Scouter

This page is incomplete. Kanzenshuu wiki team members are aware that they must edit this page to add missing information and complete it.

Scouter
スカウター (Sukautā)
Manga Anime
English Name(s)	Scouter (Viz) Scouter (Funimation) Scouter (Bandai Namco)
Manga Debut	Dragon Ball Chapter 195
Anime Debut	Dragon Ball Z Episode 1
Appears in	Manga, Anime, Video Games

Scouters are fictional devices in the Dragon Ball franchise which allow for the detection, location, and tracking of individuals based on their fighting energy signature (or "battle power"). Scouters are introduced in chapter 195 of the original serialization with the arrival of Raditz and make regular appearances through the next two story arcs. Scouters typically return with Freeza-related characters in subsequent stories and special features, as well as in a variety of video games as detection or accessory items.

General Overview

Raditz manually activating his scouter to read Piccolo's battle power

Raditz's scouter display points toward a large battle power

Jheese presents the requested batch of new scouters to Freeza

Bulma's reprogrammed scouter explodes while remotely reading Son Goku in his fight against Vegeta

Scouters were invented by the Tsufruians as a device for the purpose of guarding against enemies and beasts. The scouter technology was adapted by Gichamu or Kikono, who then made modifications for concrete battle power numbers and telecommunications abilities; at this point, soldiers in King Cold and Freeza's army began making use of it to carry out offensive attacks. Freeza presents scouters—a more compact, wearable version of the "scout-scopes" the Saiyans have been using for reconnaissance up to now—to the Saiyans when he and King Cold visit Planet Vegeta to announce Freeza taking over the army in his father's place.

Though the base functionality is the same across all models, due to the variety of aliens using the technology (and therefore necessary shapes), different types and attachment parts can be built to fit around the ear or eye(s), including single-visor, dual-eye types. Screen colors can likewise be adjusted to fit one's individual tastes.

Initial scouter models were unable to measure battle powers over 22,000, though newer model scouters (新型スカウター, shingata sukautā) are always in development to handle this power inflation; even these models may still explode if they read a level beyond their analytical ability, however. Due to the nature of the scouters being such precision-based instruments, they may be transported in a special "scouter case" (スカウターケース, sukautā kēsu) which is able to withstand high impact.

Production

Original author Akira Toriyama states that scouters come from the idea of reconnaissance, where a reconnaissance vehicle may be called a "scout car"; that word "scout" was tweaked to create the name. Scouters were developed for the author and readers alike to be able to understand the respective characters' strengths. The scouters also create an immediate sense of peril, since enemies equipped with them can detect and report the location of their opponent(s).

Toriyama states that a scouter may explode when reading a high battle power just to be showy for a comic, since they are actually digital and this makes little sense. In an analog respect, it is akin to how a counter that is rising at breakneck speed cannot keep up and ultimately breaks down.

Scouters in the Series

Scouters in the Original Serialization

Scouters are introduced on the title page of chapter 195 with a close-up of Raditz's face. Raditz uses his scouter over the subsequent chapters to detect and direct him toward large battle powers, including those of Piccolo and Son Goku. Raditz believes the scouter reading of Son Gohan to be a malfunction due to a high number coming from a child.

Following his death, Bulma is able to fix and reprogram Raditz's scouter to display with Roman numerals. This scouter later explodes as Bulma remotely reads Son Goku's battle power reaching over 21,000 upon him using the Kaiō-ken multiplied three times over.

Freeza requests the Ginyu Special Force bring new scouters following the destruction of several units by Muri, which Jheese presents him with upon their arrival.

Scouters make their final original manga appearance in chapter 331 as King Cold and Freeza's henchmen read Trunks' purposefully-suppressed battle power at five and are all subsequently killed.

Scouters in Supplemental Features

In 1990's third theatrical Dragon Ball Z film (A Super Decisive Battle for Earth), Tullece and his Crusher Corps. henchmen group all sport scouters.

In 1991's fifth theatrical Dragon Ball Z film (The Incredible Strongest vs Strongest), Thouser, Dore, and Neiz of Coola's Armored Squadron each sport scouters, while Coola himself does not.

In the 2018 theatrical film Dragon Ball Super: Broly, Freeza (alongside King Cold, Kikono, and various other members of his army) presents scouters to the Saiyans as a more compact, wearable version of the "scout-scopes" they had previously been using for reconnaissance. Freeza demonstrates their effectiveness by detecting and murdering several hidden Saiyan snipers aiming their weapons at him. Freeza leaves behind 500 sets as they depart.

Scouters in Video Games

Scouters make their first video game appearance in Dragon Ball Z: Assault! The Saiyans for the Nintendo Famicom, where Raditz serves as the game's initial antagonist. Scouters are also an in-game item in the player's card deck, and can be used to scan the enemy party.

External Links

TBD