Are Earth's greatest fighters orphans?

[yunzabit]

Are Krillin, Yamcha, Ten, and Chaotzu orphans in Dragonball? Obviously Goku is an orphan but what about everyone else?

I do not recall any definitive answer in the manga. Has Toriyama made a comment regarding this or is a family tree in the Daizenshuu for these homeless humans?

[Dayspring]

I think Krillin and Yamcha are:

Krillin came to Kamesennin from the Oorin Temple, right? Wouldn't that be like running away from the martial arts equivalent of a Catholic orphanage (insert 'Ancient Irish style of Faak Ye' jokes here)?

Meanwhile Yamcha was a dessert bandit on his own since before the series began, so it's probable he was either a runaway or an orphan.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Tien and Yamcha have parents, it's just that Toriyama didn't think it was that important to explore into.

[yunzabit]

Tenshinhan and Yamcha have parents, it's just that Toriyama didn't think it was that important to explore into.

Could you please explain where you found that information?

[Amigo Ten]

Well them having parents isn't something you can really question...

But Gohan, Goten and Trunks are the only non orphaned heroes I can think of.

[yunzabit]

Duh! That was a stupid question. Of course they all had parents at one point.

I meant could Piccolo Daimaoh say definatively that Yamcha and Ten weren't orphans by the time they were introduced in Dragonball.

[Anonymous Friend]

Well them having parents isn't something you can really question...

But Gohan, Goten and Trunks are the only non orphaned heroes I can think of.

Gohan, Goten and Trunks were orphaned ... for about half a day.

[Senzu_Bean]

Chaotzu is, since Tsurusennin raised him. Which bring the question... what the hell Chaotzu is?

[Ultimate_DB_Fan]

Chaotzu is, since Tsurusennin raised him. Which bring the question... what the hell Chaotzu is?

I've always thought he was just some telepathic kid obsessed with clown make-up. *Shrugs*

[yunzabit]

Chaotzu is, since Tsurusennin raised him. Which bring the question... what the hell Chaotzu is?

That doesn't mean anything. Just because Chaotzu was trained at an early age by Tsurusennin doesn't prove that he is an orphan.

As to what Chaotzu is, he is an emperor. They show him as emperor in a special I believe. Other than that I don't know.

[Gaffer Tape]

Chaotzu is, since Tsurusennin raised him. Which bring the question... what the hell Chaotzu is?

That doesn't mean anything. Just because Chaotzu was trained at an early age by Tsurusennin doesn't prove that he is an orphan.

As to what Chaotzu is, he is an emperor. They show him as emperor in a special I believe. Other than that I don't know.

He is the emperor of Mifan in DB movie 3, but that's not at all canon to his actual character in the series.

[yunzabit]

Chaotzu is, since Tsurusennin raised him. Which bring the question... what the hell Chaotzu is?

That doesn't mean anything. Just because Chaotzu was trained at an early age by Tsurusennin doesn't prove that he is an orphan.

As to what Chaotzu is, he is an emperor. They show him as emperor in a special I believe. Other than that I don't know.

He is the emperor of Mifan in DB movie 3, but that's not at all canon to his actual character in the series.

Why not? Chaotzu appears along with Tenshinhan in the 22nd Budokai but before that we know nothing about him. Who's to say he wasn't the young emperor of Mifan and went on (permanent) leave to train at the Crane school?

I'm not trying to go off topic of the original question I posted or create a fanfiction parallel universe. I just want to know why emperor Chaotzu can't be considered possible as canon.

[Xyex]

Why not? Chaotzu appears along with Tenshinhan in the 22nd Budokai but before that we know nothing about him. Who's to say he wasn't the young emperor of Mifan and went on (permanent) leave to train at the Crane school?

I'm not trying to go off topic of the original question I posted or create a fanfiction parallel universe. I just want to know why emperor Chaotzu can't be cannon.

Because there's nothing in the series to even remotely indicate it, and DB Movie 3 is non-canon. (It's got Blue and Tao working for Tsuru-sennin who is an adviser to Emperor Chaotzu.

[yunzabit]

Why not? Chaotzu appears along with Tenshinhan in the 22nd Budokai but before that we know nothing about him. Who's to say he wasn't the young emperor of Mifan and went on (permanent) leave to train at the Crane school?

I'm not trying to go off topic of the original question I posted or create a fanfiction parallel universe. I just want to know why emperor Chaotzu can't be canon.

Because there's nothing in the series to even remotely indicate it, and DB Movie 3 is non-canon. (It's got Blue and Tao working for Tsuru-sennin who is an adviser to Emperor Chaotzu.

Although I agree with your latter point that DB movie 3 cannot be considered canon, just Chaotzu being emperor doesn't conflict Dragonball. I'll agree that emperor Chaotzu doesn't have to be canon by any means but that doesn't mean it isn't plausible.

[UristtheGreat]

Yamcha was a dessert bandit...

Pastry stealing bastard..
Sorry, I couldn't resist. I definately think Tenshinhan's an orphan just based on the way he treats Tsuru-Sennin, kind of like an angry grandpa.

[Sprite Satan]

Yamucha probably comes from a clan of bandits who made the middle of a desert their base of operations. By the time Dragon Ball rolls around, they've all died of thirst, hunger (Sand! It's what's for dinner!) and general stupidity.

Pu'reh was undoubtedly abandoned due to his Pu'reh-ness. I feel like abandoning Pu'reh right now and he doesn't even exist.

[Bussani]

Although I agree with your latter point that DB movie 3 cannot be considered cannon, just Chaotzu being emperor doesn't conflict Dragonball. I'll agree that emperor Chaotzu doesn't have to be cannon by any means but that doesn't mean it isn't plausible.

The word you're thinking of is canon, not cannon.

And something being possible and non-conflicting doesn't make it a fact. You can consider it canon if you want, but that doesn't make it factually canon. That'd be like me saying it's canon that Yajirobe was raised by lizards because there's nothing saying that he wasn't.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Tenshinhan and Yamcha have parents, it's just that Toriyama didn't think it was that important to explore into.

Could you please explain where you found that information?

Toriyama hasn't exactly said it, but to think this is common sense. Do you think Toriyama would devote a whole chapter to Yamcha's desert bandit father?

[yunzabit]

Although I agree with your latter point that DB movie 3 cannot be considered cannon, just Chaotzu being emperor doesn't conflict Dragonball. I'll agree that emperor Chaotzu doesn't have to be cannon by any means but that doesn't mean it isn't plausible.

The word you're thinking of is canon, not cannon.

And something being possible and non-conflicting doesn't make it a fact. You can consider it canon if you want, but that doesn't make it factually canon. That'd be like me saying it's canon that Yajirobe was raised by lizards because there's nothing saying that he wasn't.

I would imagine Chaotzu as an emperor has more weight than something absurd like Yajirobe raised by lizards. I mean, it was in a Dragonball movie. Canon or not, didn't Toriyama oversee the movie? I think my basis for Chaotzu as emperor is one of the best possible explanations for his past.

It looks like there is no definative answer, be it by an interview of Toriyama or daizenshuu, to whether Krillin, Yamcha, Ten, and Chaotzu are orphans by their first appearance in Dragonball. Evidence extrapolated from the manga suggests they are orphans but the manga was a weekly serial meant to shock and entice the reader, so something taken understood fact one day could be turned on its head the next. It's over now and I suppose this issue never amounted to anything of vital importance so it was ignored. I guess we can just speculate for now.

[Senzu_Bean]

Chaotzu is, since Tsurusennin raised him. Which bring the question... what the hell Chaotzu is?

That doesn't mean anything. Just because Chaotzu was trained at an early age by Tsurusennin doesn't prove that he is an orphan.

As to what Chaotzu is, he is an emperor. They show him as emperor in a special I believe. Other than that I don't know.

So what?! Tsurusennin kidnap him or Chaotzu leave his parents' house? I don't think so.

And Chaotzu isn't no freaking emperor. The movie is mean to be an alternative universe or something. Heck, the whole movie contradicts the original source. If you count Chaotzu as an emperor why not the video-game backstory, in which is from a military family? Both don't make any sense.

As for myself Chaotzu is the same as Karin or Mister Popo - a living being from the Otherworld. Although that doesn't mean he isn't an Earthling since he is based on Japanese ghosts (or was it vampires?) so he might be an Earthling ghost or something.

Krillin I don't believe he is orphan, neither Tenshinhan. Yamcha... I just think he is a rebel. Krillin probably just thought in joining monastery due his parents' or family influence. Tenshinhan the same.