dragonball is one of those Japanese anime franchises that reinvented itself over and over again to stay going for decades. Initially, the story revolved around Goku, a small alien who came to Earth as a baby and was raised by an earthling. In his different adventures, the character demonstrated incredible power and made friends that would stick around to this day.
Krillin is one of them. Many would think that he is a rather weak fighter, but he really, along with Ten Shin Han, is one of the most powerful humans to have gone through the anime. Thanks to his hard training, he has mastered various ki techniques, and even learned to fly when he was in the martial arts tournament.
In the following note we will review some of the most important passages of Krillin in the anime until we reach Dragon Ball Super, the most recent anime.
Why is Krillin so relevant in Dragon Ball?
Krillin was introduced in the original “Dragon Ball” saga as a young monk and Goku’s training partner at the Mutenroshi temple. From the beginning, he was distinguished by his boldness, humor, and ability to bring out Goku’s humanity. He was the first to recognize Goku’s abilities and, despite his initial envy, became one of Goku’s most loyal friends.
One of the most critical moments in the series was the death of Krillin at the hands of Tambourine, a demon in the service of Piccolo Daimaku. This event marked a before and after in Goku’s life, unleashing anger and a desire for revenge that we had never seen before. Without Krillin’s death, Goku might not have developed the same drive to better himself and protect those he loves from him.
Another pivotal moment in the “Dragon Ball Z” series was when Frieza killed Krillin on the planet Namek, leading Goku to transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time. Without Krillin, this milestone in Goku’s development and in the series’ narrative simply wouldn’t have happened.
Saiyan invasion on Earth
Krillin had a moment of glory when he faced off against the Saibamen, little green warriors created by Nappa. He used the “Kienzan” (Destroying Disk) technique to defeat several of them, saving his companions from possible disaster.
Krillin in the Cell saga
It was he who destroyed the remote detonation that could have taken out Android 18, showing his compassion and empathy. This ultimately led to his relationship and eventual marriage to Android 18, one of the most humane and moving arcs in the entire series.
His participation in Dragon Ball Super
Little Krillin was never a doubt to join the Universe 7 team in the Tournament of Power. He was key in defeating Universe 4 Majora, and proved that teamwork was his best fighting move alongside his partner Android 18.
His last participation in the anime was in the fight against Cell Max. He temporarily quit his job as a policeman to help his friend Gohan.
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