Dragon Ball’s roster of characters has grown considerably over the years, with different characters coming in and out of prominence as the series’ power dynamics have shifted. Many fan-favorite characters have had to take on a supporting role, becoming less and less of a factor with every new arc. As bad as it’s been for some, no character has as bad of a reputation as one of the series’ oldest staples; Yamcha.
Yamcha was always something of a comic relief character but managed to come off as a somewhat capable fighter in the early series. But that changed when the Saiyans invaded and Yamcha was dealt with one of the most humiliating deaths in the entire series. The character was never really able to regain any of the significance he held earlier in the series and was gradually regulated to a minor supporting character. While many fans see Yamcha as a joke, there’s a spin-off manga that completely re-imagines the character for the better.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha
Dragon Ball: That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha is a unique spin-off written and drawn by mangaka Dragon Garow Lee. Playing off of the incredibly popular Isekai genre, That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha follows a young boy who, after falling down the stairs in the real world, wakes up and finds himself reincarnated as Yamcha during the Emperor Pilaf Saga. The new Yamcha then decides to use his knowledge of the series to avoid some of the pitfalls that infamously plagued the original character.
The new Yamcha, aware of how easily he’ll be overpowered by future enemies, takes the opportunity to better prepare himself for the battles ahead. This includes training alongside Goku under Master Roshi following the Pilaf Saga, going to Namek prior to the events of the Saiyan Saga, and having his potential unlocked by Grand Elder Guru while also training under Nail.
Thanks to his efforts, Yamcha is able to easily handle the Saibamen and Nappa. Though he isn’t strong enough to defeat Vegeta on his own, the new Yamcha plays a key role in defeating the Saiyan Prince alongside Goku. While he still isn’t a major force by the time stronger enemies like Frieza, Cell, and the Androids are introduced, the new Yamcha’s efforts and foresight manage to alter the events of the narrative in a significant and beneficial way.
The spin-off series only ran for one volume, quickly glossing over the events of the Emperor Pilaf, Saiyan, Cell Games, and Trunks Saga. Though brief, it did cover some major milestones for Yamcha’s character and showed how useful the character could have become had he known of the series of misfortunes waiting for him over the years.
How Does it Re-imagine Yamcha?
Yamcha had become something of a joke among the Dragon Ball fan base due to his incompetence and complete lack of impact on the narrative. Plenty of characters have been shelved throughout Dragon Ball’s run, but none have been as humiliated as Yamcha has on a consistent basis.
The new Yamcha introduced in the spin-off is much more resourceful and driven than the original thanks to his knowledge of the series’ events. In this version of the story, Yamcha uses every resource available to him in order to become a competent and impactful member of the Dragon Team. He manages to get his power level to over 10,000 by the time Vegeta and Nappa invade and plays a crucial role in those battles, saving the lives of Piccolo, Tien, and Chiaotzu as a result.
While it does make him more relevant than his original counterpart, That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha doesn’t make Yamcha too prominent in the events following the Saiyan Saga. Rather than re-imagine him as an overpowered character on par with Saiyans like Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, the spin-off instead gives the perpetual punching bag a fair shake, treating him with more respect than the original series ever did. Yamcha might be the butt of the joke for many Dragon Ball fans, but this brief spin-off series at the very least allows fans to see him in a new light.