10 Times Yamcha Proved Dragon Ball Fans Wrong By Being a Total Badass

Jan. 2, 2025, 7 p.m.

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10 Times Yamcha Proved Dragon Ball Fans Wrong By Being a Total Badass

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Dragon Ball is a series known for having some of anime’s most powerful fighters. From the natural-born warriors that are the Saiyans to the menacing Frost Demons, the franchise has no shortage of impressive characters. Due to this, humans are often regarded as weak or useless by fans, with Yamcha being singled out as the worst member of the Z Fighters.

While it is true that Goku’s first rival is far weaker than the Saiyans, fans often forget just how powerful he is for a regular person. When the time to prove himself comes, Yamcha is always willing to put his life on the line. There are many moments in which the Wolf-Fang user demonstrates his worth as a defender of Earth.

10 Surprising Kami With His Potential

Yamcha Could Have Defeated Earth’s Guardian

During the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Kami disguised himself as a skinny and unimpressive man to study Piccolo Jr., the reincarnation of his old nemesis, the Demon King. During the quarterfinals, Yamcha was selected as the deity’s opponent. The fight seemed to be completely one-sided at first, with the scarred warrior missing every hit. Kami quickly became bored, underestimating his opponent and letting his guard down.

Related Dragon Ball Confirms the REAL Demon King (& it’s Not Piccolo) Piccolo was introduced as a literal demon, but it became crystal clear that he wasn't one especially after DBZ's REAL Demon King made his debut.

Yamcha used the opportunity to use his most powerful attack: the Spirit Ball, a small but potent ball of Ki that he could control from afar. His impressive technique managed to hit Kami directly, almost knocking him out of the ring. Yamcha lost the battle in the end, but the deity was impressed by his power and potential, proving he was one of the original series' strongest fighters.

9 Defeating a Saibaman

These Creatures Were as Powerful as Raditz

Introduced during the Saiyan Saga, the Saibamen were an alien species used by Saiyans to help them take over planets. Despite not being as strong as their masters, these mischievous creatures were still said to be as powerful as Raditz, a villain that Goku and Piccolo could barely defeat together. When Vegeta and Nappa arrived on Earth, they deployed an army of Saibamen to fight the Z Warriors.

Krillin tried to combat these opponents, but Yamcha offered to fight in his place, as he did not want his friend to die once more. The battle was close, with the Wolf-Fang user holding a slight advantage over the alien. At one point, Yamcha managed to surprise his opponent with a fast Kame-Hame-Ha, defeating the small villain. Woefully, the Saibaman woke up once again, and surprised Yamcha by self-exploding, killing them both and creating one of the most popular memes among fans.

8 Fighting a Young Goku Without Issues

The First Real Threat to the Saiyan

Even though he is not as relevant as he once was, Yamcha was one of the first and most notable members of the original series cast. He was first introduced as a bandit, ambushing Goku and Bulma as they crossed the desert. To protect his friend, a young Kakarot fought Yamcha in an intense but brief battle. The bandit was able to overwhelm his opponent with this signature Wolf Fang Fist, sending him into a pile of rubble.

Related Admit It: Dragon Ball Needs to Revisit the Original Manga's Best Character This character shaped the original Dragon Ball's worldbuilding and even Goku's character in impressing ways, but has never returned to the franchise.

Goku tried to counterattack, but Yamcha still retained the advantage until he was forced to flee when Bulma appeared, as he was afraid of women at the time. It is important to note that Goku was not fighting at his full power at the time, as he was hungry. Nonetheless, given that Kakarot’s Saiyan nature makes him several times stronger than a human, Yamcha’s achievement is still impressive.

7 Winning the Baseball Match for Universe 7

Demonstrating His Athletic Prowess

When Champa visited his brother, the strongest God of Destruction, Beerus, he became enamored with Universe 7’s human cuisine. Wanting to taste more of the culinary creations of Earth, he tricked his brother into having a “friendly” baseball game between the warriors of their respective domains. Yamcha, being a professional and accomplished baseball player, was selected as captain.

He was vital for Universes 7’s victory, as his Wolf Fang Fist Pitch was fast and agile enough to surpass the strength of Universe 6’s mightiest warriors. During the final moments of the match, with both teams tied, Yamcha ran as fast as he could to score another point, all while the destruction deities fought and devastated the surrounding field. Nonetheless, the former bandit completed his objective, achieving victory for his team and recreating the iconic pose that fans have grown to love.

6 Sending Recoome Back to Hell

Yamcha Became Stronger Than Frieza’s Elite Warriors

The Ginyu Force was feared throughout the universe for being some of the strongest fighters in Frieza’s army. Recoome, the most eccentric of the group, was by far the most physically capable and imposing. This proud warrior was strong enough to defeat Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin at the same time, receiving almost no damage during their battle. After his death, Reecome and the rest of his team tried to take over King Kai’s planet, confident in their power.

Related One Evil Dragon Ball Team is the Perfect Example of What Makes The Series So Unique The Ginyu Force is the Dragon Ball franchise's best example of Akira Toriyama's signature style of blending comedy and action.

Yamcha, who had been training with King Kai since his death at the hands of a Saibaman, decided to fight against Reccome to prove his growth as a fighter. In just a couple of minutes, Goku’s friend defeated Frieza’s soldier, proving that his training had borne fruit. While this is a filler episode that should not be considered fully canonic, it was still an impressive and well-deserved achievement for Yamcha.

5 Facing a Cell Jr.

A Demonstration of Courage and Loyalty

To make Gohan lose control and break his limits, Cell created miniature versions of himself to fight the Z Warriors. These creatures, later called Cell juniors, were extremely powerful, rivaling the strength of accomplished martial artists like Vegeta or Piccolo. Despite not planning on fighting that day, Yamcha joined the battle against these evil children, knowing that it was his duty.

He quickly discovered that he was no match for his opponent, and yet, he did not run, fighting despite having no chance of victory. Yamcha might not be among the most powerful characters in the series, but he is one of the bravest humans on Earth. Cell Jr. was an insurmountable challenge for him, but he was not deterred in his quest to protect his friends and the planet.

4 Figuring Out the Great Ape’s Weakness

The Original Gang Owes Him Their Lives

During the original series, Goku’s Saiyan lineage was still a mystery, making most characters think of him as a regular human who happened to grow a primate’s tail. In episode #13 of the anime, this extra appendage caused major trouble for the heroes, as Kakarot was forced to transform into his Great Ape form after looking at the moon. His friends had to escape from the rampaging monster, unsure of what to do to stop him.

Related Dragon Ball's Great Apes Would Destroy Attack on Titan's Giants Attack on Titan's titans and Dragon Ball's great apes are both destructive forces, yet the titans would stand no chance against a Saiyan ape.

In a moment of pure genius, Yamcha remembered that Goku’s biggest weakness had always been his tail. He jumped into action, holding the appendage with all of his strength, and told Puar to transform himself into a pair of scissors so they could cut it. Thanks to Yamcha’s quick thinking, the heroes could turn Goku back to normal, preventing a tragedy from occurring.

3 Joining Forces to Defeat Cell

Proving Once and for All That He Is One of Earth’s Defenders

The final moments of the battle against Cell are some of the most tense in the series, as Gohan was forced to stop the monster from destroying Earth with a single hand. When the situation looked grimmer than ever, the Z Warriors decided to help Goku’s son, joining their powers to create a beam of energy that would debilitate the android. Yamcha, arguably the weakest of them all at the time, did not try to run and save his own life in case Cell was victorious.

Instead, he stood side by side with his friends and used the little energy he had left to power up their attack. Gohan was without a doubt the most valuable member of the team at the time, as it was his courage and strength that ultimately ended Cell. Nonetheless, Yamcha proved that he was a trustworthy and honorable warrior.

2 Protecting Kame House From Invaders

An Overwhelming Victory

In another filler episode, Piccolo Day was proclaimed as the truly evil and dangerous Demon King’s way to celebrate his conquest of Earth. During this time, the convicts of the planet were set free to do as they pleased, causing havoc and spreading fear in every corner of the globe. Kame House was not the exception, as a band of cruel machine gun-wielding criminals tried to claim Roshi’s island for themselves.

Goku and Tien, the two strongest Z fighters at the time, were far away, fighting the main villain, leaving Yamcha as the only line of defense. Without hesitation, The Wolf Fang user dealt with two of the convicts, evading their attacks and bullets without breaking a sweat. Even though his opponents were regular humans, his display of agility and strength served as a reminder of how powerful Yamcha was in comparison to his peers.

1 Defeating Moro’s Army

Yamcha is Stronger Than Galactic Criminals

Dragon Ball Super is a series that focuses on universal threats far more dangerous than anything found on Earth. Fans have often pointed out that during this series, humans have been virtually useless to the plot, as none of them have the power needed to deal with the planet-ending villains Goku fights. Nevertheless, the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga gave Yamcha and his fellow earthlings a chance to shine once more.

When Moro’s lackeys arrived on the planet to defeat the most powerful warriors, with the villain’s energy giving them a boost in strength, the human Z Fighters stopped the invasion. Yamcha alone defeated three of the criminals with ease, reminding his opponents, as well as the readers, that he is still one of the strongest humans on the planet.