#22nd budokai

[everymangatenshinhan]

[bobobazarra]

can you draw Yamcha

yeah!!

[christiangatattack]

Goku vs Krillin at the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai | Dragon Ball | Tien Shinhan Saga

[scoots-canoe]

I got into DB on a whim because I wanted to watch DBZ and learn what all the memes and stuff were about... And I was trying to see what order to watch it in or whatever, so when I saw ogdb existed I was like oh that looks cute and it comes first! OK ill watch this one first!

To think that so many dbz fans havent seen it... 🥲

Its so good that im still hung up on it and barely even watching dbz 😭

[tobiasdrake]

FUN FACT: Did you know that Vegeta wasn't blowing smoke on Namek when he claimed to have become a Super Saiyan?

Well. Not entirely, anyway.

And also the process of becoming a Super Saiyan is kind of complicated, and Goku is an enlightened martial arts master.

The process of becoming a Super Saiyan is complicated. The English dub got a bit confused on this point while they were frantically erasing as much spirituality and also martial arts and general power levels talk as they could from the series.

The dub was bad. I don't think that's a surprise to anyone. It was a 90's anime dub. It scrubbed the source material of a lot of stuff.

But specifically here, the dub confused matters when it said that to become a Super Saiyan, you have to be pure of heart. This confused matters, because being purehearted is a thing in Dragon Ball. You have to be purehearted to ride the Nimbus.

This concept of pureheartedness exists in Dragon Ball. But it has nothing to do with the Super Saiyan.

This isn't the same as that. To become a Super Saiyan, you need something else. Notably, the Viz manga also translates this idea as "pure of heart"....

But the idea being translated here is more along the lines of tranquility than innocent goodness.

Becoming a Super Saiyan is a bit of a process. To understand the Super Saiyan, we need to talk about limit-breaking. This is a concept that's expressed repeatedly throughout Dragon Ball. In order to become Dragon Ball Powerful, you have to break your limits. You hit a ceiling and that's as far as you can go, until you find some new way to push through and break that ceiling. The series is big on this idea.

As an example, Mr. Satan is an incredibly formidable martial artist. He is peak. Top-tier fighter. ...within human limits. But he doesn't hold a candle to Krillin because Krillin broke the human limit in childhood.

Mr. Satan is basically Panput from the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai.

Saiyans are in a different league from humans, and they have different set limits. Different norms, different standards, and different potentials. But, like humans, there's a ceiling. The first step to becoming a Super Saiyan is breaking the Saiyan limit.

Goku, as a low-class Saiyan trained on Earth in martial arts, was able to break through the Saiyan limit during his gravity training in space. This wasn't the goal of his training, mind; Goku had a particular goal in mind. He was subjecting himself to intense gravity so that he could acclimate his body to withstanding higher levels of Kaioken.

Not even realizing that was what he was doing, Goku was the first to shatter his Saiyan boundary and take the first step to becoming a Super Saiyan.

That Goku has transcended Saiyan abilities isn't lost on either Vegeta or Captain Ginyu, both of whom peg him as a Super Saiyan... before walking it back because Goku lacks the overwhelming bloodthirst and battle hunger that characterizes the legend.

Poor Goku has no idea what any of these people are on about. He might as well be listening to Game of Thrones fans infodump about the Lannisters.

But he wasn't alone. During his fight with Jeice following his third Zenkai of the arc, Vegeta finds himself trashing Jeice. Vegeta's as surprised as Jeice is, to be honest. Even with a Zenkai, he should not be doing this well.

Vegeta's last Zenkai wasn't just a Zenkai. It pushed him through the Saiyan limit.

You see, something happens to a Saiyan as they cross that boundary. Their ki begins to swell astronomically in preparation for becoming a Super Saiyan. Both Goku and Vegeta at this point have entered a sort of proto-Super Saiyan state. Their powers are passively being inflated.

Goku, too, eventually realizes that his power is growing at an astronomical rate that cannot be explained by his training or his Zenkai boosts or any phenomenon he's aware of. He's just. Swelling with power for reasons he can't fathom.

Neither of them are Super Saiyans yet. They still need the right spark to ignite it - and, despite knowing more about the Super Saiyan legend than Goku, Vegeta has no idea what that spark is. But they're both inflating like balloons in preparation for ignition.

Vegeta brings up the proto-Super Saiyan again in his first showdown with Frieza.

He recognizes that he is not yet the Super Saiyan. But he is a proto-Super Saiyan. He still feels it, still feels his power inflating within himself. He just. Needs. That. Spark.

But he won't find it. He said it himself: He doesn't think Goku and his "soft heart" can become the Super Saiyan. The Super Saiyan is supposed to be filled with rage and battle hunger.

But breaking the Saiyan limit isn't enough. You need the spark: A tranquil heart awakened by rage.

There are two pieces to that. The first is a tranquil heart. What does that mean? It means tranquility. Stillness. Peace. Becoming one with yourself and the cosmic universe.

During his training in space, with nothing to concern himself with and no distractions, Goku found tranquility. Alone in the void of space with only his beloved art, he achieved a measure of serenity and peace that he's never known before.

When Goku steps off that ship, he's different. He's entirely focused on the task at hand. He doesn't even want to fight the Ginyus, which is a stark departure for his character. He has no interest in the joy of battle; Only in doing what he came for and going home.

Goku asks the Ginyu Force multiple times to just go away. He does not care about this. He is thoroughly disinterested in fighting.

He's not even mad. They beat up his son and his best friend, and Goku does not care. Also, he can read minds now. Because he is the Heavenly Buddha, I guess.

This is a super weird moment, but its main purpose is to demonstrate that Goku has become... something else. He's not just "Goku but stronger"; he's changed on a fundamental level.

Goku is no longer a rash, impulsive student. He has become a master of his art. Do you see that kanji on his back? Kaio presented Goku with this new dogi after he got out of the hospital... uh... somehow.

You. Uh. You gonna elaborate on where the fuck that came from, Goku? No? Okay, man. You do you.

In any case, Goku's new dogi is distinctive because it erases the sigils of both the Kame school and Kaio. Originally, he would wear the Kame sigils on both front and back to reflect his status as a student of Kame-senryu.

Even if he did only technically study Kame-senryu for less than a year. It's fine; the Muten-Roshi filled him with a lot of philosophy that's guided him over the years so it still counts.

After he trained under Kaio, the sigil on his back was replaced with Kaio's sigil, to reflect that he is Kaio's student now as much as he is the Muten-Roshi's. Though he left the Kame-senryu sigil on Goku's front, because he is a student of both.

But from the moment Goku steps off that ship, both Kaio and the Kame sigils have been replaced by this new one.

This new sigil serves two purposes. First is that it's the first kanji of Goku's name. Both of his masters are now gone from Goku's expression, replaced by Goku himself; This symbolizes that Goku has, himself, become the master. His art is now fully his own.

Goku is at the peak of his journey. There is nothing more for him to learn. It falls to him now to cultivate, develop, and evolve his art for himself, using the knowledge and mastery he's acquired. And, as we'll see in the next arc, to ultimately pass it on to the next generation to come.

But, bringing this back to the tranquil heart thing: The kanji for 'Go' also represents enlightenment. Goku has found peace with himself and his place in the cosmic universe. That is why he, and not Vegeta, is ready to have his spark ignited.

He's broken the Saiyan limit. He has a tranquil heart. All he needs now is to snap, and have his tranquil heart awakened by rage.

But Vegeta still has a ways to go. Because his heart is far from tranquil.

The best he can come up with is "I Zenkai'd into this, I can Zenkai out of it!" Vegeta is very fettered, especially in conflict with Frieza. He is not one with the cosmic universe. He is a nervous wreck of emotions and wants and distractions. He was so close, but he could never have ignited here. Not under these circumstances.

No, Vegeta would only find his tranquility after becoming stranded on Earth. (No, anime, Vegeta did not have a spare spaceship on hand to leave immediately.)

Three years, living at Capsule Corp until he moved out and got his own place. Free from the yoke of Frieza and able to pursue nothing more than his own self-improvement. Driven by a desire to surpass Goku but in a low-stress environment...

...and apparently hanging out with Bulma in his downtime.

That's where Vegeta found his tranquility. And the spark of rage that ignited his tranquil heart? His own inadequacies, of course.

Never change, Vegeta. XD

[small-screen-superman]

Not my art but had to share. Yamcha (22nd Budokai era) & Puar by Salvamakoto! Give this amazing fan artist some love!

[mr-not-null]

It'd be cool if you could share ur thoughts and headcanons on that au! And also I adore your Yamcha design sm

I dont have thaaat many thoughts tbh i just wanted to make a cool yamcha design and make tien wear pink jajaja

But someof them are like uhhh I think that tien is pretty similar to how he is when he's already redeemed but gets more easily annoyied and mad just like in 22nd budokai

Yamcha is the same but his cocky side is still really present but overall he's really nice and chill

Yamcha already was a recognized bandit in a movie so i want to think everyone knows him at least by name and that includes tien but he doent care about yamcha

And well tien is just as famous as tao was so yamcha also knows him for that and thats why they kinda respect each other tho yamcha likes to tease tien

They say they hate each other but theyre kinda like friends but the way their lifes are doesnt let them get attached to many people even less for tiens part

[elisajdb]

First Kiss

“Dad, when did you know Mom was the one?”

It was very rare for Gohan to approach Goku on a serious matter. Fighting to save the world, Gohan came to him. Matters of the heart, Gohan always went to Chi-Chi. She was the expert on the matter. She helped Gohan talk to Videl and point out signals sent by Videl that went over his head. She gave him suggestions for dates. She told him how a gentleman behaved.

Goku never expected Gohan to come to him but given the subject, he was the only one who could answer Gohan’s question. “Why?” The simple question brought a blush to Gohan’s face. “Does it have something to do with Videl?” Goku wanted to help Gohan with anything he needed but not being an expert on romance or women, he didn’t think he could help Gohan. “I wanna help ya, but Mom…”

“No, Dad.” Gohan stopped Goku from saying anymore. “I need you. Mom can’t help me with this.”

Goku could tell Gohan was struggling. He spoke firmly but looked nervous and unsure. If he knew Chi-Chi would give him the answer he needed, Gohan would go to her but as he looked at his eldest son, Goku realized this was one of those father and son things Chi-Chi told him he would have with Gohan but Goku still had doubts because he wasn’t the typical father.

He didn’t have first dates or jitters around girls like Gohan. He didn’t struggle with making friends or fitting in like Gohan. Gohan’s physical development into his teens occurred without him. Those first experiences when a boy needed his father as a guide happened when he was dead.

Goku regretted that when he returned. It moved him now to be there for Gohan and give him the answer he needed but he wasn’t sure if he could. “My experiences aren’t the same as you, Gohan. I married Chi-Chi not long after I was reminded of our promise.”

“I know but you never do what you don’t want, Dad, and if in any way you felt marrying Mom was wrong, you wouldn’t have done it.”

That was true. Goku always followed his instincts. Even if he made the promise, Goku would’ve gotten out of it if he wanted. He didn’t because he didn’t want to marry Chi-Chi. “Yeah. I knew Chi-Chi was the one when we had our first kiss.”

****

Kissing was a new experience for Goku but not foreign to his mind. He saw his first kiss on a TV program Master Roshi watched. He didn’t understand and asked his teacher why two adults touched that way.

Something you will enjoy when you’re older.

That’s all his teacher said so Goku ignored the concept of kissing. He read it in his books during his daily lessons but Goku didn’t focus and thought of it as words on a page and read it to get through his lessons for the day.

His second introduction to kissing came on a whim. It was during his training for the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. The world was his training ground. Goku arrived in a village during a holiday. He didn’t know why people were celebrating but they looked happy and enjoyed being around each other. Though he didn’t mind being alone, loneliness crept into Goku sometimes, and when it did, he desired to be around others.

Maybe that’s why I latched onto them.

Them were Silas and Celia. Goku met Silas in the forest outside the village when he hunted for his dinner. Silas didn’t think it was right for a boy to hunt his food and invited Goku into his home with his wife, Celia. Goku was initially wary of Celia. The only other adult women he had been around were Bulma and Lunch. He liked them but sometimes they were loud and volatile, especially Lunch. Every other day he dodged bullets from her. He expected the same attitude from Celia but she was kind and doting to Goku and Silas.

Silas and Celia were different from the couples he read about in books and the ones he watched on TV except for one factor. They all kissed. When he initially read about kissing, Goku didn’t care. He wasn’t interested. He still wasn’t but three years older and seeing more of it from Silas and Celia, curiosity sparked in Goku.

One morning, Goku left with Silas to gather firewood. Silas kissed Celia goodbye. It sparked Goku to ask, “Why do you do that?”

“Do what, Goku?”

“Touch Celia’s lips like that.”

“You mean kiss? It’s something couples do. It can be a hello or goodbye. It’s a way to say ‘I love you’ or ‘I miss you.’ It has different meanings, Goku, and when you meet someone you want to kiss like I have in my Celia, you’ll understand and  you’ll have fun with it, too.”

Goku didn’t understand what could be fun with kissing. It wasn���t eating. It wasn’t fighting a strong opponent. He didn’t dwell on it; didn’t wonder who he will kiss. He forgot about it until three years later when Chi-Chi, daughter of the great Ox King Gyumao pressed her lips to his cheeks at the Tenkaichi Budokai.

And turned his life upside down.

From the moment she tapped his shoulder, Goku was entranced with her. He stared with his friends curious of the girl who addressed him. His not knowing her, angered her. Goku angered many people and always brushed it off but this time, it intrigued him. Why was she mad at him? Who was she? He knew they crossed paths but he didn’t know when or where. He watched her matches. He could beat her but he was impressed with her skills. He was excited when they were paired against each other. He was even more excited when their match began. He blocked and dodged every attack from her. She kept up with him as he ran around the ring. When he leapt in the air for a breather, she followed. It excited him! He could beat her but his blood pounded in his veins as if she were a strong opponent. Mentally, she stimulated him. Physically, she kept him on her toes. He didn’t want to fight her. He wanted to know who she was. She gave him the chance when offering her name if he beat her.

Creating air with a punch, Goku knocked her out of the ring. In his excitement, he put too much into it but he got her name.

Chi-Chi, daughter of Gyumao, the Ox King.

Ah, he remembered. She pulled his tail when they were children. She flew with him on Nimbus. Strange girl but she had a pure heart like him. When she reminded him of his promise to marry her, Goku honored his word. Oh, he could’ve gotten out of it and say he didn’t know, he didn’t understand but he didn’t. If marriage meant living with someone, he didn’t mind living with Chi-Chi. She could ride Nimbus. That meant she was a good person. Her feistiness excited him. That meant life will be fun with her but Chi-Chi waiting for him intrigued him the most.

They didn’t know each other long but in that short time as children, Chi-Chi knew she wanted to live with him for the rest of her life. Goku hadn’t met anyone to accept him like that since his Grandpa.

It was easy to honor his promise.

When he did, Chi-Chi told him she loved him. It was a word he heard but didn’t understand. Chi-Chi showed him what love means by pressing her lips to his cheek.

A kiss.

Something you will enjoy when you’re older.

It has different meanings, Goku, and when you meet someone you want to kiss like I have in my Celia, you’ll understand and you’ll have fun with it, too.

Chi-Chi’s lips were soft and warm against his skin. It was brief but the warmth lingered and spread across his face and down to his stomach. What was that feeling? Was this what Master Roshi and Silas meant?

His impending fights drove Goku from getting his questions answered but Chi-Chi’s lips on his cheek lingered and affected Goku through his matches.

His speed tornado was an unusual flex for him. He only needed to remove his weights and stretch but with Chi-Chi watching, Goku had a desire to impress his bride. He punched and kicked the air as if fighting an imaginary opponent to show off his martial arts skills. He ran around the ring with speed faster than human eyes and became a human tornado. The crowd was wowed. Chi-Chi, he saw from the corner of his eyes, smiled with her hands clapped together in awe.

He knew she liked that.

Goku wanted to impress again with Piccolo. He showed off some, feigning injury when he wasn’t hurt to show Piccolo wasn’t a threat to him. He unleashed his Super Kamehameha Wave to show the power he consumed. Piccolo almost had him at one point, but he prevailed as the victor and Chi-Chi was all over him. Goku thought he would get another kiss but Chi-Chi hugged him. Hugs weren’t foreign but the way Chi-Chi pressed her body against his, that unusual feeling returned. His body felt funny with Chi-Chi’s bumps pressing on him. It was stronger than the feeling of a kiss he panicked and told Chi-Chi to not hold him like this in front of everyone.

She honored his word until they were alone that night.

On the balcony of Gyumao’s castle. Preparations were underway for Goku and Chi-Chi’s wedding. It was a whirlwind of activities of Chi-Chi introducing Goku to her father again; getting her mother’s wedding dress cleaned, getting Goku fitted for a suit and dancing lessons. Hours after Goku was declared the Strongest Under the Heavens, under twinkling stars on a warm Spring night Goku found solace on the balcony of his room. He looked down at the courtyard where he spotted many servants working on decorations for his wedding.

It was a lot for Goku to see people he didn’t know decorating the courtyard, decorating the castle, fitting him for a suit and working on a wedding menu. He agreed to live with Chi-Chi forever but he didn’t understand the need for a party or ceremony where had to dress up. He gave his word. He came back to honor it. Why isn’t that enough? He didn’t understand why so much work was going into something for him and Chi-Chi. Goku didn’t think he deserved all of this. Maybe Chi-Chi. Her Pops was famous and she grew up in this kingdom but he wasn’t anyone special.

Goku thought of his friends telling him he should back out of the wedding until he is sure he knows what he is doing.

“Too late for that now,” Goku thought. He wasn’t going to back out. He wanted to marry Chi-Chi but with all the preparations, Goku did wonder if knew what he was doing.

“Goku?” Goku turned to see Chi-Chi coming into the room. “Sorry. I knocked but you didn’t answer. It’s a big room,” she said sheepishly as she came onto the balcony. “Kind of hard to hear a knock.” She stood by him and looked where he looked; servants building a pavilion. “They’re working fast.” She didn’t sound as happy and excited as she was earlier. Chi-Chi spoke subdued and nervous. Shouldn’t she be happy? This is what she wanted.  “Is it weird I’m nervous about the wedding?”

Nervous? Goku thought only he should be. “You reminded me of our promise. Why are you nervous?”

Chi-Chi shrugged. “I don’t know.  It’s something I wanted and now it’s finally here, I’m scared. In a few days, I won’t be Gyumao’s daughter. I’ll be Son Goku’s wife. It’s a big responsibility.”

“It is?” Goku wished someone told him that.

“Being a wife and mother is a huge responsibility, Goku. It’s my duty to care for you, and love you and our children. I hope I can be successful at that. I didn’t grow up with a mother so I’m going at this blind.”

“What about me?” Goku felt more in the dark than Chi-Chi. “Do I have any responsibilities?”

“You’re already good at that, Goku. A husband protects. You’re strong and saved everyone from Piccolo. I know you’ll protect me and our children. A husband provides. You are already on a good start winning the money at the tournament.” Chi-Chi looked away from him frustrated. “I have to prove myself. I have to cook good food that you and our children will love. I have to make sure our family grows up in a healthy and happy home.”

“Sounds like a lot to deal with.” But Goku saw the bright spot that Chi-Chi didn’t. “You knowing all of this makes me think you’ll be a good wife and mother. I don’t know anything.” I’m trusting you he wanted to say but didn’t.

“Knowing doesn’t mean I’ll be good at it.”

“You told me you don’t know a lot about kissing but I think you’re at it.”

Chi-Chi looked back at him. It wasn’t possible but Goku thought Chi-Chi’s eyes sparkled. “You think I’m a good kisser?”

“Well….” The sweet gaze sent from Chi-Chi tied his tongue. Suddenly, he felt hot and nervous but he told the truth. “It was good to me but it was only on the cheek.”

“You…..” Chi-Chi sounded breathless yet hopeful, “wanna try a kiss on the lips?”  

The tightness in his chest returned. It was a funny feeling but he liked it. “You said we have to at the wedding. We should practice.”

“Practice.” Chi-Chi smiled at him but it wasn’t like the smiles she gave him today. This one was sly, playful as if knowing he didn’t want to kiss to practice for the wedding. “Okay, Goku, we can practice.”

It wasn’t the promise of the kiss but Chi-Chi seeing through him that stood out. She was special. She didn’t know him as long as his friends knew him but easily saw through his innocent façade. She saw what his friends couldn’t see.

He smiled. His friends’ worries melted from his mind.  I don’t know anything about marriage or my duties but I know I am doing it with the right person.

Goku let Chi-Chi guide him with her soft hands touching his face. She gently pulled him down as she stood on her toes to touch her lips to hers. The sensation against his lips was similar to what he felt on his cheek but more pleasurable, pleasant and sanctifying Chi-Chi was indeed the one.

[video320]

Draw All of Dragonball!!

the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai has begun!

172 - Yamcha the Bespoke #4- Traveling in style.

173 - Launch #7 - Love her.

174 - Bulma #12 - Rockin the Bowl Cut.

[degenerate-otaku]

So ummm... really enjoying the 22nd Budokai Tenkaichi arc rn!!

remembered that Tien slays

[everymangatenshinhan]

[average-tofu-enjoyer]

Other than Bulma's 80s Hair between the Saiyan and Namek Sagas, what are some of your other top Bulma outfits, hairstyles, etc.

The list can be as long or short as you want

oh boy oh man this was a hard one as a huge bulma appreciator and connoisseur! BUT i think i’ve accumulated all my faves!! (these are in no particular order because i’m having such a hard time ranking lol)

first, i’d like to say that i adore bulma in the early android saga with baby trunks, the lob looks so cute on her and the whole fit is great imo.

my next fave is definitely this look from GT! i also really love this hair on her and the color combo works so well. and the glasses!! she rocks them! so comfy so casual.

i think another fave style of mine is the one she wore to the 22nd tenkaichi budokai. she came not only to support goku but to serve LOOKS.

this outfit she wore earlier on in dragon ball absolutely SLAPS.

the outfit she first appeared in absolutely deserves a mention!! look at this color coordination queen with her matching socks/neckerchief and bag/shoes combo!

her arabian outfit from dragon ball is also iconic! i think a ponytail really suits her.

and going off of that — another ponytail look that i really like! i believe this one is from the saiyan saga. the dress is simple but cute, the bow is a cool callback to her original dragon ball outfit; it’s kinda giving me sailor vibes with the colors. the only aspect of this outfit i’m not a huge fan of are the socks/shoes, which also seem to be from her first appearance.

the last two i’m gonna mention are these, which i don’t think actually appeared in the show/manga to my knowledge and are instead some really cool original artworks! but of course correct me if i’m wrong! the second one is such a cool creative design!! it’s kinda like mad max meets final fantasy. and the first i think speaks for itself, after compiling this list i realized that my fave styles tend to lean towards the comfy and casual. and a trucker hat really suits bulma well, as we saw earlier!

thanks so much for the question! i’d love to hear what you, or anyone else has to say! (*´∀｀*)

[christiangatattack]

Yamcha vs Tien at the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai | Dragon Ball | Tien Shinhan Saga

[scoots-canoe]

22nd budokai yamcha vs ten shaker charm concept💕💕

[tobiasdrake]

You previously anaylzed Yamcha's fighting style and the flaws he doesn't overcome. Do you have any thoughts on how Krillin fights?

Krillin's fighting style is one of my favorites, to be honest. He's a dedicated pragmatist, ready and willing to do whatever it takes to win. His techniques and strategies are deceptive and tricksy, always on the lookout for a way to circumvent the straight fight.

Krillin's fighting style is all about cutting the knot. It's just a shame that, Dragon Ball being what it is, his methods run counter to its central philosophies and so he is doomed to constant failure.

We get our first glimpse of the kind of fighter Krillin is going to be when he defeats Goku in the rock hunt on the first day of their training.

He first tries to win the competition by forging a counterfeit rock. But when the Muten-Roshi sees through that, he instead uses his counterfeit to fake out Goku and steal the real rock for himself.

He's narratively punished for this victory when his reward dinner poisons him via badly prepared pufferfish. But we see the foundations of what will become his martial style beginning to take root here.

Krillin is a tricky trickster. His goal is to be the guy still standing at the end of the fight. That's what he's here for. Though he does quickly soften up and become Goku's Male Bestie (opposited Bulma as Goku's Female Bestie), he carries this pragmatism with him as he begins to develop his skills.

Note that this is not to say Krillin isn't a capable fighter in his own right. As a pupil of Kame-senryu, he is a formidable martial artist. He begins to show the fruits of his martial training as early as the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, where he crushes one of the monks that used to bully him in the preliminaries. He also pressures his own mentor, the Muten-Roshi, by raw skill alone.

Krillin's got the skills and he uses them. When I say he's underhanded and deceitful, I don't mean instead of fighting straight. It's a weapon in his toolbelt but not the only one. Nonetheless, it's a potent one, as he nearly defeats the Muten-Roshi via a special technique that only Krillin would devise.

Goddammit, Roshi.

He starts out using these kinds of underhanded tricks to compliment his martial arts. But as he grows as a martial artist, he begins to incorporate strategies like this into his art itself.

Aside from a brief and mostly offscreen bout with General Blue, his next significant fights are in the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. His fight with Chiaotzu demonstrates the way Krillin's sneakiness and martial training complement one another, as a major spotlight of it is his ki exchange with Chiaotzu.

Chiaotzu, like Tenshinhan, is a trained wielder of the Dodonpa. A lethal technique first introduced by the assassin Taopaipai, designed to fire a thin ki bullet from one finger, straight through its target for a mortal blow.

To counter this, Krillin attempts to perform the Kamehameha for the very first time. Which. Is. Absolutely stupid and reckless, as the Muten-Roshi notes. Baby's First Kamehameha is a poor choice to defend himself from the Dodonpa.

Or it would be, if that were the plan.

This is Krillin's strength in action. He fakes out everyone with an in @ Me Bruh bluff and then skirts around the direct competition to blindside Chiaotzu when he isn't looking. This is what a tricky trickster martial artist looks like.

In his next match with Goku, we see Krillin's ruthless pragmatism on full display. He devises his own version of Tenshinhan's Taiyoken/Solar Flare.

And he nearly wins by a tail when he once again breaks out his weak, improvised Kamehameha.

This bluff is brilliant. He gets Goku's focus on the Kamehameha while his true goal is Goku's tail. Unfortunately for him, Goku - under advisement from both the Muten-Roshi and his Grandpa Gohan - has been training his body to rid himself of that critical flaw over the last three years. His tail no longer saps his energy when it's grabbed.

But if Goku were still the same fighter Krillin knew before, this bluff would have been game-ending for their semifinal match. Krillin's abilities both in martial arts and in knot-cutting have advanced substantially. It's just that Goku's have advanced as well.

Krillin only gets one fight in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. But he goes hard.

In the three years since last tournament, Krillin's devised bending ki blasts that home in on their target. Holy shit, what a stellar-

GOT YOU SUCKER THAT'S A FAKEOUT IT'S KRILLER TIME

Krillin's invented bending ki blasts that home in on their target as a distraction. Sadly for Krillin, characters at this point are beginning to distribute Bukujutsu, the Flying Technique, among themselves so surprise ringouts aren't an option anymore. Piccolo's been capable of performing Bukujutsu since his previous life.

Krillin loses the match, though he does force an admission from Piccolo that martial artists of his caliber will make the world difficult to conquer.

The next chance Krillin has to put his skills on display comes six years later when the Saiyans attack the Earth. Vegeta and Nappa grow their six Saibamen, forcing the Earthlings to entertain them by battling these veggie monsters. Tenshinhan and Yamcha handily defeat two of them, though Yamcha's killed by a surprise attack.

And then Krillin decides enough is enough and makes his move: Opening fire directly on Nappa and Vegeta with everything he's got.

A fool's attack guaranteed to fail against the insurmountable might of the Saiyan-no, wait, what's he doing?

Ha, fuck you, he was aiming for the Saibamen the whole time! Made ya look. Though he does also hit Nappa and Vegeta for good measure.

Krillin is technically the first Earthling to ever land a hit on either of these guys. Imagine that. It doesn't do shit to them, but still.

This fight also brings out Krillin's ultimate technique. The epitome of his skills, the final fruits of his labors, the be-all end-all of Krillin Techniques. You already know what I'm talking about.

This. This, right here. The Kienzan/Destructo Disc is peak Krillin. Literally a knife with which to cut the knot. Everyone else is throwing ki punches except those assassins shooting ki bullets. And Krillin stops to ask, "What if I sharpened my ki into a buzzsaw so I can slice open an opponent's flesh rather than trying to beat them at punching?"

Prior to Goku's arrival, this technique from one of the weakest fighters on this field is the closest the overconfident Nappa ever comes to defeat.

Nappa outright tries to take it like a punch. But for Vegeta paying the fuck attention, this would have taken his head clean off. Even Frieza can't resist it.

Because it's not something you resist. It's a buzzsaw. It doesn't hit, it cleaves. It's a technique that's so utterly Krillin in nature.

In fact, the entire Namek arc in general is peak Krillin. A three-way tug-of-war over the Dragon Balls between Frieza's ungodly might, Vegeta's rogue wildcard antics and deadly force, and Krillin being a tricky trickster gunning for any opportunity to scoop victory out from under them.

That Krillin wins.

This is the key to Krillin's longevity as a character. Like the rest of the cast, he eventually falls victim to inability to keep pace with Goku's advances, and becomes further and further de-emphasized from the big action pieces of Dragon Ball.

Krillin's tricky methods were rarely allowed to grant him much success in the ring due to the way they chafe against Dragon Ball's tone. This simply isn't a series where ruthless pragmatism and knot-cutting generally wins the fight. But those same methods also gave him staying power and an ability to continue influencing the plot of Dragon Ball long after he ceased to be relevant as a fighter.

Krillin's style is designed to punch above his weight class, and he's in general a tricky trickster outside of the ring too. The result of this is tremendous staying power as a weaker character brushing elbows with the titanic super gods of the cast. He may not be the clincher in a fight but there's almost always something for a pragmatist like him to do.

[shinygoku]

YGO being in this limbo status for me of extreme cringe and exhasperated fondness is tricky innit. Like, I know it well but I still have knowledge gaps. But also strong opinions. I absolutely can't stand like half of it but the other half is goated. Man. But also if I had to go the entire rest of time without rereading or rewatching I wouldn't be too upset. It's not Dragonball (even though the FuniDub of that and Super piss me off worse) where I loooove to dip back in and be like "Oh man the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai was incredible" and "Freeza Saga my beloved" etc.