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ato-catto · 1 year

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Goku x fem reader

Old friends, new flames.

Implied smut/sensual/kissing/lust

You had been listing your shopping through your head and doing a few calculations when you suddenly hit something very warm and hard. Your basket flew out of your hand and the contents clattered to the ground, multiple vegetables and cans rolling in every direction.

Swearing under your breath and apologising to the person you crashed into, you began picking up the apples that had been sent rolling when a big strong hand covered yours, and you looked down, seeing a familiar shaped shadow of hair.

"Goku!?" Your eyes widened as your eyes flicked up to meet his big, friendly dark eyes.

He cocked his head. "Do I know you?"

Of course he would have forgotten you. Your days staying at Kame House were long behind you, having taken up residence in a busy village years before after you could no longer put up with Roshis ways.

"It's me, Y/N." You smiled. You couldn't have changed that much in a decade, surely?

You watched as the realisation dawned over his face, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Oh! Y/N! I didn't even recognise you!"

You barely had recognised him in such casual clothing, the only obvious thing making him Goku was his wild wave of black hair that waved slightly in the breeze. His orange gi had been replaced by beige jeans with a matching jacket, a white vest adorning his muscular chest beneath. His jacket sleeves were rolled to his elbows and his hands were caked in dirt- he looked the perfect part of a farmer.

You had heard in passing from Bulma that he had taken up farming, and continued to do so after Chichi kicked him out.

Goku continued to help you pick up your groceries, gathering them into his burly arms.

"How've you been, Y/N?" He beamed, his smile all sunshine and rainbows. It was terribly infectious, making a smile grow on your lips too.

"I've been alright. I've decided to give up fighting and just live a quiet life here in the village."

He looked slightly dissapointed by that, but he quickly realised it wasn't his place to judge. You looked happy- and that's all that mattered.

You still looked as radiant as the days back at Kame House when you all lived together. You had filled out slightly, matured a little in the face- but it had all made you so much more pretty looking.

Once your basket was refilled, Goku and you chitchatted, catching up on the last decade or so of lost time.

When the talk turned to his family, the shine waited from his eyes. "Ah, yeah." He sighed, resting an arm against his tractor. "Chichi finally snapped after Gohan left to live with Videl. She needed me to be around more, and earn more zeni, but I couldn't balance those things with my training." He scratched the back of his neck with a near shameful look on his face.

You lay a sympathetic hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting look.

"In sorry Goku. Perhaps she just doesn't understand you passion."

Truly, you have never really liked Chichi's treatment of Goku. You had been present when she coerced him into marriage, and nearby when she had berated him for training to save the planet. She had her good moments, and she was a very good housewife, but they was she spoke to him made your heart ache. He was so gentle, so soft, and a little behind the moment at times- he didn't deserve to be treated in any other way but loving and understanding.

He was not human.

He was never going to be a human man, nor behave like one.

Gokus eyes strayed away, telling you he didn't want apart of this conversation anymore. You saw him let his mind go blank before that infectious smile crept back onto his lips. "Want a ride home in the tractor?" He asked with a certain childish excitement that didn't quite fit his muscles.

You grinned, happy to have the twenty minute walk home taken off your back. You hopped into the tractor beside him, fitting snuggly between his thigh and the edge of the plastic seat. The tractor rumbled to life and Goku pushed it into gear. You clung to his arm, worried that the bumps in the dirt would bounce you off.

Now that you had a more hands on approach to his well toned figure, you realised just how cut he was.

The muscles under his jacket tensed when he turned the wheel and your cheeks raised pink.

He had grown stronger and taller since you last saw him, but he was still the same old Goku. You wondered quietly while peering up with him if he had surpassed super Saiyan. He had grown into manhood nicely, even fathering two sons, so perhaps he had also grown into his Saiyan heritage?

Your thoughts were cut off when he turned to meet your eyes, both of you staring at eachother in awkward silence as the tractor trundled along.

His eyes stared blankly into yours, blinking. You stared back, caught offguard by his handsome face.

"Uuh-" he pulled a comical face. You cracked a grin and snorted.

"Oh you're still as silly as ever, Goku." You elbowed him, making his confusion morph into amusement.

"You were the one starin' at me!" He protested, leaning back in the chair, letting the tractor continue down the lane.

"I was just thinking." You hummed, adjusting the basket in your lap.

"Thinkin' about what?" He tilted his head.

"How powerful you've gotten. Did you ever surpass super Saiyan?"

His eyes lit up at the thought of his all time favourite subject, and the fact that you were taking interest in it. "I sure did! Far beyond that, infact!" He pulled over the tractor and engaged the breaks. He hopped down to the dirt road and stepped a few paces back into the empty feild beside them.

"Watch!"

You indeed did watch as he began to roar, powering up into Super Saiyan- then... Super Saiyan again?

"Uh. So you're a super Saiyan? Well done?"

Goku, with now piercing blue eyes and golden hair chuckled darkly. His voice always seemed to drop a few octaves when he transformed. "No, this is Super Saiyan two."

You frown, interested, but confused. "It looks exactly the same."

He gave you a rather mischievous grin that made your heart flop unexpectedly. "Alright, what about this!"

Five minutes of watching him scream and his muscles tensing was enough to drive you to a very sudden conclusion.

You were attracted to the man. Your old friend and sparring partner was making you blush.

It was an odd revelation to have but it was quickly brushed aside by a browless rapunzel of a man.

Goku had transformed once again, the energy around him crackling dangerously. His hair was down to his ankles now, and his eyebrows had vanished into supposed thin air. You went wide eyed.

"Wow!" You gaped. "What do you call that form?"

Goku smirked, his voice gruff. "Super Saiyan Three."

You shut your mouth and the disbelief was replaced with amusement. "That... that's a very creative name-." You snorted. Goku pouted, and deformed entirely.

"I have another form-" he began.

"Save it for my place." You laughed, your ears ringing and skin prickling from the energy he had dispelled. He hopped right back into the tractor beside you like the power he had just displayed was nothing at all.

Once you had guided him to your home, he parked the tractor beside your front door and hopped down, offering you a hand which you took, gladly. Something about this gesture made you feel safer than usual. Your hands were tiny in his, and he felt strong beside you.

The man was a literal pillar of Hope. In many ways.

He had saved the earth more times than anyone knew. And perhaps you loved him for that.

Inviting him in for tea was a given, and he obliged with a cheery smile. He sat awkwardly at your dining table, the chairs being a little too delicate for his heavy frame.

"Would you like juice or tea?" You asked, setting your basket on the side and running the tap.

Goku adjusted himself in the chair, his jeans uncomfortably tight. They werent like his gi. They didn't give room for his legs or junk like the loose material did. "I'll have a tea please." He beamed over his shoulder but once he turned back his frown furrowed and he grunted at the annoyance of his tight jeans. He tried to stretch them out, popping a quick squat.

You turned in confusion when you heard a might RRRRIP. And Goku stood before you with a rip in his jeans, flashing blue and white stripy cotton boxers.

"Waaaaugh!" He cried, beginning to freak out. "My pants! I was tryna' stretch 'em!!"

You covered your mouth and stifled a laugh, your eyes wide. "Oh gosh, Goku. You've wrecked your jeans entirely."

He pouted. "I know-"

He tried his best to pull the edges back together, but without a needle and threat that wasn't going to do any good.

You suggested taking them off. You had some XXL tracksuit pants laying around (that you wore for comfort reasons- the baggier the better) which you offered to him.

"Gee, thanks." He beamed, undoing his belt and slipping them down over his muscular legs. You turned back to the sink, not needing your pounding heart to make itself evident on your face.

Tossing the shredded jeans aside, he took a long breath as if he could breathe again. He borrowed the grey joggers and slipped them on, now just in your pants and the tank top. He looked... gloriously casual.

Your eyes lingered on him a little longer than they should of when he came to the counter to collect his tea cup. The grey joggers curved around him in all the right places, leaving little to the imagination in the crotch department. You found yourself salivating, your imagination running wild as to what was underneath.

Goku had been watching you. Your eyes seemed to glaze over in thought as your cheeks turned pink. He wondered what you were thinking about.

His eyes locked on yours caught you offguard once again, snapping you out of your less than pure train of thought. "Oh! Sorry-" you glanced away.

"Is something on your mind?" He asked, leaning on the counter beside you, shadowing you in the wake of his tall physique. His eyes were gentle and curious, and his hair shadowed his face.

"Not really." You bluffed. "Just thinking about what I forgot at the market!"

Goku blinked. "I can go back and grab whatever you need?" He suggested.

"No, no! It's fine." You blurted, trying to find a reasons in your mind to complete your lie. "I can get them tomorrow-"

Goku frowned slightly and leant forward, his face getting extremely close to yours. "You're lyin'." He accused gently, searching your eyes. "Why would you be blushin' about some forgotten groceries?"

Uh oh. You were completely caught- even if he didn't know the true intent of your zoning out, he had the gist of it.

Playing dumb was your only way out.

"I was blushing? I must have gotten too much sun while I was outside."

Goku wasn't having it. He had sunburn before. It doesn't appear and dissapear at a moments notice.

He didn't exactly appreciate being lied to, but that didn't mean he couldn't try to mince the truth out of you sooner or later. Goku always had a knack for weeding things out of people. Even Vegeta, the Prince of all Brick Walls.

"You don't have to lie to me, Y/N." He pressed, caging you against the kitchen side between his arms. He gave you an intense look- which from your perspective somehow looked both slightly threatening and comical.

"I- I am not lying." You back up until your back is pressed hard against the kitchen counter.

Goku only pressed closer, his nose touching yours as his eyes tried to penetrate your soul. You couldn't breathe. He was so close you could feel his warm breath on your cheek.

Was this some form of intimidation? You wouldn't admit regardless..

"Goku- I-" Everything was too intense. The air about you both changed. You glanced down at his mouth and back up to his eyes, your gut stirring.

Goku, admittedly had been attracted to you since the moment you smacked into him in the village. And now he had put himself in a predicament where he was so close he could taste you. Now it was his turn to go red. His breath hitched when your eyes moved to his lips.

"Y/N-" he begun, but the words stuck in his throat.

When you woke up this morning you didn't expect your afternoon to turn into the Saiyan pushing his lips to yours in an almost desperate fashion, pulling you up to place you on the counter so he didn't have to crane down. His big hands cupped your face and his heart beat hard against his ribs.

Perhaps he was just desperate after the separation. Or maybe it was something that had laid dormant in his stomach over the last decade- but his kisses became desperate and something manifested in him that even you hadn't seen before.

The tender, funny, gentle man had turned into a whimpering, handsy mess. Beating your passion by tenfold; you were nervous but eager but the Saiyan was in full swing, palming your curves and battling his tongue against yours.

And winning.

"Sah-" he breathed as he pulled away, a string of saliva still connecting the two of you. You looked up at him, your eyes lidded, and cheeks warm.

"What was that for..?" You whisper, hands still balled in his vest against his chest.

Goku barely looks lucid, his eyes clouded over and lidded. "Huh-?"

He must've needed the female touch after being alone for so long, working the fields. All that testosterone must have worked its way up to his power-addled brain and made him desperate for attention.

You swipe your thumb over his bottom lip, wiping the saliva away. "Goku.. Snap out of it."

He blinks a few times, and he's back to normal, smiling and dusting himself off, moving back and away from you. "Ah, sorry! Don't know what came over me!"

You frown. "Uh.. its alright."

He scratched the back of his neck and giggles. "You tasted like donuts- Its made me kinda hungry!"

You had donuts for lunch, but that was besides the point. "Goku, you just made out with me. You don't do that for no reason."

He pressed his lips into a line. "It.. felt right in the moment. Its a mistake, I'm sorry." The joy in his eyes seemed to flicker away. "Was that a bad thing to do?"

It was a sin to do that to you and never do it again.

It left you wanting so much more, rooting your young adulthood crush from the pits if your stomach.

"Of course not. I liked it."

"Oh."

He had liked it too- it was evident from the way he still kept glancing at your lips and licking his own.

"Oh?" You pressed.

"I did too. I just kinda expected you to be mad at me, s'all."

You brushed a stray hair from his eyes. "I could never be mad at you, Goku."

He responded well to tender words, his pupils going wide and his mouth coming in for another, more calculated, kiss. He had grown used to angry women and playful yet hard slaps- this gentleness from you was new and enticing.

Your hands ghosted up his sides, resting your fingers in the hem of the joggers. Goku's hands held the back of your neck, stabilising your head while he probed your mouth with his ever curious tongue.

Your teeth found his bottom lip and gently nipped on it, making him mewl deeply, his eyes cracking open a slit to make contact with yours. His brows quirked into a sensual frown, biting you back with equal verve. His hands found the bend of your back, shifting you round and placing you flat against the wall of the kitchen. Resting one hand on the wall beside your head and the other playing with the hem of your cami, fingers sliding under the material and brushing against the skin of your stomach.

His mouth found your jaw, then neck, the shoulder, brushing the spaghetti strap put of the way so he had access to all your skin there. You tilted your head back until it thudded against the wall, blissed by the feeling of his lips and teeth on your skin.

Goku smelt of earth and grass before a rainstorm, a beautiful combination that suited him perfectly.

When he finally pulled away again, making you worried that he would distance himself for the second time, your fists clutching his vest.

He chuckled, ruffling your hair. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna walk away. I just wanted to ask you something." His eyes sparkled with something you couldn't quite read, but made it made your stomach flop about like a fish.

"Oh? What is it?"

His hands found your jaw and he tilts your face up.

"Can we take this to the bedroom?"

#goku x reader #dbz #goku

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pikahlua · 6 months

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I hope I'm not pestering you at this point, but when exactly do you think he changed his idea of what being the number 1 meant to the extent that he no longer cared about the actually title? Because I got the impression that he'd accepted his weakness when compared to Midoriya under the condition that he would surpass him in the future, based on what he said during the War when trying to keep up with Deku. I kind of thought his visceral reaction to failing to truly damage Shigaraki, and him embracing the damage his awakening was doing to himself to kind of imitate Deku and the power he achieved with his self-sacrificial mindset, kinda supported that. How off am I?

Sorry if I'm making you repeat things you've said.

Oh, you're not off at all. Forgive me, I did not originally understand your meaning in the first question:

Do you think there's going to be a moment where Bakugou comes to terms with the fact that he might never be the number 1 the way he wanted? I can see the story is going on a "save to win" route, but I've been curious about how him realizing his most powerful attacked only grazed Shigaraki will play out.

I thought by not being "the number 1 the way he wanted," you meant his original idea of it from the beginning of the series--the "win no matter what" mentality without a thought for saving anybody. I see now you meant something different.

It sounds like you were asking if Katsuki will ever face the possibility that he may never surpass Izuku or be able to reach Izuku's level when it comes to firepower, that Katsuki may be in Endeavor's situation (not with Endeavor's mindset though) where he constantly sees how wide the gap between them is and must reconcile with that, that Katsuki may have to settle on a "number one" where he surpasses Izuku not with his own strength but only with help from others (i.e. teamwork).

To which I must say, uh, western fans, we gotta talk.

Anon, you may not be guilty of harboring the idea I'm about to challenge, but I see this one particular sentiment all over the place in the English-speaking fandom, and I really need to make something clear to everyone:

Horikoshi has never stated there is an upper limit on any character's power growth potential--NOT EVEN IZUKU'S.

Don't get confused by the "100% One For All" thing. That's a measure of how much of One For All Izuku is USING. It's meant to compare with how much power All Might could use at 100%--but Izuku's real 100% will be different. One For All didn't just get more powerful by being passed on. Each user before Izuku, including notably Shinomori, cultivated and improved the power. Izuku will do so too. His current 100% is not his end-all-be-all 100% over the course of his life. Izuku can train and work hard and grow and make One For All stronger, too.

And Izuku isn't the only one who can do this. Anyone, Katuski included, can improve their quirk. They don't have some set 100% limit they can't increase with enough effort.

To which you might say: okay, but realistically, there is SOME upper limit to that, right?

But actually...no. This is manga/anime, not real life. And shounen manga is particularly notorious for its focus on effort and improvement through hard work. This is a time-honored tradition of the genre dating all the way back to Son Goku of Dragonball (and probably even further back too). The upper limits of Goku's power growth become so absolutely ludicrous as his series carries on and needs him to grow stronger--SO HE JUST GETS STRONGER. That's like the EPITOME of what he is: someone who wants to get stronger so he works to get stronger and, lo and behold, he gets stronger!

And lest we forget, Horikoshi has named Goku as one of his ideals of a "hero," as one of the characters from whom All Might (and by extension Katsuki) takes inspiration.

You know how each generation of quirks has greater potential than the last? This is a direct parallel of One For All's evolution. It showcases that ALL quirks have the ability to evolve into something powerful just like One For All did; it's just a matter of what the quirk user does with it. And each generation can cultivate their quirk and pass it along to get even stronger too. If you want to be a real stickler about how maybe only CERTAIN generations of quirks could surpass One For All, sure, fine, whatever (actually not fine but I'll deal with this later*). We don't know which generation of quirk users Katsuki falls into, and there's a real chance he doesn't know either. But he was born in the same generation as Izuku, so there's no reason his quirk can't be of a ninth generation too. So, he has every reason to believe he could become just as strong as Izuku. He always believed he could surpass All Might, after all.

*Okay let's deal with this little nugget now. Does the ordinal generation of Katsuki's quirk really matter? Not really. Izuku's power was cultivated by many as a theme, but he acknowledges his is a strength made from others'. That doesn't make One For All inherently the best quirk ever, just that it was able to become so strong BECAUSE of others. If the others had done nothing with it, it wouldn't have become so powerful. MHA acknowledges there are other important and good ways of improving one's power: through hard work and effort. It's not that one form of cultivation is absolutely better than the other, just that they both have their uses--and that BOTH TOGETHER would be the best route to improve one's power. This ties into how Japan traditionally views talent and intelligence as products of hard work and improvement in contrast to how the west traditionally views these things as inherent and set at birth. If you're unaware, the Japanese word for "quirk," kosei, translates to "individuality/personality." Individuality/personality is also one of those traits a person has that can be seen as inherent or cultivated--but really it's a product of BOTH. The question of nature versus nurture, as always, is answered with "well actually, both nature and nurture play a part."

(If you want to go off on a tangent with this, go read whatever is the latest version of @siflshonen's Katsuki Bakugou powerpoint presentation on their blog at the time you are reading this.)

Now, I told you all that to tell you this:

Katsuki should never have to face the idea that he will never be able to be number 1 because it's simply not true.

Katsuki has every potential to surpass Izuku. If Izuku were to be satisfied with his quirk's growth and call it quits, Katsuki's quirk's growth would eventually outshine his GUARANTEED. It's because Katsuki is that kind of character, and this is demonstrated in spades throughout the entire manga. Gosh, remember when Izuku said he was only using 8% of OFA in Deku vs Kacchan, Part 2? Remember how the fandom assumed he would dwarf everyone else in comparison as he progressed further down the line?

And remember how Katsuki "grit his teeth to keep from falling behind"?

Everyone's always going on about how Izuku's power will someday eclipse everyone else's, but he's had that monstrous OFA power with him all along since he got it. He just has to improve his BODY to match OFA's power. Has no one really put any thought to how absolutely BATSHIT it is that Katsuki kept up with him? After Katsuki's growth had stalled for so long?

Remember, Izuku's raw power surpassed Katsuki's in DvK2. So by the time of the Paranormal Liberation War, Katsuki developed his quirk to match OFA at 30% in the same amount of time it took Izuku just to develop his body to handle that much OFA. If we're gonna get into the western versions of power-scaling where we care about natural limits...

THE HEIGHTS OF KATSUKI'S "NATURAL" LIMITS ARE EMPIRICALLY ASTRONOMICALLY INSANE.

So, I come back to something you said:

I kind of thought his visceral reaction to failing to truly damage Shigaraki, and him embracing the damage his awakening was doing to himself to kind of imitate Deku and the power he achieved with his self-sacrificial mindset, kinda supported that.

...and to something I said:

But if you mean he'll reconcile with how his firepower compares to TomurAFO's, I'd say, uh, keep an eye out, because already he's had a quirk upgrade since he tried his Howitzer Cluster on TomurAFO. It's very likely that is no longer the upper limit of his capabilities. And that's just assuming he hasn't achieved any other power ups yet/won't get another one soon.

Katsuki's Howitzer Impact Cluster vs TomurAFO was a single snapshot in time. Katsuki has already had a quirk upgrade since then, and as you so aptly pointed out, he's had a sort of philosophical/meta upgrade too as he emulated Izuku. I doubt these will be the last improvements he experiences in his life. He was always held back from surpassing Izuku by the story because he was missing such a huge part of being a hero: saving people. But that's been resolved now. He and Izuku will be rivals who challenge each other to be better for the rest of their lives, and I doubt either one of them will ever truly pull away from the other in terms of raw potential (at least not for long). Katsuki may have instances of self-doubt, of course. He even may at some point acknowledge Izuku as his superior. But I don't think that's a reason for him to ever lose hope or give up. I think there's plenty of reason for anyone to believe it's possible for him to surpass Izuku someday. After all, All Might was considered the best hero of his age not because of his strength but because of his spirit.

And Katsuki's sure got a shitton of spirit.

#anon ask #ask pika #my hero academia manga spoilers #final showdown spoilers #katsuki bakugou #meta #pika's objectively correct power-scaling opinions

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duhragonball · 6 months

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Dragon Ball Daima: Oops! All Babies

I think the word is already out on this thing. Turns out all the rumors about a new Dragon Ball anime featuring a de-aged Goku were mostly true. But it's not "Dragon Ball Magic", it's "Dragon Ball Daima". And while the Supreme Kai is in the trailer, so are a lot of other characters, so it remains to be seen if he's in the lead like the "Magic" rumors had suggested. As far as the name goes, "Daima" is apparently a word Toriyama made up, so "Magic" may have been a best-guess attempt to translate it into English, or maybe it was a working title used behind the scenes, sort of like how they called "Return of the Jedi" by the name "Blue Harvest" during production.

Anyway, the trailer features lots of characters being turned into small children, not just Goku. Some characters are unaccounted for, most notably Gohan. I'm not sure how to interpret this. It could mean he's not in the show at all, and he was unaffected by whatever caused this. But my guess is that they only had so much footage they could put in the trailer, and someone decided Kid Gohan wasn't very helpful from a promotional standpoint. I mean, we saw a lot of Kid Gohan in DBZ. Showing a Kid Gohan in Daima might have led to confusion about the show's continuity.

I'm not... particularly interested in the adults-turned-to-kids gimmick. I don't hate it, but it doesn't mean much to me. The characters look adorable, and that's great, but it's not exactly groundbreaking.

What does interest me is the message from Akira Toriyama at the panel where they unveiled the trailer. I like it because it gives me some assurance that Daima won't fall into the same pitfalls as GT. Let's discuss.

A transcript, first, in case you couldn't read the image at the top of the post:

Hello. I’m Akira Toriyama.

I’m currently working on a new Dragon Ball. The Title is “Dragon Ball DAIMA”.

“DAIMA” is a made-up term, which in Japanese characters would be “大魔” or in English would be something like “Evil.”

Due to a conspiracy, Goku and his friends are turned small. In order to fix things, they’ll head off to a new world! It’s a grand adventure with intense action in an unknown and mysterious world.

Since Goku has to make up for his petite size, he uses his Nyoibo (Power Pole) to fight, something not seen in a long time.

I came up with the story and settings, as well as a lot of the designs. I’m actually putting a lot more into this than usual!

Things will unfold that close in on the mysteries of the Dragon Ball world. Hope you enjoy these different-from-usual battles that are cute and powerful!!

— AKIRA TORIYAMA

All that really matters here is the part where he says why the characters get turned into kids. "Due to a conspiracy, Goku and his friends are turned small. In order to fix things..."

I spent like two months this year complaining about Dragon Ball GT, and pointing out all its various flaws and shortcomings, and here Toriyama sums it all up without even really talking about GT at all. The big problem with GT was not that they turned Goku into a child. The problem was that they turned Goku into a child and then did nothing about it.

I know a lot of fans like GT, but that isn't the point. The point is that when Goku turns into a kid in the first episode, it's presented like a big problem, an obstacle the hero must overcome. The implication is that Goku has to go on a quest to restore himself to normal. Except that's not the problem. The Black Star Dragon Balls are the problem, and Goku can't even think about using them to turn himself back, because they'll destroy the Earth.

So the viewer might be led to assume that the show is actually about Goku learning to adapt to this second childhood. Well, no, because he very quickly decides that it doesn't matter much to him. The only real drawback to his kid body is that for some reason he can't teleport or use Super Saiyan 3. But then he discovers Super Saiyan 4, which can teleport and it's stronger and stabler than SSJ3, so yeah he's arguably better off than he was before.

So what was the purpose of making Goku a kid in GT? I don't know, I guess Toei thought he would look cool that way. Well, fair enough, but that's like giving Goku a haircut, or a new pair of shoes. You don't market a show on a mere cosmetic change. GT presented Kid Goku like a problem that would be central to the series, and then did their best to ignore it for the next 63 episodes. And this hurts everything else they tried to do with the show, because all of the villains and aliens and battles ring hollow when they don't have anything to do with Goku being turned into a kid. If GT could have fixed that fundamental problem, it might not have fixed everything I hated about GT, but it would have at least made the show feel more satisfying to watch.

What I'm driving at here is that Toriyama understands that you can't just de-age your characters for no reason. There has to be a plot-driven reason behind it, or it's just a cheap gimmick. And there is a reason in Daima. There's a conspiracy, and somehow it led to Goku and the gang getting turned into kids. This isn't just Emperor Pilaf making a stupid wish without thinking. Someone did this on purpose. I don't know why someone would do this. Maybe it's an unintended side effect of some other action, but it's still a deliberate action that will set the plot into motion.

And this version of Goku may not care about being de-aged, just like the GT Goku didn't care, but Daima Goku is still going to do something about it. We know this because "In order to fix things, they’ll head off to a new world!" The conspiracy is a problem to be solved, and Goku's going to go to this "new world" to solve it.

This is important. I can't stress it enough. This is why Akira Toriyama is so good at what he does. I'm not saying he's flawless, but most of the criticisms I see leveled at Toriyama don't hold water. The guy knows how important it is to connect all the story beats together.

Of course, Daima could still fall flat. I mean, the Zamasu arc was terrible, so maybe this thing will turn out to be a stinker too. But at least I can rest easy knowing this won't just repeat all the mistakes GT made.

#dragon ball #dragon ball daima

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randomthefox · 19 days

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Okay let's dispel this Goku is a bad dad because of the Cell fight once and for all

"Ohhh Goku made his 11 year old son fight Cell, ohhh he gave Cell a senzu bean ooohh Goku is such a bad dad" shut up you're wrong and we're gonna talk about it by reviewing the manga. No anime filler and no T4S parody bullshit, only the manga as written and drawn by Akira Toriyama.

First of all there are plenty of hints seeded during the Goku vs Cell fight that Gohan is being set up as being way more powerful than he even realizes.

Goku is so powerful that everyone else is freaking out, but Gohan isn't impressed. Gohan sincerely thinks his dad isn't going full strength, that he's just warming up, and doesn't understand why everyone else thinks it's such a big deal.

And during the fight Gohan has no trouble following along without comment, whereas everyone else is doing the typical peanut gallery thing of "WHOA SO FAST I CAN BARELY KEEP UP!"

What's crucial here also is Goku pretty definitively could not beat Cell. Goku is hopelessly outmatched, something Goku was even aware of BEFORE they started fighting. Goku has no ego when it comes to this kind of thing, he is always keenly aware of when he's stronger or not as strong as somebody else and has no sense of pride or shame about admitting that. He knows Cell is stronger than him, that he can't win.

So, Goku gives up much to everyones shock. And that's when he tags in Gohan. Gohan is surprised, everyone is surprised, but Goku's reasoning is pretty simple and to the point. Gohan is WAY more powerful than even he realizes, but Goku being devoid of ego knows just how much Gohan outclasses him. At this point it's just a matter of getting Gohan to believe in himself.

Gohan legit thought that they weren't even fighting "for real" and Goku has to point out to him that he was going full power, but Gohan is SO FAR BEYOND Goku at this point that Gohan couldn't even realize that. He loves and looks up to his dad so much that he can't see the power gap between them for what it is.

Goku is trying to encourage his son to do what he knows nobody else can. He's putting the weight of the world on an 11 year old boys shoulders and sending him into a life or death fight against a monster. And yes, that is unfair. And yes, that is extremely fucked up. But it's not like they have any other choice here. Goku CAN. NOT. BEAT. CELL. It's either Gohan beats him, or everybody dies. Goku is playing the bad hand that life has dealt them, and it sucks that those are the cards they have but denying the reality of that situation isn't going to change anything. Protecting the child is not the right play here, because at the end of the day he's dead whether Goku is right or wrong.

But thankfully, Goku is right. Goku is very very right. Gohan is unbelievably strong. Even BEFORE having his full power unleashed by rage, Gohan in just base Super Saiyan form is so powerful that he's an even match for Cell. Giving Cell the senzu bean didn't make a difference, because Cell was never for a single moment a physical danger for Gohan.

Anime filler skews peoples perception of SS1Gohan vs Cell. During the initial square off, Gohan does not fight back against Cell at all. He doesn't throw a single punch or kick or ki blast. He blocks and dodges and gets knocked around a bit, but Gohan does not do anything else. He essentially lets Cell show him what he's got, and in the end Gohan realizes Goku was right too. He realizes he can absolutely 100% defeat Cell. That Cell is not actually a threat to him. Cell is a bug compared to Gohan.

And realizing that reality is what scares Gohan, not the physical threat of Cell as a fighter. And that's what Goku's mistake was.

Goku thinks that Gohan being pushed up against the wall is all it takes to unleash the beast within, but once that happens and Gohan rages out they got this in the bag. He's seen that power first hand, and so have we. But this is a mistake, Goku doesn't understand his son as well as he thinks he does. And this is the crucial moment that the "Goku is a bad dad" crowd always misses. That Goku REALIZES that he HAS MADE A MISTAKE.

Again, putting all this on Gohan without even going over the plan with him WAS a mistake. But one mistake, a very understandable and relateable mistake that anyone, any parent, could make does not a bad dad make. Especially considering Goku realizes the error of his ways, and immediately admits to it upon doing so and acts to correct his mistake. He asks for a senzu bean to heal up so he can rush back into the fight with Cell, a fight he KNOWS HE CANNOT WIN. He's willing to throw himself to his death to protect his son, just like Piccolo, just like he's done before, because he realized he was mistaken. And he apologizes for it.

Luckily for everyone at the end of the day, Goku WAS right about Gohan. How he went about the plan was flawed, but Gohan did have that beast within. Ironically Cell did a much better job of bringing it out than Goku did. It really required a slow drip feed to get it done, because Gohan is working through quite a fall of self awareness of his own capabilities and reservation about those capabilities. He knows he HAS to snap, but he doesn't want to. So it takes quite a lot to get him over that hump, and Goku just wasn't able to get him there or realizing what it would take to get him there because he was blinded by his love for and belief in his son. Cell is just a monster who wants to amuse himself, so his unabashed cruelty does the trick.

Gohan was teetering on the edge. At this point ANYBODIES death would have pushed him over. Cell could have killed Mr Satan for all the difference it made. That's why I personally don't think 16's speech really made a single bit of difference, it was just the final stomp that was the straw that broke the camels back.

And that's that. Gohan has awoken. And god damn is Goku happy that he ended up being right and didn't accidentally get everyone killed.

Considering the circumstances, this seems understandable. Goku is relieved that he, his son, and everyone else, is NOT going to die after all. He was mistaken, he was humbled for that mistake, and now he is uplifted by his faith not being misplaced. This isn't "neener neener I was right you're welcome" this is "oh thank GOD this actually worked out."

And again, anime filler really warps peoples perception of how things play out from here. Because the fight with SSJ2 Gohan is a complete and total curb stomp. It's so ridiculously one sided I cannot even put it into words. SSJ2 Gohan is a god walking the earth.

This is pretty gratifying. "I'll turn your laughter into fear indeed."

and damn is he a smug little jerk about it. Gohan was afraid of what he would become if he snapped, and boy were those fears justified.

Now it's Gohan's mistake. He drags out the fight because he wants to make Cell suffer. And that pushes Cell to the point of blowing himself up along with the planet. This whole fight is just everybody showing their ass to be honest.

But Goku, mister worst anime dad, is willing to step up and take responsibility. He takes ownership of his mistake. He takes ownership of GOHAN'S mistake. He's willing to take the bullet and fix his own mess, sacrificing his life to save his son and the world. And again, scrub the Team 4 Star out of your brain: Goku has been wished back to life by the Dragon Balls once before. He CANNOT be wished back again. This is a legit sacrifice.

Wow what a bad dad amirite?

Goku sending Gohan in against Cell is not the smoking gun you think it is. If anything it's an example in the "Goku is a GOOD dad" column. He made a mistake, he is a human being. Human beings make mistakes. Parents make mistakes. A parent making one mistake doesn't make them a bad parent. Especially when he admits it was a mistake, and takes responsibility for it and corrects it.

Bonus: Chichi being devastated over Goku's death because she loves him and he was not a bad husband either.

#dragon ball #dragon ball z #goku #son goku #son gohan #gohan #cell

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secretsofdbz · 2 months

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Alright, timelines. (link to my old post)

Today I'm going to walk you through the cluster fuck of Toriyama not paying attention to what he writes from the Trunks arc to the epilogue of the Perfect Cell arc.

Reminder that I divide the "Android Saga" in 4 arcs:

Trunks arc (arrival of Frieza to 3yg training),

Android arc (until the time machine is discovered)

Imperfect Cell arc (until Cell absorbs 18)

Perfect Cell arc (+ epilogue of Trunks killing imperfect Cell)

I will also pull Toei and Daizenshu content if needed just to show how bad it gets, BUT that's just to enhance my argument. Everything here is manga-deductible without extra context or content.

As I've shown in the link above, the manga implies 4 timelines:

Forgotten timeline (Cell kills Trunks and steals his time machine),

Lost timeline (the timeline that dead!Trunks traveled to, which did not have a Cell pop in the middle of its Android Saga, otherwise Trunks would've known about Cell),

Future Timeline (the one we know and see, Trunks traveled to a uni where Cell traveled to first, so there's changes and Cell pops up in the Android saga),

Main Timeline (the one we know and follow, to which Cell and Trunks traveled to),

Let's go into details about dates and math and everything first. (under the read more because LONG)

When Future Trunks discovers dead!Trunks' time machine, he states that it comes from age 788, which is 3 years from where he comes from (which means he comes from 785), and that the Machine landed here "4 years ago". 4 years ago was about one year before Trunks first came (aka one year before Meca Frieza stuff).

During the first trip, Trunks states he comes from 20 years into the future.

That means during his first trip, he went from 784/785 to 764.

We also know he's 17 at this point and "will be born in 2 and a half years"

(Baby Trunks is supposed to be ~6 months old by May 12th, 767, so "I warn in 764, I'll be born in 2.5 years, so I was born in 766" works. Ignoring the wikis about Trunks' birthday being June and Future Trunks' birthday being in November, it doesn't matter here, we just need the years))

For Trunks to be 17 during his first trip, he needs to travel from 784 (before his 18th birthday). So by the time he comes back the second time, it needs to be in 785 (so he is 18!); since it takes 8 months to charge the machine (Trunks the Story manga chapter), that works out.

So in terms of trips, we have:

Trunks (both versions) : (early-mid) 784 to 764

Trunks (both versions): (early-ish) 785 to May 12th 767

Cell: 788 to 763

(handy recap sheet)

At the time, for Toei, there were only two Timelines (aka it was both multiverse theory AND dynamic time travel theory, because Trunks becoming aware of Cell who killed him means Trunks isn't killed by Cell... yeah it's all sorts of EHH ??):

Anyway, you'd think this would be fine right? The image of Cell killing Trunks while he still had his sword (which he shouldn't since he broke it on 18's arm he never used it again in canon) is anime filler, we're all good.

Except... no. This fucking panel right here. Cell explains "(the machine/bots collecting dna) could've gotten Trunks cells but didn't because we had enough Saiyan cells".

Cell supposedly comes from a timeline where GOKU killed Frieza and Cold. But this god forsaken panel contradicts that. (of course it's just that Tori forgot, but we are DB fans, we take things seriously and word of god of the manga is supreme and can't be wrong)

This means that THIS particular version of Cell doesn't come from the Forgotten Timeline.

The Cell we know and love/hate comes from a timeline in which a future Trunks killed Frieza and Cold, BUT everything still went to shit (Goku + gang dying, dead!Trunks traveling to the past, and coming back to destroy the Androids).

In this timeline, Bulma met Future Trunks (who killed Cold and Frieza) in 764, presumably the gang got all the warnings like in the main timeline, but everyone STILL died. So she invented the Time Machine to send her Trunks to the past (perhaps with different instructions so as to not repeat the mistakes of the Future Trunks she saw 20 years prior).

Here's the thing. There is a way for this timeline to exist. You "just" gotta work on the postulate that "each time there's a time travel to the past, a new branch is created". And "if the time machine travels back in time a second time, it lands in the timeline it first branched out unless it travels back further in time". Rephrased: The "784 to 764" trip created a new branch in 764. The "785 to 767" trip landed in that new 764 branch. However the "788 to 763" trip created a whole new branch in 763.

The Time Machine that was piloted by dead!Trunks actually "traveled further back in time", creating an earlier "branch"... which is why Trunks noticed changes, including Goku's late arrival (or Frieza's earlier arrival, we don't know).

Yes, because Future Goku did not use Instant Transmission to fight Frieza and Cold. We know he didn't because Future Bulma had the coordinates where Goku landed, which is how Future Trunks got said coordinates. If Goku had IT to fight Frieza and Cold, Bulma wouldn't have known where the pod was going to land 3 hours later.

So timelines and where does Cell come from? Well you need a timeline from the Branch that started in 764 (with a Future Trunks' arrival to kill Frieza and Cold) but in which everyone died to the Androids, and in which, when Trunks traveled back home, he was able to destroy the Androids...

Anyway here's my final recap of all the timelines in Z, in which "one time travel is one interference creating a new branch". And this is how we can see where Cell comes from :D

This opens a realm of possibilities!!

Did a version of Trunks stay in the past, during his first trip and got a wish to Shenron to have a way to destroy his androids, so he didn't come back in 767 and didn't grow strong at all? Did the future trunks that warned against the Androids but that timeline still went to shit approached the problem differently?? who knows! Time for fanfics and doujins I guess :D

Peace!

#time travel #dragon ball #dragon ball z #von rambles #future trunks #future goku #future bulma #time machine #dbz #db #bulma #timelines #obviously Toriyama just forgot and or didn't pay attention to what he was laying out but I love nitpicking and extrapolating from this stuff

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sapphic-agent · 13 days

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I read your analysis and anti bakugou posts and I want to say thank you!

Going to be kinda long so I’m sorry!

There is another fandom where there is character exactly like bakugou; angry, violent, egotistical and target his hate and aggression to one person only.

the character name is Jiāng cheng from the MDZS novel. But the narrative in the story doesn’t treat all the shit that jerk did as right, it the opposite. He seen as vile that nobody want to associate with (getting banned from all the match making places in the story even)

He never takes the spotlight of the two main nor he is redeemed characters instead seen as pathetic and arrogant jerk he is. The MC, Wei wuxian who was his adoptive brother (not really more like a servant that got treated like a dog) cut ties with him in the end.

He a well written and rounded character but the character personality is shit and I don’t really like him. And the narrative isn’t treating him any differently than being a piece of shit

Why I’m telling you this? Because I feel like if MHA have been written by someone who isn’t Hori bakugou would not have gotten away with the shit he did in the story.

beside the point of the way the narrative treat Jiang cheng, it’s the fandom. When I got into the MDZS fandom I was so disappointed to see bakugou stans 2.0 there but instead of bakugou it’s Jiang cheng.

Both bakugou and Jiang cheng get the same treatment in the fandom as “UWU needs to protect the angry violent person” and “it’s the MC fault our cute UWU baby didn’t do anything wrong” and lots of stuff that I bet you seen in the bnha fandom

It’s sad that even if the story shows that what Jiang cheng wasn’t right (unlike bakugou case where the story doesn’t make him have any consequences) people would outright be mean to other people just because they follow the canon prototype of the character in their fics (I seen it and it’s horrible)

And, in fics it’s seems that every time that Jiang cheng appears in the scene he makes everyone OOC (if the fic is sticking to canon personality). Makes them act like they won’t ever act; it’s the same thing with bakugou (in canon and fanon respectively sadly)

I love to call it the “black hole effect” when a certain character just make the scenes about them no matter the context, like a black hole.

Im sorry this is all over the place, im not really good with words and i used to be pretty active in both fandoms but now its really hard because bakugou and Jiang cheng stans are overall tiring to deal with and they seems to grow up in numbers everyday and yeah… 👍

Have a nice day and week!

Hi! I've never read it but it sounds interesting.

I always try to tell Bakugou stans, it's not the fact that Bakugou's an awful person. I don't care about that. Fictional characters aren't real and can be liked for whatever even if they're vile pieces of shit. It's okay to like a vile piece of shit.

What's not okay is creating that vile piece of shit and then brushing over and never calling out their horrible actions. What's not okay is everyone around them condoning their behavior. What's not okay is pandering to them over their victims. What's not okay is never making them face consequences for their actions. What's not okay is constantly putting them on a pedestal for doing the bare minimum.

Look at Vegeta (RIP Toriyama). Vegeta is always getting humbled and called out. He is never going to surpass Goku because never getting what he wants is part of his retribution. Considering his actions, he should be worse than Bakugou. But he's a way better character because of how the narrative and the other characters treat him.

(You can even compare specific instances. When Bakugou rushed ahead and attacked Kurogiri and got Thirteen seriously hurt, no one said a thing to him and he still won all his fights. He faced zero repercussions. When Vegeta let Cell absorb 18, he immediately got his ass kicked and had to get saved by Trunks and Krillin. Vegeta's actions always affect him terribly, Bakugou's actions always affect everyone else terribly while he gets off scott-free)

DBZ came out decades ago and it still created a better character arc than a 2010s-2020s manga. Horikoshi could have easily given Bakugou a proper redemption arc. He chose not to

#mha critical #bnha critical #anti bakugou katsuki #anon ask #vegeta #rip toriyama

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bitebitesnap · 7 months

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Something that interests me sometimes conceptually is yanderes.

Now I'm not a fan of them. The obsession, the downright horror vibes-it just bothers me..sometimes. There had been a few times where it's actually been kind of interesting, though it's usually because it's not super involved with making the Reader useless or just prey to be hunted.

But that aside, it's not the point, I was thinking about something.

Goku as a yandere would be horrifying.

And I'm not talking about his power. Technically, Vegeta is within the same range so it's not like it's much different from him going on a rampage. No what I mean isn't so much strength. It's reason.

Let's say Goku takes in what happened with Frieza and puts it to heart. Let's say the anger, the rage of becoming a Super Saiyan boils through to his core and changes him at the root-but also not quite. He's still the silly, goofy sweetheart everyone knows....but not quite.

Being on Namek during it's destruction taught him that he can't just let people go as easily. Just because they could be good deep down doesn't mean anything. If they have the chance, remote as it is, to turn on any of them then it's game over no matter how powerful they are. Maybe they aren't a threat to him, but to everyone else they could be the worst thing alive.

So he can't take that risk. Won't allow it to even take root.

He cuts off Gero before he can even release the other androids. Blasted to bits the minute he saw him. 19 went down too because he wasn't prepared to take the attack at full power.

Sure. A few buildings were destroyed, maybe a few people lost. But that's what the dragon balls are for right? And besides, he could feel the virus starting up so he had to act fast! Don't blame him for doing what needed to be done!

Cell is a surprise but not much more of a challenge either. Poor bastard barely got the chance to get away in his first form, and without the other two androids around to fuel his perfect form he had nothing else at all. Okay so some people got hurt in the fight but it's okay too! Dragon Balls, okay?

And without the Cell games, without his sacrifice...there's not much else to do now, is there? He's got nothing to fight, nothing to worry about. Sure he's got Piccolo and Vegeta so it's not like he's completely bored. Also, Gohan is getting seriously strong! He'd love to have a good spar against him when he gets older!

But....it doesnt'....feel quite right..

With nothing to fight, nothing is threatening his friends anymore. He should feel relieved, happy even.

So why does he feel like something is wrong..? Why does he feel anxious, afraid..almost like something is going to happen.

He kept a close watch on all of his friends, going so far as to intrude into their lives to make absolutely sure they were fine. He'd pop in at any point jsut to 'check in', he said, and when nothing was found and everything was fine he'd pop out. 'See?' He'd tell himself, 'Everything is fine. Don't worry about it!'

But he couldnt'...stop...

Simple check turned into hours long stalking. Stalking turned to obsessively watching over them at all hours, staying awake all night hopping between their homes. He couldn't count how many days and nights he'd been awake anymore. Only keeping track of when the sun rose and fell so he could go back to his home and watch over Gohan and you/Chi-Chi.

But it;s still not enough...! What was wrong!?

Then it happens. An inconspicuous little event that could have been missed by anyone had he not been so deranged by the need to keep an eye out for it.

A simple robbery. Not even a well planned out one, the robber had the bright idea to wander into Bulma's open window to steal a few pieces of her jewelry. It was so one-track and clearly idiotic that even she could have handled it.

But Goku was there. He saw it happen.

Poor bastard had no idea what was going on until he was several miles up in the air, dangling by his throat in the hands of a sleep deprived, wild-eyed Saiyan.

He knew of wars, petty battles between factions for something or another. Some part of him envied the rivalries humans could have with each other without running the risk of blowing up a planet. Being weaker, they had countless other's just like them to fight. No stagnation, always another challenge or threat right among their own.

Being himself, a Saiyan as powerful as he was, Goku never had to look down at them as a danger. His friends were strong, stronger than anyone like this little bug in his hands.

....Weren't they..?

His eyes harden, ignoring the squirming roach.

If they were...then why didnt Vegeta do anything to stop this attempt? Why didn't Yamcha?

Were there other infractions like this? Were they all ignoring it? Just letting it happen, right behind their backs where they could get stabbed just like he was when Frieza-

The crunch happens in the back of his head. His eyes watch the pest's neck flop over his fist but see nothing.

Quiet. It was quiet for the first time in a long, long while.

No noises catching his attention. No anxious energy driving him mad. No wild emotions left unchecked from exhaustion.

He was...calm.

Slowly he brings the body closer. The life force is long gone. No light blinks in the eyes. It's dead. Gone. No threat to anyone.

...Because of him..

And it clicks.

It doesn't matter if Vegeta didn;t get to him, he did. Yamcha wouldn't have fought anyways, he was a coward now and terrified of death.

But because he was here, he did. He caught the bastard. He ended the threat. He saved Bulma.

He saved her from something no one was looking for.

With everyone fresh out of a series of disasters centered mostly around the stars or his past, no one was focusing on the present. How could they? They'd been subjected to it for so long they'd grown numb to it by now. A simple robbery was nothing to them-less than nothing.

They were blind to an enemy they couldn't even think of anymore.

So he clenches the body's neck even tighter. Flesh engorges into a red mass in his palm but he ignores it. Even when the balloon bursts and crimson runs down his fingers. As meat squeezes out into and over his palm, the tongue forced out in a breathless gag.

He was their champion right? The strongest under the sun. The warrior who bested the worst of the universe, the tyrant Frieza, the android's maker, even the warrior built specifically to destroy him. He'd done it all. He'd do it a thousand times over if it meant protecting those he loved.

What was a few, measly little lives of a few bugs that dared to call themselves humans? Did their lives matter, even, if they dared to stoop so low as to be like the monsters he's conquered? Were they lives at all or simply dust under his heels?

The body is flung in a random direction. He doesn;'t care where it lands. His muscles are tight with renewed energy, mind clear and focused on a single, soul driven purpose.

He would protect everyone. He would destroy anything that got in his way. Be the wall between them and total destruction.

He was Son Goku the Saiyan, the warrior, Earth's mightiest protector. But if the Earth itself wanted to turn on anyone he cared about....

Then not even the Earth mattered to him anymore.

#another long ass ramble for y'all I guess #like I said yandere's aren't really my thing #....but sometimes #it's fun to think about #also I didn't mean to let this go on for so long because it was meant to be a small ramble about an idea and uhhhh #whoops #jawbones #goku #goku x reader #kinda #didn't really think about the reader insert side of this too much #had a lot more set up tbh #also working out how to make it about Goku's slow descent where his desire to protect his friends warps into murderous obsession killed me

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grymoria · 8 months

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One thing I can't stand about Dragon Ball Evolution is the fact no matter how HORRIBLE that movie was, that was the only time we actually SEE Goku and Chichi kiss.

#Dragonball #dragon ball super #dragon ball #dbz #dragon ball z #dbs #dragon ball evolution #Goku #son goku #chi chi #chichi #son chichi #gochi

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paganminiskirt · 24 days

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Something upsetting about Bulma’s reaction to Vegeta’s suicide - and it was a suicide, no matter the grandiose aims he assigned to it - is how it reflects the state of their relationship at the time of his death. That sacrifice is meant to be Vegeta’s first moment of real selflessness and maturity, growth which is contrasted by the way Bulma seems to almost regress when she gets word of it: she’s so consumed by her own ugly, undignified grief that she doesn’t react to Chi Chi collapsing about Gohan's death at all, as understandable as it is. In the anime, Bulma shouts “no,” and she shouts his name, but in the manga it’s just a shapeless, agonized wail. Reminds me of Vegeta weeping when he realized he couldn't beat Frieza. Vulnerable. Childlike.

And that comparison could almost make you think that the grief Bulma is expressing is, itself, shallow or childish. King Kai isn't there to explain the depth of her feelings, the way he was when Frieza tortured Vegeta. Bulma was introduced to Dragon Ball as a young girl, and her characterization back then revolved largely around vanity, pettiness and selfishness. When she wasn't acting that way, the story was demonstrating her precociousness and abnormal intelligence - and having adult men casually sexualize her, as if she were a grown woman.

If we've learned anything from the previous arcs, it's that slotting children into adult roles has disastrous, counterintuitive consequences. Gohan is forced to fight Cell at age eleven and almost loses the fight because he gets caught up in his own immature sadism. Vegeta is introduced to us with little to no detail on his face, making him look younger than he is, especially since he's under five feet tall. It's no surprise, when the story shows him slaughtering total strangers and old friends alike like he's ripping the wings off a butterfly. It's no surprise, when the story tells us that the whole time, he was a child soldier and a slave.

So there are themes that could potentially make you read Bulma as having stunted emotional processing skills as an adult. There's also the fact that, when Bulma and Vegeta's relationship first started, it was fulfilling needs for both of them that weren't especially healthy or mature. Bulma was breaking off a romance and potential engagement with Yamcha, which was likely somewhat codependent, considering they'd been together since youth and were each the other's first lover. Vegeta was coming off his aforementioned death-by-torture from a lifelong abuser, and Frieza himself had only just died. With that in mind, who could forget Puar and Yamcha gawping at Bulma as she gives Vegeta an order and he obeys her, trailing behind her like a pet, pouting, but doing it anyways. What’s the line in the original Japanese version? “Vegeta is completely under her control?”

So it didn’t start off particularly healthy. Bulma is feeling wounded and vulnerable, she wants some reassurance and to make Yamcha jealous. Vegeta wants reassurance as well, and underneath that, to be told what to do. The offset of their relationship has Vegeta using Bulma to soothe the part of him that still needed to be apart of that structure, that control, that obedience. He objectified himself to her, even if she didn’t know it.

But Bulma’s reaction to his second death rejects that reading of their relationship entirely. Rejects the idea that Vegeta’s self-destruction could ever be a positive thing, even though he was doing it in defense of her, this act of willingly placing his own needs behind someone else’s which a more self-centered personality would’ve gobbled up. Did gobble up. Vegeta’s fought for the sake of other people before! He fought for Frieza! It’s just that those acts of violence were exclusively destructive and exploitative, never defensive, and no matter the attitude Vegeta adopted while doing it, he wasn’t allowed to say no.

Like, I’m sure Goku told her that Vegeta did what he did out of love and altruism, but it doesn’t help. Because Bulma doesn’t want to hear that Vegeta loved her enough to kill himself. She just wants him to be alive.

#brutal. she grew up. they both grew up.#Bulma #Vegeta #vegebul #DBZ #suicide tw

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yeowangies · 1 year

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Submissive

Goku | VEGETA | Raditz

❧

PAIRING: Vegeta/Reader RATING: Explicit CONTENTS: Explicit Sexual Content, Porn Without Plot, Dom/Sub Undertones, Power Play, Pegging. WORDCOUNT: 2530

Summary:

You expected a different reaction from Vegeta when you brought it up, but you should have known differently. He’s an alien after all.

Notes:

I am the most nervous about this one because it was really hard to write it. I have read bottom!vegeta so many times and I like it but writing him like this was a pain in the ass. I still enjoy it though so...

You expected a different reaction from Vegeta when you brought it up, but you should have known differently. He’s an alien after all. It surprised you that he knew what ‘pegging’ was, and it surprised you even more when he didn’t say no.

Not only did he agree, but he did so nonchalantly. Like he was saying yes to more sugar on his coffee. You blinked, taken aback, and he raised an eyebrow at your reaction.

“What is it?”

“I was just… I had a speech prepared and everything to talk you into it.”

“Did you?” Vegeta smirked, amused.

“Yeah… I didn’t think you’d say yes right away.”

“Why did you think that?”

“I don’t know… Human men are-”

“Stop. That’s your mistake, I’m no human.” He said, matter-of-factly. And a little annoyed.

“I realize that now.” You sighed, smiling a little.

“Just tell me when you want to do this.”

And just like that, the conversation was over.

You haven’t even bought the strap-on yet, but you were in a hurry as soon as he left the room, so you ordered everything online as fast as you could.

Vegeta had given in so easily, you had to wonder if he had done something like this before. Maybe not exactly the same, but… similar. You never pried on his past life much; if you pushed too much he might close up once and for all, and you didn’t want that. But you were curious after that conversation.

You got a little nervous the more you dwelled on it. This was the first time you did something like this. What if he doesn’t like it? You wanted him to enjoy it as much as possible. And no matter how tense you were, you still wanted to try this. Especially with Vegeta.

As he got out of the shower on the due date, you waited for him sitting by the bed with a robe around your body, your foot tapping against the wooden floor. He noticed, of course, and eyed you curiously. Before he could say anything, you opened your mouth first.

“Have you… done something like this before?”

“Have you?” Vegeta retorted flatly.

“Um… No.” You were nervous enough to ignore the fact that he hadn’t answered your question.

“Is that why you’re shaking?” He smirked, looking at your leg.

“I’m not-!” You stopped the anxious movement, sitting cross legged on the bed. “I’m not shaking… I was but, not consciously…”

He chuckled quietly as he got rid of the towel around his waist, discarding it on the floor. You gaped at him, his naked body standing in full glory just feet away from you as he flared his ki briefly to dry himself. Heat raised to your cheeks at his sight; you were starting to second guess if you actually wanted to do this to him, or if you wanted him to ravage you instead. Those were your nerves making you doubt; you had given this idea a lot of thought before initially mentioning it to Vegeta.

“Do you still want to do this?” He asked, breaking you out of your trance.

You blinked a couple of times before nodding.

When he settled down on the bed, you noticed how red the tips of his ears were. Maybe he was just as nervous as you were. But of course, the Prince of all Saiyans would never admit to such a thing.

It was incredibly encouraging that Vegeta was already half hard when you got rid of your robe, and it surprised you for good that he stared at you as you put on the strap-on, fastening it over your hips so it embraced your curves. You tried to contain your grin when you saw he was then sporting a raging boner then as you crawled over him, pink blush creeping up his neck as he tried to show you his best poker face.

“I think it’d be easier if you get on all fours.” You suggested, a little more assertive after witnessing his reaction.

He blinked, considering it for a second, and you thought he was going to protest against it, but he nodded before turning around.

You had never seen Vegeta acting this docile before and you had to wonder if he was feeling alright. Any kind of concerning thought left your head once you saw him on his hands and knees, presenting his behind to you. You were thankful he couldn’t see you or he would have definitely noticed how red your face was. It wasn’t like you had never seen his ass before, especially with how tight his body suit was. But you felt raunchy looking at it at that moment, knowing what you were about to do, and arousal started pooling in your lower abdomen.

Clearing your throat, you slowly approached him, settling a hand on his back. His body remained still, but you heard Vegeta inhale sharply as you ran your fingers up his spine before traveling downwards. He jolted when you skimmed over the spot where his tail used to be, and smiled to yourself, resting your hand on his butt.

“Are you nervous?” You asked, genuinely concerned as you reached for the lube.

“Of course not.” His voice was a bit breathy and it caught your attention.

“You can change your mind anytime-”

“Just get on with it, woman!”

“Okay!” You huffed, pouring a generous amount of lube on your fingers. “I’ll try my best to make you enjoy this, Your Highness.”

His nape turned red, and you stifled a laugh. That always worked.

You traced your index finger in between his asscheeks before pressing it to his entrance. Vegeta shivered slightly, but didn’t make a noise. You took your time, nudging the tip until you could finally ease it inside, shallowly pushing in and out.

“How is it?” You asked, once your whole finger was inside him.

“Weird.” He replied after a beat. “It’s not particularly… pleasant.”

“Should I keep going?”

“...Yes.”

He didn’t sound so sure, but you knew better than to ask him again.

You quickly pushed in another finger, slowly easing it in until it was nudged inside. His body kept flinching, and to distract him from the not so nice feeling (yet), you reached around for his cock with your free hand, taking a hold of it to stroke it languidly. Vegeta groaned deeply, his head drooping against the pillow. Once you slid in the third finger, you worked on opening him up, at the same time you tried to look for that spot he supposedly had inside him. Saiyans were similar to humans, he should have that sensitive place inside him as well, right?

When you suddenly curled your digits, Vegeta jolted, letting out a loud moan.

You gaped at him, frozen by the noise he just made that you have never heard. You couldn’t see his face, but he must have been equally surprised if his body language was any indication.

“What-what did you do?” He asked, clearly confused.

Your reply was pressing your fingers on that same spot again. For confirmation, obviously.

When he flinched and let out a gasp, you grinned widely.

“Turn around.” You cooed in the softest voice you could manage while taking out your fingers and pulling your hand around his dick away.

You gave his ass one stroke before Vegeta shakily turned around. You really couldn’t believe your own eyes, not only was he being compliant, but he wasn’t even protesting. And when he laid on his back, his face was flushed; he did look embarrassed and he was staring up at the ceiling, clearly avoiding your eyes.

Seeing him like that was turning you on more than you thought it would; it was a sight you never thought you’d witness.

“I’m going to put it in, okay?” You asked, nestling closer as you ran your hands up and down his thighs so as to soothe him.

“Whatever.” He said, feigning indifference. You wanted to laugh, but you contained it.

Pouring lube on your hand to coat the strap, you held his hips before gently nudging his entrance with the tip. Vegeta tried to stifle a gasp from leaving his lips, but you caught it, smiling softly. His mouth fell open when you pushed in, and his eyes closed tightly once your hips were finally pressed flush against his ass. You stayed still for a moment, letting him get used to the feeling.

“Are you okay?” You asked, running a hand up and down his side. Vegeta grunted in response; it sounded like he was saying yes but you weren’t sure. “I’m gonna move, it’ll feel good, alright?”

He nodded slightly, still keeping his eyes closed.

You didn’t need more than that, so you gently pulled out a bit before moving back in slowly. You had to make his body get used to the strap, so you thrust shallowly at first. His body was squirming slightly underneath, familiarizing with the new sensation of having you inside him, one of his arms draped over his eyes, like he was too embarrassed to show himself to you. Which was funny, but you didn’t plan on mentioning it.

“It’s impossible…” Vegeta suddenly spoke, and you turned your full attention towards his covered face. “That that thing is smaller than me…”

“It is,” You snorted quietly. “A lot smaller. You saw it yourself.”

He huffed, offended.

When you shifted, changing the angle of your hips before pushing in, Vegeta suddenly moaned. You were both once again equally stunned that such a noise came from him, and even though his eyes were hidden by his arm, you knew they were wide open.

You tried hitting that spot again, this time pulling out almost entirely before pushing in. He let out a breathy groan, and his thighs shook slightly. You repeated the same moves, and he gasped, back arching.

“Fuck, fuck…” He murmured quietly, but you heard it perfectly clear.

Vegeta still had his arm over his eyes, and he was clinging tightly onto the pillow under his head. His cock moved with every one of your thrust, and soon it started dripping precum, creating a small pool on his abs.

This was a sight you thought was impossible. Vegeta was completely lost in his own pleasure, and you had actually never seen him like that. Even when his dick was inside you, his expression was never like that. It was obviously a completely different feeling, but you hope he’s liking this enough because you definitely want to do this again if he’s going to look this stunning.

The only disadvantage at the moment was that he was too shy to let you see his eyes.

Holding his thighs and opening them up slightly more, you focused your thrusts on directly stroking that spot inside him.

“Motherfucker!” Vegeta cried out, and you looked at him with eyes like plates, biting your lip so as not to laugh.

“You okay?” You asked with the most even voice you could manage.

“Just…” He panted, finally removing the arm over his face. “Keep going… Faster…”

He was almost all red, his eyes desperately looking at the ceiling to obviously avoid your gaze, but you only found it endearing. You did as you were told, speeding up and hitting inside him where he liked it, earning more groans and gasps from him.

His cock bounced as you increased the speed of your thrusts, and you noticed it started twitching every time the strap stroked that sensitive place inside him, smearing precum all over his stomach. Vegeta was grunting louder each passing second, and he went back to covering his eyes with his arm, turning slightly to the side, like he was ashamed of being seen that way.

“Vegeta,” You called his name softly, leaning down to tug at his arm. “I wanna see you.”

“No!” His voice was hoarse, and he gasped loudly when you pushed inside him at that moment. “Shit!”

You pouted and leaned down, his legs naturally spreading wider to accommodate you in between them. You kissed the skin you could reach while trying to keep the same pace you had just set (turned out, it was difficult to do but you really liked his reactions so far). He moved his arms then, gripping the sheets underneath as he let you kiss his lips, swallowing down the noises he made.

When you wrapped your hand around his cock, pumping it in time with your thrusts, he let out a low groan. You broke the kiss, pulling back to see his face just when you felt his dick throb in your hand.

“Fuck, I’m going to-” Vegeta managed before growling deeply.

He threw his head back and arched his spine when he came, spraying his load onto his chest and abdomen as you continued to stroke him, splattering some on your hand. His entire body tensed, and the vein on his neck visibly pulsed, making arousal inside you grow. You kept on rocking your hips until no more cum came out of his cock, pulling out carefully then.

Vegeta was panting hard, eyes shut tight as he recovered from his orgasm. You gaped at him, your eyes going between the cum he spilled on your hand, the ropes on his torso, and his flushed face. He had always been attractive, but that had to be a new level. He wouldn’t be able to deny he enjoyed this, even when he was acting so shy before; he had come barely seconds after you put your hand on him.

With your clean hand, you reached for his head, running your fingers through his hair.

“Vegeta? How are you feeling?” You asked quietly. Slowly opening his eyes, he stared at the ceiling, but didn’t reply, so you tried again. “How was it?”

He remained quiet as you reached for the tissues by your nightstand, cleaning your hand before wiping the cum on his skin. It looked like he wasn’t going to say anything at all, so you huffed as you unfastened the strap from your hips.

“That was strangely pleasant.” He spoke suddenly, making you turn your eyes to him.

“Seemed like it.” You showed him a knowing smile when he looked at you, and he averted his gaze in an instant.

When you pulled down the toy, you noticed how wet you were from literally fucking Vegeta, and you flushed as you discarded it randomly on the floor. As you laid down next to him, you sweetly kissed his cheek.

“How do you feel about doing it again?”

“I wouldn’t… I wouldn’t mind.” He replied after a moment, clearing his throat before going on. “Occasionally.”

“Okay,” You chuckled, snuggling closer and wrapping an arm around his waist.

Just when you closed your eyes, he wrapped an arm around you and directly went for your ass, groping it roughly and making you yelp before gasping when his hand sneaked in between your legs to stroke your entrance.

“You are dripping wet,” Vegeta stated, smiling smugly when you blushed.

“Um, I-”

“Turn around and lay on your stomach. I’m taking control now.”

#dbz fanfiction #dbz imagine #dbz fics #vegeta x you #vegeta x reader #vegeta #dbz #dragon ball z #my writing

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galexibrain · 23 days

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I have a headcanon that saiyans don't really do romantic relationships as humans know them.

We have two (2) full-blooded saiyans existing in canon (I'm ignoring movies, Super etc. and only going by the manga for this one) and both are ... not the romantic types.

And maybe there's more to it than "Goku grew up really extremely isolated and doesn't get a lot of things" and "Vegeta is too proud to admit he has a romantic side".

Idk, for a species that's just so laser-focused on fighting I think bonds between warriors would be waaay more important to them, and sexual stuff would happen completely outside of that (and yeah regardless of gender, let's say I headcanon that if two (or three) saiyans want to fuck, they fuck. Maybe as a bonding ritual before battle lmao).

But they don't really "marry" and get together, not even couples with kids. They fuck A LOT (I think with their tendecy to die early they'd have to procreate quickly lol) but whether two saiyans have kids together doesn't have any influence on their relationship status, and most saiyans have more half siblings than full siblings.

So yadda yadda, I heacanon Goku as aro (yes he loves Chichi, yes he's still aro, deal with it) and maybe ace/demi too but not bc he's saiyan and Vegeta as demiromantic bc that man is definitely head over heels in love with Bulma, no matter how much he denies it. But it took him a while, and initially, Trunks' existence didn't mean there was ever going to be a relationship between Vegeta and Bulma.

#dragon ball #dbz #dragon ball z #db headcanons #i'm just rambling on here bc i'm trying to figure out what i want to go for in a oneshot i'm currently writing #you can pry aroace goku out of my cold dead hands

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yamcha-thelonewolf · 4 months

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🫀The Heart's Savior.

Guys, we have come to the end, but how is it that they say? The end of something will be the beginning of something else. There will always be so much to say about Yamcha and I don't want to stop that soon. For now I would like all Dragon Ball fans to consider this topic, not because I wrote it. I am well aware that I am not the first person to talk about it, and I am glad that someone other than me has noticed, but in Yamcha's case it is never enough. The more the merrier! Even at the cost of repeating ourselves…. It doesn't matter! In latin they used to say repetita iuvant, meaning that something by dint of being repeated is eventually learned. Can it stew? Maybe. But it's still better than keeping quiet, right? And I believe that all of us Yamcha fans have a sacred right to protect one of the most misunderstood and unnecessarily mistreated characters ever.

Well, it's time to begin, but before we go into the last, most important chapter, I would like to remind you one last time of the previous two parts, so that we have a clearer and more obvious situation. I mean, at this point it's really impossible to ignore that Yamcha is useless. PART 1: The Past PART 2: The Present

PART 3: The Future

It is no accident that I wanted to divide the topic in a temporal sense. As I had said at the beginning, in the Androids and Cell Arc, Yamcha has seriously contributed to improving the past, the present and the future. He didn't fight with his muscular body, but by bringing the resounding strength of his heart into play, he made sense of Dragon Ball's most important chapter. At least it is the most important to me. Not only because it is the first and only time the warriors are really all together, but also because this is where the story begins to expand with the appearance of alternate realities. Everyone does their own thing, and while I regret that Yamcha was not given a real action moment in which to shine (with the exception of the fight against that Cell Junior together with Tien to save Goku), I'm still glad that in the same arc in which Toriyama tried to completely sideline him, Yamcha left his mark. And believe me, it is a very important mark.

We could say that Yamcha saved everyone's mood, everyone's heart, everyone's soul…. The meaning will always be the same. We are not on Planet Vegeta, where everyone is callous and devoid of humanity. We are on Earth, on that planet that made Goku an outstanding saiyan and especially the protagonist everyone has loved for years. This means that if you can't feel pure emotions, you can't go anywhere. You can't even get on the Flying Nimbus! We learned this with OG Dragon Ball: if you don't act from the heart and for the heart, you certainly won't make a good end. This is what Jackie Chun/Muten Roshi explains to Tenshinhan when he tries to convince him to abandon the path of evil and take the path of good. It was an important teaching, and it saddens me that Akira Toriyama has completely forgotten it since forty years later he has failed to reward the character who most of all was a living heart.

If you think about it, this is really Goku's strong point: his heart. In the beginning he always acted for the sake of someone else: he wanted to look for the dragon ball with four stars because it reminded him of his grandfather, then he collected them all to bring Upa's father back to life, then again to save Krillin, Muten and Chiaotzu. Always thanks to his heart he became a Super Saiyan for the first time and thanks to his good feelings he was able to save the earth many times. So it is really his heart that made him legendary. It is because of it that he was able to go on, become stronger and be the ultimate hero. ...So... Why should Yamcha be any less? He is a human, so what? He possesses superhuman strength. There is nothing different from a saiyan awakening his feelings. Both of them go against the grain. They are two sides of the same coin. Whatever...

To recap:

Yamcha saved the past. He has taken care of Goku since he was little, helped him when Goku's innocence hindered him, always supported him, and always stepped forward whenever he was in danger of getting hurt. Finally, he took care of his heart, the most important core of Goku's character, during his illness.

Yamcha saved the present. While everyone feared the worst or simply struggled without much success, Yamcha was always ready to comfort and warm that chill that could have turned the present into Trunks' horrible future. He took care of Tien, or at least he would have liked to, then Gohan and finally Krillin, helping him to hope on his chance with Android 18. It seems little, but in everyday life such a turnaround is more important than a victory against an invincible monster. After all... What remains when peace returns?

Although The Past and The Present show how big Yamcha's heart is, we still have to admit that up to now he has taken care of his friends. This is an easy thing to do. I mean, any human with a heart of gold would do all this for someone he loves, but Yamcha's value goes beyond that. After all, it is when you leave your comfort zone that you truly realize how much you are worth, and that is what I am referring to when I say that Yamcha has been the strongest of all. Nietzsche once said:

Love your enemies because they bring out the best in you.

It's true. By loving those who hate you, those who have hurt you or simply those who do not appreciate you, you become incredibly better, because you can overcome the evil you get and make it your strength in a sense.

That's exactly what Yamcha does, but you know, I even believe that he doesn't do it completely to feel better. I think he does it because he knows how to love. That's always the point: by knowing how to love he automatically knows how to forgive and overcome the hatred that he would have the right to feel. Therefore, dear friends, today we will talk about how Yamcha cared even for those whom he was not bound to love for different reasons. I want to say this will be the part that will touch me the most. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be sentimental as hell but I can't help it. Yamcha is a treasure chest of emotions and I want to express them just as he would. To talk about what follows means first of all having to come to terms with the most humiliating thing of all: Yamcha and Bulma's breakup. I don't want to dive into details, not in this topic, but what I do want to point out is that for me Yamcha never cheated on Bulma.

Look at him. One who has cheated would not react like that. You can see that he is pissed off and disappointed, rather than mortified or distressed about the mistake he made. I am more accepting of the speculation that Bulma simply preferred Vegeta, although here we open a big digression about yet another writing problem in Dragon Ball. Consequently, as I see it, Yamcha suffered the breakup as a real tragedy, came out as a victim of it, and therefore his heart was severely wounded by it. With these things in mind, it is logical to think that what we see from this point on is literally a saint-made man, because not only does Yamcha accept the new reality with Bulma, but he even stays by her side to continually watch over her until the end of DBZ.

Once again Yamcha stays. He is there, he does not back down, and with his head held high he faces the greatest disappointment of his life, because without ever forgetting this we must consider that his goal was (is) always love. He strongly desired to marry Bulma and have children with her, but in the end she chose to do this with the one who had once killed her boyfriend.

Heartbroken and disillusioned, Yamcha would have many reasons for never speaking to Bulma again. Yet he does. He stays close to her, and in facing this great humiliation he proves not only that he has that usual big heart, but also that he is seriously better than those who treated him as if he were worthless. Yeah, I am really talking about Vegeta. I hope I am not annoying any Vegeta fans, but believe me, for any Yamcha fan it is impossible to accept certain attitudes that the saiyan prince had with the earthling.

Don't worry, though. I am not going to denigrate a character to glorify Yamcha. It's not my style and frankly he doesn't need it. He already shines on his own, it's just that unfortunately his brightness is obscured by super energy attacks. I will simply show the evidence, but more importantly I will talk about how Yamcha loved even Vegeta and Trunks.

Actually, why he helped Trunks should not surprise us. Trunks did nothing wrong to Yamcha. He is simply the son of Bulma and Vegeta, and even if that means Yamcha has lost his Bulma forever, that is certainly not a valid reason to hate this boy. Well, if we clearly allow ourselves to be guided by instinct and the most impetuous emotions, it is quite normal to think that Yamcha may also have felt frustration at seeing that son who should have been his. Trunks is the most concrete form of Yamcha's humiliation: not only is he not his son, he is even Vegeta's son. From this point of view, Trunks represents the beginning of a new hope for the planet but also the end of Yamcha's hopes. It's a subplot that nobody gives a damn about, but as much as I love Trunks, I can't help but think every time I see him, "oh boy, Yamcha's downfall is coming."

Whatever… These are assumptions we don't have to worry about. Yamcha may have had a small moment of annoyance with little Trunks, but he is still an innocent child, and what's more, although he is Vegeta's son, he is also Bulma's son, and Yamcha loves Bulma. Now as a friend, but he still loves her. So loving Bulma necessarily means loving Trunks as well. This to me is a great proof of his inner strength that I mentioned earlier, although at this point I wonder... Is his strenth really that inner? It seems so damn noticeable to me. Now let's take a closer look at the whole situation.

Through Trunks' words we learn for the first time about the breakup between Yamcha and Bulma. Trunks very naively explains that the main reason was Yamcha's attitude toward the girls. Bulma got fed up and so she broke up with him once and for all. Leaving aside the fact that Yamcha playboy is a kind of joke, because we have seen many times how in reality he has always been the exact opposite, it is highly probable that this statement is unfortunately the result of Bulma's usual hysteria toward Yamcha. I say "usual" because we have plenty of evidence on this. For example, in OG Dragon Ball we saw how she was pissed off at Yamcha simply because a fanclub of pretty girls had formed for him. This trifle had been enough for Bulma to leave Yamcha alone in the city, and go with Goku to search for the dragon balls. It is not hard for me to imagine that much of Yamcha's alleged faults were simply in Bulma's head. Perhaps she feared losing him and consequently imagined realities that Yamcha would never allow.

The fact is that in my opinion Trunks' explanation should not be taken as true. Future Bulma told his son a lot of lies, surely for good, because living in such a tragic time it was right to ease the boy's soul by telling him about his father's noble deeds. The point is that Future Bulma knew perfectly well that Vegeta was neither a saint nor a hero. She never knew the Vegeta of the Buu Arc. She had only experienced the impassive, distant, indifferent, and untamable Vegeta, the one you still had to worry about because you still couldn't tell if you could trust him or not. But Vegeta was still the father of her son, and her son was the only thing she had left of Vegeta. So out of love for her son, Bulma has elevated Vegeta, and as one does when telling a fanciful fairy tale in which one exaggerates many things, Future Bulma necessarily has fictionalized how she and Vegeta ended up together. I try hard to think of it that way. I find it in very bad taste that Future Bulma spoke ill of Future Yamcha, who died and did not have a chance to tell his side. So I just assume that she told this bullshit not to insult Yamcha's memory but to comfort young Trunks. As I said, the lie about Yamcha is not the only one. To glorify Trunks's father, Future Bulma also tells that Vegeta had a hidden and "warmer" side, but in reality even she was not sure about that because in the future Vegeta had never shown affection toward their son. It was a supposition she made up to give her son hope.

In short, through Future Bulma's words we can imagine that Future Yamcha is a moron, while Future Vegeta is a pretty decent man. Cold but decent. Mind you: accusing Yamcha of being "something of a playboy" does not just mean that he is a jerk who gets off on girls. Above all, it means that Yamcha is unintelligent, vile, and without dignity. But when Trunks gets into the time machine and goes back to the past, which for us is the present, all the cards get messed up and a very different reality jumps out. From here on, the paths diverge. There are those who believe Future Bulma's words and those who find the whole thing a terrible stretch. True or not, everything Yamcha does in this saga completely negates the idea that he was a shitty person with no brain or heart. Trunks sees that, but he also sees something more important: Vegeta is not as worthy as he thought.

In this scene, the tension is very high. It is not just a clash between a saiyan and an earthling. It is a clash between one who has lost everything and one who has taken everything. After all, Vegeta took Yamcha's life once and a few years later he took his girlfriend. The way Vegeta tries to cut Yamcha out of Dragon Ball has always bothered me, simply because many fans have taken all his insults against Earthlings as true. Nowadays, unfortunately, there are many who believe that Yamcha is really scum. Seeing him in this scene with that clenched fist, his gaze threatening but equally filled with goodness tugs at my heartstrings. However, the best part of this scene is really Trunks' reaction.

He seems really upset. Somehow it's as if he wants to stop it, but not just because Vegeta is taking it out on Yamcha. Trunks comes from a future where love no longer exists. There is only fear, anger, frustration. He lives in a world where there is no time to laugh, joke, play, simply feel human, and he suffers a lot from that. His warm melancholy is directly proportional to the cold evilness of the two androids. With this interpretation in mind, I am quite convinced that in this scene Trunks saw the two androids in his father. Or rather, it is as if Trunks was upset by his father's coldness very similar to that of androids. Understand me, it is as if he at that moment is witnessing the confrontation between the two times: Yamcha represents the happy past, Vegeta the ruthless future. Moreover, Trunks in those days is fully experiencing the reality he desires in his time. There is his father, there is Goku, there are his friends, laughing is still possible but most of all, the planet is so alive that hope and love do not even have to be searched for in a mad rush because they are part of it. They have not yet been eradicated as in his future. As I had already said, hope and love are precisely what convinced Trunks to accomplish this feat. Not only that. If you remember what I wrote in the previous part, I openly stated that Yamcha is the representation of these two feelings. So... Joining all the dots, it really seems that in this scene Trunks is standing up for his own ideals. If Yamcha is love and love is what Trunks wants back in a world now filled with hatred, it is only natural that he would side with the earthling. I mean, he is fed up with witnessing injustice. Besides, Trunks has respect for Yamcha as Fighter-Z. He knows that Yamcha also tried to fight against the androids and that unfortunately he did not succeed, so it is natural for him to stand up for him. It is that code of honor that is created between warriors. Well, I really think Trunks realizes here what I was saying at the beginning: Yamcha is not that much of an asshole and Vegeta is not that much of a saint. At this point Trunks seriously needs proof that negates everything he is observing. It is just a detail. The best is yet to come.

Before we get to that, I would like to briefly address the relationship between Yamcha and Trunks. We have come to understand by now that Yamcha acts out of love and precisely because of this he does not look the recipient in the face. The fact that Trunks is Vegeta's son does not matter to him. Trunks is a good guy who even though he materialized the separation between Yamcha and Bulma still saved the world by going back to the past. Moreover, as already mentioned, he is Bulma's son. All this is enough for Yamcha to respect, love and protect him.

This is a decisive moment. Trunks' death acts as a catalyst for the final fight, but more importantly it makes Vegeta bring out that "side." Everyone remembers the prince's anger against Cell after seeing his son die, but... How many remember who was the first to rescue Trunks?

Come on, seriously?! I would never have said that. ...Yes, hell, yes. Of course would have said that. There are so many characters who witness this tragic death but it just so happens that the first one to intervene is Yamcha. I don't think it's random. And even if it was, that's pretty damn consistent with his character. You see. He reaches Trunks even before Vegeta, but that certainly does not mean that Vegeta loves Trunks any less. I just mean that, despite all that Trunks represents to Yamcha, Yamcha rushes to save him, moved again by that unconditional love that distinguishes him from all others.

The very brief scenes in which Yamcha protects Trunks' corpse together with Tien are wonderful. For two sensitive souls like Yamcha and Tien, it is really the least to defend the one who allowed them to live a little longer. It is really moving to see how Yamcha and Tien take care of the body to prevent it from being profaned. Little does it matter to them that there are dragon balls and that Trunks can be brought back to life even if full of scratches and wounds. The respect for the corpse is the only priority, with or without dragon balls, and this attitude is so human that it brings tears to my eyes every time I realize how special these two earthlings are.

I mean... Trunks's corpse could have been lying there somewhere and been picked up at the end. He was dead, not unconscious like Android 18. Watching over his body was not strictly necessary, but Yamcha and Tien do it anyway. And they do it because they are the best characters in Dragon Ball their humanity is their secret weapon. A pity that for Toriyama it is just a joke.

The relationship between Trunsk and Yamcha is only part of the whole. We could trace it to the same kind of paternal bond that Yamcha establishes with Goku and Gohan, but in Trunks' case it becomes even more fascinating because he is literally the son she would have wanted with her Bulma. Of course, it's just a feeling. I highly doubt that Yamcha ever realized that he possessed "daddy-like" attitudes, and then we also have to say that protecting someone younger than you doesn't mean you do it because you have the makings of a father. To be precise, Yamcha does have it, but he certainly doesn't act thinking that everyone is his missing child. That's just the way he is, and that's why I insist on the idea that he could have been a perfect dad. Perhaps the most perfect.

I am insisting on the father figure because Future Trunks strongly misses his dad. He tells us that he was too young to remember him and that the idea of meeting him for the first time in the past moved him. But why did it move him? Let's remember it: thanks to Future Bulma. With her fantasies about Future Vegeta she colored Trunks' dark life a little, even though at the time she was not sure what she was telling. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that Trunks at least grew up with the idea that the past was a good place thanks in part to his father. As we read in this scene, therefore, we understand that Trunks has a serious need to create memories of his own. It is also a way to give a visual image to his mother's stories, like when a child prefers a book with pictures to a book with only text. That is why Future Trunks stays close to his father, observes him, that is all he needs. As we have noticed, however, things are not quite as he imagined them to be. Vegeta is not what he expected, but the joy of being able to be with him is enough for him to accept him as he is. But... Is it really enough? Think about it. After such a long and difficult journey, after so many legendary tales and especially after so many expectations, how much can it hurt to return home with fewer answers and so many more questions? We do not know exactly what happened during the training between Vegeta and Trunks in the Room of Spirit and Time, but we can safely assume that Vegeta did not open up as Trunks would have liked. It was certainly an emotional moment for him, but not enough to say, "yeah, man, he's really my dad."

The decisive moment occurs precisely during Trunks' death. Earlier we saw that the first one to rescue him is Yamcha, but "obviously" nobody cares because all the attention goes to Vegeta. I understand that. This is the moment when the saiyan prince finally shows his feelings for someone else for the first time. It is not just revenge. Behind Vegeta's reaction is love, and this very feeling will make him frighteningly strong. This naturally amazes everyone, but I am sure that the reaction of the Z-Fighters is due not so much to the increase in his strength as to the fact that Vegeta is having an emotional reaction of this caliber. No one has ever seen him like this. He has officially changed for the better. I am sure Vegeta fans recognize in this scene the split between the ruthless Vegeta of the saiyan saga and the Vegeta we will see in the Buu saga. A new Vegeta has just been born, and everyone has noticed him, even Yamcha who has not had a positive idea about him until then. Actually, it must be said that Yamcha had forgiven Vegeta before anyone else. When Yamcha was still with Bulma, he had agreed to let the saiyan be hosted at his girlfriend's house.

Tien had been the voice of truth. Perhaps his third eye had glimpsed the future, I don't know, but it is quite disturbing to think that some time later this fateful decision would seal the break between Bulma and Yamcha.

What matters for now is that Yamcha has the gift of forgiveness. He did it with Tien when he broke his leg and, although in a different way, he did it with Vegeta who committed much more heinous acts against him. The only difference is that Vegeta never apologized. Once again it is Yamcha who takes a step forward, or rather three steps forward: he forgives the man who killed him, he forgives the man who took away the woman he loved and finally he forgives the man who deprived him of the chance to become a father. Excuse me, but I believe that these three battles are much more intense and difficult than any of the battles we see in Dragon Ball between our heroes and strong monsters. Especially if we think about the fact that Yamcha stays, which doesn't mean that he is just there: the way Yamcha is, it means that he learns to love even those who hurt him and especially to act for their good.

There is only one problem. Trunks cannot see all the love that Vegeta radiates for him. The essence of this scene lies precisely in the fact that finally Future Bulma's tales of Vegeta become real, but what good is all this if Trunks has no way to witness it? A new tale is needed, but this time a real one, based on facts and no longer on memories. A tale that can definitively confirm that Vegeta has a good side and especially cares about his son. So someone must necessarily step up and help Trunks hope again just because of this fantastic news.

...You again, Yamcha?! Then it is a vice! Or maybe you are simply the most beautiful Dragon Ball character ever. Well yes, guys, it is indeed Yamcha who tells Trunks about Vegeta's unexpected heroic feat. He could have told them Krillin or anyone else, but Yamcha's sensitivity precedes all others. In a sense it is as if he is the first to realize that Vegeta has actually changed. We are at the end of the battle. Trunks has been brought back to life and everyone is at Kami's palace. After some small talk and the twist between Krillin and Android 18 (to which Yamcha contributed), the fighters part ways to return home. Yamcha and Trunks head to West City and it is during this journey that Yamcha confesses to the boy what happened. To many it may seem like the least, but think about it very carefully: how many in Yamcha's place would have done the same? I mean, at that moment Yamcha is praising Vegeta for what he did for Trunks. In different words, Yamcha is praising the very man who took away his life, his woman, and the possible marriage he has dreamed of all his life. He had no reason to do it, yet he did it. He could have kept quiet, or told Trunks anything else by deliberately omitting the part about Vegeta out of some sort of personal revenge, but he does not. He does not do it because Yamcha's big heart does not allow him to act in such a mean way. At this very moment he no longer cares what Vegeta did to him. It was enough for him to see him go crazy over Trunks' death to change his mind and accept the fact that Vegeta has changed. That is all Yamcha cares about. Yamcha cares that love guides people, and in this case he cares that Bulma and little Trunks are finally in good hands. The rest no longer matters. The disappointment, humiliation, and anger he feels toward the whole disastrous situation that happened between him, Vegeta, and Bulma is water under the bridge. Yamcha has officially moved on. But it's not just about that. Here Yamcha demonstrates superhuman empathy. He never heard the revelation that Future Trunks told Goku when he first appeared. He did not hear that Trunks had no memories of his father and that this distressed him terribly, yet Yamcha senses this. We have seen how he has formidable intuition, so I am not surprised to believe that he sensed this need in Trunks. He must have imagined that in the future he misses his father figure, and so without a second thought he wanted to give him that warmth that you feel when your father loves you. Once again Yamcha went further and reasoned about situations that are much broader than people think. He took care of the present, but he also took care of the future, and this time without receiving anything in return. Telling Trunks about Vegeta doesn't change his life, but it certainly improves it. It enriches him and he just through all this love that he literally gives to anyone feels stronger and better. Making others feel good is his personal mission. Here we can see that he did it, he got his victory. Trunks' face as he says "my father did?" is full of pride because simply the circle has come full circle. Trunks got the confirmation he was looking for because he knew because of Future Bulma, but he needed to verify it. Yamcha gave peace to his tormented soul.

So guys... I hope it's clear to everyone that if this iconic scene exists, it's really because of Yamcha. I mean, surely Vegeta and Trunks would have said goodbye to each other regardless. But the power of this scene lies precisely in the fact that Trunks knows exactly what happened, what Vegeta did for his son, and as we have seen if he knows it is precisely thanks to Yamcha. In short: Yamcha helped redefine the relationship between Vegeta and Trunks. Yamcha, who as we have seen is the bearer of hope, finally made sense of why Trunks embarked on this journey. He made all of Trunks' dreams come true and in a way allowed him to become stronger, because let's face it, what allows Trunks to beat the androids in his future is not just the super training and battles he does in the past, but more importantly the chance to have experienced all the emotions he was missing and that motivated him to improve his time.

When Trunks returns home, one of the first things he does is tell about the very thing his father did. And if he tells it, let us remember, it is always because of Yamcha. Do you see what I mean? He doesn't give a damn about winning against Cell and the androids. What Trunks takes with him is mostly the emotions accumulated during this incredible experience. Telling about how those monsters were beaten would not have added anything new, because they live in a world where people fight for survival. Telling instead how love and teamwork made all the difference is completely new for him. That is what really matters. We are humans, not robots. There is no point in struggling if you don't have emotions with you. Trunks finally got them. He is finally different from the androids and can now defeat them.

I think the best part of this scene is Future Bulma's reaction. Here we learn that she had indeed ventured a little in telling Trunks about Vegeta. She was not sure about Vegeta's good side either, but she still told her son about it to comfort him. We can see how shocked she is to learn such news. From here we can infer that Future Vegeta was not even a partner in attendance. Somewhat like the Vegeta of the present. In fact, his closeness to Bulma and Trunks occurs after Cell Arc. Not having been able to experience it, Future Bulma was left with the idea that Vegeta had an unexplored good side that she never really saw. She only guessed at it. Therefore, we can say that Yamcha's words have resolved even Future Bulma's doubts. In the present, Yamcha must have noticed the substantial difference between him and Vegeta vis-à-vis Bulma. If Yamcha was affectionate and close, Vegeta is distant and cold. He probably resents that Vegeta behaves this way toward Bulma. Assuming Yamcha sensed that Trunks' future was loveless, it is easy to imagine that he also thought Future Bulma was left alone with her conflicts. After all, Vegeta's change occurred only in the past because some events were changed with Trunks' arrival. It is an exception. I like to think that Yamcha also wanted to help Future Bulma by letting her know that Future Vegeta could learn to love if he had a little more time. Why he did this we will never know. We may think that he did it because Yamcha still loves Bulma, but that would be reductive. Yamcha did it because he just loves. Giving hope is what he does best. It is quite ironic that Yamcha helped the same person who besmirched his memory by telling that he was some kind of playboy. I think it is particularly noticeable here how great Yamcha actually is. Of course he does not know what Future Bulma actually told about him. Trunks only reveals it to Goku, and the only one who hears it is Piccolo. But I am sure that even if Yamcha had known that Future Bulma did not speak highly of him, he would still have done his best to take care of her in every time arc. Lastly he simply enhanced Vegeta's own image. I think it is the most immense act Yamcha could do: to love his greatest enemy. I proudly say that Yamcha, after taking care of the past and the present, has saved even the future. Without exaggeration, he is the one who maintained the link between these three time arcs. If I may say so, he is precisely the one who most represents the theme of this saga.

I would like to conclude with two thoughts...

Any nostalgic Dragon Ball fan knows full well how important Goku's grandfather is. Son Gohan is a kind of angel who watches over the little saiyan from the very beginning, via the dragon ball with the four stars. There is one scene in particular that moves me so much. This is the exact moment when Son Gohan relinquishes this role of guardian angel to Goku's friends. If we want to dwell on Yamcha, I think he is the one who most of all took these words literally. Not only because indeed Yamcha took care of Goku during his illness, but especially because he extended this commandment. Yamcha has really taken care of everyone who is connected to Goku for some reason, precisely because Goku's happiness also depends on those around him. Taking care of Goku also means taking care of his affections, and Yamcha, as we have seen, has done this with everyone. He took care of his wife Chichi, his son Gohan, but also Tien and Krillin, two of Goku's great friends, and finally the saiyans and Bulma. I like to think that it all starts from this very scene, even though Yamcha has always been inclined to help anyone.

At the end of the Cell Arc, the carefree atmosphere of Dragon Ball returns. The one we can't do without, the one that brings us back, when gags were the soul of this story. The reason for all the laughter we witness at Kami's palace is Yamcha. He is the one who makes people laugh because he is afraid of Android 18 and he is the one who relieves the tension by entertaining everyone with his jokes. Among these jokes is one really particular one that on the surface makes him look like an idiot.

Theoretically we should mock him because he has not exactly been lucky in love. His one experience was shattered. Bulma even describes him as a playboy, so his line seems rather grotesque. Butl... After all we've seen, did Yamcha really say bullshit? Okay, he may not be lucky in love relationships, but who says that the love he is talking about is only that which is born between two guys? We saw through him that love is not only between lovers. Love can be between friends, brothers, fathers and sons, ex-girlfriends and even rivals. It doesn't matter who gets it and how they get it: the important thing is only to get it. Yamcha is the one who most spreads love in Dragon Ball. He is the one who gives soul and humanity to Dragon Ball. It is sad to think that he is the one who does not get love in return. But he doesn't care. By giving love he feels loved.

Since hope is what Dragon Ball is based on…. I continue to hope that Yamcha, too, will one day get his well-deserved victory in battle. Because... Let's face it, as a character he has long since won.

Thank you, Yamcha.

Thank you for coming so far. This is definitely my most difficult and exciting topic. It was crazy to write so much about Yamcha but it was worth it. I don’t care how many people read. Having left this opinion could be useful in the future, maybe not, but it’s okay: analyzing Yamcha’s soul was like rediscovering the beauty of being human. I think that’s the most important thing.

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