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Power-scaling is among the most significant aspects of Dragon Ball, considering the franchise’s focus on combat. It is extremely important across the series because it is what makes characters relevant, with the vast majority of the human cast, such as Krilli, Master Roshi, or Ten Shin Han, failing to keep up with Goku and the rest of the Saiyans.
Yamcha is perhaps the best example in that regard, and he is often treated as a joke in the Dragon Ball franchise. However, how does he stack up against the rest of the human cast? Is he at least strong within that context? Let’s find out.
Disclaimer: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer. It also contains spoilers for the Dragon Ball series.
Yamcha is one of the strongest humans in Dragon Ball
Yamcha is one of the strongest human characters in the Dragon Ball series. The last time Yamcha was involved in the fighting side of things was during the Android saga, where he was weakened and defeated by Dr. Gero. Despite being defeated, he was at least stronger than the vast majority of the cast of the original series.
After all, Yamcha had trained with King Kai in the afterlife, which gave him a significant power-up, making him stronger than most human characters in the original manga, which covered the beginning of the franchise until Goku’s final bout with Piccolo Jr.
Compared to the vast majority of the cast from the Android saga and onwards, Yamcha is fairly weak, and that is one of the many reasons he lost relevance as the story progressed.
However, when it comes to the human cast, only the likes of Ten Shin Han and Krillin are stronger than him, which is not bad by any means.
There is an argument to be made that Master Roshi is more powerful due to his exploits in the Tournament of Power in Dragon Ball Super, but power-scaling has always been dubious within the sequel.
The supporting cast losing relevance
One of the greatest flaws in Dragon Ball is the fact that the main cast loses relevance as the story progresses, with Yamcha being a very clear example. However, the same can be said about other characters in the series, with the likes of Krillin, Piccolo, and Ten Shin Han eventually struggling to contribute to the story.
Furthermore, the rise of the Saiyans and their transformations also meant that the likes of Goku and Vegeta (and, to a lesser extent, Gohan) could get stronger without any issues. Author Akira Toriyama had to come up with more creative ways to keep the rest of the cast relevant. He ultimately failed to do so, with the franchise still struggling with the situation.
That is why the Super Hero movie was received so well in some parts of the world. It focused on Gohan, Piccolo, and Pan, with the likes of Android 18, Goten, Bulma, and Trunks having minor roles. Vegeta and Goku were given a chance to rest, and the others were the focus. This is definitely something that is healthy for the franchise in the long term.
In conclusion, Yamcha is one of the strongest humans in Dragon Ball, with only the likes of Krillin and Ten Shin Han being ahead of him (at least based on his power levels during the Android saga)
