diamondphobic

Pilaf Saga

Back in OG Dragon Ball, Yamcha was first introduced as an infamous bandit of the Diablo Desert. He and his adorable partner, Puar, would rob passing travelers for their capsules and money. While they had various weapons on hand to threaten folks into coughing up their belongings, Yamcha always had another trick up his sleeve if things went south: his extensive knowledge of martial arts. 

Right off the bat, we've already established that Yamcha, from a young age, has trained himself to the point of developing his own techniques (Note: this is considered a very impressive accomplishment in these stories, as most martial arts techniques were established WAY before they became widely known). We don't know what his life was like before becoming a bandit, but it's reasonable to suggest that Yamcha had to learn how to fight for means of survival - similar to Goku in the beginning, where he uses martial arts to hunt and finish up chores. Unlike Goku, however, Yamcha doesn’t seem to have had a master (or any guardian) who introduced him to this lifestyle. When you think about it, Krillin, before he met Roshi, was raised and trained by a temple of monks, while Tien was trained by Shen. Yamcha is one of the few notable Z-Fighters who’s presumed to have been self-taught. 

Not many are willing to commit to such a serious life investment. Would Goku and the others have been so eager to become martial artists had their caregivers not raised them in it? Perhaps, but it would take great self-discipline to do so nonetheless. Yamcha is only 16 when he's introduced, but he'd have to be at this much longer in order to be so skilled.

It explains why his hideout has the 千錘百煉 idiom plastered at its entrance, which roughly translates to "Tempered a hundred times by a thousand hammers." In other words, don’t expect to master anything from the get-go; repetition in your refinement is key to success (Note: This is based on my personal understanding). 

(Note: If you are reading the Viz translation, they just take this out, and replace it with a generic "Kung Pao" which is pretty racist of Viz ngl)

Now, did Yamcha train as a fighter SOLELY out of survival? Probably not. There would be no reason to be so knowledgeable in this field if he didn't at least plan to meet other masters. All he needed to do was learn how to throw a good punch to get by. As we’ll see, however, Yamcha appears to genuinely enjoy martial arts, which sparked this passionate drive to become stronger. He first had to be redirected onto a more righteous path to meet those opportunities. Luckily, he ran into this absolute menace who managed to do so indirectly.

Funny enough, Yamcha is the first other martial artist we get to see in the series. Technically, we did meet Roshi before, but his identity as the world’s greatest martial artist was still unknown at the time (Roshi's martial arts mastery was INTRODUCED via Yamcha). While Goku repeatedly demonstrated his own mastery of fighting, Yamcha was the first to show us what a proper battle between martial artists looks like.

21st Budokai Saga 

Leading up to the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, we as the audience are technically meant to assume that we’ll never see Yamcha and the others again. The tone of the story also slightly shifts, as we go from gag adventure story to tournament arcs. We are introduced to a new cast of characters that will serve as Goku's companions for the time being.

I want y’all to keep in mind that early Dragon Ball characters have this sort of duality to them, where their physical appearances didn't quite match their true natures. It was one of Toriyama’s favorite visual gags. For instance, despite Goku being small and pudgy, he’s actually super strong and a talented martial artist. We also have Yamcha who has this loner bad boy air to him, but he’s actually a pretty sweet romantic, afraid of girls, and has a marketable plushie as a companion (hey, I wonder if this applies to another character 🤔). 

Jumping to our new boy, Krillin, he is first introduced as a monk who came from far away to train under Roshi. Most of us have a good idea of how monks are typically (maybe even stereotypically) portrayed in media. They are respectable, keep their emotions in check, and are highly disciplined with their work and training - Krillin was anything but these ideals. He was vain, cowardly, perverted, and selfish. If you thought he at least had a good work ethic, you’re sorely mistaken. Krillin was the character who would try to find an easy way out of the task at hand. If that didn't work, he'd cheat or steal from others' achievements, so that he'd reap the rewards instead. What can you expect from a kid who’s greatest aspiration for becoming a martial artist, was to become popular with the ladies?

Before Krillin fans get on my case for bashing your boy, listen: He was a massive jerk; you can't deny it. His purpose was meant to serve as Goku's foil from the start. Don’t fret as it all works out for him. Through all the karma he endured for his crude behavior, Krillin grows into a respectable companion and fighter. He learns he can't just skip out of Roshi's training all cuz he'd figured it wasn’t worth his time. Thus, his reward for completing Roshi's long regimen was becoming strong enough to enter the Budokai. He and Goku even got to reach the finals! That's what makes his character development appealing for fans, so trust me, I’m not bringing up these aspects to only mock him. 

The reason I’ll continue bringing up Krillin (and soon others) in these analyses is to show that Toriyama does indeed utilize these character tropes. Whenever he does, however, he makes it very apparent that it’s for a narrative purpose. Doesn’t mean they are necessarily clever, but Toriyama was a visual individual and wasn’t great at subtly. So let's see from here on out if that same intent is ever applied to Yamcha in the manga.

Back to the actual Budokai, Yamcha kinda randomly pops up amongst the crowd. It's funny when reading the manga, cuz you’re basically like, "How cute, Krillin's cheering on Gok- is that Yamcha?" 

(Note: Showing this in black and white, because I believe Toriyama wanted Yamcha's sudden appearance to be more of a surprise. He has a new haircut, a bandana, and he's covering the symbol on his chest. The reveal doesn't translate well in color)

After reuniting with Goku again, we learn that Yamcha has been training to prepare himself for this grand event, and seems rather excited. Who wouldn’t be? This is the Tenkaichi Budokai, where martial artists from around the world get to showcase their skills - proving who's the best amongst them. Yamcha knew there was going to be some fierce competition, and so he'd have to take his training seriously. That hard work does seem to have brought him pretty far in the tournament; to the finals, no less. He just had the unfortunate luck to go against the world's greatest master at the time. Oh well, better luck next time. (😮‍💨)

RRA Saga

Yamcha is strangely absent in the first half of this Saga. We know that he's attending school, but does he keep up with his training? It's not until way later, when Bulma calls Yamcha to go help Goku, that we get an idea of what he’s been up to. Yamcha states that he was essentially getting antsy in West City, and needed some excitement.

Has he just been out here fighting people in the streets 😆? Whatever the case, he’s actively looking for a chance to improve his skills as a fighter. With West City proving too tame, Yamcha sought a real challenge. Fighting the world's ultimate military power sounds challenging enough, I would imagine. Yamcha and the rest of Goku's allies go to aid their friend's raid against the RRA Base. It didn't amount to anything cuz Goku already killed everyone there. Woohoo, Toriyama humor, this will surely not get old fast. 

But this adventure isn't over yet! Goku’s victory earned him some introspective thoughts and praise about his growth as a fighter from Master Roshi. During which both Krillin and Yamcha chime in to confirm their views on the matter.

Notice when Yamcha shares his sentiment, he’s not stunned with disbelief (like Krillin), but rather satisfied that his speculations were confirmed. Knowing he won't be able to catch up to Goku at this rate only motivated him to seek out a more effective training regimen. It’s here that Yamcha requests to tag along on Goku's quest for the Dragon Balls, with Krillin sheepishly agreeing. So yes, the whole Fortuneteller Baba Tournament would be considered training. I mean, Roshi does instruct his students to experience all that life can offer if they wish to be stronger.

And so, the gang sets out to Fortuneteller Baba's in order to find the location of the next Dragon Ball. Unfortunately, no one told them they’d have to pay a tremendous fee to get their fortunes. No worries, because the other option is instead to participate in a Tournament!

Krillin was a bit overconfident in his skills (oh no), which led to a literal bloody defeat. When it's revealed that Roshi is related to the tiny witch, Krillin is quick to suggest he ask his sister for a free fortune (And he was so confident they'd win these fights too. Shame.) That option was quickly declined, but Yamcha doesn't falter. He reiterates that he needed some good training in the first place, hence why he tagged along. 

Some events occurred afterward that led Goku to finally locate the last Dragon Ball. When he returns, we learn that Yamcha has asked Master Roshi to become his teacher, and Roshi accepted. Yamcha promises that he'll make Goku speechless by the next tournament in 3 years' time, determined to get stronger. Krillin is more concerned about getting taller I guess. (oh Krillin 😆 ).

Oh yeah, he even states that he is willing to go back to the basics. That's the kind of humbling determination not many are willing to admit.

“But Afro, why didn't he ask to train under Roshi after the first Saga? Y'know, like that Reincarnation Fan manga? Doesn't that imply he prioritizes a romantic fling in the city over training?” 

Not really, because as it's been established, Roshi rarely accepts pupils (comes with the hermit title). He only ever did so if he saw great potential in an individual, and well, Yamcha had no doubt Goku fit that bill. When he first departs from Goku, he even encourages him to become stronger than Roshi; Yamcha had that much confidence in him. Now that he has the opportunity, Yamcha wasn’t going to miss out on the chance to be a part of Turtle School. Not to mention, the end of the Pilaf Saga was lowkey meant to be the last time we saw Yamcha, Bulma, and gang so-

What matters is that Yamcha is now officially a student of Turtle School. He gets to improve his martial arts under a master he greatly admires. All this dedication for the purpose of enhancing his skills as a martial artist. Very different ambitions for training under Roshi than Krillin's initial reasons, just a reminder.

*NOTE: i am not a professional archivist or historian! just a black american passionate about my history. as such, this board is heavily centered on black americans and afro-caribbeans, although there are photos from across the diaspora, including africa and the UK.

*additionally: pins on pinterest come from all over and may not always have the correct information, depending on who uploaded it. while i’ve taken great lengths to research undated photos, some categorized pins are educated guesses based on the hair, fashion, or photography style of the photo. uncategorized pins are photos i can’t confidently connect to a specific decade without potentially mislabeling.

with this in mind, this board acts as a handy visual guide, but should be used in addition to your own research. happy researching! 🖤