Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Super is one of anime’s greatest shonen success stories and it remains at the top of its genre even though it’s been telling this epic adventure for nearly 40 years. One of the benefits of such a lengthy saga is that characters get to genuinely change and grow in both a physical and psychological sense. Piccolo has always been one of Dragon Ball’s most compelling characters and he’s shown extreme evolution across the many Dragon Ball series. Piccolo debuts as a demonic villain with the sole purpose of carrying out his father’s homicidal wishes. Piccolo not only outgrows his original objective, but becomes one of Goku’s greatest allies and a character who’s repeatedly put his own life on the line to save Gohan. Piccolo is a fearless and courageous hero, but he’s not without his faults and there are certain skills that it looks like he may never gain.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero finally gives Piccolo, as well as Gohan, a long overdue opportunity to shine. The current story arc for Dragon Ball Super’s ongoing manga by Toriyama and Toyotarou is adapting the events of this popular feature film. The Dragon Ball Super manga doesn’t just gloss over the film’s events like it did with Dragon Ball Super: Broly and actually expands upon the movie source material in rewarding ways. Chapter 94, "Get Your Head in the Game, Son Gohan!", successfully builds upon the running idea that Piccolo struggles with technology and results in some satisfying, understated character development.
Piccolo Has Adopted A Luddite Lifestyle
Piccolo has been a crucial Dragon Ball character for hundreds of episodes and yet it’s not until Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero that audiences get a look at the Namekian’s home. There are endless training sequences in Dragon Ball Z where Piccolo meditates and further hones his skills while immersed within nature and many fans were even under the impression that the nomadic Piccolo didn’t have a home and instead lives among the wilderness. Piccolo’s home is very utilitarian in nature and it’s not dissimilar to the abodes that Namekians live in on Planet Namek. It’s no surprise that Piccolo lives a quaint lifestyle, but Dragon Ball Super’s deeper look into his home reveals nearly a complete lack of technology. Dragon Ball Super’s current story arc takes a simple gag from Piccolo’s past and, through some simple connections, it’s easy to make conclusions about him.
Dragon Ball effectively explores Namekian lore and gradually explains just how many unique abilities they possess. Namekians are divided into Warrior-Types and Dragon Clan, each of which have diverse specialties. Piccolo proves himself to be a deadly Warrior-Type and he doesn’t create Dragon Balls like other members of his species. Piccolo’s lack of creation powers may be responsible for a grander dismissal of technology and other aids. Dragon Ball always prioritizes power that comes from within. However, it’s an anime that contains some vital technology like the Dragon Radar, Scouters and Saiyan armor, or any of Capsule Corporation’s revolutionary inventions. Piccolo avoids all of these aids and he’s even averse to the use of weapons. Piccolo’s skirmish against Gamma 2 could have turned into a scramble for the Android’s blaster weapon so that Piccolo gains the upper hand. Piccolo is instead fully nonplused over the Android’s deadly piece of tech. One could even jump to the conclusion that Piccolo’s destruction of the Saiyan space pod that casts a projection of the moon has just as much to do with his hatred of technology as it does with the image that it’s casting into the sky.
Dragon Ball Super’s manga stays true to Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero when it comes to Piccolo’s cellphone, which Videl recently gifted to the Namekian to help him with guardian duties. Piccolo is extremely uncomfortable as he tries to work this cellphone and even the way in which he holds it is as if he’s frightened of the device. Piccolo tolerates this piece of technology because it evidently proves to be necessary for emergencies regarding Gohan’s family. Piccolo absolutely ignores this phone unless he’s getting a call from Videl, and it’s not as if he’s learned to love the device and plays games on it during his downtime. It’s this compulsion to help the important people in Piccolo’s life that forces him to adopt technology in a limited capacity, which directly correlates to Pan’s safety in the case of Chapter 94 in Dragon Ball Super’s manga
Tech Troubles Becomes An Unexpected Obstacle In Piccolo’s Rescue Mission
Chapter 94 involves a perilous and complicated rescue that’s disguised as a kidnapping, albeit for the greater good. Piccolo infiltrates the vile Red Ribbon Army and masquerades as one of their mercenaries as he takes Pan to their headquarters, but secretly as her protection. Piccolo devised all of this as a way to awaken Gohan’s dormant fighting instinct after he learns that his daughter is in danger. In order to bring this plan to fruition, Piccolo must pilot the Red Ribbon Army aircraft, which turns into a hazardous endeavor that leaves spectators concerned. Pan, a child, even chastises Piccolo’s unease in the driver’s seat as he struggles to maintain a consistent flight path. It’s quite comical that Piccolo is better at physically taking flight than he is flying an aircraft. It’s a lighthearted moment that feels quite reminiscent to Piccolo’s embarrassment behind the wheel of an automobile when he and Goku were in driver’s school together. It’s more than a decade later and Piccolo is still a wreck when he’s forced to control tech.
Dragon Ball Super’s ability to flesh out an underdeveloped character quirk has led to some of the most entertaining original material that’s come out of the manga’s Super Hero adaptation. Piccolo’s unease makes for a quick laugh, but the grander point here is that Piccolo willingly leaves his comfort zone and risks embarrassment when it’s for the people he loves and those who are important to him. It’s a rarity to see Piccolo handle some form of technology. However, he does use tech when someone special needs his help.