Pu'ar

Pu'ar is a soft-spoken shapechanging blue creature and the constant companion of Yamcha. The name is revealed to be a pun on Pu-erh tea. Pu'ar is neither a cat or a mouse, albeit the series creator Akira Toriyama stated that he had drawn the character to look a little bit like a cat. Traveling alongside Yamcha, the two worked as a team robbing anyone traveling through the desert area in which they lived. Pu'ar has an innate ability of levitation or flight, and is nearly always seen simply 'standing' in thin air at about human head height.

Pu'ar has the unique ability to shapeshift into any form, even inanimate objects, and can hold that form for as long as desired; though strength is not increased by the change, however, as such is unable to turn into something that can be used up like fuel or food. Pu'ar graduated from the same shapeshifting academy as Oolong, although unlike Oolong, Pu'ar had completed all of the academy training and does not have Oolong's difficulties with maintaining a transformed state. Pu'ar shows up quite a bit in the beginning, but becomes less of a presence as the series continues. As the driving theme of the series is mostly about fighting, Pu'ar can do little more than react to the horrors of the latest supervillains in the story.

There is some debate regarding the character's gender. Despite being portrayed by several female voice actors, the character has been referred to with both male and female pronouns during the anime. Though the issue of gender is never directly addressed, Toriyama has referred to Pu'ar as "he" while answering a fan question in the "Ask Me Anything" section in the back of the manga. Some fans believe that since shape-shifters can assume many different forms, gender is a moot point.

Profile

Species: Animal Type Earthling (Puar (species)

Aliases:

• Pooal

• Plume

• Pool

• Pual

• Pualuu

• Puer

• Pu'er

• Pu'erh

• Squeaker (Harmony Gold dub)

• Prudence

Gender: Male; Female

Birthdate: September 2, Age 740

Death Dates: May 8, Age 774

Age 779

Occupation: Bodyguard

Address:

• Yamcha's hideout (Formerly)

• NB 8250012 B (Formerly)

• West City

• Yamcha's home

Counterparts:

• Future Puar

• Pingyao

Mentors: Pongitsune

Puar's design was based on the character Pingyao from Akira Toriyama's early depiction of Dragon Ball called Dragon Boy. The character is a shapeshifter like Puar, but he has Oolong's personality.

Puar's official design was established in Akira Toriyama's third draft of Dragon Ball. Though sharing an appearance to that of a cat or rabbit, Puar is neither species, but is drawn a little bit to look like a cat (Puar is referred to as a cat by Emperor Pilaf, and Future Puar is referred to as a cat as well by Future Oolong).

Being voiced by only female voice actors, the character is referred to as female numerous times in Saban's edited English version of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z as well as several video games, although Toriyama has indicated in interviews that he had considered Puar male while writing the manga. In the Japanese versions, Puar refers to themself as boku and is sometimes referred to as Puar-kun, hinting male characteristics.

Despite indications of masculinity, Bat-Puar does not have visible male genitalia in "Just One Wish!!" or "The Penalty is Pinball" despite Bat-Oolong having one in both, though being as Puar is covered in fur, this would likely hide them. Referring to Bat-Puar, Bulma tells Oolong to "Go help her!" in the English dub of "The Penalty is Pinball" and when Puar faints in the English dub of "The Power of Nappa", Roshi reassures Oolong by saying "She'll be okay." Puar is also referred to as female on Funimation's Dragon Ball website. Unlike Oolong, Puar is covered in fur, making it all the harder to tell.

In the English dub of Dragon Ball Super, Master Roshi asks Puar to transform "himself" into an attractive woman to test his ability to resist temptation before the Tournament of Power.

Puar is very close and is extremely loyal to Yamcha, often following his orders without question or hesitation. Whenever Yamcha gets hurt, Puar is the first to show concern and is left completely inconsolable when he is killed by a Saibaman, thus proving that he cares deeply for best friend's well-being. Aside from loyalty, Puar holds unwavering faith in Yamcha; examples include during the Universe 6 vs Universe 7 baseball match, Puar told Android 18 that Yamcha was perfectly suitable as the team's captain; another was during the Universe Survival Saga, Puar was happy when it appears that Yamcha has finally got an invite to join Goku and the others in the Tournament of Power.

In the anime-only part of the Vegeta Saga when a baseball riot ensues between the players, Puar tells Yamcha not to get involved (knowing full well of the latter's strength), showing that he has concern for the well-being of others.

He used to be bullied by Oolong during their time in Southern Transformation Kindergarten and sometimes get annoyed by his perverted personality. In The Return of Son Goku and Friends!, Puar (along with Oolong, Chi-Chi, Bulma, and Piccolo) would become annoyed at Gotenks' recklessness.

Background

Puar hatched from an egg.

Puar attended the Southern Transformation Kindergarten, along with Oolong who used to bully him. Sometime after that, Puar met Yamcha and became his companion in Diablo Desert.

Dragon Ball Emperor Pilaf Saga

When they first met Goku and Bulma, along with Oolong, Puar says that he and Yamcha have been together for exactly two years, one month, and three days. The two were originally a pair of desert thieves, robbing capsules and money from travelers who would cross the area where they lived.

On one such occasion, after a little more than two years together, the pair meets Goku, Bulma, and Oolong. Puar recognizes the last of these characters as an old schoolmate at the Southern Transformation Kindergarten.

Sometime 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 Dragon Ball to be stolen. Goku tries to use a Kamehameha to bust open the wall but fails. Puar and Oolong shapeshift into bats 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.

Puar looks at the moon, wanting to look at something beautiful before he dies, and Goku does too (when Bulma tells him it's right in front of him), which causes him to transform into a Great Ape, completely terrifying Puar and the others and also destroying the castle. After some running away from Goku, Yamcha and Puar remember Goku's weakness is in his tail. Remembering this, Yamcha tells Puar to transform into scissors, so Puar obeys and cuts off the tail, which returns Goku to normal. Afterwards, Bulma, Puar, Yamcha, and Oolong decide to go to West City, while Goku decides to go to Master Roshi's island to train. They then 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.