Piccolo

Lore & Background

Although initially assumed to be a member of the Demon Clan like his parent King Piccolo, it was revealed midway through the series that Namekians are an extraterrestrial humanoid species. Toriyama noted he never conceived of Piccolo as an alien until Kami was introduced, though Dragon Ball Daima later established Namekians originate from the Demon Realm in an alternate universe. The character's parent, King Piccolo, was created by Toriyama to be a true "bad guy" inspired partly by Roman Emperor Nero, yet some sources suggest he was modeled after Toriyama himself. Despite viewing his transformation from villain to hero as cliché, Toriyama found the character appealing and eventually admitted Piccolo became his favorite. For Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Toriyama focused on the Gohan-Piccolo dynamic, creating "Orange Piccolo," a buffed, orange form designed because Piccolo lacks hair for transformation changes.

In Their Own Story

Piccolo first appeared as King Piccolo's reincarnation seeking world domination but lost to Goku in the World Martial Arts Tournament. He subsequently allied with his former enemy to face new threats, including Vegeta and Frieza. A pivotal moment occurred when he fused with Nail on planet Namek to confront Frieza, becoming a "Super Namekian" capable of clashing with Frieza's second form. Later, he merged with Kami to fight the Androids, achieving power greater than an unmastered Super Saiyan and fighting on par with Android 17. His bond with Gohan deepened as he trained the boy, a relationship that Toriyama noted motivated Gohan more than his father Goku in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. In the series, Piccolo forgot his "Super Large Body Technique" while battling Cell Max until Krillin reminded him, showcasing his wide but occasionally forgotten range of abilities.

Reader's Guide

Piccolo possesses unique Namekian physiology allowing arm expansion, limb regeneration if the head is intact, superhuman hearing and strength, and flight via Bukū-jutsu. His signature attack, Makankōsappō (Special Beam Cannon), pierces targets like a drill rather than exploding on contact. He can also conjure objects, communicate telepathically, use the Masenkō (Demon Flash) to teach Gohan, and perform the Mafūba (Evil Containment Wave). Other techniques include Bakuretsumaha (Exploding Wave), Renzoku Sen Kōdan (Hellzone Grenade), Gekiretsu Kodan (Light Grenade), and energy rays from his eyes. He utilizes Chōkyoshinjutsu to become mountain-sized. Voice actor Toshio Furukawa, who played him since the original anime, noted the difficulty of maintaining a low voice initially but stated that by Dragon Ball Super, Piccolo had become his favorite role among all characters he has voiced.

Did You Know?

• Piccolo's transformation into the orange, muscular 'Orange Piccolo' was designed by Toriyama because, unlike other characters, he has no hair to change during transformations.
• Toshio Furukawa initially played Piccolo as an energetic eighteen-year-old but later adjusted his portrayal to a thirty-year-old tone for Dragon Ball Z.
• According to the Shenlong Times issue #2, King Piccolo was modeled after Akira Toriyama himself, despite other inspirations like Emperor Nero being cited.
• Piccolo once forgot his own 'Super Large Body Technique' during a battle against Cell Max until Krillin reminded him of its existence.
• In Dragon Ball Daima, a mini version of Piccolo is voiced by Tomohiro Yamaguchi, differing from the standard voice actor Toshio Furukawa.