Todd Blankenship Profile picture
A boring person who likes stuff. This year’s themes: Dragon Ball, Kinnikuman, Avan

Jul 20, 2021, 16 tweets

May 7th, Age 767: after 11 years, the Tenkaichi Budokai is finally reopened, though Goku and co are apparently too busy android-training to notice. Instead, Mister Satan is champion, beating some jerk called “Spopovitch” in Round 1, then facing Jewel in the finals #HistoryofEver

The 24th TB also introduces a new “youth division” for entrants under 15, which is won by Satan’s daughter Videl. Satan becomes famous as world champ and moves to Orange Star City, which is renamed “Satan City” in his honor. Though they don’t bother renaming the high school.

When Mister Satan first appears in the lead-up to the Cell Games, he’s introduced simply as the world martial arts champion (using 格闘技/kakutōgi, a different word for “martial arts” than 武道/budō ala the Tenkaichi Budokai).

Then in the Buu arc, we learn that Satan won the last TB, which was the very next one after Goku’s victory over Piccolo. Since Goku won the 23rd TB, this would logically mean Satan won the 24th, though this specific number is only used in the anime and guides.

As Videl heads off to fight Spopovitch at the 25th TB, the announcer says the last tournament was 7 years ago (this is also where we learn Videl was youth league champ). Since the Cell Games were also 7 years ago, obviously this should mean the two took place around the same time

Presumably then, the slightly retcon-y implication is that Satan’s fame as “world champ” during the Cell Games was due to his victory at the Tenkaichi Budokai. The Daizenshuu 7 timeline likewise dates the 24th TB to May 7th of 767, five days before the androids attack on May 12th

(As I’ve mentioned before, May 7th is the date the Daizenshuu timeline always uses for the TB, so the fact that using it here places Satan’s victory slightly before the androids arrive seems more like a happy coincidence than intentional design, but hey, if it works it works)

On the other hand, Cell talks to Trunks as if the Tenkaichi Budokai is ancient history rather than something that happened a week and a half ago. But then, having come from an alternate apocalyptic timeline 20+ years in the future, he’s probably not up on current events.

More details on this unseen tournament: besides Spopovitch, Mighty Mask also loses in Round 1, while Killer loses in Round 2, Punter loses in the semi-finals, and the final match is between Satan and Jewel. Apparently this tournament had four rounds, as was planned for the 25th.

The same old announcer as always MCs the 24th TB. His official verdict: it stinks!

It’s also around this time that Capsule Corp hears from a farmer out west, asking about some weird old abandoned CC vehicle he found while hiking. The CC folks have him send in a picture to help them identify it…

Meanwhile, as Goku trains and kinda sorta goes to driving school, he remains healthy the whole time and so never bothers to take the special heart disease medicine Trunks gave him. Surely only a cartoon character could be so dumb!

Speaking of Trunks: backing up a bit, Trunks is born roughly half a year before the androids attack (2.5 years after he first appears). If the androids arrive on May 12th of 767, this should put his birth around November of 766, and indeed 766 is his official birth year.

When he first appears, Trunks describes himself as both 17 years old and from 20 years in the future (presumably just rounding down). In the Buu arc, kid Trunks is said to be 8, making him a year older than the 7-year old Goten (possibly rounding up, but more on this later)

However, while Bulma and Vegeta have a child together, they don’t get married or cohabitate. Sinners! (Vegeta refers to Bulma as his wife in the Buu arc, so they’re apparently married by then)

Tomorrow: May 12th!

Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.

A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.

Keep scrolling