Dragon Ball has become one of the most widely read manga there is. Few works can claim to rival Toriyama's favorite. However, the adventures presented today differ greatly from the initial direction of the manga. I'm not complaining, I can't imagine my life without Genkidama or Final Flash ! However, I am nostalgic for the days when the fights were done in a slightly more realistic setting. That's why I'm going to talk to you today about one of the first antagonists and then protagonists of Dragon Ball, Yamcha .
Yamcha is one of the longest-running protagonists in the Dragon Ball series. He is a skilled human martial artist. 🥋
Today ridiculed, the young warrior nevertheless participated several times in the protection of planet Earth and contributed to the evolution of our hero. But then, what are the inspirations behind the creation of this character? What does it look like ? How does he reason? What can we learn from his appearances? Why is he so little liked by the public?
In this ultimate guide, you will learn about the character:
- His different appearances and his deep personality
- His story, his detailed biography through his appearances
- His favorite techniques
- Its most unspoken secrets!
YAMCHA APPEARANCE
Yamcha is a character created based on several other existing characters. It therefore brings together several traits specific to these characters in question. In any case, Yamcha is easily recognizable by his physique, although quite common. He is tall and attractive. He has a relatively slim build. He has long black hair like most of the characters in the work. 👨🦱
However, if there's one thing that sets Yamcha apart, it's his facial scars. During the work, he changed appearances and outfits several times. It is therefore difficult to paint a faithful portrait of this character. We have already written an article on this subject, if you want to discover this mystery don't hesitate to go see: How did Yamcha get his scar?
YAMCHA’S PERSONALITY
In general, Toriyama offers rather simple characters. Just look at Goku . He is strong, loves to eat, is not very intelligent, but a true martial genius and above all a great friend. This definition corresponds both to the little child of Dragon Ball and to the quasi-god present in Dragon Ball Super. However, it also happens to present characters evolving over the course of the story. Our dear Yamcha belongs to this second category.
It must be said that in the first episodes, he was a pseudo-villain. He attacked passers-by who crossed his territory and robbed them without hesitation. But at the same time, he was a boy with a big heart. He honestly cared about his shifter friend Plume and always did what was necessary to help him. Yamcha was also unique in his universe. Indeed, although he had above average martial power, he was simply incapable of approaching a woman. This phobia (ridiculous at first glance) is what will mainly define the character. Toriyama also specifies that he was only 16 years old at the time of the events. So, although slightly extreme, his reactions were not completely incomprehensible either. 👦
In Dragon Ball Z, the situation changes. Yamcha gains confidence and gets more and more used to the company of his young ladies. Naturally handsome, he quickly became a famous womanizer. Dating Bulma at first, the two eventually break up, but remain on good terms regardless. This Yamcha seems to be the final version of the DBZ series. Indeed, apart from his character design, nothing changes about him along the arcs. Early fans will certainly enjoy reading the highlights of this hero.
In Dragon Ball GT, Yamcha is almost non-existent. His special appearance and yellow outfit didn't make a splash with fans. He will be seen two or three times at best. The only notable fact is his last appearance. You can see him on his good old scooter in his famous desert.
Should we see this as a return to origins? Or is it just a little reference for early fans? One thing is certain, this vision is rather satisfactory. 🛵
In Dragon Ball Super, Yamcha is a bit of a clown on duty. He is barely considered a fighter. Given the unreasonable level of power the characters have reached, this isn't really surprising. The gag side is accentuated to the maximum and any opportunity is good to ridicule the warrior. At least that's the case in the anime. In the DBS manga , Yamcha has recently had a bit of a spotlight. Indeed, with the rest of Team Z, he helped prevent the invasion of Earth by Moro's galactic bandits. This is one of the rare scenes where the warrior side of the character resurfaces. It's really a great surprise for the fans.
BIOGRAPHY OF YAMCHA
Yamcha has a rather complex biography. Indeed, there are a multitude of intriguing facts regarding its creation. Furthermore, the character offers a certain variety of techniques. 💥
THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND ITS CREATION
In the journey to the West, Sha Wujing is Son Goku's first powerful opponent. He is a bandit ruling the sea of sand and attacking anyone who approaches his territory . Yamcha is a parodied version of this character. Their goals match and so do their attitudes. Their environments are similar and their role as antagonist is defined. We can consider that this is the character at the origin of the essence of Yamcha. 📚
As for the physical, it's a completely different story. Sha Wujing is incredibly ugly and Toriyama wanted to make his character a handsome boy. So he chose to take inspiration from Tsukutsun Yun, a character from Dr. Slump . Their appearance is very similar and they share a few character points. For example, they are all skilled in martial arts and afraid of women. If the first fears them through phobia, the second transforms into a tiger upon contact.
The last character used in the creation of Yamcha is Pink. From “Toriyama One Shot”, he is a desert bandit riding an “air bike”. I don't think I need to emphasize the points of connection this time.
ITS FLAGSHIP TECHNIQUES
The power of a character is proportional to the power of his techniques. Yamcha doesn't really present techniques with immeasurable destructive power. However, he managed to prevail during numerous sagas. For what ? Quite simply because of his ingenuity. Almost all of the techniques he is capable of performing have unique characteristics capable of reducing the power gap. Here are the main Yamcha techniques.
- Rôga Fu Fu Ken
This is the first technique that the character uses in the adventure. It also remained his signature attack for many years. Yamcha forms the fangs of a wolf with his hands and fingers. Then, he charges his opponent with all his strength. This technique looks like a double palm strike at first glance, but reveals itself to be a slash attack through the use of the character's fingers. When attacking, his aura creates an image of a wolf in the background. Before the advent of ki, this type of technique was considered one of the most impressive. 🐺
- The Kamehameha
Do I really need to talk about this technique? I do not think so. This is the iconic energy ball from manga history. It allows you to charge ki, then release a large quantity of it in one hit. The hands serve as a catalyst and the pronunciation of the technique seems to give an idea of the timing of release. The simple fact that Yamcha has mastered this technique proves two things:
- He is a student who received the teaching of the brilliant turtle and who succeeded in assimilating it;
- He is a martial genius.
It’s a shame that the appearance of real power monsters has ended up making us forget these truths! 💥
- The Sokidan
This was the technique that replaced the wolf bite as the flagship technique. Unlike its predecessor, Sokidan is not a physical attack. Rather, it is a ball of ki controlled by Yamcha's will. His range of action is rather high and the degree of control he can exercise over it is optimal. This attack therefore has a very good chance of hitting your opponent even if he or she has very good dodging skills or excellent reflexes.
YAMCHA APPEARANCES IN DRAGON BALL
Yamcha is a recurring character in the Dragon Ball franchise. Even if he is quite secondary today, he was once a central character in the work. Thus, he appeared in all the Dragon Ball sagas and in many films. 📺
YAMCHA IN DRAGON BALL
Son Goku's adventures begin with the appearance of Bulma . However, the hero's martial adventures only begin once Yamcha arrives. Aged 16, the young man is a bandit. He made a famous desert his territory. And like any bandit, he set out to rob any individual passing through his territory. Even our hero was no exception. Indeed, during the first meeting of the two young men in the saga of the seven crystal balls, it is Yamcha who wins. The confrontation is close, but he finally manages to beat Son Goku in a simple fight! In the end he will have to capitulate in the second round. Indeed, because of Bulma's presence, he proved incapable of deploying all his power. He will then join the group in its various adventures. 🚗
Our friends will separate following the (particular) events of the first saga. They nevertheless promise to meet again at the next Budokai Tenkaïchi. So, after a long and rigorous training, Yamcha makes his comeback. The young man is much stronger than before. Almost effortlessly, he managed to make his way to the round of 16. But faced with the power of Jaki Chun, he can only bow.
He also demonstrates incredible instinct and is on the verge of discovering the true reality of the master in disguise. But in the end, he ends up getting screwed like the rest of the gang. He is one of the warriors who chose to help Son Goku in his quest for the last crystal ball. After a long fight, he will succeed in defeating the invisible man. But the mummy, the next fighter, is much too powerful for him. It was roughly from there that the gap between his power and that of the protagonist began to really widen. 💥
Determined to catch up with friends, Yamcha follows Awesome Turtle 's training in preparation for the 22nd martial arts tournament. Shortly before the tournament, his level rivals that of Krillin. He finds himself facing Ten Shin Han following a trick from Chaozu. Despite everything, he doesn't let himself be dismantled. His power and that of his opponent appear to be rather similar. Unfortunately, this was only Ten Shin Han's will. He quickly decides to get down to business and shows the enormous gap that separates him from Yamcha. Even the upgraded version of his signature move, the Rôga Fu Fu Ken, gets stopped with ease. Determined to surpass his limits, the warrior somehow manages to trigger a kamehameha. This feat also impresses his fellow student and brilliant turtle. Unfortunately, even this last chance attack is no match for Ten Chin Han's Kiai. He will end up with his leg deliberately broken by his opponent. Goku will then swear to avenge him.
After these events, the future members of Team Z had time to rest and train. Unfortunately, the arrival of Piccolo Daimaō cut this break short. Yamcha, still injured, was unable to go in search of the dragon balls with the rest of the team. Still, he couldn't stand the idea of sitting quietly while his friends risked their lives. He then decided to go to King Castle after learning of Ten Shin Han's situation. This maneuver will prove useless in the end since Goku will have sorted everything out beforehand. However, it will prove the absence of resentment between the formerly enemy characters. 📣
We find Yamcha at the 23rd Budokai Tenkaïchi. This time again, the elimination rounds pose no problem for him. Unfortunately, he found himself having to face Chen in the round of 16. This tournament confirms my theory, Yamcha suffers from a curse linked to old men! He does his best, but is clearly not up to par. Even after trying his best, he is unable to bridge the gap between them. Yamcha then decides to use his new technique: Sokidan . It is a ball of energy that he is able to maneuver from a distance. Thanks to the surprise effect, he managed to inflict some damage on Chen...but nothing more. He is thrown out by the old man and sadly joins the spectators. 👨🦳
It is with this defeat that Yamcha's key appearances in Dragon Ball end. Fortunately, in the Z saga, we will have the opportunity to see the young man at work just as often.
YAMCHA IN DRAGON BALL Z
Dragon Ball Z begins with the revelation of the existence of the Saiyans and the announcement of the arrival of the Nappa / Vegeta duo. The members of Team Z (the humans at least) go to the earth god to follow his training. They are then confronted by Saiyans from the past and are exterminated. They still manage to follow the training. A few days before the Duo's arrival, Yamcha's power is greater than that of Raditz. 🥇
He will be the first to face the Saibamans , smelling something bad. His instinct will unfortunately not save him. Indeed, after having succeeded in defeating the Saibaman, he takes Yamcha to the grave with a kamikaze attack. This death will be the first step in Yamcha's descent into hell in the esteem of fans. However, this death will allow him to benefit from Master Kaïo's training . He will come back much stronger later. 🥋
The chain of events led the Z-Fighters to face Frieza . Thus, they did not have time to resurrect the fallen warriors (Ten Shin Han, Chaozu and of course Yamcha) . They will be resurrected right after Frieza's destruction. Yamcha will live with his girlfriend Bulma, but will not tolerate Vegeta 's presence there. This is also where the first signs of a breakup between our first romantic duo were born. Subsequently, Mecha Frieza and his father will travel to earth. Fortunately, Trunks from the future will be able to eliminate them. After the young man's remarks, Bulma will understand that she has no future with Yamcha. Indeed, Trunks claimed that the Bulma of the future called Yamcha a womanizer. These terms marked the end of the romantic relationship between our two protagonists. 💑
Yamcha will prepare for the arrival of the Cyborgs by training (like all the other members of Team Z) . He will also be the first to face them. Indeed, he was the warrior that C-20 determined to be closest and attacked without restraint. Poor Yamcha was simply helpless. However, this meeting will prove beneficial in the long term. Indeed, he discovers the greatest danger that cyborgs represent: their palms capable of absorbing the energy of fighters. Thus, being captured means not only being put out of action, but also strengthening the power of the adversary. After having miraculously escaped, he will take Goku to be treated following the appearance of the first symptoms of the illness announced by Trunks. This was the only fight Yamcha took part in during the entire arc. He will then go to the Cell Games as a spectator. 👀
However, the appearance of Cell Junior will force him to fight again. Like all the Z team fighters, he was literally crushed. Fortunately, Son Gohan's awakening will save them all. In the anime, he is entitled to a scene that does not exist in the manga. Indeed, we see him trigger a Kikoha at the same time as the legendary Kaméhaméha father son. He will then bring the totally exhausted young Saiyan to the celestial palace for their big celebration. 🎉
At the beginning of the Majin Boo saga, the 24th martial arts tournament takes place. With his current power, Yamcha realizes that his chances of victory are zero. He then chooses to pass his turn. Despite everything, he decides to come as a spectator in order to chat with Goku for a moment. During Krillin's fight, he notices that little Maron is worried about her dad. He reassures her immediately. He told him that no earthling could rival his father in terms of power. During Vegeta's possession by the Majin seal, it kills half of the viewers present. 🧨
Part of the Z-Team, including Yamcha, then goes in search of the crystal balls. After granting two wishes, Goku appears out of nowhere and asks them not to grant the last one. Shenron then explains that it is possible and that the crystal balls would be available in 8 months rather than a year. Delighted, Goku leaves to confront Buu calmly. Subsequently, Yamcha will take refuge with God. Indeed, the earth was simply being exterminated by Buu so it was the only safe place. But Buu, after evolution, detects their energy. Yamcha then ends up transformed into a sweet snack. 🍬
The end of the DBZ Saga seems to mark the end of Yamcha's life as a warrior. This will not prevent him from appearing during subsequent adventures.
YAMCHA IN DRAGON BALL GT
This is probably the saga where the character of Yamcha appears the least. It would be possible to count the total number of his interventions during the entire adventure on one hand. However, each appearance gives us an idea of his daily life. For example, his brief appearance in the first episodes shows us a casually dressed Yamcha. He has put away his uniform and seems to be living a normal life. ⛺
Then at the end, we see this same Yamcha on his scooter in his desert. We can now be certain, the circle has been closed. At least if we stop there. Indeed, we will have the chance to see him again in the Dragon Ball Super saga. 👁🗨
YAMCHA IN DRAGON BALL SUPER
This is by far the saga where Yamcha is most ridiculed. Despite everything, he will sometimes prove to still be a true warrior (at least in scan). ⚔
During the Beerus arc, Yamcha is on the boat when the god of destruction arrives. Curious and above all unaware of the divine origins of the new arrival, he claims to be the most powerful warrior on this boat. He then gives Beerus an affectionate slap on the back. Vegeta, devastated, already saw the inevitable end of planet Earth. Despite everything, Beerus takes things very calmly and continues to enjoy the moment. 🎉
During the tournament between Universes 7 and 6, Yamcha will go to the nameless planet as a spectator. He reacted in a rather neutral way throughout the tournament except on two occasions. The first time was to express his astonishment following Goku's defeat against Frost. He was convinced of the victory of the flagship Saiyan of their universe. The second time, it was to express his doubts about Vegeta's nature. He seemed convinced that the heartless, genocidal warrior of days gone by was making a comeback. He later realizes that it was only a trick intended to help Cabba awaken his Saiyan powers. 🔥
Yamcha then makes the biggest blunder of his life at the victory party. Indeed, following Monaca's fainting, Beerus had taken the latter's place by disguising himself. Goku had a classic fight and the god's trickery was kept secret. Everything was going well until dear Yamcha revealed that Monaca had passed out for a while. At that precise moment, Beerus, mad with rage, was preparing to destroy almost everything around him. Fortunately, Goku's naivety avoided this catastrophe. Indeed, he deduced that Monaca must be similar to Boo and undergo divisions. 💥
Universes 6 and 7 will organize a baseball game. At least, that's what they will do in principle. In fact, absolutely no one on the ground knows the rules except Yamcha. He will consider it his hour of glory and will give everything for his team. Despite the absurd attitude of the players (and coaches for that matter) , he managed to deliver a more than honorable performance. At the end of the match, the two gods of destruction quarrel and spray the field with destructive energy. In the end, only Yamcha is unable to escape. He will then find himself pinned to the ground, in a fetal position that we know only too well. In the end, he will be the only one not to have left the field. Universe 7 was therefore declared the winner. ⚾
Most recently, in the scans, Yamcha will participate in the fight against the invading Moro army. At first, the Galactic Patrol agents will consider him weak. Jaco will even call him a new recruit. Yamcha will then tell them who was undoubtedly one of the greatest veterans on his planet. He will subsequently expose his power by contributing to the arrest of numerous bandits. 🚨
YAMCHA IN THE DRAGON BALL MOVIES
Outside of classic anime, Yamcha has regularly appeared in films. Let's discover his appearances without further ado! 🎬
Dragon Ball – The Legend of Shenron
Basically, the objective of this film was to rewrite the history of the first volumes of Dragon Ball. It was also a real success, as it was quite well received by the public. In this film production, Yamcha is once again a widely renowned bandit. This time, Oolong is aware of his landmark. After using all his powers in vain to defeat Son Goku, he reluctantly lands at Yamcha's lair. The latter, along with Plume , was naturally present to welcome this unexpected visitor. We will also have to take a short moment to recognize the perfect staging of Yamcha's appearance. 🌟
Basically, Son Goku was watching as a spectator the quarrel between Oolong and Yamcha. In spite of himself, he ended up rubbing shoulders with Yamcha who quickly lost his calm in the face of so much naivety. We will then be treated to a big fight of impressive intensity. As you might expect, Goku takes the advantage in this fight. Yamcha then uses his famous technique, Roga Fu Fu Ken , which Goku takes with difficulty. With the Janken technique, Yamacha then decided to withdraw.
In the sequel to this film, the character is repeatedly put in the spotlight. On many occasions, his qualities, his faults, his weaknesses will be developed. This is arguably one of the rare films in which Yamcha plays a significant role. 🎥
Dragon Ball – The Sleeping Princess of Demon Castle
Accompanied by Bulma, Plume , and Oolong, Yamcha goes to visit Son Goku at the Kamé house. It is then that they will learn that the latter sent them to the demon's castle in order to find the sleeping princess. On their way, they were attacked by demons. Bulma was kidnapped. Faced with this situation, Plume and Oolong and Yamcha are forced to go looking for their friend. Plume and Oolong's transformation techniques allow Yamcha to infiltrate demons. This promising plan quickly fell through, as Oolong was unable to maintain his appearance for more than 5 minutes. In the end, they were all imprisoned along with Goku and Krillin. Luckily, Goku transformed into Oozaru so he could free them all.
The story of this film is quite intriguing. It also features many legendary characters from the Dragon Ball universe. Once again Yamcha was present alongside Team Z. Even if his influence was less, he was still useful.
Apart from these two films, Yamcha has appeared in several other feature films. This is the case, for example, of:
- Dragon Ball – The Great Mystical Adventure;
- Dragon Ball – The Path of the Strongest;
- Dragon Ball Z – The Decisive Super Battle Around Earth;
- Dragon Ball Z – The Galaxy on the Verge of Chaos!! The extraordinary destroyer;
- Dragon Ball Z – Battle of the Gods;
- The desperation to resist!! The surviving warriors – Gohan and Trunks.
ANECDOTES ABOUT YAMCHA
Toriyama has always taken care to properly develop all his characters. Thus, each offers its share of anecdotes and intriguing facts. Yamcha is no exception, let's find out these!
- He is the biggest mystery in the Dragon Ball universe in terms of popularity. There are several theories as to its low popularity, but none of them is unanimous. Let's take the example of the main ones:
- The best known concerns its low power level . Krillin's fame and that of Awesome Turtle make it difficult to imagine.
- The second relates to its use for comic purposes . It must be said that the character was clearly not spared by the author. However, this is the case for everyone in the Akira T universe. It is this constant touch of comedy that has allowed the universe to prosper.
- The last argument mentions its botched story development. But on this point, he sincerely has nothing to envy of those around him. It is also one of the rare ones to truly give the feeling of evolving over the course of the sagas. Could this then be a staging? Personally, that's what I believe.
- Yamcha's phobia for women is the only psychological weakness exposed in the Dragon Ball universe. She certainly ends up disappearing, but still makes Yamcha's character unique.
- Yamcha is inspired by Sha Wujing, desert bandit. He is an early antagonist of the Journey to the West account. He also resembles one of the central characters in Dr. Slump, Toriyama's second seminal work.
WHY IS YAMCHA SO UNAPPRECIATED BY FANS?
The character of Yamcha is one of the first in the Dragon Ball universe. However, for several years, its popularity has been in free fall. When Yamcha is mentioned, he is often subject to ridicule and seems to have long since lost credibility in the public eye. This situation is really surprising given the recurrence of the character in the series and its seniority. What can justify such a fall in the prestige that Yamcha once enjoyed? 😭
A STAGNIANT CHARACTER
Toriyama never really tried to develop his characters psychologically. Son Goku is the perfect example. Until now, its main characteristics have remained unchanged. On the bad side, it's the same. Frieza , whether as an ally or enemy, remains a complete egoist, a sadist ready to do anything to achieve his objectives. Of course, there are some exceptions. The most notable remains Vegeta. Saiyan prince in the service of Frieza, he will end up becoming one of the shields responsible for taking care of earthlings, and even the entire universe. Cold and calculating, he will gradually learn to open up to others. But what about Yamcha? 🙄
The character's personality undergoes some small changes throughout the series. For example, the brawling teenager from Dragon Ball becomes a more civilized man in DBZ. Terrified of women in the past, he is now a real heartbreaker. But that's all ! Yamcha has not experienced any significant developments. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. It must be said that even characters at the center of the universe suffer this same stagnation. But his case is different. Son Goku may not change mentally, but he still takes us to a more absurd level of power.
In the end, as long as he fights and smiles, the majority of fans would be satisfied. But Yamcha is weaker than the majority of those around him. The only way to captivate the public is therefore through psychological evolution. But he simply can't do it. Or at least he won't have the chance again. The current universe offers far too many giants so why be interested in a fallen hero? At best, we could see him make his entry again in a Spin off dedicated to him. 🎬
AN MEDIUM POWER LEVEL
What do you think of when you hear Dragon Ball? Thinking during fights? To the personal history of the characters? To the development of technology in the universe? No, no and no ! You think kaméhaméha , you think Final Flash, you think teleportation and hakai. For what ? Quite simply because the beauty of Dragon Ball is its simplicity. The more the story progresses, the more powerful the characters become. The plot is developed, just enough, and all the rest of the budget is spent on transformations, new techniques, unimaginable circumstances. Everything is good to provoke an incredible fight. Now imagine Yamcha in one of these fights. You see ? He would die in seconds. 💨
The power level needed to stay at the top of Team Z continues to increase. Recently, it seems that a fighter worthy of the name should be able to destroy a planet (at least). Yamcha is just an earthling. He lives a simple life, frolicking then training. He gives his best and does his best to live up to it. But, deep down, Yamcha is just a mortal. There is a limit to the feats he can hope to accomplish. It is not weak, but the current power level is simply unreasonable. So, the more time passes, the less it seems to be able to be integrated into the plots. For example, when selecting the participants for the Tournament of Power, Goku didn't even think about inviting him. The poor man, upon hearing the news, waited to receive his invitation until the last moment. How do you expect him to accomplish anything if he's always pushed aside? 😓
THE ABSENCE OF SIGNIFICANT WEAPON FACTS TO HIS ASSETS
Initially, Dragonball was a story telling the stories of a duo (Son Goku and Bulma) who went in search of "the legendary Dragon Balls". The story was in its early stages and fans were still discovering the universe. This made it easier to find his way into their hearts. Who could claim not to have tried the wolf technique at least once? Who wasn't amazed when seeing Yamcha guide his ki balls and then use them to pursue the opponent and annihilate them? But today, even baby Pan flies out of the atmosphere to get a closer look at the stars. Of course, Yamcha never stood still. Above all, he remains a veteran of the Z team . Therefore, when the new danger approached, he always prepared carefully and never spared his efforts. But, in the end, what did he accomplish?
He died during the battle against the Saiyans. In terms of power, he was on level. But he couldn't do anything in the face of the kamikaze attack from one of Nappa's Saibaman. Against the cyborgs, it was a completely different story. Just like the other earthlings, he was simply far too weak. In the following arc, he served as a sweet dessert for Boo while hidden in Dendé's palace. He made his return to DBGT…for a few seconds. In fact, we only see it once or twice at best. Then in DBS...you might as well not talk about it... 😫
In the end, it is impossible to connect Yamcha to any truly surprising fact. This is probably why Toriyama chose to make him such a humorous character in the end! 😅
THE USE OF THE CHARACTER COMIC ENDINGS
Toriyama is a comic at heart. He demonstrated this on several occasions and through incredible anecdotes. The first is the very origin of the Dragon Ball story. Following the first publications, the name of the main character, his nature and his objectives, it is obvious that Dragon Ball is a parody of the Chinese tale of Son Goku. So Toriyama's basic inspirations and uses were rather comical. Subsequently, over the course of the episodes, we discover new characters with… peculiar names. Indeed, Akira Toriyama was content to use the names of dishes or everyday objects to name almost all of his characters. If you don't believe me, take a look on the internet and check the meaning of Son Goku, Bulma or Vegeta. I warn you dear fans, you risk having a heart attack. But the biggest victim of the author's humorous tendencies remains and will undoubtedly remain Yamcha! 🤣
This observation was easy to make since the character's first appearance. A lawless bandit, Yamcha was an important character in history. He is also the first to match Son Goku in terms of power. And yet, his weakness, the element that partly caused his defeat, is his fear...of girls. I'm not kidding, Yamcha was terrified of women. Although he admired them, he was unable to see one without running away. 👩
From the start, Toriyama gave an idea of his intentions with this character: a strong warrior, but still fun. Thus, he will find himself in ever crazier situations. Unfortunately, the joke that was highly appreciated by fans at first ended up turning into a disappointment.
Indeed, it is interesting to see the comic adventures of a powerful character. The dance Vegeta did to distract Beerus is still ingrained in our minds. But if this character becomes too weak, he loses all interest and simply becomes a subject of mockery. Poor Yamcha has therefore become the laughing stock of Toriyama's universe. Many fans sum up the character to his position as a fetus after the Saibaman explosion. The little wink during the baseball game between universes didn't really help matters. ⚾
Let's be clear, Yamcha is nowhere near as popular as it once was. However, what about the character's power?
IS YAMCHA A WEAK CHARACTER?
Our analysis leads us to a simple conclusion: Yamcha is far behind when it comes to power . It must be said that Dragon Ball tends to fall into excess in terms of power. The manga, which initially remained within a fairly realistic framework, now shows us characters capable of destroying planets by sneezing (hello Beerus!). It is difficult to imagine a simple earthling reaching such heights. Even the main character (Son Goku) is surpassed in terms of power by dozens of characters, so Yamcha... But should we consider Yamcha a lost cause? 🚣♀️
The character of Yamcha is one of the most powerful earthlings there is. His martial technique and ingenuity rival those of Awesome Turtle, Tien and Krillin. He has an interesting range of techniques and remains Son Goku's first real opponent (or at least the first we will see again later) . You agree that this is not a feat within the reach of just anyone. Yamcha is strong, really strong. If there was a competition reserved for earthlings, he would clearly have a high chance of winning. 🏆
But the Dragon Ball universe is vast. Although the story is centered on earthly adventures, it takes us more and more often to visit the rest of the universe. So the more we have, the less classic characters interest us. At this point, just seeing him still appear in the story is a testament to the character's longevity. Failing to impress us with his martial techniques, he fascinated us with his decadent personality and the comical situations in which he finds himself. There is no doubt, Yamcha remains a strong character in the Dragon Ball license. 💥
JOIN THE DESERT BANDITS THANKS TO YAMCHA!
Yamcha is one of the first characters in the history of the Japanese Dragon Ball saga. His big-hearted bandit attitude allowed us to see Toriyama's world from a different point of view. In addition, he has very good martial skills and gave us some great fights. Even when he proved too weak, he often managed to save face through his ingenuity. 👁🗨
But the current Yamcha no longer has anything to do with the old character. It remains interesting, but is clearly relegated to the background by the author. It's an understandable choice, but sad for such an icon of the Dragon Ball universe. I hope that you will be able to appreciate the character in a more objective way and understand how his contribution to the Toriyama universe is immeasurable. Don't hesitate to tell us what you thought of the character in the comments!
