Pilaf Gang

The Pilaf Gang (ピラフ一味, Pirafu Ichimi) is a group run by Emperor Pilaf that tries to obtain the Dragon Balls for Pilaf, so he can rule Earth.

History

Dragon Ball

Emperor Pilaf is a short imp who desires to take over the world using the Dragon Balls, having many dreams of ruling the world. His two most significant henchmen are Shu and Mai. It is implied a couple of times early in the Dragon Ball series that he has other minions as well, but they are unseen. Pilaf seems to command considerable disposable resources; in the episode "The Flying Fortress – Vanished!", Colonel Silver characterizes the Pilaf Gang as being "probably some reckless millionaires looking for kicks."

The original base for his forces was his castle in the Mushroom Forest. When Goku turned into a Great Ape and destroyed it, he got a new base which was a flying fortress, which was later shot down by Colonel Silver's troops. One significant thing they later acquire is the Pilaf Machines, which are giant battle robots they use to fight Goku making them a bit closer to Goku's strength in battle.

PilafGang(MysticalAdventure) — The Pilaf Gang in *Mystical Adventure*

The legendary King Piccolo was released from his prison by Pilaf, which ultimately backfired when he took over and made his own forces. The Pilaf forces return to interrupt Goku and Chi-Chi a couple times on their quest for the Bansho Fan. In the video game Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans, it is implied that Pilaf's Castle was rebuilt sometime after the Piccolo Jr. Saga.

Dragon Ball Z

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The younger Pilaf Gang in Battle of Gods

Before the events of the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, the Pilaf Gang gathered all the Dragon Balls themselves and wished for youth. They have also apparently become very poor between the events of Dragon Ball and Battle of Gods, as Pilaf says "Our next goal is wealth!" and "I'm sick of living in poverty!" In the film, they appear turned into children^[4] and they sneak into Capsule Corporation, where Bulma's birthday party is held, in order to steal the Dragon Balls. Among the prizes they each find something to interest them: a plane and castle for Pilaf, ten years worth of ham for Shu, a diamond for Mai, and finally all discover the Dragon Balls. However, they are interrupted by Trunks, and then Goten, whom terrifies them because they believe him to be Goku. Bulma does not recognize them and invites them to the party as a result. They are also there when the Z Fighters face the God of Destruction Beerus.

42dec8536a9c0c8cd7952598b1b34f5c — Pilaf, Shu, and Mai using a Dragon Radar to find the Dragon Balls.

Six months later, the Pilaf Gang are scouring for the Dragon Balls again and they encounter Tagoma and Sorbet. They are forced to give them the Dragon Balls so they could revive Frieza. Though Frieza is ultimately revived, in the film fortunately the second wish that Sorbet intended to use to resurrect King Cold, was stolen by Shu who wished for 1,000,000 Zeni making the Pilaf Gang rich in the process which infuriates Sorbet.

Dragon Ball Super

In Dragon Ball Super, Shu uses up the Dragon Balls second wish for money while Mai uses up the third wish for ice cream preventing Sorbet from using either the second or third wish (as only a single person was revived with the Dragon Balls first wish: Frieza) to resurrect King Cold. Mai and Shu however both point out how they could have made a better wish (Mai points out he could have wished for more Zeni, while Shu criticizes her wish for ice cream), only for Pilaf to become despondent over not getting to make a wish, though Shu and Mai cheer him up by pointing out that they can enjoy the money and ice cream together with him.

A special chapter for the Dragon Ball Super manga drawn by Toyotarō shows how and when Future Pilaf asked Shenron to make them younger. The request was made in Age 767, moments before Piccolo dies by the hands of the androids, consequently causing God to die too and making the dragon balls turn into stones. It can be assumed that the same wish was made in the "normal" timeline, at the same age and same time, with the only differences being that Shenron didn't disappear since Piccolo did not die and that Bulma, Baby Trunks and Gohan did not appear after the wish was made, as they were not searching the Dragon Balls.

During the "Future" Trunks Saga, the Pilaf Gang and Trunks are inside of Capsule Corporation trying to solve a math problem given by Trunks' teacher. On lunch break, it is revealed that Trunks invited them. Trunks then grabs Mai's hand and the two run to the roof, and the two develop feelings for each other. Pilaf Gang and Trunks witness the appearance of Future Trunks' Time Machine where they find Trunks' unconscious adult future counterpart who had fled to the past to seek help to combat Goku Black. They are confused by Future Trunks' resemblance to Trunks and Pilaf wonders if Future Trunks is another child of Bulma's that was the result of some kind of scandal. When Goku Black destroys the Time Machine the Pilaf Gang act as a fire brigade to put out the fire. Later, Future Trunks holds Mai's hands, and tell her a story of her future counterpart though she fails to realize it. Mai then falls in love with Future Trunks making Kid Trunks jealous and helps Bulma with the rest of the Pilaf gang to repair the Time Machine. After Goku, Vegeta, and Bulma return from the future, Mai notices Future Trunks isn't with them.

The Pilaf Gang is shocked to see Goku has been badly injured and help carry him to the infirmary. After the future timeline is destroyed by Future Zamasu, Future Mai is the only survivor of the future Pilaf Gang, as Future Shu and Future Pilaf where either killed at some point by Goku Black or Infinite Zamasu, and their souls erased by Future Zen-Oh when he used Erase to destroy Infinite Zamasu and the future multiverse, leaving Future Mai, Future Trunks, Future Zen-Oh, and Future Zen-Oh's attendants the only survivors from the alternate timeline. Mai and Future Mai meet each other while Future Mai and Future Trunks are staying in the main timeline, causing Mai to realize that Future Mai is her future counterpart and in a relationship with Future Trunks, causing her to shift her romantic feelings back to the Trunks of her timeline.

Dragon Ball GT

GTPilafGang — The Pilaf Gang in *Dragon Ball GT*

Pilaf and the rest are shown still together in Dragon Ball GT and accidentally use the Black Star Dragon Balls to turn Goku into a kid. Pilaf, Shu and Mai were later seen near their castle's ruins during the episode "Piccolo's Decision" when Goku took them to New Planet Plant before the Earth's explosion.

Members

Main members

Emperor Pilaf
Mai
Shu
Unnamed spy – Mentioned in "The Emperor's Quest" when he sent a message saying that he spotted a glow in Skull Valley just before he disappeared and that may possibly be another Dragon Ball. Later, the spy called Pilaf on the telephone to tell him about Master Roshi in the episode "The Nimbus Cloud of Roshi".

Future Timeline

Allies

Ranfan^[1]
Master Shen^[3]
General Tao^[3]
Colonel Violet^[2]
King Nikochan and his servant^[2]
King Piccolo
Piano
Tambourine
Cymbal
Buggy^[5]
Yamcha (briefly in Dragon Ball SD)
Goten (gave them food when they were hungry in God of Destruction Beerus Saga)
Trunks (gave them food when they were hungry in God of Destruction Beerus Saga)
Whis (invited them to a meal when they were hungry in God of Destruction Beerus Saga)
Sorbet & Tagoma (briefly in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’)^[6]
Frieza (assisted Sorbet & Tagoma in resurrecting Frieza with the Dragon Balls in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’)^[6]

Video game appearances

The Pilaf Gang appears in several video games, including Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo, Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury, Dragon Ball GT: Transformation, Dragon Ball: Origins, and Dragon Ball RPG: Shōnen-hen.

PilafGangGBA — Goku confronts the Pilaf Gang in *Advanced Adventure*

Using their combined Pilaf Machine, the Pilaf Gang is a boss in Dragon Ball 3: Gokuden, Dragon Ball Z: Super Gokuden: Totsugeki-Hen, Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure, Dragon Ball: Origins 2, and Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans. The Pilaf Machine is a playable fighter in the Japanese and European Wii versions of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, as well as in all versions of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

PilafGangFrt(O2) — The Pilaf Gang in *Dragon Ball: Origins 2*

In Dragon Ball: Origins, in the bonus level 6-5, Pilaf rebuilds his castle and attempts to eliminate Goku before he becomes too much of an obstacle. In the bonus level 6-6: "Pilaf Must Be Stopped", after the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament, the Pilaf Gang gets Ranfan to join them in their rebuilt castle, and they terrorize a nearby village together before being stopped by Goku.

In Dragon Ball: Origins 2, in the bonus level 8-4, the Pilaf Gang kidnap Senbei Norimaki and Turbo Norimaki, and oblige them to repair their Flying Fortress and Pilaf Machines. In sub-episode 8-6: "Pilaf and Red Ribbon", the Pilaf Gang hire Colonel Violet to lead them to the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters' control room and find a surviving Red Ribbon Battle Jacket; Pilaf using the Battle Jacket and his two henchmen using their Pilaf Machines are defeated shortly later by Goku. In the bonus level 8-7, they get King Nikochan and his servant to repair and improve their flying fortress' nuclear reactor before confronting Goku, but they are defeated once again. This bonus level ends with Pilaf telling that he needs to find a fighter stronger than Goku, and then a flashforward shows Pilaf finding the Electric Rice Cooker where King Piccolo is sealed.

Also, a group very similar to the Pilaf Gang appears in Dragon Ball Online, the Paella Gang led by Paella.