Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Yamcha (乐平) 304 |
| Species/Race | Earthling 427 |
| Gender | Male 304 |
| Affiliation | Turtle School 316 351 |
| Occupation/Role | Martial artist; formerly a desert bandit 304 369 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 304 304 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Desert bandit | 304 | Son Goku defeats him within a few moves, prompting Yamcha to train. |
| More than half a year of training | 313 315 | Develops his Wolf Fang Fist, though Chiaotzu defeats him at the World Martial Arts Tournament. |
| Turtle School and Heavenly Realm training | 316 354 381 | Studies under Master Roshi, then trains under Kami and Popo. Becomes stronger than the King Piccolo Goku had defeated. |
| 1,800 battle power | 414 | Measured when Earth’s fighters gather to face an alien threat. |
| Gravity and Kaio-ken training | 427 449 | Trains at 15 times normal gravity; later uses a ×2 Kaio-ken in battle, but its physical burden limits him. |
| 180,000 battle power | 457 | Reaches this level after the Namekian Grand Elder awakens part of his dormant potential. |
History
Yamcha first encounters Son Goku and Bulma as a bandit in the Gobi Desert. After Goku defeats him, he and his companion Puar follow the pair to Mount Frypan, hoping to steal their money and Hoi-Poi Capsules. Seeing Goku’s Kamehameha convinces Yamcha that he cannot win yet; he abandons the pursuit and vows to defeat Goku someday 304.
Yamcha trains for more than half a year and enters the World Martial Arts Tournament, where Chiaotzu defeats him. Recognizing that he needs guidance, he joins Master Roshi’s Turtle School. He later trains at Korin Tower and in the Heavenly Realm under Kami and Popo 313 315 316 351 354.
During a trial to retrieve a diamond crown from Lei Mountain, Yamcha reconsiders his long-running goal of surpassing Goku. He resolves instead to practice martial arts to surpass himself 369. He goes on to defeat Kami, competing under the name Ten Star, at a World Martial Arts Tournament, though Piccolo defeats him in the following round 381 383. At the 24th tournament, Yamcha reaches the final against Krillin, who wins the championship 413.
Yamcha later fights alien invaders on Earth and travels to Planet Namek, where the Grand Elder awakens his potential. Severely injured during the fighting on Namek, he recovers after Xiaya gives him a Senzu Bean. He subsequently joins Earth’s fighters in searching for the Androids and survives an ambush when Piccolo comes to his aid 449 457 472 489.
Appearance
- Has short hair when he enters the tournament after his first period of training 313.
- Wears an orange-red Turtle School martial arts uniform alongside Krillin 351.
- Carries a great sword during his time as a desert bandit 304.
Abilities & Skills
Wolf Fang Fist
Yamcha refines this fast, aggressive martial art after his first defeat by Goku 315.
- Uses rapid punches and claw-like strikes to press an opponent 315.
- Cannot overcome Chiaotzu’s superior strength and psychic restraint in their tournament match 315.
Ki techniques and sensing
Yamcha uses energy attacks and can assess other fighters by their Ki 381 449.
- Fires multiple Ki blasts while fighting a group of aliens 449.
- Notices powerful opponents’ energy and compares their strength with fighters he knows 381 459.
Kaio-ken
Yamcha uses Kaio-ken to increase his combat power 449 685.
- Fights at ×2 Kaio-ken against alien attackers, but its physical strain leaves him exhausted 449.
- Uses Kaio-ken at a critical moment to defeat a Planet Red Mountain Special Forces member 685.
Relationships
- Puar — His loyal companion, who follows him during his bandit days and cheers for him at tournaments 304 381.
- Son Goku — Initially the opponent Yamcha vows to surpass; later a fellow Turtle School disciple and training companion 304 351 422.
- Master Roshi — Accepts Yamcha into the Turtle School after his loss to Chiaotzu 316.
- Krillin — Fellow Turtle School disciple, training partner and friendly rival; defeats Yamcha in the 24th tournament final 413 427.
- Piccolo — Defeats Yamcha in a tournament, then later saves him from an Android ambush 383 489.
Notable Quotes
“Now, he was a martial artist. He practiced martial arts not to compete with others, but to truly surpass himself.” 369