Summary
While Yamcha was a formidable foe in the originalDragon Ball,over the past several decades, he has grown into a joke in the anime community. What happened to his character betweenDragon BallandDragon Ball Zthat made him become a laughingstock?
Yamcha was first introduced in the anime during the Saga of Goku arc inDragon Ball.He is a 16-year-old bandit who, along with his shape-shifting animal best friend - Puar, tries to rob Goku, Bulma, and Oolong. However, he ultimately runs away in fear after spotting Bulma, as he has a fear of women. Yamcha almost defeats Goku in their first meeting (although, to be fair, he was severely dehydrated at the time). Over theDragon Balland Dragon Ball Z series, we see Yamcha and Goku turn from foes to friends, and Yamcha go from a comparable enemy to one of the biggest jokes in anime. What happened to Yamcha that made him go from hero to zero?
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He Stops Using Wolf Fang Fist
The Wolf Fang Fist technique is Yamcha’s signature move. This unique attack involves a rapid barrage of punches and kicks, empowered by ki energy, often accompanied by a red aura or a crimson wolf image. Yamcha discontinues using the Wolf Fang Fist inDragon Ball Z, and its absence in the series is notableexcept for certain video games.However, he briefly revives it during a baseball match inDragon Ball Super.Despite its initial effectiveness, the Wolf Fang Fist is eventually phased out in favor of more advanced ki attacks, such as the Kamehameha, underscoring Yamcha’s decline in strength and diminished value as a member of the Z fighters.
Yamcha Loses…A Lot
DuringDragon Balland even in the earlier part of theDragon Ball Z,Yamcha was a solid and respectable fighter and a member of the Z fighters. While he did not see an extreme number of wins, Yamcha contributed to many battles and was victorious in some fights, including against the Invisible Man and Piccolo (although he was aided by Tien and Chiaotzu, and King Kai ended the fight). We also see him defeat Recoome of the Ginyu Force in a battle on King Kai’s planet using his Ki Blast Thrust technique. He is even able to defeat Oozaru Goku - well, sort of. Yamcha cuts off Goku’s tail after turning Puar into scissors.
However, he definitely saw more losses than wins. Some major losses include some of his fellow Z fighters before they became allies - Tien, Goku, and even Master Roshi (although he was fighting as Jackie Chun at the time). Others notably include losses to the Androids, Cell Jr., and even Saibaiman (more on that later).
He Kept Dying
The ultimate loss for Yamcha was his death or deaths, as it were. Although he has not died as many times as Krillin, Yamcha has faced death three times, including one that made him an internet meme many years later. Yamcha dies at the hands of Majin Buu after being turned into chocolate and eaten. He also dies at the hands of the Androids. However, his most notable death was during his fight with the Nappa and Vegeta in the Vegeta Saga. Yamcha at first defeats the Saibaman.
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However, Yamcha soon gets cocky and does not pay attention. This leaves an opening for the Saibaman to wrap its body around him and release a kamikaze attack, in which it self-destructs. This kills Yamcha, and his body lies in the crater. Because Saibaimen are pretty weak villains, this is considered an embarrassing way to die. The image of him in the crater isknown as the “Yamcha Death Pose”and is used to signify failure or weakness.
He Becomes Useless and At Times - a Coward
While always scared of women, there was one thing early Yamcha was not afraid of, and that’s a fight. Even when he knew he was outmatched, Yamcha would at least try, even if that meant dying. However, this courage was not seen during later parts of Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, and even the movies. Yamcha opted to sit out of fights rather than participate, and sometimes they wouldn’t even contact him to help fight. For instance, when Raditz arrives on Earth during the Vegeta Saga, Yamcha chooses not to intervene in the battle. During the first encounter with the androids (Android 19 and Android 20/Dr. Gero), Yamcha decides not to participate in the battle, stating that he would “just get in the way.” Yamcha also chooses not to participate in the Cell Games. In the early stages of the Majin Buu Saga, when Goku and Vegeta confront Babidi and his henchmen, Yamcha opts to stay out of the fight.
During Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection “F”, which saw a resurrected Frieza turn into Golden Frieza, there was a fight that saw Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Tien Shinhan facing defeat against thousands of soldiers in Frieza’s army while waiting for Goku and Vegeta to come back from training with Whis and Lord Beerus. Tien tells Gohan that he felt that this battle was “too dangerous,” and so Yamcha was left behind with Chiaotzu. Chiaotzu is considered one of the weakest of the Z fighters, so being left at home with him is definitely an indication of how Yamcha’s abilities are viewed. How the mighty Wolf Fang Fist has fallen.
Bulma Left Him for Vegeta
Bulma and Yamcha were dating on and off again for about 15 years in the series, spanning both the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z series. While their relationship was extremely tumultuous, with numerous break-ups and makeups, the couple seemed to potentially be endgame. However, all of this was quelled when it was revealed during the Android Saga that Bulma has a son - Trunks - with the Saiyan prince himself, Vegeta. Yamcha is clearly heartbroken over the news, marking one of his biggest losses in the series. Although this should not have come as a shock, as Vegeta did live with Bulma while she was still dating Yamcha.This continues to follow him even upuntil Dragon Ball Super,where he is still mocked by Vegeta, who sarcastically says, “Let’s go see Yamcha,” when Bulma suggests seeing their friends.
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