Chiaotzu

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Crane School and Early Training

Chiaotzu trained under Master Shen alongside Tien Shinhan from childhood. The two were almost inseparable throughout their apprenticeship, and Chiaotzu continued to regard Tien as utterly dependable even when his companion began displaying unexplained knowledge 19 231.

During the King Piccolo crisis, he accompanied Tien and Goku to secure the Dragon Balls. His psychic restraint immobilized Yajirobe long enough for Tien to take the One-Star Dragon Ball. He subsequently climbed Korin Tower and joined Goku and Tien for training at Kami’s Lookout 4 13 15.

Chiaotzu accompanied Tien into the shifting special space containing the Fountain of Youth and drank from the fountain. Later, after witnessing Goku’s painful reaction to Ultra Divine Water, he limited his own challenge to three-quarters of a cup and successfully endured its effects 21 24 25.

Time Travel and Planet Namek

On the group’s journey into the Tuffles’ past, Chiaotzu fought Saiyan forces and used repeated Dodon Rays to sever a Great Ape’s tail. After obtaining a Wave Bracelet, however, he briefly hoped to ease off training and rely on Tien’s protection instead 49 53.

During the voyage to Namek, martial arts exchanges helped him develop the Super Dodon Ray. Seeing Krillin’s success with the Destructo Disc later prompted him to reconsider his complacency and promise Tien that he would train harder 83 89.

The Grand Elder’s potential unlock revealed that Chiaotzu’s strongest aptitude lay in psychic abilities rather than conventional martial arts. He subsequently worked with Yamcha against Guldo: Chiaotzu immobilized their opponent before another Time Stop, enabling Yamcha to finish him with a Spirit Ball 94 98.

Psychic Specialization and the Cell Battles

Chiaotzu declined Tien’s later offer to break his limiter through the Dragon Balls because he would not sacrifice his single remaining hair. Instead, he developed his psychic talents during a year of training with Yamcha in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber 140 178.

His new gravity abilities gave him a practical supporting role against much stronger enemies. He coordinated with Krillin and Yamcha against the Cell Juniors, hindered Perfect Cell during a follow-up attack, and used Super Light Gravity Field to catch the injured Yamcha 183 184 185.

When Tien was unconscious during the later Cell confrontation, Chiaotzu and Yamcha used Neo Multi-Form Technique clones and increasingly provocative insults to divert the Super Perfect Cells. Their diversion bought time for Tien to awaken and save them just before their real bodies were killed 198 199.

Before leaving the Future Timeline, Chiaotzu began learning Instant Transmission from Future Goku. His psychic aptitude helped him achieve partial success, although he still needed further practice to teleport accurately 205.

Demon Realm and Galactic Tournament

In the Demon Realm, Chiaotzu asked to assist Goku against the remaining members of the Four Heavenly Kings. Tien initially held him back while Goku developed a new insight, but Chiaotzu intervened when the Crocodile Demon King turned on the others, forcing the demon onto one knee with Super Gravity Field 219 220.

He later participated in the Dragon Fist Martial Arts School’s activities and looked forward to meeting Yardratian martial artists. Their techniques interested him particularly because Instant Transmission had already proved well suited to his psychic talents 231 234.

Representing North Galaxy, Chiaotzu used gravity manipulation to overwhelm groups of opponents in the Galactic Martial Arts Representatives Tournament. Paigu Tang eliminated him in the round of 32 after adapting to his gravity field and powering up. Tien caught him with Instant Transmission and reassured him that giving the match his best was enough 239 242.

Battle Against Broly

Unable to fight Broly directly, Chiaotzu contributed spirit energy to Goku’s Spirit Bomb. After restoring his stamina with a Senzu Bean, he used Instant Transmission to rescue the exhausted Goku from Broly’s next attack 266.

Appearance

• Hat: Normally covers the top of his head; he instinctively protects it when the possibility of losing his hair is raised 10 11.
• Single strand of hair: His lone remaining hair is precious enough that he repeatedly refuses a limiter-breaking wish rather than lose it 10 140.
• Expressive gestures: While distracting Super Perfect Cell, he displays his hair, makes a pig’s snout with his thumb, sticks out his tongue, and slaps his backside 198.

Personality

Chiaotzu’s chief motivation is remaining useful to Tien rather than becoming the strongest fighter. He trusts Tien’s judgment, follows his plans, and is satisfied with even a small contribution to his companion’s battles. After losing to Paigu Tang, his first concern is that he has disappointed Tien 19 131 179 242.

His enthusiasm for conventional martial arts training is inconsistent. Once Tien becomes overwhelmingly powerful, Chiaotzu reasons that further effort may be unnecessary because Tien will protect him. Discovering a genuinely suitable path through psychic training reverses this attitude: he works intensely when he sees a chance to fight alongside Tien again 53 178 179.

He is innocent and trusting, readily accepting Tien’s claim that slapping Yajirobe was merely a demonstration of Senzu Bean healing. Nevertheless, he enjoys teasing Yamcha and refuses to let his friend surpass him without a challenge 15 62 93.

His loyalty can become reckless when Tien appears endangered. During the confrontation with multiple Cells, Yamcha must stop him from charging into a fight he cannot meaningfully influence. When a useful opening finally appears, however, Chiaotzu willingly risks his life as a distraction 193 196 198.

Abilities & Skills

Psychic Restraint and Paralysis

Chiaotzu can immobilize opponents and interfere with their internal ki flow 4 98 120.

• Restraint: Holds Yajirobe in place while Tien takes his Dragon Ball; moving within ten meters strengthens the effect in that encounter 4.
• Paralysis: Freezes Guldo while using Fivefold Kaioken, preventing him from immediately using Time Stop again 98.
• Internal interference: Causes Tien’s stomach to cramp during a group spar. Tien identifies the paralysis mechanism as blocked ki flow at bends in the meridians 120.
• Limits: A sufficiently large power gap allows opponents to break free. Tien’s ki shatters an early restraint in less than a second, and afterimages can prevent Chiaotzu from identifying a valid target 33 120.

Gravity Force Field / Super Gravity Field

His developed psychic specialty manipulates the gravity affecting himself or an opponent 178 179.

• Gravity shielding: Progresses from blocking 350× Earth gravity to shielding himself from 500× gravity during Hyperbolic Time Chamber training 178.
• Offensive pressure: Imposes gravity equivalent to 500× Earth’s gravity on an enemy 178 179.
• Support openings: Briefly catches Tien’s breath during a demonstration and makes a charging Cell Junior stagger 179 183.
• Multiple targets: Can affect three Cell Juniors simultaneously, but the effort sharply increases his stamina consumption 184.
• Limits: Powerful opponents adapt quickly. Perfect Cell experiences only slight heaviness, while Paigu Tang rapidly overcomes the field 185 242.

Super Light Gravity Field

A gravity-isolation technique used for high-speed movement and rescue 185.

• Shuts gravity out from his body, allowing him to accelerate to his maximum speed 185.
• Extends to Yamcha when Chiaotzu catches him, dissipating most of the force remaining from Cell’s kick 185.
• Alternates reduced gravity on himself with increased gravity on an opponent to evade attacks 242.

Dodon Ray and Super Dodon Ray

Chiaotzu uses the Dodon Ray as his principal ki-beam attack and develops an enhanced version through group training 16 83.

• Fires a full-power Dodon Ray as part of the five-person coordinated attack on Tien 34.
• Uses successive rays to sever the tail of a Great Ape with a power level approaching 500 49.
• Develops Super Dodon Ray during the spaceship’s martial arts exchanges, with Tien’s guidance 83.

Ki Control, Flight, and Kaioken

• Flight Technique: Already mastered when he joins Tien and Goku in pursuing King Piccolo 3.
• Ki sensing and manipulation: Learns the fundamentals through Mr. Popo’s clone training and consolidates them under Kami 17 18.
• Fivefold Kaioken: Raises his power level above 10,000 during the fight against Guldo, strengthening the effectiveness of his psychic restraint 98.

Neo Multi-Form Technique

Chiaotzu creates clones to distract enemies and conceal his real body 198.

• Uses expendable bodies to continue taunting Super Perfect Cell after apparent deaths 198.
• Spreads clones across the area to prolong the pursuit and protect the unconscious Tien 198.
• Limit: Super Perfect Cell can locate and hunt the dispersed clones through ki sensing 198.

Instant Transmission

Chiaotzu learns teleportation from Future Goku, with his psychic talent helping him grasp the technique 205.

• Initially teleports with inaccurate arrival positions 205.
• Fully masters it through continued training in his own timeline 234.
• Uses it to extract the nearly helpless Goku from Broly’s attack 266.

Equipment / Items

• Wave Bracelet — Suppresses his aura for training. Its initial activation reduces his measured power level to five; switching it off restores access to his unsuppressed strength 53 70.
• Scouter — Measures Yamcha’s power level after the Grand Elder’s potential unlock 93.
• Senzu Beans — Carries beans supplied by Tien for emergencies; uses one after rescuing Yamcha and another to restore himself before saving Goku from Broly 174 185 266.
• Fountain of Youth water — Drinks it before undertaking the Ultra Divine Water challenge 24.
• Ultra Divine Water — Survives three-quarters of a cup, doubling his power level 24 25.

Relationships

• Tien Shinhan — Closest companion and fellow Crane School disciple, addressed as “Brother Tien.” Tien encourages his growth while supporting a path suited to his talents; Chiaotzu repeatedly risks his life to help him 19 89 198.
• Master Shen — Childhood martial arts teacher who established his Crane School foundations 19 231.
• Yamcha — Friendly rival, training partner, and frequent teammate. They compete over power levels, defeat Guldo together, train for a year together, and jointly distract the Super Perfect Cells 62 94 98 178 198.
• Krillin — Training companion and coordinated-combat partner. Krillin’s Destructo Disc motivates Chiaotzu to take training more seriously; they later fight alongside Yamcha against Cell’s forces 89 183 185.
• Goku — Longstanding training companion. Chiaotzu contributes energy to his Spirit Bomb and rescues him from Broly with Instant Transmission 15 18 266.
• Kami and Mr. Popo — Teachers who develop his understanding of ki sensing and manipulation 16 17 18.
• Grand Elder — Unlocks his potential twice and identifies the psychic aptitude that becomes central to his development 94 131.
• Future Goku — Teaches him the foundations of Instant Transmission during the group’s stay in the Future Timeline 205.

Notable Quotes

“All right, Brother Tien. I’ll train harder from now on. I can’t think that training doesn’t matter just because you’ve become strong.” 89

“As long as I can help you all just a tiny bit, I’ll be satisfied.” 179

“All right, Yamcha, it’s finally our turn to act. I’ve been itching for this!” 198

Trivia

• Krillin previously stumped him with addition and subtraction involving numbers below ten at the World Martial Arts Tournament 19.
• He has a statue on Planet Tuffle and uses that fact to answer Yamcha’s boasts about eventually surpassing his power level 131.
• His elimination by Paigu Tang ends North Galaxy’s unbeaten run in the Galactic Martial Arts Representatives Tournament 242.