Pilaf Gang: Difference between revisions
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The Pilaf Gang serves as the antagonist when [[Bulma]] and [[Goku]] set out on their first hunt for the [[Dragon Balls]], and their part in the story is greatly elaborated in the anime. When the Gang is introduced in the manga they have already collected the [[One-Star Ball]], and they immediately steal the five Dragon Balls that Bulma is carrying.<ref name="ch18">{{Cite manga|Chp=18}}</ref> In the anime, their story begins in [[Dragon Ball Episode 1|episode 1]] when they discover the One-Star ball in a crypt as Bulma and Goku are getting acquainted on [[Mount Paozu]]. [[Pilaf]] is ready to make his wish, but [[Mai]] tells him that he must collect all seven balls to summon the [[Shenlong|Dragon]].<ref name="ep1">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=1}}</ref> [[Toei Animation]] continues to embellish the Gang's search throughout the episodes preceding their original introduction point. These anime additions lead to [[Funimation]] renaming the "Son Goku arc" as the "Emperor Pilaf Saga". | The Pilaf Gang serves as the antagonist when [[Bulma]] and [[Goku]] set out on their first hunt for the [[Dragon Balls]], and their part in the story is greatly elaborated in the anime. When the Gang is introduced in the manga they have already collected the [[One-Star Ball]], and they immediately steal the five Dragon Balls that Bulma is carrying.<ref name="ch18">{{Cite manga|Chp=18}}</ref> In the anime, their story begins in [[Dragon Ball Episode 1|episode 1]] when they discover the One-Star ball in a crypt as Bulma and Goku are getting acquainted on [[Mount Paozu]]. [[Pilaf]] is ready to make his wish, but [[Mai]] tells him that he must collect all seven balls to summon the [[Shenlong|Dragon]].<ref name="ep1">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=1}}</ref> [[Toei Animation]] continues to embellish the Gang's search throughout the episodes preceding their original introduction point. These anime additions lead to [[Funimation]] renaming the "Son Goku arc" as the "Emperor Pilaf Saga". | ||
The anime elaborations are twists on existing scenes but the continuity is only affected in minor ways. For example, in the manga, Goku is unhappy with Bulma's food, so goes out hunting and comes back with a wolf and a centipede.<ref name="ch2">{{Cite manga|Chp=2}}</ref> In the anime, he encounters the [[Mai]] and [[Shuu]] as they investigate a lead on a Dragon Ball that turns out to be a cave full of wolves. Goku thinks they are trying to steal his dinner, so he attacks them; as they flee, Goku attacks their airship thinking it is a bird. With the plane down, he discovers that it is not a bird after all, so he then returns to Bulma with a wolf and a centipede.<ref name="ep2">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=2}}</ref> | The anime elaborations are twists on existing scenes but the continuity is only affected in minor ways. For example, in the manga, Goku is unhappy with Bulma's food, so he goes out hunting and comes back with a wolf and a centipede.<ref name="ch2">{{Cite manga|Chp=2}}</ref> In the anime, he encounters the [[Mai]] and [[Shuu]] as they investigate a lead on a Dragon Ball that turns out to be a cave full of wolves. Goku thinks they are trying to steal his dinner, so he attacks them; as they flee, Goku attacks their airship thinking it is a bird. With the plane down, he discovers that it is not a bird after all, so he then returns to Bulma with a wolf and a centipede.<ref name="ep2">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=2}}</ref> | ||
Mai and Shuu return to report their failure, telling Pilaf that the lead was bad and they were attacked by wolves and a monkey boy. [[Pilaf]] is angry, but then he gets a phone call with another tip: the [[Turtle Hermit]] has a Dragon Ball. Pilaf decides to accompany Mai and Shuu since they are apparently incompetent. While Goku and Bulma talk to the Turtle Hermit on the mainland, the Gang searches [[Kame House]], not realizing that the Turtle Hermit has the ball on his person. Bulma flashes both Turtle Hermit and [[Turtle]], and she departs with Goku and the [[Three-Star Ball]] while the Turtle Hermit returns to his island. Meanwhile, Pilaf finds a [[Crocodile|crocodile]] sleeping in the Turtle Hermit's lawn chair. After Pilaf threatens him with a knife, the crocodile informs him that the Turtle Hermit went to the mainland beach with [[Turtle]] that morning. The crocodile points to the ocean, where Turtle and Turtle Hermit are approaching. Mai draws and cocks a handgun as she and Shuu rush to protect Pilaf from the legendary martial artist. Pilaf demands, while hiding behind Mai, that the Turtle Hermit hand over his Dragon Ball, but he tells them that he gave it to a ''Pichi-pichi'' girl and a monkey boy. Mai and Shuu suspect this is the same boy they encountered before. Pilaf asks where they went, and the Turtle Hermit tells them they parted ways at the beach. They rush off, but their plane (which they have converted to a boat) needs a push; the Turtle Hermit grudgingly obliges them, poking a hole in their ship as revenge for their rudeness. As they leave, he wonders if it was a mistake to give the ball away. The Gang tries to cross the ocean to the beach, but the boat fills with water and they sink.<ref name="ep3">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=3}}</ref> | Mai and Shuu return to report their failure, telling Pilaf that the lead was bad and they were attacked by wolves and a monkey boy. [[Pilaf]] is angry, but then he gets a phone call with another tip: the [[Turtle Hermit]] has a Dragon Ball. Pilaf decides to accompany Mai and Shuu since they are apparently incompetent. While Goku and Bulma talk to the Turtle Hermit on the mainland, the Gang searches [[Kame House]], not realizing that the Turtle Hermit has the ball on his person. Bulma flashes both Turtle Hermit and [[Turtle]], and she departs with Goku and the [[Three-Star Ball]] while the Turtle Hermit returns to his island. Meanwhile, Pilaf finds a [[Crocodile|crocodile]] sleeping in the Turtle Hermit's lawn chair. After Pilaf threatens him with a knife, the crocodile informs him that the Turtle Hermit went to the mainland beach with [[Turtle]] that morning. The crocodile points to the ocean, where Turtle and Turtle Hermit are approaching. Mai draws and cocks a handgun as she and Shuu rush to protect Pilaf from the legendary martial artist. Pilaf demands, while hiding behind Mai, that the Turtle Hermit hand over his Dragon Ball, but he tells them that he gave it to a ''Pichi-pichi'' girl and a monkey boy. Mai and Shuu suspect this is the same boy they encountered before. Pilaf asks where they went, and the Turtle Hermit tells them they parted ways at the beach. They rush off, but their plane (which they have converted to a boat) needs a push; the Turtle Hermit grudgingly obliges them, poking a hole in their ship as revenge for their rudeness. As they leave, he wonders if it was a mistake to give the ball away. The Gang tries to cross the ocean to the beach, but the boat fills with water and they sink.<ref name="ep3">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=3}}</ref> | ||
[[File:Mai-Shuu-bomb.png|thumb|350px|[[Mai]] and [[Shuu]] are literally [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoist_with_his_own_petard hoisted by their own petard] in [[Dragon Ball Episode 6]].]] | [[File:Mai-Shuu-bomb.png|thumb|350px|[[Mai]] and [[Shuu]] are literally [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoist_with_his_own_petard hoisted by their own petard] in [[Dragon Ball Episode 6]].]] | ||
As Goku and Bulma are camping out in [[Oolong]]'s [[M-size capsule]], Shuu and Mai approach in mech suits while Pilaf commands them remotely. When they arrive at the camper, they exit their | As Goku and Bulma are camping out in [[Oolong]]'s [[M-size capsule]], Shuu and Mai approach in mech suits while Pilaf commands them remotely. When they arrive at the camper, they exit their suits. Shuu moves to attach a timed bomb underneath the camper, and then Mai notices [[Yamcha]] and [[Pu'er]] skulking about nearby. She taps Shuu on the shoulder to alert him, and this causes him to get the bomb stuck on his hand. He cannot get it off, so Mai tries to run away, and Shuu runs after her. Far away from the camper, Shuu tries to disable the bomb, and manages to reset the timer for 8 o'clock the next morning. They manage to get the bomb unstuck overnight and plant it under the camper, but after the camper departs, Yamcha hits it with a rocket launcher before the bomb goes off, causing Goku and co. to abandon the camper. When Mai and Shuu go to inspect the site, they think the bomb went off early due to bad calibration. As they are searching the wreckage, the bomb goes off at the scheduled time, foiling their plans yet again.<ref name="ep6">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=6}}</ref> | ||
Mai and Shuu worry about what they will tell Pilaf this time. Shuu role-plays as Pilaf, telling Mai that he forgives her, and to have some nice warm soup. She thanks him profusely, and then wryly concludes that Pilaf would never say something so nice; he would just get mad and "thunder" at them. When they reach Pilaf, who is eating, the scene plays out just like that. He forgives them, offers them soup, and then laughs at them for believing he would do something nice. Robotic hands come out of the roof of the castle, suspending them in the air. The roof opens, and lightning strikes them. Shuu and Mai cannot believe he literally thundered at them. Pilaf holds up his fork while he boasts at them, and then lightning strikes his fork.<ref name="ep7">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=7}}</ref> | Mai and Shuu worry about what they will tell Pilaf this time. Shuu role-plays as Pilaf, telling Mai that he forgives her, and to have some nice warm soup. She thanks him profusely, and then wryly concludes that Pilaf would never say something so nice; he would just get mad and "thunder" at them. When they reach Pilaf, who is eating, the scene plays out just like that. He forgives them, offers them soup, and then laughs at them for believing he would do something nice. Robotic hands come out of the roof of the castle, grabbing them and suspending them in the air. The roof opens, and lightning strikes them. Shuu and Mai cannot believe he literally thundered at them. Pilaf holds up his fork while he boasts at them, and then lightning strikes his fork.<ref name="ep7">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=7}}</ref> | ||
As Bulma and Goku depart the [[Carrot Gang]]'s village with Yamcha and Pu'er, a sentry robot that looks like a bird is watching them from atop a giant mushroom. At [[Pilaf's Castle]], Mai is working to create their own [[Dragon Radar]] while Pilaf threatens her with alligators. Mai tries to distract him with talk of food and girls while she gets the machine running. Then Shuu arrives in such a breathless hurry that Pilaf thinks he has found a Dragon Ball, but Shuu only wants to tell Pilaf that it is time for his nap. Mai has the radar working, and she tells them that the next Dragon Ball is nearby. Shuu follows her instructions in paces until he arrives at the One-Star Ball that they already have. Pilaf is angry, but he tells them to instead just find the monkey boy. Mai tells him that angle is already covered; just then, the sentry robot lands on the windowsill.<ref name="ep10">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=10}}</ref> | As Bulma and Goku depart the [[Carrot Gang]]'s village with Yamcha and Pu'er, a sentry robot that looks like a bird is watching them from atop a giant mushroom. At [[Pilaf's Castle]], Mai is working to create their own [[Dragon Radar]] while Pilaf threatens her with alligators. Mai tries to distract him with talk of food and girls while she gets the machine running. Then Shuu arrives in such a breathless hurry that Pilaf thinks he has found a Dragon Ball, but Shuu only wants to tell Pilaf that it is time for his nap. Mai has the radar working, and she tells them that the next Dragon Ball is nearby. Shuu follows her instructions in paces until he arrives at the One-Star Ball that they already have. Pilaf is angry, but he tells them to instead just find the monkey boy. Mai tells him that angle is already covered; just then, the sentry robot lands on the windowsill.<ref name="ep10">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=10}}</ref> | ||
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Pilaf thinks he finally has all seven balls, but Mai and Shuu realize they are still missing one: the [[Four-Star Ball]] which Goku has tied on his belt. On their radar, they can see the final ball approaching. When the group arrives quickly, Pilaf realizes they must have their own radar. He makes plans to capture them. In the anime, Goku and co. enter the castle and proceed through a series of booby traps until they come upon arrows pointing in the direction of a small room, which also happens in the manga. They are then trapped inside the room, and Pilaf cannot believe they fell for it.<ref name="ep10"/> | Pilaf thinks he finally has all seven balls, but Mai and Shuu realize they are still missing one: the [[Four-Star Ball]] which Goku has tied on his belt. On their radar, they can see the final ball approaching. When the group arrives quickly, Pilaf realizes they must have their own radar. He makes plans to capture them. In the anime, Goku and co. enter the castle and proceed through a series of booby traps until they come upon arrows pointing in the direction of a small room, which also happens in the manga. They are then trapped inside the room, and Pilaf cannot believe they fell for it.<ref name="ep10"/> | ||
Meanwhile, Mai and Shuu search Yamcha's car and find nothing. They report back and Pilaf realizes that one of the intruders must have the last ball, but he checks them out on the surveillance camera and | Meanwhile, Mai and Shuu search Yamcha's car and find nothing. They report back and Pilaf realizes that one of the intruders must have the last ball, but he checks them out on the surveillance camera and does not see any balls. Mai suggests he check between "that man's legs", and Pilaf reminds her that he does not like crude jokes. Mai blushes and apologizes. In the manga, Mai is holding a stick with poop on it as she apologizes, and Pilaf further chastises her for making ''[[Dr. Slump]]'' references. The manga author will not be resorting to classless jokes in ''this'' comic, just to sell more copies of ''[[Weekly Shōnen Jump]]''. Shuu makes airplane noises in the background. | ||
Goku and Yamcha try and fail to break out of the room. Pilaf appears on a screen and introduces himself, and Bulma berates him for stealing their Dragon Balls. Goku thinks they can break through this "window" to escape, but Yamcha explains that it is a television. Pilaf demands that they hand over the Four-Star ball, and Bulma refuses, so a robotic arm grabs her and takes her to where the Gang is located. Pilaf | Goku and Yamcha try and fail to break out of the room. Pilaf appears on a screen and introduces himself, and Bulma berates him for stealing their Dragon Balls. Goku thinks they can break through this "window" to escape, but Yamcha explains that it is a television. Pilaf demands that they hand over the Four-Star ball, and Bulma refuses, so a robotic arm grabs her and takes her to where the Gang is located. Pilaf repeats his demand for Bulma to tell him where the ball is, but she flips him off and refuses once again. He threatens to humiliate her, and she is terrified. Yamcha tells her to hang in there, while Oolong is excited to see what happens. | ||
Pilaf makes his move: he blows Bulma a kiss, embarrassing himself as well as Mai and Shuu. Bulma had her eyes squeezed shut and does not even know what Pilaf did; he explains with a blush and Bulma is underwhelmed. She thought he was going to strip her naked and do something lewd to her. The Gang is aghast, and Mai covers Shuu's ears. Pilaf cannot believe Bulma is so perverted. He dumps her back into the room with the others; Yamcha congratulates her for enduring it, but Oolong is just disappointed. Pilaf still cannot believe that today's girls are so forward. Mai suggests that he try the sleeping gas instead, and Pilaf thinks that is a great idea. He must have rubbed off on them at last! | |||
The Gang goes outside to call [[Shenlong]]. Goku tries to break | The chamber is flooded with sleeping gas, and everyone inside is overcome. Pilaf enters to take the ball, but there is still gas in the room, so he falls asleep too. Mai and Shuu have come equipped with gas masks, so Mai retrieves the ball while Shuu carries Pilaf back to their operation room. Bulma wakes first and sees that Goku's Dragon Ball is gone. She wakes the others to let them know, and Goku is distressed at the loss of his [[Gohan (Grandpa)|grandpa]]. Pu'er notices that the door was left open, so they all run out to look for the balls, encountering the Gang in a hallway. Bulma asks if they have made a wish yet, and Pilaf confirms that they have not. Goku demands that they give him back his grandpa, and they run with Goku and co. in pursuit. In the anime, they reach a convergence of hallways and are unsure which way to go. Pilaf uses a keyboard to trigger another trap, hurtling them into a life-sized pinball game that is controlled by Pilaf. Eventually they are trapped in the same room again, and Pilaf gloats through the screen that he is about to make his wish. | ||
The Gang goes outside to call [[Shenlong]]. Goku tries to break out of the room with a ''[[Kamehameha]]'', but he has not been able to practice it yet, so only manages to make a small hole in the wall. Yamcha tells Pu'er to transform into a bat and escape. Bulma tells Oolong to go too. The shape-shifters race to the scene as Pilaf summons Shenlong.<ref name="ep11">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=11}}</ref> Goku begs Bulma and Yamcha to let him see what is going on, but they are hogging the hole. Pilaf fantasizes about world domination until Shenlong appears and asks for their wish. As Pilaf begins to speak, Oolong works up his nerve and races toward Shenlong, asking for a pair of girl's panties before Pilaf can finish speaking. Oolong's wish is granted, and Shenlong bids them farewell. The Dragon Balls scatter as he disappears. Pilaf rages and sends Shuu and Mai after Oolong and the others. | |||
The Pilaf Gang locks up Goku and the others in a room made of pure steel with a roof made of tempered glass. Goku cannot bust through it with his head. Pilaf tells them through a loudspeaker that they will all be slow-baked when the sun rises. Everyone panics; Goku is hungry and he has no strength left. Pu'er is looking at the moon through the glass. Oolong wonders how Pu'er can do something like that at a time like this, but the moon is full, and Pu'er just wants to see something pretty before they die. | The Pilaf Gang locks up Goku and the others in a room made of pure steel with a roof made of tempered glass. Goku cannot bust through it with his head. Pilaf tells them through a loudspeaker that they will all be slow-baked when the sun rises. Everyone panics; Goku is hungry and he has no strength left. Pu'er is looking at the moon through the glass. Oolong wonders how Pu'er can do something like that at a time like this, but the moon is full, and Pu'er just wants to see something pretty before they die. | ||
[[File:Pilaf-bed.png|thumb|350px|The Pilaf Gang all sleep together in [[Pilaf's Castle]]. Only [[Pilaf]] has a special canopy bed.<ref name="ch22">{{Cite manga|Chp=22}}</ref>]] | [[File:Pilaf-bed.png|thumb|350px|The Pilaf Gang all sleep together in [[Pilaf's Castle]]. Only [[Pilaf]] has a special canopy bed.<ref name="ch22">{{Cite manga|Chp=22}}</ref>]] | ||
Goku warns everyone that there is a scary monster that comes out when the moon is full. Bulma is skeptical, but Goku insists it is true; this is the monster that killed his grandpa! Yamcha has heard of the legendary [[Son Gohan (Grandpa)|Gohan]] and he | Goku suddenly warns everyone that there is a scary monster that comes out when the moon is full. Bulma is skeptical, but Goku insists it is true; this is the monster that killed his grandpa! Yamcha has heard of the legendary [[Son Gohan (Grandpa)|Son Gohan]] and he finds the idea of a monster strong enough to kill such a man to be incredible. Goku goes on to say that the monster destroyed their house, so Oolong asks him what kind of monster it was, but Goku does not know; he was always asleep when it appeared. Oolong does not understand how Goku could sleep through his house being destroyed by a monster. Goku then says that his grandpa told him not to look at the moon when it was full though he does not understand why looking at it would be a problem. His friends have realized that ''he'' is the monster, and they shy away from him in fear. Goku asks them what is wrong, and Bulma asks him if he looked at the full moon the night his grandpa died. He confirms that he did when he went outside to pee. Oolong says they should test it out and let Goku look at the full moon, which is behind him. Everyone is terrified. Bulma panics and points at the moon, warning Goku not to look at it, but of course he immediately looks. And then he begins to transform. He turns into a [[Great Ape]] and destroys their prison.<ref name="ep12">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=12}}</ref> | ||
Goku begins destroying everything around him indiscriminately, reaching even into Pilaf's bedroom where he sleeps with Mai and Shuu. They manage to escape in their airplane. In the anime, the use the plane's weapons to shoot Goku down, but do not manage to kill him. Eventually Goku breaks off a tower from the castle and throws it after them, bringing down the plane. Bulma gets stuck under the tower when it falls and is about to be killed by Goku when Pu'er remembers that Goku's tail is his weakness. In the anime, Yamcha manages to lift the tower but Goku grabs up Bulma and threatens to eat her. Yamcha tries to cut the tail off with his sword but is unsuccessful. In the manga, Yamcha simply rushes to grab Goku's tail after Pu'er mentions it, immobilizing Goku with some difficulty.<ref name="ch22"/> In the anime, he does it with the help of Oolong and Pu'er, and then he tells Pu'er to hurry up and transform into a giant pair of scissors. Pu'er transforms and cuts off Goku's tail. The Pilaf Gang returns to the castle, and Mai says they have no choice but to rebuild from scratch. In the manga, after their plane crashes, they are not seen again until their next search for the [[Dragon Balls]].<ref name="ep13">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=13}}</ref> | Goku begins destroying everything around him indiscriminately, reaching even into Pilaf's bedroom where he sleeps with Mai and Shuu. They manage to escape in their airplane. In the anime, the use the plane's weapons to shoot Goku down, but do not manage to kill him. Eventually Goku breaks off a tower from the castle and throws it after them, bringing down the plane. Bulma gets stuck under the tower when it falls and is about to be killed by Goku when Pu'er remembers that Goku's tail is his weakness. In the anime, Yamcha manages to lift the tower but Goku grabs up Bulma and threatens to eat her. Yamcha tries to cut the tail off with his sword but is unsuccessful. In the manga, Yamcha simply rushes to grab Goku's tail after Pu'er mentions it, immobilizing Goku with some difficulty.<ref name="ch22"/> In the anime, he does it with the help of Oolong and Pu'er, and then he tells Pu'er to hurry up and transform into a giant pair of scissors. Pu'er transforms and cuts off Goku's tail. The Pilaf Gang returns to the castle, and Mai says they have no choice but to rebuild from scratch. In the manga, after their plane crashes, they are not seen again until their next search for the [[Dragon Balls]].<ref name="ep13">{{Cite episode|Series=DB|Eps=13}}</ref> | ||
Revision as of 05:30, 1 January 2020
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This page is incomplete. Kanzenshuu wiki team members are aware that they must edit this page to add missing information and complete it. |
| Pilaf Gang | |
|---|---|
| ピラフ一味 (Pirafu ichimi) | |
|
Manga  Anime  | |
| Manga Debut | Dragon Ball Chapter 18 |
| Anime Debut | Dragon Ball Episode 1 |
The Pilaf Gang consists of Pilaf and his two trusted henchmen, Mai and Shuu. From the time they are introduced in the first Dragon Ball arc, they function as a unit and are almost never seen apart from one another until Future Mai is introduced in Dragon Ball Super. Even then, the main-timeline group continues to be virtually inseparable.
Pilaf's goal has always been world domination, and he is assisted in that quest by Mai and Shuu. They have repeatedly sought the Dragon Balls to serve that end, but whenever they are presented with the opportunity to wish for it, with the exception of the first time (when their wish is preempted by Oolong),[1] they always wish for something else.
While Earth is under attack from the Artificial Humans, the Gang wishes for youth,[2] but the phrasing of the wish causes Shenlong to return all of them to infancy, rendering Mai and the others around the same age as Trunks in both timelines.
Members
 |
Pilaf (ピラフ)
The leader of the Pilaf Gang, he is named after rice pilaf.[3] Pilaf is an evil genius, but he is also a coward, and he relies on Mai and Shuu to do dangerous and unpleasant work on his behalf. In the anime, he seems to rule over a large number of people surrounding his castle, but there is no indication of this in the manga. |
 |
Mai (マイ)
Mai is the tallest Gang member. She and her cohort Shuu together make shūmai, a term for Chinese dumplings.[3] Mai is developed as a love interest for Trunks beginning in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. |
 |
Shuu (シュウ)
Shuu is a dog person. He was originally named "Soba" (a Japanese term for thin buckwheat noodles), but Akira Toriyama forgot this detail and told Toei Animation to call him "Shuu" to complete the shūmai pun.[3] |
Names
The Pilaf Gang members are named after rice, dumplings, and noodles. Toriyama-sensei helpfully explains:
It seems that I wanted to give them a food theme.
— Akira Toriyama[3]
The term "Pilaf Gang" (ピラフ一味 Pirafu ichimi) is used consistently to describe the group in Japanese, including in the titles of Dragon Ball Chapter 109 and Dragon Ball Super Episode 4.
Pursuit of the Dragon Balls
Son Goku Arc
The Pilaf Gang serves as the antagonist when Bulma and Goku set out on their first hunt for the Dragon Balls, and their part in the story is greatly elaborated in the anime. When the Gang is introduced in the manga they have already collected the One-Star Ball, and they immediately steal the five Dragon Balls that Bulma is carrying.[4] In the anime, their story begins in episode 1 when they discover the One-Star ball in a crypt as Bulma and Goku are getting acquainted on Mount Paozu. Pilaf is ready to make his wish, but Mai tells him that he must collect all seven balls to summon the Dragon.[5] Toei Animation continues to embellish the Gang's search throughout the episodes preceding their original introduction point. These anime additions lead to Funimation renaming the "Son Goku arc" as the "Emperor Pilaf Saga".
The anime elaborations are twists on existing scenes but the continuity is only affected in minor ways. For example, in the manga, Goku is unhappy with Bulma's food, so he goes out hunting and comes back with a wolf and a centipede.[6] In the anime, he encounters the Mai and Shuu as they investigate a lead on a Dragon Ball that turns out to be a cave full of wolves. Goku thinks they are trying to steal his dinner, so he attacks them; as they flee, Goku attacks their airship thinking it is a bird. With the plane down, he discovers that it is not a bird after all, so he then returns to Bulma with a wolf and a centipede.[7]
Mai and Shuu return to report their failure, telling Pilaf that the lead was bad and they were attacked by wolves and a monkey boy. Pilaf is angry, but then he gets a phone call with another tip: the Turtle Hermit has a Dragon Ball. Pilaf decides to accompany Mai and Shuu since they are apparently incompetent. While Goku and Bulma talk to the Turtle Hermit on the mainland, the Gang searches Kame House, not realizing that the Turtle Hermit has the ball on his person. Bulma flashes both Turtle Hermit and Turtle, and she departs with Goku and the Three-Star Ball while the Turtle Hermit returns to his island. Meanwhile, Pilaf finds a crocodile sleeping in the Turtle Hermit's lawn chair. After Pilaf threatens him with a knife, the crocodile informs him that the Turtle Hermit went to the mainland beach with Turtle that morning. The crocodile points to the ocean, where Turtle and Turtle Hermit are approaching. Mai draws and cocks a handgun as she and Shuu rush to protect Pilaf from the legendary martial artist. Pilaf demands, while hiding behind Mai, that the Turtle Hermit hand over his Dragon Ball, but he tells them that he gave it to a Pichi-pichi girl and a monkey boy. Mai and Shuu suspect this is the same boy they encountered before. Pilaf asks where they went, and the Turtle Hermit tells them they parted ways at the beach. They rush off, but their plane (which they have converted to a boat) needs a push; the Turtle Hermit grudgingly obliges them, poking a hole in their ship as revenge for their rudeness. As they leave, he wonders if it was a mistake to give the ball away. The Gang tries to cross the ocean to the beach, but the boat fills with water and they sink.[8]
As Goku and Bulma are camping out in Oolong's M-size capsule, Shuu and Mai approach in mech suits while Pilaf commands them remotely. When they arrive at the camper, they exit their suits. Shuu moves to attach a timed bomb underneath the camper, and then Mai notices Yamcha and Pu'er skulking about nearby. She taps Shuu on the shoulder to alert him, and this causes him to get the bomb stuck on his hand. He cannot get it off, so Mai tries to run away, and Shuu runs after her. Far away from the camper, Shuu tries to disable the bomb, and manages to reset the timer for 8 o'clock the next morning. They manage to get the bomb unstuck overnight and plant it under the camper, but after the camper departs, Yamcha hits it with a rocket launcher before the bomb goes off, causing Goku and co. to abandon the camper. When Mai and Shuu go to inspect the site, they think the bomb went off early due to bad calibration. As they are searching the wreckage, the bomb goes off at the scheduled time, foiling their plans yet again.[9]
Mai and Shuu worry about what they will tell Pilaf this time. Shuu role-plays as Pilaf, telling Mai that he forgives her, and to have some nice warm soup. She thanks him profusely, and then wryly concludes that Pilaf would never say something so nice; he would just get mad and "thunder" at them. When they reach Pilaf, who is eating, the scene plays out just like that. He forgives them, offers them soup, and then laughs at them for believing he would do something nice. Robotic hands come out of the roof of the castle, grabbing them and suspending them in the air. The roof opens, and lightning strikes them. Shuu and Mai cannot believe he literally thundered at them. Pilaf holds up his fork while he boasts at them, and then lightning strikes his fork.[10]
As Bulma and Goku depart the Carrot Gang's village with Yamcha and Pu'er, a sentry robot that looks like a bird is watching them from atop a giant mushroom. At Pilaf's Castle, Mai is working to create their own Dragon Radar while Pilaf threatens her with alligators. Mai tries to distract him with talk of food and girls while she gets the machine running. Then Shuu arrives in such a breathless hurry that Pilaf thinks he has found a Dragon Ball, but Shuu only wants to tell Pilaf that it is time for his nap. Mai has the radar working, and she tells them that the next Dragon Ball is nearby. Shuu follows her instructions in paces until he arrives at the One-Star Ball that they already have. Pilaf is angry, but he tells them to instead just find the monkey boy. Mai tells him that angle is already covered; just then, the sentry robot lands on the windowsill.[11]
Mai goes to personally stand guard atop another giant mushroom. This is Mai's first appearance in the manga, and the first hint of the existence of the Pilaf Gang.[4] She reports back via walkie-talkie that the monkey boy has just passed through sector F-15. Pilaf tells her to commence with the plan. She asks Shuu if he can see their car, and he confirms. He is in a mech suit atop another giant mushroom, and he attacks the car with a rocket launcher. Moving quickly, he jumps down and grabs Bulma's luggage, returning to their ship. Goku calls Kinto-Un to chase after him. He finds the abandoned mech suit, but Shuu has returned to the castle with Mai. Bulma still has the Dragon Radar, so Yamcha and Pu'er give them a ride to the castle. Yamcha has his own plans for the Dragon Balls.
Pilaf thinks he finally has all seven balls, but Mai and Shuu realize they are still missing one: the Four-Star Ball which Goku has tied on his belt. On their radar, they can see the final ball approaching. When the group arrives quickly, Pilaf realizes they must have their own radar. He makes plans to capture them. In the anime, Goku and co. enter the castle and proceed through a series of booby traps until they come upon arrows pointing in the direction of a small room, which also happens in the manga. They are then trapped inside the room, and Pilaf cannot believe they fell for it.[11]
Meanwhile, Mai and Shuu search Yamcha's car and find nothing. They report back and Pilaf realizes that one of the intruders must have the last ball, but he checks them out on the surveillance camera and does not see any balls. Mai suggests he check between "that man's legs", and Pilaf reminds her that he does not like crude jokes. Mai blushes and apologizes. In the manga, Mai is holding a stick with poop on it as she apologizes, and Pilaf further chastises her for making Dr. Slump references. The manga author will not be resorting to classless jokes in this comic, just to sell more copies of Weekly Shōnen Jump. Shuu makes airplane noises in the background.
Goku and Yamcha try and fail to break out of the room. Pilaf appears on a screen and introduces himself, and Bulma berates him for stealing their Dragon Balls. Goku thinks they can break through this "window" to escape, but Yamcha explains that it is a television. Pilaf demands that they hand over the Four-Star ball, and Bulma refuses, so a robotic arm grabs her and takes her to where the Gang is located. Pilaf repeats his demand for Bulma to tell him where the ball is, but she flips him off and refuses once again. He threatens to humiliate her, and she is terrified. Yamcha tells her to hang in there, while Oolong is excited to see what happens.
Pilaf makes his move: he blows Bulma a kiss, embarrassing himself as well as Mai and Shuu. Bulma had her eyes squeezed shut and does not even know what Pilaf did; he explains with a blush and Bulma is underwhelmed. She thought he was going to strip her naked and do something lewd to her. The Gang is aghast, and Mai covers Shuu's ears. Pilaf cannot believe Bulma is so perverted. He dumps her back into the room with the others; Yamcha congratulates her for enduring it, but Oolong is just disappointed. Pilaf still cannot believe that today's girls are so forward. Mai suggests that he try the sleeping gas instead, and Pilaf thinks that is a great idea. He must have rubbed off on them at last!
The chamber is flooded with sleeping gas, and everyone inside is overcome. Pilaf enters to take the ball, but there is still gas in the room, so he falls asleep too. Mai and Shuu have come equipped with gas masks, so Mai retrieves the ball while Shuu carries Pilaf back to their operation room. Bulma wakes first and sees that Goku's Dragon Ball is gone. She wakes the others to let them know, and Goku is distressed at the loss of his grandpa. Pu'er notices that the door was left open, so they all run out to look for the balls, encountering the Gang in a hallway. Bulma asks if they have made a wish yet, and Pilaf confirms that they have not. Goku demands that they give him back his grandpa, and they run with Goku and co. in pursuit. In the anime, they reach a convergence of hallways and are unsure which way to go. Pilaf uses a keyboard to trigger another trap, hurtling them into a life-sized pinball game that is controlled by Pilaf. Eventually they are trapped in the same room again, and Pilaf gloats through the screen that he is about to make his wish.
The Gang goes outside to call Shenlong. Goku tries to break out of the room with a Kamehameha, but he has not been able to practice it yet, so only manages to make a small hole in the wall. Yamcha tells Pu'er to transform into a bat and escape. Bulma tells Oolong to go too. The shape-shifters race to the scene as Pilaf summons Shenlong.[12] Goku begs Bulma and Yamcha to let him see what is going on, but they are hogging the hole. Pilaf fantasizes about world domination until Shenlong appears and asks for their wish. As Pilaf begins to speak, Oolong works up his nerve and races toward Shenlong, asking for a pair of girl's panties before Pilaf can finish speaking. Oolong's wish is granted, and Shenlong bids them farewell. The Dragon Balls scatter as he disappears. Pilaf rages and sends Shuu and Mai after Oolong and the others.
The Pilaf Gang locks up Goku and the others in a room made of pure steel with a roof made of tempered glass. Goku cannot bust through it with his head. Pilaf tells them through a loudspeaker that they will all be slow-baked when the sun rises. Everyone panics; Goku is hungry and he has no strength left. Pu'er is looking at the moon through the glass. Oolong wonders how Pu'er can do something like that at a time like this, but the moon is full, and Pu'er just wants to see something pretty before they die.
Goku suddenly warns everyone that there is a scary monster that comes out when the moon is full. Bulma is skeptical, but Goku insists it is true; this is the monster that killed his grandpa! Yamcha has heard of the legendary Son Gohan and he finds the idea of a monster strong enough to kill such a man to be incredible. Goku goes on to say that the monster destroyed their house, so Oolong asks him what kind of monster it was, but Goku does not know; he was always asleep when it appeared. Oolong does not understand how Goku could sleep through his house being destroyed by a monster. Goku then says that his grandpa told him not to look at the moon when it was full though he does not understand why looking at it would be a problem. His friends have realized that he is the monster, and they shy away from him in fear. Goku asks them what is wrong, and Bulma asks him if he looked at the full moon the night his grandpa died. He confirms that he did when he went outside to pee. Oolong says they should test it out and let Goku look at the full moon, which is behind him. Everyone is terrified. Bulma panics and points at the moon, warning Goku not to look at it, but of course he immediately looks. And then he begins to transform. He turns into a Great Ape and destroys their prison.[14]
Goku begins destroying everything around him indiscriminately, reaching even into Pilaf's bedroom where he sleeps with Mai and Shuu. They manage to escape in their airplane. In the anime, the use the plane's weapons to shoot Goku down, but do not manage to kill him. Eventually Goku breaks off a tower from the castle and throws it after them, bringing down the plane. Bulma gets stuck under the tower when it falls and is about to be killed by Goku when Pu'er remembers that Goku's tail is his weakness. In the anime, Yamcha manages to lift the tower but Goku grabs up Bulma and threatens to eat her. Yamcha tries to cut the tail off with his sword but is unsuccessful. In the manga, Yamcha simply rushes to grab Goku's tail after Pu'er mentions it, immobilizing Goku with some difficulty.[13] In the anime, he does it with the help of Oolong and Pu'er, and then he tells Pu'er to hurry up and transform into a giant pair of scissors. Pu'er transforms and cuts off Goku's tail. The Pilaf Gang returns to the castle, and Mai says they have no choice but to rebuild from scratch. In the manga, after their plane crashes, they are not seen again until their next search for the Dragon Balls.[15]
Fortuneteller Crone Arc
Dragon Ball GT
Bonus Chapter: Wish for Youth
Battle of Gods
Resurrection 'F'
Dragon Ball Super
References
- ↑ Toriyama, Akira. Dragon Ball Chapter 20: "The Wish to Shenlong!!". Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1985 #20. Japan: Shueisha, 16 April 1985.
- ↑ Toriyama, Akira; Toyotarō. Dragon Ball Super Volume 2: The Winning Universe is Decided at Last!!. Japan: Shueisha, 02 December 2016. ISBN 978-4-08-880867-3. (pp. 212-213)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "I want to know the characters' name sources!". Dragon Ball Kanzenban Official Guide: Dragon Ball Forever. Japan: Shueisha, 30 April 2004. ISBN 4-08-873702-4. (p. 159)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Toriyama, Akira. Dragon Ball Chapter 18: "The Dragon Balls Are Stolen!!". Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1985 #18. Japan: Shueisha, 02 April 1985.
- ↑ "Bulma and Son Goku". Dragon Ball. Episode 1. Japan: Fuji TV, 26 February 1986.
- ↑ Toriyama, Akira. Dragon Ball Chapter 2: "No Balls!!". Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1984 #52. Japan: Shueisha, 27 November 1984.
- ↑ "Alalala–! No Balls!". Dragon Ball. Episode 2. Japan: Fuji TV, 05 March 1986.
- ↑ "Kame-Sen'nin's Kinto-Un". Dragon Ball. Episode 3. Japan: Fuji TV, 12 March 1986.
- ↑ "The Midnight Visitors". Dragon Ball. Episode 6. Japan: Fuji TV, 02 April 1986.
- ↑ "Gyūmaō of Mount Frypan". Dragon Ball. Episode 7. Japan: Fuji TV, 09 April 1986.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "The Dragon Balls Are Stolen!!". Dragon Ball. Episode 10. Japan: Fuji TV, 30 April 1986.
- ↑ "Finally, the Dragon Appears!". Dragon Ball. Episode 11. Japan: Fuji TV, 07 May 1986.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Toriyama, Akira. Dragon Ball Chapter 22: "Goku's Great Transformation". Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1985 #22. Japan: Shueisha, 27 April 1985.
- ↑ "The Wish to Shenlong". Dragon Ball. Episode 12. Japan: Fuji TV, 14 May 1986.
- ↑ "Goku's Great Transformation". Dragon Ball. Episode 13. Japan: Fuji TV, 21 May 1986.