things. While they wished for their youth back earlier in the Dragon Ball series, there is also another reason why Mai has remained a child in Super thus far, which is likely related to another character.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Dragon Ball Super series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda.
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Mai is a child in Dragon Ball Super for more than one reason
As established in a Dragon Ball Super mini-arc, Mai and the rest of the Pilaf Gang became children during an off-screen moment in the Android Saga. They were already aging significantly while looking for the Dragon Balls to conquer the world, so when finally got them, they wished for their youth back. However, due to unknown reasons, Shenron turned them into children. This is why they look the way they do in Dragon Ball Super.
However, while this has been mostly a comedic element throughout Dragon Ball Super, there was also another angle for the character—to give Trunks a love interest of his same age. This has been emphasized in the present, with Trunks and Mai developing feelings for one another, and Future Trunks and Mai also developing a relationship throughout the Goku Black arc.
The relationship between Trunks and Mai has also had some development during the Super Hero arc in the Dragon Ball Super manga. Trunks has been shown to have feelings for her, and some moments in the arc emphasized that, while also giving them some development in that regard.
The nature of the Super series
The role of the Pilaf gang in the series could be a very good example of how Toriyama and Toyotaro are trying to bring the franchise back to its roots. This is because, not only was the Pilaf Gang was one of the first antagonists in the entire series, but also one of the most comedic and lighthearted ones, which was consistent with the original tone of the manga.
Author Akira Toriyama had to evolve the series to a more dramatic and serious approach during the Z portion of the series and felt a burned out, which is something that was at full display in the Buu Saga. So, when Toriyama returned with the Dragon Ball Super sequel, he decided to recover the lighthearted and comedic approach in the storytelling side of things.
That approach has been divisive to a lot of people, especially considering those fans who grew up with the Z portion of the story and feel that was the classic version of the franchise. However, that lighthearted tone has been something that has defined Super since the beginning of the sequel.
Final thoughts
Mai became a child during Dragon Ball Z, with Shenron turning her and the rest of the Pilaf Gang into kids when they asked him to give them their youth back. She also had a somewhat significant role in Dragon Ball Super as a love interest for Trunks.
