Yamcha has the human Z-Warriors’ best victory in the Dragon Ball franchise. Formerly known as the Desert Bandit, the character is a subject of tremendous ridicule in the anime. Though more than a decade has passed since his death at the hands of a Saibamen in the Saiyan Saga, Yamcha hasn’t been able to escape his unfortunate reputation as one of Dragon Ball’s weakest heroes.
For a long time now, Yamcha was grouped in the same league as Krillin and Tien. But at some point down the line, perceptions of the characters and where they stand in Dragon Ball’s power structure changed. Now, it’s assumed by many that Yamcha has fallen far behind both of them. The characters themselves sharing this point of view was hinted at by the Z-Warriors choosing not to bring Yamcha along for the fight with Golden Frieza and by Goku electing not to recruit Yamcha for the Tournament of Power. Tien, Krillin, and even Master Roshi all received invitations to join the Universe 7 team. Meanwhile, Yamcha was left at home.
Regardless of whether or not Yamcha is actually weaker than the three aforementioned Earthlings, it’s worth noting that of the four, he has the most impressive win. In a Buu Saga filler episode, he easily bested Olibu, the second-best fighter trained by King Kai. Earlier, Olibu lost a close contest to Pikkon, who had managed to defeat Perfect Cell in seconds. This clearly positioned Olibu above Cell, yet he lost to Yamcha regardless. This was a shocking moment for the hero, as well as a victory that none of his fellow humans have been able to match in the anime. Roshi, Tien, and Krillin all scored noteworthy knockouts in the Tournament of Power, but none of the three beat an opponent definitely stronger than Cell. Only Yamcha can claim this distinction.
How Strong Is Yamcha In Dragon Ball?
If Yamcha’s victory over Olibu accurately demonstrates what his power level is in Dragon Ball Z’s ending, then it may not be fair to say that’s he considerably weaker than the other humans. In fact, it’s more likely that Yamcha continues to be on par with Krillin and Tien. While it could be argued that Yamcha may not be as strong as he once was since he supposedly stopped training, it shouldn’t be forgotten that Krillin slacked off too. It was stated in the Buu Saga that he and Krillin are on the same level, and Dragon Ball Super has provided no real reason to think that this has changed.
Since Yamcha didn’t participate in any fighting in Dragon Ball Super, just how strong he is will remain open to speculation for now. However, future Dragon Ball stories can put an end to this mystery by having him tag along with Goku and the Z-Warriors for their next adventure. By giving Yamcha another fight, the anime can confirm whether or not his battle was a testament of his true potential or just a miraculous one-off.