Bulma
From Dragon Ball
Directory: Characters → Humans → Z Fighters
| Bulma | |
|---|---|
| |
| Kana | ブルマ |
| Romaji | Buruma |
| Anime name | Bulma |
| Manga name | Bulma |
| Alternate name(s) | Bulma Briefs Bloomers Lena |
| First appearance | Dragon Ball chapter #1 Dragon Ball episode #1 |
| Appears in |    |
| Race | Human |
Family
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| Character Listing - Category | |
Bulma (ブルマ Buruma?) is the Dragon Ball series' longest appearing female character. While she is referred to only as "Bulma" throughout the series, the English translations imply that Briefs is her family name. As common in the Dragon Ball universe, family names are based on themed objects (also useful as a mnemonic device); in her case, these are types of garments. Bulma is based off of a Japanese pun that refers to bloomers (ブルーマー, burūmā), a type of gym shorts (trousers). Voiced by: Hiromi Tsuru (Japanese), Tiffany Vollmer (English). Her original English voice actor for the Ocean Group is Lalainia Lindbjerg, and when the Canadian dub resurfaced, Maggie Blue O'Hera took over for Season 5. And her original Tagalog, Cebuano & Hiligaynon dubbed version in the Philippines she was voiced by Lyrah Padilla.
In the early Harmony Gold English Dragon Bulma dub from the 1980s, she is known as a Lena.
Bulma has a very tomboyish, temperamental personality. She is quite spoiled and vain, is known for her extreme intellect, and is a genius inventor. Bulma is portrayed as the daughter of the family who owns Capsule Corporation, and often wears clothing that features the Capsule Corporation logo or her name. She also tends to have a great deal of concern over her hygiene, frequently complaining when circumstances prevent her from replenishing her beauty supplies or taking a bath. Her persistence rarely leaves room for submission, and she'll often do whatever it takes to achieve her goals. Even Vegeta, (who becomes her husband partway through the series), and his proud personality fail to keep her intimidated, despite the fact that she was terrified of him in their early encounters.
Rare for a cartoon character, even in anime, her hairstyle varies considerably depending on what point the narration is in the storyline. Throughout the entire series, she has 17 different hairstyles. Bulma has turquoise hair in the anime, and purple hair in the manga. Her outfit also changes often. She is also the source for most of Dragon Ball's fan service being the only female character to be in several situations where she was seen totally naked or topless only on fan demand.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Emperor Pilaf Saga
Bulma is the second character (after Goku) to be introduced in the series and the first girl he has ever seen in his life. Her initial goal is to locate the seven Dragon Balls, using her own invention, the Dragon Radar, so that she can wish for a perfect boyfriend. She and Goku meet during her search, and she soon discovers that he has inherited one of the Dragon Balls (the Four-Star ball) from his surrogate Grandpa Gohan. When Goku refuses to hand over his Dragon Ball, Bulma proposes that they become a team and locate the rest of the Dragon Balls together. (Bulma only uses the idea of a team because of Goku's unwillingness to part with his Dragon Ball, and because she anticipates that he would make a good bodyguard in the event of trouble). Their partnership sets the series in motion and acts as a catalyst for introducing several other key characters. She teaches Goku many things he didn't know about such as a bath, technology and other civilized things. She has been a source of entertainment for Master Roshi and Oolong during the journey. She also develops a crush on Yamcha resulting in them having an on and off relationship after they stop Emperor Pilaf from taking over the world that lasts Through out Dragon Ball and in the beginning of Dragon Ball Z.
[edit] Tournament Saga
After they stop Emperor Pilaf from taking over the world Bulma, Yamcha, Oolong and Puar decide to return to West City. On their way back they end up crashing their plane and have to walk all the back. When the 21st Tournament comes around she meets Goku again and cheers on the sidelines for Yamcha and Goku.
[edit] Red Ribbon Army Saga
While Goku was fighting the Red Ribbon Army at Muscle Tower Bulma broke up with Yamcha briefly and just went on with her normal life at school. Goku shows up at her house in Capsule Corporation to get the Dragon Radar fixed. She joins Goku on finding the dragon balls again (not knowing the Red Ribbon Army is after him) using her Microband to ride with him on the Flying Nimbus joined along with Krillin finding the hidden treasure of pirates while being followed by General Blue. She used her body to seduce him and save Goku but it didn't work because he is gay. After General Blue is defeated Bulma stops traveling with Goku because of the Red Ribbon Army but later meets up with him and the rest of the gang to help him attack the Red Ribbon Army Base after he was finished.
[edit] Fortuneteller Baba Saga
Bulma showed up at Baba's Palace to watch the fight against her warriors. When Yamcha had to fight See-Through the Invisible Man Krillin pulled down her shirt in front of Master Roshi so blood can come out of his nose and hit the invisible man making him visible and easy for Yamcha to defeat.
[edit] Tien Shinhan Saga
Bulma was merely a spectator of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.
[edit] King Piccolo Saga
This was the start of Bulma being a secondary Character in the series having her do the non combat job of being a scientist and lending the Dragon Radar to help everyone find the dragon balls before piccolo does. Piccolo did get the wish and killed many of their allies. Bulma stored the dead bodies of Krillin, Chiaotzu and Master Roshi and wished for them to come back to life along with everyone else who died from piccolo.
[edit] Piccolo Jr. Saga
Bulma was a spectator at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, where she was reunited with the then adult Goku, as well as other friends. She couldn't do anything but watch in the epic battle against Goku and Piccolo in the arena.
[edit] Saiyan Saga
After five years of peace, Goku's brother, Raditz, arrived on Earth to learn why Goku had failed to exterminate its population. After Raditz's defeat at the hands of Goku and Piccolo, Bulma was able to repair and modify the Scouter removed from Raditz and use it to display a person's power level in human numbers.
[edit] Frieza Saga
After many of Earth's warriors, including Piccolo (and by extension Kami), were lost in a battle with Nappa, Bulma positively identified the spacecraft in which Kami had traveled to Earth centuries earlier. The ship was repaired with her father's help. Along with Krillin and Gohan, Bulma then set off for Namek in the newly repaired spaceship, in hopes of retrieving the Namekian Dragon Balls. On the way to namek her and the others had to go through an attack from space orphans and being tricked to land on a Fake Namek where they were almost Hijacked. When they get to namek she is then stressed when some of Frieza's Soldiers break their ship so they can't escape. Bulma lends the Dragon Radar to have Gohan and Krillin look for the Dragon Balls. While they are out looking Bulma sets up camp in a Capsule house and relaxes when she hears the news of Goku Coming. After awhile Vegeta shows up angry looking for one of the Dragon Balls and ends up destroying Bulma's house leaving her stranded outside and exposed to Frieza's minions. When Zarbon shows up she automatically finds herself attracted to him until he turns in his ugly form and is defeated by Vegeta. She has been intimidated by Blueberry and Raspberry but then are outsmarted by her. During the battle with Frieza she spent the time wandering in the wilderness complaining about shaving her legs and scolds Krillin and Gohan when they show up. Also in the fight Captain Ginyu in the form of a frog briefly takes over Bulma's body but then goes back. Once everyone is transported to Earth Bulma allows Vegeta and the Nameks to stay at Capsule Corporation until all of the Z Fighters are back alive and namek is restored.
[edit] Garlic Jr. Saga
Bulma is at Master Roshi's party and is in disgust when she meets Krillins Girlfriend Maron because of her calling Bulma an old lady. She is put under the spell Garlic Jr.'s black water mist but then brought back to normal after his defeat.
[edit] Alternate timeline
Bulma survived the Androids' onslaught in the "Trunks Timeline," as seen in The History of Trunks special. Bulma lives at the former site of Capsule Corporation attempting to build a time machine. She's very protective of Future Trunks and hates the idea of him fighting, but nevertheless allows him to take the time machine into the past to stop the Androids before they have a chance to wipe out humanity.
In this timeline, Bulma aged very quickly, probably due to the stress of living in constant fear of Android 17 and Android 18. Despite this, she retained her intelligence and even grew to be more mature and less selfish than her main timeline counterpart. Most of her life was spent building a time machine so that Future Trunks could go back in time and prevent the devastation wrought by the Androids. Once the Androids (or more importantly, Super Perfect Cell) were taken care of in the main timeline, Future Trunks returned to his original time and defeated the much weaker Androids and this timeline's Imperfect Cell with ease.
[edit] Android Saga
When Bulma first meets Trunks she then thinks that he is a random Capsule Corp. employee because of the logo on his jacket and is also unaware that he is the son of her and vegeta (not even thinking she would be with vegeta). After Three years she gives birth to Trunks and is a surprise to everyone. Bulma also treats the alternate future trunks who comes back very kindly and exactly the way she would treat her own son even if he is just an alternate version. Later Bulma gives the Z Fighters a big story about Dr. Gero that she knew from her father. She developed a remote that would deactivate all the androids but was destroyed by Krillin because of his love over Android 18. She also develops a new kind of saiyan armor for them to help them get more powerful when they fight Cell. After Android 16 was damaged in a fight against Cell he was fixed by her and Dr. Brief and had the bomb removed from him (Which ended up not helping him later against Cell).
[edit] Majin Buu Saga
In the Beginning of the Buu saga she helped Gohan make a super hero costume so he could fight crime without his real identity being known making him the Great Saiyaman. When the news of Goku returning to Earth for a day is told she comes to the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai to watch and fight with Chi-Chi over who's son or husband is better. When Vegeta returns as a majin he destroys half the arena. Bulma feels bad and has her and the rest of the party search for the dragon balls to bring back everyone who died that day except for the bad guys. She then hides with everyone else on Kami's Lookout from Majin Buu. When Buu escapes from the Hyperbolic Time Chamber from the fight against Gotenks she is turned into chocolate and eaten like everyone else. In the afterlife she goes to Heaven where she gossips with Chi-Chi, Videl and Dabura until the battle ends. She is revived by the Dragon Balls, along with her family and friends, and gives her energy to Goku to create the huge Spirit Bomb to eliminate Kid Buu once and for all.
[edit] Dragon Ball GT
Just before Dragon Ball GT Bulma has a second child who is a daughter named Bulla who has a similar appearance to her teenage self. In the series she becomes possessed by Baby, who takes her as his apparent queen and lover (or second in command, at least). During this time, she organizes the migration to Planet Vegeta (Renamed the Tuffle home planet), and creates a Blutz Wave Generator that helps Super Baby-Vegeta transform into a Golden Great Ape, and later helps Vegeta reach Super Saiyan 4. However, the Sacred Water hidden in Dende's lookout is used to free her and the rest of Earth from Baby's enslavement.
[edit] Bulma's Family Tree
Vegeta | Vegeta m Bulma | |-------|------| | | Trunks Bra ? | Vegeta
[edit] Appearances in other media
[edit] Live-action films
Bulma has been potrayed in the unofficial live-action Dragon Ball movie The Magic Begins. In it her name is Seetoe and her appearance does not resemble bulma at all but plays the same role in the story as her.
Bulma will appear in the upcoming Dragonball live-action film. She will be played by Emmy Rossum.[1] Rossum describes her portrayal of Bulma as "She’s pretty bad-ass, but still quirky and fun, and kind of ridiculous in the way she is in the anime."[2].
[edit] Cross Epoch
She has a cameo in Cross Epoch, a Dragon Ball/One Piece crossover. She is partnered up with Nami (One Piece) as a pair of space pirates.
[edit] Video games
Bulma usually appears as nothing more than a one-line character in cut scenes for most Dragon Ball video games, such as Advanced Adventure, Budokai and Budokai 3. The biggest rumor about Budokai 3 was that Bulma was playable, for the fact that she was seen in the 11th stage of the training mode, to explain how to use capsules during a duel. She barely could move, but it was a complete game model of her. Also in the DVD that comes with the special edition, her voice actor is seen recording fight sounds for Bulma. Note: Bulma is unlockable using a cheats disc. She has no moves and cannot set skills. This shows that they made a Bulma model, but for one reason or another they decided not to use it.
In Budokai 2, Bulma sells capsules in the Skill Shop. Bulma will wear a different costume depending on how many you have collected in Dragon World. In Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, Bulma appears in the Options Mode explaining how the various game settings work. In Budokai Tenkaichi 2, she appears in the data center, explaining about custom characters and in practice mode along with a pink shirt-wearing Vegeta. She also comes with her desert costume from the original Dragon Ball anime, once unlocked.
Bulma is a Help Koma in Jump Ultimate Stars. She gives more SP for collected coins to the Battle Koma she is attached to.
| Goku • Yamcha • Dr. Brief • Mrs. Brief • Vegeta • Trunks • Future Trunks • Bulla |
