Most of the characters of the Dragon Ball franchise are simple and easygoing. Even Vegeta falls on that list since he accepts his flaws and recovers from his complexities. There is a particular character from Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus who seems to be simple but is pretty complicated. It is his past that makes him so complicated.

The character is none other than the Namekian, Piccolo. Piccolo is one of the mightiest warriors on Earth, even though he is an alien. He started as a bad guy, but after several plot twists, he became a fan-favorite character. Toriyama sensei is the one who gave him the plot twists, but it made remembering his past similar to solving a maze.

Piccolo’s Simple Outlook Is Not Enough To Cover His Complexities
Piccolo (Credit: Toei Animation)

Piccolo is one of the fan-favorite characters in the Dragon Ball franchise. He has been more of a father to Gohan than Goku ever was. Gohan named him the godfather of her daughter Pan. The Namekian is simple and likes to lead a simple life. But he was not always that simple. During an interview, the mangaka was asked about Piccolo.
Super Hero attendee book: Interview with Akira Toriyama byu/Terez27 indragonball

Akira Toriyama said,

“Piccolo is a rather complex character. Originally, he was the demon king Piccolo, who split off from the God who created Earth’s dragon balls. But then he was defeated by Goku, and the child (or rather doppelganger of himself) he left behind entered the Tenkaichi Budokai under the name “Ma Junior” in order to hide his real identity. Then later, during the battle against Freeza, he powered up by merging with a Namekian named Nail, and even later on, he recombined with God, which brings us to the present.”

The old Dragon Ball fans will remember that he used to be a menace. After separating from Kami, the Demon King Piccolo terrorized Earth. Goku killed him and saved the Earth. But Demon King Piccolo planted his ideals on his reincarnation, Piccolo Jr.
Demon King Piccolo (Credit: Toei Animation)

He wanted to complete his father’s revenge. Goku defeated him and stopped Kami from killing him. Since then, Piccolo has merged with several individuals. Taking his past and merged bodies, it is difficult to identify his true past. Even the mangaka got confused remembering it.

Piccolo Is More Affectionate Towards Gohan
Gohan Training with Piccolo (Credit: Toei Animation)

Gohan was one of the main reasons why Piccolo changed. He trained him, took care of him, and even sacrificed himself to save him. By the end of Dragon Ball Z, both shared an unbreakable bond. Piccolo hates city life and stays alone in the mountains. Being a Namekian, he likes to stay near a freshwater body. The only machinery he uses is a cell phone that was gifted to him by Videl.
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His goddaughter once gave him a soft toy. Since then, he has made a collection of it. Even though he did not have a taste for such things, he took it to make Pan happy. He is always with Gohan and encourages him at every step of his life. Piccolo’s past may be complicated, but he is one of the nicest people. For that reason, he is also Akira Toriyama’s favorite character. He is the perfect example of how love can change someone.

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