Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Discussion, generally of an in-universe nature, regarding any aspect of the franchise (including movies, spin-offs, etc.) such as: techniques, character relationships, internal back-history, its universe, and more.
User avatar
Piccolo Daimao
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:23 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Piccolo Daimao » Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:46 pm

The only "controversy" is in you (Cacarot) and certain other obsessive fans' heads. There was like one scene in the Freeza arc where Bulma wonders about whether or not she made a mistake going with Yamcha and not Goku, because she's always fighting with the former. But it's purely lust, because beforehand (both then and at the 23rd TB), she mentions how big and strong Goku's become since he was a little kid.

And if it took Goku making a misguided promise to an infatuated girl for him to get married, then there's no way Bulma would ever be able to somehow seduce Goku. Vegeta, I could see, since he's more emotionally developed than Goku (as in, he's heartless at first, but he's not a complete manchild and he actually genuinely loves his partner, unlike Goku). And even if they did somehow get together, the relationship would be just as empty as Goku's one with Chi-Chi, if not moreso.
Holden Caulfield in [b][i]The Catcher in the Rye[/i][/b] wrote:I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.

Michsi
I Live Here
Posts: 4557
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Michsi » Wed Jan 11, 2012 3:51 pm

id you... not... watch the show? So confused here. Aang was swooning over Katara the entire length of the series, and there were plenty of hints at Katara struggling with how or if to reciprocate those feelings (usually shying away from acknowledging them at all).

Compare this to Bulma and Goku, where there was never once ever at all not kidding not a single example of them even remotely looking at each other that way
I was actually referring to Katara alone. She is older than him, looks and especially acts a lot older than him, and she behaved like an older sister/mother to Aang than Bulma ever did with Goku. I can understand a younger one having crush on someone older , not so much a 14/15 year old girl, practically a young woman, having a love relationship with a 12 year old kid.

Anyway, my point was Bulma being older than him isn't a legitimate reason for them not to work as a couple. It's been done before. Again, it's not like I'm shipping them.
Last edited by Michsi on Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:15 pm, edited 2 times in total.

User avatar
Piccolo Daimao
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:23 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Piccolo Daimao » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:05 pm

Michsi wrote:I was actually referring to Katara alone. She is older than him, looks and especially acts a lot older than him, and she behaved like an older sister/mother to Aang than Bulma ever did with Goku. I can understand a younger one having crush on someone older , not so much a 14/15 year old girl, practically a young woman, having a love relationship with a 12 year old kid.

Anyway, my point was Bulma being older than him isn't a legitimate reason for them not to work as a couple. It's been done before. Again, it's not like I'm shipping them.
Yeah, I know that. Obviously, as you get older, the age difference doesn't matter as much in relationships. For example, it would be deemed stranger for a 14-year-old to go out with a 19-year-old than it is a 21-year-old to go out with a 26-year-old. Same age difference in numbers, but because, in the latter example, they're both adults and both in their 20s, it's OK.

But evidently, there are reasons other than that for why people think that Goku and Bulma wouldn't work as a couple. Not even Goku and Chi-Chi really function as a couple, since Goku doesn't love Chi-Chi (as in, the normal way a husband and wife should love each other, not just unrequited love where one partner just relies on the other for food and a stable home) and the only connection they have is through their children.
Holden Caulfield in [b][i]The Catcher in the Rye[/i][/b] wrote:I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.

User avatar
Cacarot
Newbie
Posts: 39
Joined: Mon May 30, 2011 1:40 am
Location: New Yawk City

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Cacarot » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:12 pm

Piccolo Daimao wrote:The only "controversy" is in you (Cacarot) and certain other obsessive fans' heads. There was like one scene in the Freeza arc where Bulma wonders about whether or not she made a mistake going with Yamcha and not Goku, because she's always fighting with the former. But it's purely lust, because beforehand (both then and at the 23rd TB), she mentions how big and strong Goku's become since he was a little kid.

And if it took Goku making a misguided promise to an infatuated girl for him to get married, then there's no way Bulma would ever be able to somehow seduce Goku. Vegeta, I could see, since he's more emotionally developed than Goku (as in, he's heartless at first, but he's not a complete manchild and he actually genuinely loves his partner, unlike Goku). And even if they did somehow get together, the relationship would be just as empty as Goku's one with Chi-Chi, if not moreso.
I'm not gonna post like actual link as evidence but shipping is a huge part of anime and it some people's mind it is the most important thing. Controversy may be a strong word but it is very much discussed amongst lovers of Dragonball and all animes in general so I take offense you dismissing a topic that is a part of a serious discussion!

Since all you seem to think Goku doesn't care about sex then why did he do with Chi Chi? I think rape may be a possibility because rewatching episodes of Dragonball everyone was horny except for Goku! Poor Goku was seduced by Chi Chi!

User avatar
Eire
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1042
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:58 pm
Location: The Promised Land
Contact:

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Eire » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:19 pm

Seduction=/=rape=/= having sex not as often as people want you to.
In DB Goku was a child concentrated on training. In DBZ Vegeta doesn't seem to be concerned on sex as well. Nor Piccolo, Frieza, Cell etc.. Not much for everyone.
There are places where shipping is a big deal, but it seems that's wrong address for such compliments.
Per aspera ad astra, man!

Women belong in the kitchen.
Men belong in the kitchen.
Everyone belongs in the kitchen, the kitchen has food

User avatar
Piccolo Daimao
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:23 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Piccolo Daimao » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:29 pm

Cacarot wrote:I'm not gonna post like actual link as evidence but shipping is a huge part of anime and it some people's mind it is the most important thing. Controversy may be a strong word but it is very much discussed amongst lovers of Dragonball and all animes in general so I take offense you dismissing a topic that is a part of a serious discussion!

Since all you seem to think Goku doesn't care about sex then why did he do with Chi Chi? I think rape may be a possibility because rewatching episodes of Dragonball everyone was horny except for Goku! Poor Goku was seduced by Chi Chi!
I know that shipping is an important thing in some fans' mind. Just that I don't see Goku and Bulma working out, for reasons I aforementioned.

And he probably had sex with Chi-Chi because she wanted it. I mean, the guy married her without properly knowing what it meant because he felt that he had to keep his promise to her, since she was mad at him. But Goku, as well as the other battle-obsessed martial artists who train almost 24/7, don't seem to have much in their life other than training. Tenshinhan and Chaozu live in solitude out in the mountains and presumably do just that (and no Tenshinhan x Chaozu jokes, please). Goku, who's an emotionally underdeveloped manchild, would maybe have the odd bonk every now and then, but I don't think he really has any kind of libido. Food and fighting seem to be all he cares about.
Holden Caulfield in [b][i]The Catcher in the Rye[/i][/b] wrote:I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.

User avatar
Perfect
I'm, pretty, cozy, here...
Posts: 1865
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:16 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Perfect » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:37 pm

I recall a scene in Kai, not sure if it was filler, where Bulma was on Namek wondering if she should've snagged Goku (Looking at a cloud shaped like Goku in the process). That's the only thing that made me think of them having a romantic interest in the slightest.
Fox666 wrote:It seems you have pissed a lot of people on this forum, and I am quite sure they would like to call you stupid and say that's the designated adjectives for you. But they don't do that because of there are rules in this community.

User avatar
Piccolo Daimao
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:23 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Piccolo Daimao » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:44 pm

Perfect wrote:I recall a scene in Kai, not sure if it was filler, where Bulma was on Namek wondering if she should've snagged Goku (Looking at a cloud shaped like Goku in the process). That's the only thing that made me think of them having a romantic interest in the slightest.
No, it was in the manga too. Bulma's thinking about how big and strong Goku's getting and mentions how her and Yamcha are always fighting. Then she wonders if she blew it.

You know, at first I didn't get it, for some reason. Now I know that it was just Bulma lusting after Goku in light of her failing relationship with Yamcha.
Holden Caulfield in [b][i]The Catcher in the Rye[/i][/b] wrote:I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.

Michsi
I Live Here
Posts: 4557
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Michsi » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:49 pm

Now I know that it was just Bulma lusting after Goku in light of her failing relationship with Yamcha.
She showed interest in him before though.
Also consider the context in which she started to wonder about him in a new light. It was when she was expecting him to come and rescue them again. That's genuine admiration and common idea used to make a woman fall for the hero.

Gokuman1993
Beyond Newbie
Posts: 132
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2010 4:23 pm

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Gokuman1993 » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:53 pm

Silver Sinspawn wrote:The best part of Dragon Ball is that EVERY relationship is clear. There are no underlining romantic interests. It's simple. Goku for Chi Chi. Bulma for Yamcha, in Dragon Ball, and Vegeta in the Namek arc onwards. Gohan for Videl. Krillin for 18 (also Maron if filler counts). Possibly Tenshinhan for Launch. Besides that, there is no evidence in the series for any two characters to engage in any form of romantic relationship.
Agreed. That's why Dragon Ball has little to no shipping wars :D

User avatar
Eire
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1042
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:58 pm
Location: The Promised Land
Contact:

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Eire » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:55 pm

And in span of some chapters she show her interest in green guy she had never seen before. Love on the first sight would be a better cliche to use.

In real life you consider every nice thought as a beginning of the romance too?
Per aspera ad astra, man!

Women belong in the kitchen.
Men belong in the kitchen.
Everyone belongs in the kitchen, the kitchen has food

Michsi
I Live Here
Posts: 4557
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Michsi » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:57 pm

And in span of some chapters she show her interest in green guy she had never seen before.
Showing interest or thinking someone is hot isn't the same though.

User avatar
Piccolo Daimao
Kicks it Old-School
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Mar 01, 2009 7:23 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Piccolo Daimao » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:58 pm

Michsi wrote:
Now I know that it was just Bulma lusting after Goku in light of her failing relationship with Yamcha.
She showed interest in him before though.
Also consider the context in which she started to wonder about him in a new light. It was when she was expecting him to come and rescue them again. That's genuine admiration.
I think it was more lust than love. They were friends, that's it. Sometimes, friends may look at each other in a different light, wondering what it would be like if they dated each other, but in many cases it goes no further than that. What I interpret from that scene is that Bulma was simply thinking about how much Goku had grown since he was the little kid she'd had to bath, in comparison to Yamcha, who she was always fighting with, and that maybe she should've asked him out.

From what we know of Bulma, she's quite promiscuous and superficial, so it's no wonder that she'd suddenly become slightly attracted to her childhood friend and, in her mind, entertain the notion of them dating just because he'd grown up and got all muscly and strong. The woman slept with Vegeta, for goodness sake, and (in the future) claimed that she saw some good in him. Yeah, I wonder how much good you saw in a guy you think you know because you slept with him once, even though he's a known mass-murderer who killed your friends, threatened to kill you and wouldn't have even moved a muscle if you and his son were attacked. :roll:
Holden Caulfield in [b][i]The Catcher in the Rye[/i][/b] wrote:I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody.

User avatar
Eire
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1042
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:58 pm
Location: The Promised Land
Contact:

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Eire » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:00 pm

For woman with such a libido it would be the same.
Per aspera ad astra, man!

Women belong in the kitchen.
Men belong in the kitchen.
Everyone belongs in the kitchen, the kitchen has food

Michsi
I Live Here
Posts: 4557
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Michsi » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:05 pm

Wether it's love or mere lust doesn't matter. If she went so far as to question her relationship with Yamcha, who I have no doubt she DID love, because of Goku, then those emotions aren't something to be taken too lightly.
For woman with such a libido it would be the same.
What libido? We only know of one guy she has been with at that point.

Also this was gag scene, while the other was a just a strange scene that the author felt need to add for some reason.
Last edited by Michsi on Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Eire
Advanced Regular
Posts: 1042
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 5:58 pm
Location: The Promised Land
Contact:

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Eire » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:06 pm

Since when libido is measured by number of the man?
Per aspera ad astra, man!

Women belong in the kitchen.
Men belong in the kitchen.
Everyone belongs in the kitchen, the kitchen has food

User avatar
Master Blaster
Newbie
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:08 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Master Blaster » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:11 pm

If Toriyama would've wanted the Goku/Bulma relationship happening, it would've worked out just fine. Goku/Chi-chi worked out fine, despite Goku being an asexual manchild and Bulma/Vegeta worked out fine, despite Bulma seemingly not really being the faithful kind and Vegeta being a ruthless mass-murderer.

Michsi
I Live Here
Posts: 4557
Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 5:10 pm

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Michsi » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:18 pm

Since when libido is measured by number of the man?
Liking what you see isn't always the same as wanting. Zarbon doesn't make her question her current relationship.
Also I read the the scene again, in the manga , out of curiosity. She doesn't swoon over him, she just assumed that since he had a pleasent face, he was a good guy.

User avatar
TripleRach
Moderator
Posts: 2656
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2004 5:08 pm
Location: Ohio, USA
Contact:

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by TripleRach » Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:13 pm

Michsi wrote:What libido? We only know of one guy she has been with at that point.
Aside from the Zarbon example, she fell for Oolong as soon as he took the handsome guy form (showing off her bra size and everything), she fawned over Jackie Chun (her boyfriend's opponent) based solely on his name, and she drooled all over General Blue the instant she saw him (despite him being in the RRA).

At the very least, she has a healthy interest in attractive (or even just potentially attractive) men.
-Rachel

User avatar
Perfect
I'm, pretty, cozy, here...
Posts: 1865
Joined: Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:16 am

Re: Romantic Interests In Dragonball

Post by Perfect » Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:30 pm

I wouldn't even consider it healthy, at that.
Fox666 wrote:It seems you have pissed a lot of people on this forum, and I am quite sure they would like to call you stupid and say that's the designated adjectives for you. But they don't do that because of there are rules in this community.

Post Reply