Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

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Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by precita » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:34 pm

At the point Super is now, Tien is in his 40's pushing 50. He runs a dojo with his friend Chiaotzu but he never settled down or had children like the rest of the older Dragon Ball cast. Launch's crush on him in the original Dragonball was fizzled out over time since Toriyama forgot about her and as such their possible romance went nowhere.

Tenshinhan has also never really shown being interested in women (he always looked annoyed at Launch's advances on him), and he's pushing 50 in the current timeline now and nothing has changed. It's just interesting Toriyama paired everyone up besides him, at least Yamcha dated Bulma and other women off-screen for awhile.

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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by JulieYBM » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:40 pm

Not everyone wants to get married or engage in romantic relationships. Ace and aro people exist.

Also, Toriyama doesn't care to think about it.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by TheGreatness25 » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:41 pm

Tenshinhan is a cross between a monk and a martial arts master. He's above the dating life.

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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by Hellspawn28 » Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:44 pm

He probably doesn't want to.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by theherodjl » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:00 pm

It'd be great if Tenshinhan had an illegitimate son with Launch that is three eyed and has a dual-nature like his mother. The boy could be a bookworm in his "nice" state and meekly refrains from intense physical activity but once he sneezes, he turns into his "bad" state and is a wild child with a love for martial arts and aggressive sparring. He could be friendly to Gohan & Bulma in his nice state but then becomes a rowdy ringleader with Goten & Trunks in his bad state.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by MasenkoHA » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:01 pm

precita wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:34 pm

Tenshinhan has also never really shown being interested in women (he always looked annoyed at Launch's advances on him), and he's pushing 50 in the current timeline now and nothing has changed.
You just answered your own question.

Tenshinhan isn’t interested in women or sex and romance. He’s just asexual and aromantic


It would make way more sense to ask about Yamucha who actually did want to get married.

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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by goku the krump dancer » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:23 pm

TheGreatness25 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 3:41 pm Tenshinhan is a cross between a monk and a martial arts master. He's above the dating life.
More or less this.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by PurestEvil » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:41 pm

Is it really that strange for a spiritual martial artist to forgo romance and focus on himself?
Ever heard of monks?
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by JulieYBM » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:44 pm

Operating outside of the cisheteronormative standard for gender and sexuality is inherently queer and thus ostracized. I think it's an interesting queer reading on the character.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by PurestEvil » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:51 pm

JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:44 pm Operating outside of the cisheteronormative standard for gender and sexuality is inherently queer and thus ostracized. I think it's an interesting queer reading on the character.
You mean he has a thing for Chaozu?
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by JulieYBM » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:54 pm

PurestEvil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:51 pm
JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:44 pm Operating outside of the cisheteronormative standard for gender and sexuality is inherently queer and thus ostracized. I think it's an interesting queer reading on the character.
You mean he has a thing for Chaozu?
Asexuality and aromanticism are also outside of the accepted cisheteronorm. That is why the aro and ace communities are under the broader queer banner.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by PurestEvil » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:56 pm

JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:54 pm
PurestEvil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:51 pm
JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:44 pm Operating outside of the cisheteronormative standard for gender and sexuality is inherently queer and thus ostracized. I think it's an interesting queer reading on the character.
You mean he has a thing for Chaozu?
Asexuality and aromanticism are also outside of the accepted cisheteronorm. That is why the aro and ace communities are under the broader queer banner.
Oh I know, I was just entertaining the idea
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by JulieYBM » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:57 pm

PurestEvil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:56 pm
JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:54 pm
PurestEvil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:51 pm

You mean he has a thing for Chaozu?
Asexuality and aromanticism are also outside of the accepted cisheteronorm. That is why the aro and ace communities are under the broader queer banner.
Oh I know, I was just entertaining the idea
Ah, I see. Either way, I think to call Tenahinhan a historically queer character is correct.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by BWri » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:04 pm

"Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?"
In the words of Jon Snow, "I don't want it." Those are likely things Tien does not want nor care for. His dedication is to the martial arts and self improvement. That is his true love.

On the other side of things, he's not as naive as Goku so Launch couldn't ever trick him into settling down either. With Goku making such small gains (allegedly) between the end of the 23rd TB and the fight with Raditz, this would have been a good time to show how Tien's nonstop dedication to fighting allowed him to pull ahead of Goku which brings me to my next point ...

Toriyama-san does not care much for Tien. Once he lost his function as Goku's rival, he was swiftly thrown in the bin and kicked at every turn. Whatever he's doing in his personal life, its not important enough to show in the manga. Perhaps he did have another budding romance with a more mild-mannered young lady at some point. Maybe he just isn't interested in women at all. We'll never know because Tien isn't important enough ... and he's one of my favorite characters 😭
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by SuperSaiyaManZ94 » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:15 pm

I'd say quite simply that type of thing isn't for Tien and just never has been, as martial arts was, is and always will be his passion so he's dedicated and focused on that. Relationship based things like dating, marriage and family life i don't think he ever really gave much if any thought to. Given his character for much of the series it seems like all of those fundamentally clash with the life he leads as a martial artist.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by MasenkoHA » Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:44 pm

JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:57 pm
PurestEvil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:56 pm
JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:54 pm

Asexuality and aromanticism are also outside of the accepted cisheteronorm. That is why the aro and ace communities are under the broader queer banner.
Oh I know, I was just entertaining the idea
Ah, I see. Either way, I think to call Tenahinhan a historically queer character is correct.
The same would apply to Goku tbh.

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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by JulieYBM » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:21 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:44 pm
JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:57 pm
PurestEvil wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:56 pm

Oh I know, I was just entertaining the idea
Ah, I see. Either way, I think to call Tenahinhan a historically queer character is correct.
The same would apply to Goku tbh.
Oh, definitely. Through some sort of media osmoses Toriyama learns of queerness and then injects it into his story without even realizing it. It jist goes to show how historically deep and embedded queerness is in our stories and history.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by DragonBallFoodie » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:42 pm

Lunch scared him off women and commitment. I like her, but she probably did that to him.

Besides, he has Chiaotzu with him.
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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by MasenkoHA » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:45 pm

JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:21 pm
MasenkoHA wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 6:44 pm
JulieYBM wrote: ↑Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:57 pm

Ah, I see. Either way, I think to call Tenahinhan a historically queer character is correct.
The same would apply to Goku tbh.
Oh, definitely. Through some sort of media osmoses Toriyama learns of queerness and then injects it into his story without even realizing it. It jgoes to show how historically deep and embedded queerness is in our stories and history.
True. Obviously Toriyama didn’t go out of his way to make Goku or Tenshinhan queer and in his mind he probably does see them as straight but it’s based on outdated views where everyone is either straight (default) or gay

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Re: Why did Tenshinhan never settle down and get married and raise a family?

Post by precita » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:53 pm

Honestly Tenshinhan coming out as gay would probably be something most people would be fine with. I know it'll never happen (and honestly there's no point since he's a side character and not that important anymore), but it wouldn't contradict anything of the original manga run either.

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