Pu-erh
From Dragon Ball Encyclopedia
"Only a heartless soul would run and leave his friends behind. We're in this together."
— Pu-erh in "Meet Me in the Ring"
Pu-erh (プーアル, Pūaru; FUNimation "Puar", Viz "Pu'ar") is the life long best friend of Yamucha.
Though sharing an appearance to that of a Rabbit or Cat, Puar is neither species, but is drawn a little bit to look like a Cat. Oolong refers to Puar as a Cat in Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks)[2]
Pu-erh's Japanese name is a pun on the word Pu-erh tea.[3]
Contents
Concept and creation
Puar's design was hashed off of the character Binyao from Toriyama's early depiction of Dragon Ball called Dragon Boy. The character had the ability to transform like Puar, but had Oolong's personality. Puar's official design was established in Akira Toriyama's third draft of Dragon Ball.
Biography
Dragon Ball
Bandit life with Yamucha
Often soft-spoken at times, Puar serves as Yamucha's constant companion. The two were originally a pair of desert thieves, robbing travelers who would cross the area where they lived. On one such occasion, they finally meet Son Goku, Bulma and Oolong. The last of these characters is recognized by Puar as an old schoolmate.[4]
Friendship with Bulma and Goku
Some time after the meeting, the five of them team up and go on a hunt for the Dragon Balls. They are attacked by a robot piloted by Shu. Shu manages to steal the dragon balls except for Goku's four star ball. They later find a castle that belongs to Emperor Pilaf. They are trapped and knocked out by sleeping gas, allowing the last dragonball to be stolen. Goku tries to use a Kamehameha to bust open the wall but fails. Puar and Oolong transform to stop Pilaf from making his wish. As Pilaf was about to make his wish, Oolong wishes for underwear to make Pilaf mad. The rest try to escape but are later captured again by Pilaf. Goku looks at the moon and transforms into a giant ape, destroying everything. Puar turns into scissors and cuts off his tail and Goku returns to normal. Goku decides to go to Master Roshi's island to train. Bulma, Puar, and Oolong decide to go to West City and say their goodbyes to Goku. While they are flying they crash in a forest and are forced to walk through a desert to West City.
Tenkaichi Tournament
Puar was reunited with Goku at the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Puar was a spectator in the matches. Goku is up against Jackie Chun (who is actually Muten Roshi in disguise) Goku looks at the moon again and transforms in a Great Ape again. Jackie Chun destroys the moon making Goku once again return back to normal. Later, after the tournament, a year has passed and Goku goes on a journey to look for his grandpa's Four-Star Ball.
Red Ribbon Army Saga
During the Red Ribbon Army Saga, Puar is seen with Oolong and Yamucha training in Metro West. Later, Puar and everybody else want to help Goku fight the Reb Ribbon Army, but Goku already defeated them.
Fighting Uranai Baba's warriors
Puar teamed up with Upa to stop Dracula Man, which they did with ease, at Uranai Baba's Palace where the last Dragon Ball had to be found.
Meeting Tenshinhan
Puar attended the 22nd Tenkaichi Tournament to cheer on his friends. At the tournament, they saw Crane Hermit (Turtle Hermit's rival) and his two students, Tenshinhan and Chaozu. Yamucha was up against Tenshinhan in the quarter-finals. Tenshinhan striked a blow to Yamucha's leg and broke it. Puar came out to help Yamucha by changing into a magic carpet to transport him to the hospital.
Piccolo Daimaio's reincarnation
Three years later, Puar attended the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament to cheer on his friends and watch the fight betwen Goku and the reincarnated Piccolo Jr..
Dragon Ball Z
Battle against the Saiyans
Puar was seen at the Kame House observing the battles against the Saiyans with Bulma, Roshi, Oolong, Ox-King, and Chichi. They watched as Yamucha, Tien, and Chiaotzu died at the hands of Nappa. This made Puar and Bulma break down crying.
Garlic Jr. and the Black Water Mist
A few months later, everybody gathered on Turtle Island for a party where they were under the control of the Black Water Mist. They were later cured by the sacred water at Kami's Lookout.
A mysterious youth
A year later, Puar was seen at Capsule Corporation where they saw Vegeta's return.
Cell Games
Three years later, Puar was seen again in Capsule Corp. waiting on Cell's announcement of the Cell Games.
Alternate timeline
Puar was one of the few characters to survive in Trunks' alternate timeline, as seen in the The History of Trunks. Future Puar was seen hidden in a submarine along with Future Oolong, Future Muten Roshi, and Future Turtle.
Death and revival
Seven years later, Puar attended the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament to cheer on his friends. Puar goes with the group to gather the Dragon Balls to wish back the people killed in the Tenkaichi Tournament Stadium by Vegeta under Babidi's control. Puar must take refuge from Majin Boo on Kami's Lookout. A day later Super Boo finds the Lookout and allows them to live for a short time. When Super Boo escapes from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Puar and the rest are transformed into chocolate and eaten instantly killing them. Puar is revived along with everybody else by Polunga. Everybody on Earth gives their energy to Goku to make the Spirit Bomb to destroy Kid Boo. Puar is later seen at a party at Bulma's house. Ten years later, Puar attends the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament again to cheers on his friends at the end of DBZ.
Dragon Ball GT
Puar appeared in "Piccolo's Decision" on the Tuffle planet before Planet Earth exploded. Puar's last appearance was returning to his vagabond life roaming the desert with Yamucha as they watched Shen Long fly by in the sky.
As the manga and anime progress (even before the start of Dragon Ball Z), however, Puar was eventually reduced to the role of a background character. As the driving theme of the manga/anime was mostly fighting, Puar could do little more than react to the horrors of the latest and greatest villain.
Films
In the South Korean live action adaption of Dragon Ball, Puar looked identical to the version in the anime and manga, but was a stuffed animal. In the second adaption, Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins, Puar was replaced by a talking Parrot named Miss Knowwhat, which like Puar was the life long companion of Yamucha (named Westwood in the film), but with a different personality.
Pu-erh appeared in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods.
Video games
Pu-erh appeared in Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure, Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku, Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II, and Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury.
Puar hosted Yamcha's Tournament in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.
Gender
There has been some debate regarding Puar's gender despite being voiced by only female voice actresses. The character is referred to as female numerous times in Saban Entertainment's English edited dub of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, however, Toriyama indicated in interviews that he considered Puar male while writing the manga. In the Japanese dub, Puar refers to himself/herself as boku and is sometimes referred to as Puar-kun, hinting male characteristics. Despite indications of masculinity, Turtle Hermit reassures Oolong after Puar faints in the English dub of "The Power of Nappa" by saying, "She'll be okay". In addition, Bulma says, "Go help her!" to Oolong in "The Wish to Shen Long". Puar is referred to as female in Dragon Ball: Origins. Puar is also referred to as female on FUNimation's Dragon Ball website.
Powers and abilities
Puar has the innate ability of flight or self-levitation as seen throughout the series. Having also learned how to master the Transformation technique by graduating from the Shapeshifting Academy, Puar can transform into anything, even inanimate objects. Unlike Oolong, Puar can hold a form as long as necessary, although strength is not increased by the transformation and Puar is still unable to turn into something that can be used up, like fuel or food.
Voice actors
- Japanese dub: Naoko Watanabe
- Ocean Group dub: Kathy Morse (1995 Dragon Ball dub) Cathy Weseluck (Dragon Ball Z)
- FUNimation dub: Monika Antonelli (DB, DBZ, DBGT, Movies, Earlier video games), Brina Palencia (Later video games, Dragon Ball Z Kai)
- Harmony Gold dub: Cheryl Chase (Movie 3)
- Latin American dub: Jesús Barrero (first half DB) and Cristina Camargo (rest)
- Portuguese dub: Fernanda Figueiredo
Trivia
- The Dragon Ball Collectible Card Game lists Puar as part of the Changeling race.
- Mister Popo's Cat looks similar to Puar. Mister Popo's Cat first appears in the filler episode "Quicker than Lightning".
References
- ↑ Super Barcode Wars
- ↑ Dragon Ball manga, Akira Toriyama's "Ask Me Anything!" Corner, p. 196. ISBN 1569319219
- ↑ Dragon Ball manga, Akira Toriyama's "Ask Me Anything!" Corner, p. 194. ISBN 1569319219
- ↑ Dragon Ball manga, pp. 118-121. ISBN 9781569319208
External links
