Puar

Directory: Characters → Animals → Z Fighters Support

"Only a heartless soul would run and leave his friends behind. We're in this together."
— "Meet Me in the Ring"

Puar (プーアル) is a shapeshifting animal that is Yamcha's life long best friend. Puar's name is a pun on Pu-erh tea.^[4]

Concept and creation

BingYao(DBoy) — Binyao from *Dragon Boy*

Puar's design was based on the character Binyao 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^[5] (Puar is referred to as a cat by Emperor Pilaf, and Future Puar is referred to as a cat as well by Future Oolong).^[6]

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, although Toriyama has indicated in interviews that he had considered Puar male while writing the manga.^[7] In the Japanese versions, Puar refers to himself/herself as boku and is sometimes referred to as Puar-kun, hinting male characteristics. Despite indications of masculinity, 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 Entertainment's Dragon Ball website.

Biography

Dragon Ball

Bandit life with Yamcha

Puar attended the Southern Transformation Kindergarten, along with Oolong who used to bully him. Some time after that, Puar met Yamcha and became his companion in Diablo Desert. 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.^[8] 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,^[9] the pair meets Goku, Bulma, and Oolong. Puar recognizes the last of these characters as an old schoolmate at the Southern Transformation Kindergarten.^[10]

Friendship with Bulma and Goku

Bolmolong&Puarku — Oolong and Puar transformed

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

GoodbyeTail — Puar cuts off the Great Ape Goku's tail while it was paralyzed by Yamcha

Puar looks at the moon, wanting to look at something beautiful before he dies, and Goku does too, which makes him transform into a Great Ape, completely terrifying Puar and the others, 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 transforms into scissors 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.

The Tournament

Puar is reunited with Goku at the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Puar is a spectator in the matches. Goku is up against Jackie Chun (who is actually Master Roshi in disguise) Goku looks at the moon again and transforms in a Great Ape again. Jackie Chun destroys the moon, making Goku return back to normal. Beforehand, the gang believed that Jackie killed Goku, and Puar sobbed in grief, crying out loud "he was our friend!" As a year has passed since Puar's meeting with Goku, Goku goes on a journey to look for his Grandpa's Four-Star Dragon Ball after the tournament.

Red Ribbon Army

PuarCatchCapsulePlane — Puar at the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters

During the Red Ribbon Army Saga, Puar is seen with Oolong and Yamcha training in West City. Later, Puar and everybody else want to help Goku fight the Red Ribbon Army, but Goku already defeated them.

Fighting Fortuneteller Baba warriors

At Fortuneteller Baba's Palace where the last Dragon Ball had to be found, Puar teamed up with Upa to stop Fangs the Vampire, who had defeated Krillin. When Fangs was about to bite Puar, Puar turns into a porcupine, causing Fangs great pain when he bites Puar. Puar then turns into a hand, and swats Fangs into the water, defeating him with great ease.

Meeting Tien Shinhan

Puar attends the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament to cheer on his friends. At the Tournament, they see Master Shen, who is Master Roshi's rival, and his two students Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu. When Tien strikes a blow to Yamcha's leg during the quarterfinals, breaking it, Puar in total panic and worry comes out to help Yamcha by changing into a magic carpet to transport him to the hospital.

King Piccolo's reincarnation

OilPuar — Puar at Kame House after King Piccolo's defeat and Krillin's resurrection

Three years later, Puar attends the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament to cheer on his friends and watch the fight between Goku and the reincarnated Piccolo.

Dragon Ball Z

Battle against the Saiyans

PuarBaseBallGame — Puar in *Dragon Ball Z*

Puar is seen at Kame House observing the battles against the Saiyans with Bulma, Master Roshi, Oolong, Ox-King, and Chi-Chi. They watch as Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu die at the hand of Nappa. This makes Puar and Bulma break down crying. He passes out and Oolong carries him on his arms to a pillow and covers him with a blanket and puts a wet towel on his head. He remains passed out for several episodes.

Journey to Namek and the space tyrant Frieza

Puar, along with Oolong and Dr. Brief, watch Goku in the Capsule Corporation spaceship head to Namek to help his friends collect the Dragon Balls to revive their fallen friends. Puar becomes concerned for Goku when his ship malfunctions in a storm, but cheers when Goku is ok.

Later, Puar, Oolong, Master Roshi, Yajirobe and Chi-Chi try to go to Namek with Dr. Brief's ship, but their ship breaks down before takeoff.

Garlic Jr. and the Black Water Mist

A few months later, everybody gathers on Master Roshi's island for a party where they are under the control of the Black Water Mist. They are later cured by the Sacred Water up in Kami's Lookout.

A Mysterious Youth

A Year later, Puar is seen at Capsule Corporation where they see Vegeta's return. Once Frieza and King Cold arrives to Earth looking for revenge, Puar joins Bulma (who at the time dated Yamcha) to the Northern Wastelands where the two tyrants are landing with their henchmen. Yamcha is angry at both of them and tells them to take a hike and return home due to the threat.

Cell Games

Three years later, Puar is seen again in Capsule corp. waiting on Cell's announcement of the Cell Games.

Death and Revival

Puar in Majin buu sagas — Puar as he appears in the Majin Buu Story arcs

Seven years later, Puar attends 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 World Martial Arts Stadium by Vegeta under Babidi's control. Puar must take refuge from Majin Buu on Kami's Lookout. A day later Super Buu finds the Lookout and allows them to live for a short time. When Super Buu 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 Porunga. Everybody on Earth gives their energy to Goku to make the Spirit Bomb to destroy Kid Buu.

Afterwards

KuririnAndPuerhInFriendsReturn — Puar and Krillin at Mr. Satan's party

Puar is later seen at a party at Bulma's house. He is also seen at Mr. Satan's party in Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!! two years after Kid Buu's defeat, and at Bulma's birthday party while his friends soon face the God of Destruction Beerus in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods.

After the end of the Buu saga, Puar and Yamcha mainly work together as freelance bodyguards, and they occasionally goes to Tien Shinhan's to help with the farm as well.^[3]

Ten years after Kid Buu's defeat, Puar attends the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament to cheers on his friends.

Dragon Ball GT

YamchaLastAppearance — Puar and Yamcha's last appearance

Puar is seen in episode 40, "Piccolo's Decision", on the Tuffle planet before the Earth explodes. Puar's last appearance is returning to his vagabond life roaming Diablo Desert with Yamcha as they watch Shenron flying in the sky.

However, as the manga and anime progress (before even the start of Dragon Ball Z) Puar is eventually reduced to the role of a background character. As the driving theme of the manga/anime is mostly fighting, Puar can do little more than react to the horrors of the latest and greatest villain. Puar hosts Yamcha's Tournament in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3.

Live-action movies

Koreanyamcha — Puar in the 1990 *Dragon Ball* film

In the 1990 Korean live action adaption of Dragon Ball, Puar is portrayed by a stuffed toy that looks identical the version in the manga/anime. In the second adaption, Dragon Ball: The Magic Begins, Puar is replaced by a talking parrot named Miss Knowwhat which, like Puar, is the life long companion of Yamcha (named Westwood in the film) but with a different personality.

Power level

The movie pamphlet for Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might states that Puar has a power level of 10.

Techniques and special abilities

Flight – Puar has the innate ability of self-levitation, as seen throughout the series.
Bombs – In the video games where Puar is an opponent, he attacks the playable character by dropping bombs on them.
Shapeshifting – Having learned shapeshifting in the Shapeshifting Academy, Puar can transform into anything, even inanimate objects. Unlike Oolong, Puar mastered shapeshifting by actually graduating from the Shapeshifting Academy, and can hold a form as long as necessary as such.^[11]

Video game appearances

Puar typically appears as an NPC with only a role in cutscenes and other elements outside gameplay, never as a playable character (unlike Oolong). However, Puar appears as an enemy or obstacle in a few video games: Puar hinders Goku by dropping bombs and later appears along with Yamcha as an ally in cutscenes in Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo and Puar helps the boss version of Yamcha in Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure, again via dropping bombs; however, Puar does not accompany the playable version of Yamcha in the latter. In Dragon Ball: Origins, finding and catching Puar is the basis of one of the missions in Diablo Desert.

PuarPetEvolution(DBO) — Puar-based pets in *Dragon Ball Online*

While the actual Puar does not appear in Dragon Ball Online, Puar-based pets are mascots that could be obtained at one point in the game. However, these pets were eventually removed with a patch. In Dragon Ball: Zenkai Battle Royale, Puar accompanies Yamcha for poses before and after battles. In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z, Puar's Scissors from is an equipable item which increase the power of Special Attacks slightly.

Puar appears in the following games:

Dragon Ball: Shenron no Nazo (Enemy/NPC)
Dragon Ball: Daimaō Fukkatsu (NPC)
Dragon Ball 3: Gokuden (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Kyōshū! Saiyan (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Legend of the Super Saiyan(NPC)
Dragon Ball Z 2: Super Battle (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Super Gokuden: Totsugeki-Hen (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Super Gokuden: Kakusei-Hen (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku II (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury (NPC)
Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure (Enemy)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3 (cameo)
Super Dragon Ball Z (cameo)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (cameo)
Dragon Ball Z: Bakuretsu Impact
Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu (NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Dragon Ball: Origins (Enemy/NPC)
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans (NPC)
Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo (NPC)
Dragon Ball: Origins 2(NPC)
Dragon Ball Online (Pet)
Dragon Ball: Zenkai Battle Royale (NPC)
Dragon Ball RPG: Shōnen-hen
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z (item)

Voice actors

Japanese dub: Naoko Watanabe
Harmony Gold dub: Cheryl Chase (credited as Carole Wilder; Movie 3)
Ocean Group dub: Kathy Morse (1995 BLT 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)
Blue Water dub: Kris Simms
Latin American dub: Jesús Barrero (DB eps. 5-60), Cristina Camargo (rest), Karen Vallejo (DBZ Kai)
Italian dub: Lara Parmiani
Portuguese dub: Fernanda Figueiredo
Brazilian dub: Rita Almeida
Croatian dub: Igor Hamer
Catalan dub: Luisita Soler

File:PopoCat.png

Mr. Popo's cat

Trivia

The Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game lists Puar as Changeling race.
Mr. Popo has a pet cat that looks strongly similar to Puar. The cat appears in the filler episode "Quicker Than Lightning".