Yamcha Deserves a Dragon Ball Power-Up!

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Summary

  • Yamcha from Dragon Ball is an iconic but often mocked character who is in need of a power-up.
  • Fans hope to see Yamcha grow stronger through dedicated training, similar to other characters.
  • While unlikely, a power-up for Yamcha would bring relevance to underutilized Z-Fighters.

The Dragon Ball franchise is famously iconic, boasting numerous reasons for its enduring popularity. These factors encompass its thrilling action sequences, timeless characters, powerful themes, and significant influence on the anime world. Yet, what has truly withstood the test of time and contributed to the series’ longevity are the hilarious memes that have sprung from it.

The humor derived from the iconic series “Dragon Ball” ranges from ‘It’s Over 9000’ to the latest sensation, ‘Piccolo the Babysitter’, and it significantly contributes to the story’s wide appeal. However, the most enduring meme within this franchise might be the recurring joke about Yamcha, a character whose purpose seems solely to elicit laughter. Yet, numerous fans argue that Yamcha is due some fair treatment. Let’s explore why they feel this way.

Yamcha Finally Deserves Some Justice

Why He Desperately Needs A Power-Up

First Appearance Dragon Ball, Episode 5, “Yamcha the Desert Bandit”
Debut Date March 26, 1986
Story Arc Emperor Pilaf Saga

In the Dragon Ball storyline, Yamcha’s history stretches back significantly further than many characters who are prominently featured today within the franchise. Initially depicted as a bandit roaming the desert, Yamcha was originally a powerful fighter, even managing to keep pace with Goku in some of their earlier years. However, as the original Dragon Ball series progressed, Yamcha’s significance diminished.

In Dragon Ball Z, though Yamcha was part of the primary cast and held an important role within the narrative, he wasn’t among the strongest fighters in the Z-Fighters. His power level remained relatively consistent after the Saiyan Saga, which is when fans were introduced to one of the most memorable moments in anime history – a famous still image depicting Yamcha following his defeat at the hands of a Saibaman. This image has become iconic and has been recreated numerous times across various anime and manga, demonstrating its enduring impact on popular culture.

Despite frequent jokes aimed at him, some fans argue that Yamcha deserves a significant power-up, making him more crucial for the Z-Fighters. Compared to his peers and most villains in the series, he appears remarkably weak. Yet, Yamcha remains one of Earth’s strongest humans, suggesting that with continued training and increased power level, he could potentially match characters like Krillin or Tien – a feat that might be challenging to achieve even for him.

Currently, Yamcha stands out as one of the world’s top baseball players, a fact that was amusingly emphasized during the brief match where the Z-Fighters engaged in a friendly game. Here, Yamcha truly shone and surpassed everyone else in skill, until his injury caused him to revert to his signature Yamcha stance. However, it’s important to note that he is also an exceptionally skilled Martial Artist, demonstrating significant value as a team member on numerous occasions in the past.

I’m not gonna let pride or anything else get in my way this time!

In Dragon Ball, Yamcha’s significance to the plot has diminished significantly compared to his past role, largely due to the writers keeping him in this position. Similarly, the human characters could benefit from a power boost, as the narrative has largely moved away from the Z-Fighters and towards Saiyans and Piccolo. This change isn’t necessarily negative and follows a logical progression of the storyline. However, given the deep affection fans have for these characters, it would be exciting to see them regain their prominence once more in the series.

As a bystander, I can’t help but notice the affection fans hold towards Yamcha within this franchise. Despite his reputation as the perennial punching bag, it seems that fans adore him precisely because of this role. There’s a growing sentiment among them that he deserves another chance, a resurgence in power to breathe new life into his character.

Although Frieza, the ruthless destroyer, was chosen to represent the Tournament of Power instead, Yamcha is an iconic figure with a rich history that fans have longed to see regain relevance for quite some time now.

How This Power-Up Could Happen For Yamcha

How Could He Gain More Strength?

To enhance his strength, Yamcha could follow a similar path as most other characters – by dedicating himself to rigorous training. It’s not expected that he’ll ever attain the power levels of the current Saiyans, but with consistent effort, he can become strong enough to handle the lesser opponents or henchmen of the major antagonists in the series, such as the Frieza Force.

Despite the slim chances, fans are eager to follow where the character’s story progresses next. Many fans might not show significant interest in Yamcha becoming a major player, but they aren’t against the idea of him getting a power boost. At this stage, it seems fair that every human Z-Fighter should receive a significant strength upgrade.

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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2025-03-28 20:38