Yamucha

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Not to be confused with Yum cha.
Yamucha
Dragon Ball character

Yamucha by Akira Toriyama
First appearance Dragon Ball, volume 1, chapter 7
Dragon Ball, episode 5
Created by Akira Toriyama
Voiced by Japanese
Tōru Furuya
English
Ted Cole (Ocean Group)
Christopher Sabat (Funimation)
Profile
Aliases Zedaki (Harmony Gold dub)[1] Yamcha
Gender Male
Species Earthling
Date of birth 733 A.D.[2]
Known relatives Pu-erh (companion)
Power level 1,480 (Saiyan Saga)[3]

Yamucha (ヤムチャ Yamucha?, Yamcha in most English adaptations) is a fictional character from the Dragon Ball universe created by Akira Toriyama as a main figure for the media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, soundtracks, movies, television specials, video games, and other collectibles. He is introduced as a thief and started out as an antagonist of Son Goku but quickly reformed and became an ally and Z Fighter. His constant companion is Pu-erh. His seiyū is Tōru Furuya.[4] In the English dub, he is voiced by Ted Cole and later Christopher Sabat.[5] His name is identical to the Japanese pronuciation and spelling of yum cha (literally "drink tea"), referring to a gathering to drink tea and eat dim sum.[6][7][8]

Contents

[edit] Creation and conception

When Toriyama decided to create the Dragon Ball manga, he used Chinese author Wu Cheng'en's Journey to the West as a prototype for his own series.[9] Yamucha is most likely based on Sha Wujing, also known as Sha Seng, from this novel.[10] Both are powerful bandits (Yamucha from a sandy desert, and Wujing from a sand river), who eventually change their ways and help the heroes on their quest. A likely prototype design for Yamucha was the main character from Mr. Ho, a one-shot manga drawn by Toriyama. It featured a Yamucha-like character as the protagonist, and set in Red Ribbon Army Saga-like setting.[11]

[edit] Appearance

Yamucha's appearance stays relatively the same for the majority of the series, although his clothes and hairstyle are changed several times.[12][13] Many of Yamucha's hairstyles are also used by Son Gohan at various points in his life.[14] According to Artificial Human #19's scanner, Yamucha is 183 centimeters tall and weighs 68 kilograms, during the Cell Saga.[15] Yamucha is shown to be a baseball player in the anime filler material for Dragon Ball Z. This was suggested by Toriyama.[16] The first kanji Yamucha has on his clothes "樂" stands for "happy" or "music". After training with Muten Roshi, he takes the turtle kanji "亀" as a sign of respect. Later, after training with North Kaio, he wears both "Kame" and "Kaio" kanji. He wears them the opposite way Goku did, "Kame" on the back, "Kaio" on the chest, except in Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might where he wears the "Kaio" kanji on the back and "Kame" on the chest.[17]

[edit] Plot overview

Yamucha as he is mortally wounded by Artificial Human #20, after getting his chi absorbed.
Yamucha as he is mortally wounded by Artificial Human #20, after getting his chi absorbed.

Yamucha enters the series early in Dragon Ball[18] as a sixteen year-old[19] bandit in a desert; he ambushes Goku, Bulma, and Oolong as they are traveling through his territory and attempts to rob them of their money and hoi poi capsules.[20] He also becomes a student under Muten Roshi and loses a long-held fear of women through his relationship with Bulma.[21] Yamucha also enters the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai along with Goku, but loses in the first round of each tournament, to Jackie Chun (Muten Roshi), Tenshinhan, and Shen (Kami) respectively.[22]

In the Saiyan Saga Yamucha dies along with Tenshinhan, Chaozu, and Piccolo in a battle against a fictional race called the Saiyans he is killed when a Saibaimen he combats grips onto him and self-destructs, resulting in killing both of them; Yamucha goes on to train with North Kaio in the afterlife just as Goku did, growing greatly in power.[23] Through North Kaio, he is able to witness his friends battles on Planet Namek; when Goku is thought to have been killed in the destruction of the Planet Namek after defeating Freeza, Yamucha relays the information to everyone through his girlfriend Bulma. He is returned to life 130 days later from a wish to Porunga and continues to live at Capsule Corp with Bulma and, after the two finally end their relationship, she and Vegeta enter a long-term relationship.[24]

During the Cell Saga, Yamucha is the first to encounter the Artificial Humans #19 and #20, and is left for dead when #20 absorbs his chi and drives a hand through his chest.[25] He is later revived by a Senzu bean and takes the heart-diseased Goku home to get his medicine after the Super Saiyan loses to #19. Yamucha later joins the others in the Cell Games and teams up with Tenshinhan to protect the weakened Goku from the Cell Juniors, though they are easily beaten.[26] Following Cells defeat at the hands of Gohan and Goku's death, Yamucha and the others return to their peaceful lives. By the time of the Majin Buu Saga, Yamucha has given up fighting and goes to the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai with the others to be a spectator and also meet Goku, who is given a day to return from the Other World.[27] Yamucha is later killed again when Majin Boo turns him into chocolate and eats him, along with Kuririn, Bulma, and the other allies. During Goku and Vegeta's battle against Boo, Yamucha is brought back to life by the Namekian Dragon Balls, and he and the others on Earth give their energy to Goku's Super Genki-Dama, which he uses to destroy Boo and restore peace to the universe.[28]

In Dragon Ball GT, Yamucha makes two cameo appearances.[29] In the final episode of Dragon Ball GT, Yamucha is seen fixing his car in the middle of a desert, possibly returning to his vagabond life with Pu-erh.

[edit] Abilities

Yamucha using Bukû-jutsu to fly Son Goku to safety.
Yamucha using Bukû-jutsu to fly Son Goku to safety.

Though Yamucha is a skilled swordsman[30][31][32] he is an exceptional martial artist. His signature technique is the Rogafūfūken (Wolf Fang Fist in the English dub), a quick flurry of punches and kicks. Yamucha uses the technique often during the Dragon Ball anime. He has the ability to perform the Kamehameha, a concentrated beam of a chi energy blast that many other characters in the series have the ability to perform as well.[33] Yamucha also uses the Sôkidan (Spirit Ball in the English dub) a technique that forms a ball of chi energy to assault an opponent with. Yamucha can fully control the ball, allowing it to home in on enemies and to go underground for a surprise attack.[34] He also possesses superhuman strength, speed and reflexes.

Like most characters within the Dragon Ball franchise, Yamucha has the ability of flight, which he uses many times throughout the series.

[edit] Appearances in other media

[edit] Video games

Yamucha fusing with Tenshinhan in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 to become "Yamuhan" ("Tiencha" in the English-language games).
Yamucha fusing with Tenshinhan in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 to become "Yamuhan" ("Tiencha" in the English-language games).

Yamucha is a playable character in the following Dragon Ball-related video games:

He also appears as a Boss/NPC in the following:

[edit] Live action movies

Yamucha also appears in an unofficial Chinese live-action remake of the first Dragon Ball feature film. Here he is known as Westwood. He joins Monkey Boy, Sparkle, Turtle Man and Seeto to destroy King Horn and his powerful warriors.[35] He will also be played by Korean pop singer Joon Park[36] in the Dragonball live action movie, for which James Kyson Lee also auditioned.[37]

[edit] Reception

Yamucha is often compared with Tenshinhan in terms of both power and popularity. His anti-hero beginnings also contributed to the characters popularity. He is often seen as the underdog of the series, but some fans tend to disagree with this, often glorifying his hidden potential [38]. His popularity spawned a number of fan-related manga with him as the lead character, the most notable being Dragonball Z: Elsewhere.[39] Many fans felt cheated after Bulma very suddenly ended up with Vegeta and his son, Trunks, in the Trunks Saga of Dragon Ball Z.[40] This led many of Yamucha's fans to instantly dislike Vegeta.[41]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Harmony Gold USA Dub Names. Retrieved on 2008-05-19.
  2. ^ Dragon Ball Z timeline. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  3. ^ Brewer, Mark; Doug Kale (2002). The Best of DragonBall Z. Beverly Hills , California: Claire B. Amano, 2-6. 
  4. ^ Japanese voice cast. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  5. ^ American voice cast. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  6. ^ Yum cha culture article. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  7. ^ Dragon Ball Z name puns. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  8. ^ Experiencefestival article on Yum cha. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  9. ^ All about Akira Toriyama. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  10. ^ Saiyan Chronicles on Journey to the West. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  11. ^ Toriyama World. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  12. ^ Yamcha clothing guide. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  13. ^ DBZGT Legacy's clothing guide. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  14. ^ Dragon Ball Hair Style Guide. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  15. ^ Android 19's readings. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  16. ^ Biography for Akira Toriyama. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-12-14.
  17. ^ Symbol Guide. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  18. ^ Character's beginnings in the series. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  19. ^ Age Chart. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  20. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 1, chapter ?
  21. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 2-16, chapters ?
  22. ^ Dragon Ball manga, volumes 3, 10, and 15
  23. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 5, chapter ?
  24. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 12, chapter ?
  25. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, volume 13, chapter ?
  26. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, volume 18, chapter ?
  27. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, volume 20, chapter ?
  28. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, volume 26, chapter ?
  29. ^ Dragon Ball GT, episodes 40, "Piccolo's Decision" and 64, "Until We Meet Again..."
  30. ^ Dragon Ball manga, volume 1, chapter 8
  31. ^ Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins
  32. ^ Dragon Ball: The Path to Power
  33. ^ Tenkaichi Budokai guide. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  34. ^ Attack List. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  35. ^ Dragon Ball: Magic Begins. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  36. ^ http://blogs.ign.com/McKlyde/ Live-Action DBZ info., McKlde's Live-Action DBZ movie blog, 2007-12-14.
  37. ^ "Heroes' Lee Auditions for Dragon Ball Z Movie", Anime News Network, 2007-11-11. Retrieved on 2008-02-06. 
  38. ^ Essay on Yamcha's power. Retrieved on 2008-06-12.
  39. ^ Elsewhere Fan Manga. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  40. ^ Bulma and Yamcha Blog. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  41. ^ Vegeta Hate Blog. Retrieved on 2008-01-30.

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Dragon Ball characters
Saiyans
Humans
Bulma · Muten Roshi · Yamucha · Kuririn · Tenshinhan
Major Antagonists
Piccolo · Freeza · Cell · Majin Boo · Baby
Character lists