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TENSHINHAN
Home Planet: Earth
Race: Human
Fusions: None
Appearances: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT
Tenshinhan was first introduced into the series in the 22nd Tenkachi Boudakai, I believe. Accompanied by his impish, close friend, Chaouzu, and his ornery master, the Crane Master Tsurusennin, Tenshinhan was a pretty nasty fellow. Due to Kamesennin and the Crane Master's rivalry, Tenshinhan fought savagely with the Turtle Hermit's students, breaking Yamucha's leg, defeating Kamesennin himself, and vowing to do the same to Goku, as well. However, he wasn't quite happy with his master's intentions and finally had enough of it when the Tsurusennin was encouraging Chaouzu to interfer telepathically with Goku and Ten's climactic battle. The Crane Master was dealt with, and Goku and Tenshinhan were allowed an explosive, epic battle, that Tenshinhan even won.
After the tournament, Tenshinhan's true character was revealed. He wasn't the mean, cold-hearted jerk he was portrayed to be in the tournament, but an honorable, humble warrior. He offered to share half the prize money with Goku, admitting that Goku was, in fact, the better fighter. When Kuririn was descovered dead, Tenshinhan held the corpse in his arms, looking down at it. "Poor kid...."
Evidently, Tenshinhan is an earthling, but his third eye is quite fascinating. No one else in the Dragon Ball world seems to find this odd, but we're talking about a group of people who have a dog-man as their king. The eye allows Tenshinhan unearthly visionary aid, which, for the Dragon Ball era, anyway, allowed him to follow the fast movements of his opponents. He's also the creator of the ever-popular "Taiyo-Ken" and "Quadra-self" (I believe that's what it's called) techniques.
It is also assumed that Tenshinhan and Lunch held a romantic relationship. After the 22nd Boudakai, Lunch blurts out that she's crazy about him. 5 years later, during Kamesennin, Kuririn, and Bulma's reunion at the Kame House, Kuririn informs Bulma that Lunch, "went chasing after Tenshinhan 5 years ago." We even see Lunch and Ten together on occassion (not in the dub of course....Lunch doesn't even exist in the dub.)
Tenshinhan and Chaouzu made an early living as bandits. With the help of a monster-type friends of theirs, they would travel from town to town, releasing the monster to wreak havoc upon the innocent city. Then, when the citizens were desperate for a hero, the two of them would conveniently "slay" the monster....for a fee. Then, when everything was calmed back down and the dust had settled, the three would journey on to the next town.
Tenshinhan and Chaouzu have a strong relationship with each other. Even though they aren't brothers by blood, they call themselves brothers. They share a telepathic connection with each other, as well. When one's in trouble or hurt, the other's angered or concerned, and always the first to be by the other's side. When Yamucha, Ten, and Chaouzu were all faced with the decision of which one would be revived by Porunga's remaining wish, Tenshinhan and Chaouzu stayed behind to train on Kaiou's planet.
Tenshinhan is, argueably, the strongest earthling warrior (opposed only by Kuririn). When Goku was presumably dead and Piccolo-Damiou was running rampant, Tenshinhan was the Earth's last hope, even though he didn't possess enough power to defeat the Demon King. Tenshinhan struggled to stay on Goku's level, but was always a "level," so to speak, behind him. When he was defeated by Goku in the 23rd Boudakai, his realization that he was still behind Goku was testified.
However, during the transition from Dragon Ball to Dragon Ball Z, Tenshinhan lost much of his importance. Although he trained at Kami-sama's heavenly palace, he was utterly defeated by the two Saiya-jin warriors. He trained up at Kaiousama's planet in the afterlife, where he became powerful enough to defeat both Jiisu and Bata when they were attacking him at once. He was soon ressurrected and did his best to fight alongside the other warriors against the Artificial Humans, and then against Cell, even though most of the time that means just watching from the side-lines.
Tenshinhan knows, and accepts, that he's been left completely in the dust by the alien warriors, yet he never lets it dismay him. He trains as hard as his body permits.
After the crisis of Cell and the Artificial Humans passed, Tenshinhan and Chaouzu bid farewell to their friends. "We'll probably never see you again," Ten informs them bluntly. The Z cast nods their understanding as the young empire and the three-eyed warrior disappear into the horizon.
However, the characters would cross Tenshinhan's path again. Seven years later, when Buu appears and begins to wreak havoc, Tenshinhan makes his return to the battlefield. When Evil Buu kills everyone on earth with millions of energy blasts from atop Dende's palace, Tenshinhan and Chaouzu are able to evade the blasts. Ten stands besides the smoldering hole, staring upwards towards Dende's palace. "What's going on up there?" he snarls.
Later on, Gohan and Evil Buu engage in an intense battle. Gohan is momentarily distracted and Buu gets a chance to fire a blast at Gohan that would surely be the half-Saiya-jin warrior's end. However, another blast impacts with it in mid-air, redirecting it away from the cowering Gohan.
Hands locked in the triangular cup of a post-Kikohou are shown, and in the middle is the battlefield below. The camera pans around, and there stands Tenshinhan, garments flapping wildly in the wind.
Tenshinhan is easily knocked out after one kick from Buu's lower torso (after Goku had hacked him in half with a Kienzan). "You looked strong," Buu scowls, floating above, "but I knocked you out with one kick." He ignores the fallen warrior and sets his sights on Goku instead.
Of course, like every other character, Tenshinhan helps contribute to Goku's amazing Genki-Dama that kills the threat of Buu once and for all. Despite the fact that he was easily taken out in the actual fight, at least he contributed more to it that some other earthling warriors, coughcoughKuririnYamuchacoughcough (and Chaouzu, if you can consider him a warrior...).
Peace returns to the world and Tenshinhan, Chaouzu, and Lunch live happily ever after. Dragon Ball Z ends.
In Dragon Ball GT, Tenshinhan is training with Chaouzu during his only appearance; it takes place when Son Goku says goodbye to all his friends before leaving with Shenlon.
CHAOUZU
Home Planet: Earth
Race: Human
Fusions: None
Appearances: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT
Chaouzu, the rosy cheeked little dwarf who looks strikingly similar to a doll or puppet, is personally one of the few characters in DBZ that I don't really care for. I don't hate him or like him....I just don't really care. Most of the time, he's kind of annoying.
Anyway, Chaouzu's character is pretty interesting. Tenshinhan's best friend, the two grew up and trained together under the Crane Master. Before then, they traveled from town to town with a tame monster, staging attacks on the town so that they could be paid by the town to "slay" the monster. They made a lifestyle out of theivery and assassination and other nasty things until they confronted Goku and company at the 22nd Tenkachi Boudakai.
Now that I think of it, I don't think Chaouzu has ever won an even slightly important major battle. Ever. Well, wait, I take that back....he did kick Gurudo down to Hell....but who cares? Gurudo has a fighting power of what, 400? Anyway, at that Tenkachi Boudakai, Chaouzu lost to Kuririn. It was actually a pretty humorous battle, too. Using his psychic powers, Chaouzu held Kuririn in place and pummeled on him. Not being able to move, Kuririn devised a clever little plan - he began spitting out math problems. Having an immature knowledge of mathematics, Chaouzu needed his hands to answer the problems, freeing Kuririn from his invisible prison.
Soon, along with Tenshinhan, Chaouzu saw the light and the treachery of all he had done and turned to the good guys' side. Both were offered the chance to train with Kamesennin, but, out of principles of pride, I suppose, they turned the oppurtunity down.
Speaking of psychic powers - that's pretty much Chaouzu's specialty. While they aren't strong enough to help him later on, he can apparently manipulate things without touch them, float, fly and maybe even be able to read some minds. It's pretty interesting, regardless of the fact that its, for the most part, useless.
Chaouzu, despite his weakness, attempts to help out a lot and when he fails, he at least dies trying. He's actually died two pretty damn noble deaths. He died the first time by the hands of Piccolo Daimiou when he tried to wish for the demon's death. But he wasn't quick enough and was killed. His second demise was noble and even tear-jerking. Seeing no other way out, he latched himself to Nappa's back and self-destructed. Sadly, he failed to even put a dent in Nappa. Manifestly, both deaths enraged Tenshinhan unbelievably.
But, why is he so weak? He trains just as hard as all the other heroes. The reason lies within the fact that he's an "Eternal Child," I believe its called. That pretty much just means that once he's reached his limit, that's it. He can't get any stronger, or at least not significantly enough to make a difference.
Anyway, after the Saiya-jin fight, Chaouzu becomes pretty much obsolete. Of course we do see him from time to time, and he helps train Tenshinhan for the Artificial Human battles, but he doesn't actually participate in any of the actual competitions. Even in the Majin Buu saga, when he and Tenshinhan have gone off and are traveling solo, we only see one or two very short scenes with him. He is, however, able to avoid being killed by Majin Buu until the earth explodes. He does, of course, also contribute to Son Goku's giant Genki Dama that kills Majin Buu. That's something worth bragging about, I guess.
Chaouzu wasn't one of my favorite characters. I can't exactly commend Toriyama for creating him because, frankly, there's nothing worth commending in him. His character wasn't developed, and it would have been nice to have seen more character development here, but oh well. At least he was able to give us such touching scenes as his poignant sacrifice during the Saiyajin Saga (and even his sacrifice during the Piccolo Daimiou battle) and scenes that made us laugh like his fight with Kuririn during the 22nd Tenkachi Boudakai.
Chaouzu's only appearance in Dragon Ball GT takes place at the same time as Tenshinhan's, when the two are training at the time that Son Goku shows up to say goodbye.
Written by PJ, with some minor additions by Dash.