Chi Chi and Goku! How come?

[Chuquita]

I can't help but wonder if some of those over at Toei just didn't like Chi-Chi. I mean, she does just kind of pop back up out of nowhere and marries Goku. Maybe he had some fans at Toei who didn't want him to be with her so they decided they'd get back at this by flanderizing her character in the next arc (which is where Z starts).

[Rocketman]

"Hey son! Studying is more important than going off to fight with your father to decide the fate of the world!"

He's five.

To be less snarky about the whole deal, don't forget that ChiChi never sees or gets told about anything to do with Gohan's abilities until the Cell Games broadcast.

[DBZAOTA482]

It's just you. There she's more desperate than angry. In the dub, she's almost like a self-parody. I mean, why did they make it as though she hates fighting? She used to be a martial artist herself and even trains Goten way in the future, where did they come to that conclusion? And what kind of woman marries a guy then for some reason decides she don't want her children to be anything like him, and try to blot him out of their lives? It's like the scriptwriters where smoking a doozie, and decided to give her dialogue akin to a raving harpie. Not to mention she actually seems to have a brain.

I can agree that they trumped up stuff in the dub, but a lot of it is still there in the Japanese version. I find it just as odd for her to be against fighting as you do, but she certainly came off that way to me an awful lot during pretty much all of Z, prior to the Majin Boo arc and Goten. I can understand her having some problems with it now, since seeing Goku's fight with Piccolo at the tournament would pretty much have shown her that the martial arts aren't all fun and games, and it can very well end up a life or death situation...but to me, I would think that would make her want Gohan to at least know the basics, in the hopes that he could defend himself. The poor kid is related to Goku - whether he did anything himself later on in life or not, whether he had that insane power hiding in him or not, he was just bound to be in trouble because of his heritage eventually anyway (Raditz, or for a non-canon example, Garlic Jr.). I'd want the kid to learn how to defend himself at least a little if I were one of his parents in that situation.

That said, any of my thoughts I'm having to base on the anime, and even the Japanese anime flanderdized Chi Chi to some degree, right? I don't really know much of what she's like in the manga, other than that a lot of the scenes I'm thinking of probably weren't even in it.

Yeah, she was bitched up a bit for the Japanese anime and was bitch up a lot for the dub (not just merely a lot).

Oh and Chi-Chi doesn't hate fighting just hates what it can amount to. In fact, it's hinted that she's fine with all the fighting they get into but she prefers for them to live peacefully (namely Gohan).

[Hitiro]

"Hey son! Studying is more important than going off to fight with your father to decide the fate of the world!"

He's five.

To be less snarky about the whole deal, don't forget that ChiChi never sees or gets told about anything to do with Gohan's abilities until the Cell Games broadcast.

Actually I think he's 6 when this is brought up, with the 130 days + the year it took for Goku to return. Wasn't Gohan approaching 10 when the androids came along 3 years after Future Trunks warned them? Also its not the context of not being allowed to go. Its the context that his education is more important than the fate of the world. Normally I'd agree with you if she said it was too dangerous for him but here Chi Chi makes his education more of a priority than his own life. She wasn't arguing with Goku because of the danger but the fact that Gohan's education will suffer.

Also I don't think she's a very good mother if she's going around calling her kids punks when their hair has gone blonde from turning into SSJ's. If you recall Goten accidentally transformed while he was sparring with his mother, or he just turned SSJ anyway I can't remember the details(I think the manga makes this less clear than the anime). And his mother scolded him to never do it again and that he was a punk like his brother and father. Not very kind words to say to a 7 year old kid, are they? I'd like to know what was said in the Japanese version to be honest. The dubs have taken a liking to the word "monster" as opposed to punk like it says in the Viz books.

[CaBrPi]

I'm surprised Chi Chi stayed with Goku, rather than the other way around. Goku refused to get a job, and instead spent all his time "training". Because of this, Chi Chi had to live off of her father's fortune, which she knew would eventually run out, despite their frugal living conditions.

She also had no idea of Gohan's hidden powers and simply didn't want him to be killed. She probably just thought Goku was lying or exaggerating so he could have a new sparring partner.

[Chuquita]

With the Son family's connections by the end of the series, I could see Bulma or Mr. Satan hiring Goku for some kind of job that'd fit his skill set if Chi-Chi still wanted him to get one at that point. Maybe even the Tenkaichi Budoukai Announcer could get him one if Chi-Chi wanted him to.

[CaBrPi]

With the Son family's connections by the end of the series, I could see Bulma or Mr. Satan hiring Goku for some kind of job that'd fit his skill set if Chi-Chi still wanted him to get one at that point. Maybe even the Tenkaichi Budoukai Announcer could get him one if Chi-Chi wanted him to.

Well, it's possible, but I doubt Goku would ever go for it. We see how much he whines about it in the Jump special.

[Chuquita]

With the Son family's connections by the end of the series, I could see Bulma or Mr. Satan hiring Goku for some kind of job that'd fit his skill set if Chi-Chi still wanted him to get one at that point. Maybe even the Tenkaichi Budoukai Announcer could get him one if Chi-Chi wanted him to.

Well, it's possible, but I doubt Goku would ever go for it. We see how much he whines about it in the Jump special.

That's true. And when Bulma even gets him and Gohan to act as Capsule Corp tour guides in the Kai Stage Show, Goku is equally miserable about it. XD
Chi-Chi's not rich enough for Goku to just be a trophy-husband like Vegeta is ("Reverse-Golddigger" indeed, thank you Dragon Box pamplet :3 ), but I feel like Goku wouldn't mind being one. He liked the idea of them just getting money from Mr. Satan if I remember from the beginning of the Jump special correctly, and then Chi-Chi shot him down over that.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I was going to suggest that maybe Goku could eventually take over as the tournament announcer for the Tenkaichi Budokai (though if anyone needs to be immortal in this series, it's that guy - he needs to stick around forever), but...I don't think that'd work either.

Goku would either refuse because he'd want to compete, he'd jump into the ring to fight someone that somehow manages to catch his interest, or if he actually did start to comment on the matches, he'd get bored with how low level they'd probably be. So that's a bust too.

[Michsi]

I can't help but wonder if some of those over at Toei just didn't like Chi-Chi. I mean, she does just kind of pop back up out of nowhere and marries Goku. Maybe he had some fans at Toei who didn't want him to be with her so they decided they'd get back at this by flanderizing her character in the next arc (which is where Z starts).

I'm not sure about Toei, but I do seem recall an interview mentioning something like a fan outcry due to Goku getting married. Apparentlly some fans just didn't like the idea of Goku getting married, but I think that had more to do with fear of having their childish and adventure-loving MC settle down rather than because of who he was getting married to. If anything, Toei focused a lot more on Chichi during the 23rd Tournament arc than the manga did and even gave her and Goku their separate filler arc.

Her treatement in Z, while definetely flanderized, was still based on how the author had her behave in the manga.

[penguintruth]

Anything that doesn't involve fighting or eating will just make Goku's mind wander. Even a job like bodyguarding would be absolutely boring for him and he'd probably wander off leaving his employer unprotected from crazies who wouldn't be worth Goku's time.

Goku has no real practical use when the world is at peace.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I think I figured it out. The one job Goku could do that would totally keep his interest, would possibly make them lots of money, and he'd actually enjoy the hell out of it.

Competitive. Eating. Goku could compete in eating contests. They'd end up richer than Bulma's family fast enough.

[Insertclevername]

You're on to something Gyt!

[TonyTheTiger]

I love how this thread is basically "Between Gohan's horrible parents, which is the worse one?"

[shreddinghead]

I think your definition of pure of heart is different from Dragon Ball's. Besides, most of Chichi's "mean" moments weren't present in the manga.

Well, at least TOEI makes it clear she's only like that because she's looking out for her family even if they do push her a little into the extremes at times unlike with Bulma, where they made her pointlessly bitchy and superficial during the Namek/Freeza Sagas even by her already overly-bitchy and superficial standards. Every time they showed her I just wanted her to die, and that's the same way I feel about Pan in GT (nothing the understand or to sympathize with just pure bitchiness).

[/quote]

Yes, exactly! With emphasis particular on the last statement.

[DBZAOTA482]

I love how this thread is basically "Between Gohan's horrible parents, which is the worse one?"

If they want to talk about bad parenting then look no further at Gohan himself.

[penguintruth]

It's pretty clear that there are very few actual sane people in the Dragon Ball universe and not a lot of good parenting.

I'm not even certain about Bulma's parents, and Bulma herself doesn't think twice about taking baby Trunks to dangerous places. Yamucha was clearly abandoned by his (and who can blame them?) and probably also Kuririn. Kuririn himself is probably at least a decent parent, and maybe 18, but there isn't anyone else I can think of.

Kuririn's not exactly a great provider, though, seeing that he, 18, and Maron live with Kamesennin, Umigame, and probably Oolong. Surely Kuririn could find a way to get his own home.

[Rocketman]

ChiChi looks worse than she is because the very rules of the universe favor Goku's (selfish, sociopathic, asshole) outlook.

Pretty sure I wouldn't get into Heaven if I blow up a city and beat a child.

[DBZAOTA482]

ChiChi looks worse than she is because the very rules of the universe favor Goku's (selfish, sociopathic, asshole) outlook.

Pretty sure I wouldn't get into Heaven if I blow up a city and beat a child.

You're talking like Goku killed your dog or something.

[Eire]

Can you deny that?
Of course we can also say that Toryiama apparently never thinks twice when it comes to character building.