Dragon Ball Z Abridged/Tropes A To M

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A

Dr. Briefs: ... Where did you get that muffin?
Goku: Muffin button.
Dr. Briefs: But I never installed a muffin button!
Goku: Then where did I get this muffin...?

    • The mysterious muffin button also enables mind reading, somehow.
    • Goku's death counts as well.

Krillin: Goku, you can't die! Here! I brought a senzu bean!
Goku: I don't think that's gonna work.
Krillin: Why not?
Goku: I sort've have a hole in my esophagus.
Krillin: Wait, then how are you breathing?
Goku: *dies*

  • Action Command: A Renegade Interrupt prompt appears onscreen just before Vegeta kills Recoome and Burter.
  • Actor Allusion: Played with in the Halloween special:
    • Krillin (voiced by Lanipator) dresses up as Koenma, and Bulma (voiced by Megami33) attempts to dress up as Sailor Moon. They're the minds behind Yu Yu Hakusho Abridged and Sailor Moon Abridged, respectively.
      • This is also a reference to the Japanese voice actress, Mayumi Tanaka, who voiced both Krillin and Koenma.
      • Possibly even a THIRD reference to the fact that the creators of Yu Yu Hakusho and Sailor Moon are married.
    • Piccolo dresses up as Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. James Marsters (Spike on Buffy) plays Piccolo in Dragonball Evolution.
    • In Episode 4, Princess Snake is voiced by Lord Quadros. Lord Quadros voices Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid the Abridged Snakes.
    • Megami33 also cameos as Sailor Moon at the end of episode 4 to comment on her thoughts about Piccolo blowing up the moon.
    • One of the fake Namekians in Episode 12 off-handedly mentions two guys who "just wanted to play a children's card game," a reference to Little Kuriboh, who by that point had become an official cast member.
      • More specifically, since the fake Namekians were voiced to sound like the Plutonians from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, it is safe to assume they are referring to two characters from Yu-Gi-Oh the Abridged Series who were voiced like the Mooninites.
        • "It is funny because wang means penis!"
    • Lanipator's brief stint as Freeza is an allusion to voice actress Linda Young. Both Freeza and Yu Yu Hakusho's Genkai are voiced by Young, whom Lanipator's performance is based on.
    • The character of Guldo is basically Dio from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Abridged. Antfish...does NOT voice him. But he does voice Ginyu.
    • You might believe that Little Kuriboh's Freeza would be inspired by Chris Ayres' Freeza. But in this case, it's an Inversion: Kuriboh's first performance precedes the Dragon Ball Kai dub by months in advance.
      • Little Kuriboh then makes an allusion to his own role as Yami Yugi. When Freeza changes into his second form, he becomes larger and gets spikier horns. It's only appropriate that he uses his Dan Green voice for this form.
  • Actually Pretty Funny: Subverted. Freeza makes a Double Entendre pun while dishing out a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown on Nail. Nail begins to chuckle, and Freeza thinks that Actually Pretty Funny is in effect. Then Nail reveals that he's actually laughing because he suckered Freeza into spending an hour flying nowhere special and then beating up a hopelessly outclassed opponent while Dende was heading back to Krillin and Gohan to help them use the dragonballs. Freeza quickly stops laughing.
  • Adaptation Distillation: They managed to summarize the Saiyan Saga, and all of its filler, in the space of 12 episodes of approximately 10 minutes each. Then they one-upped themselves and compressed those 120-odd minutes into 130 seconds.
  • A Death in the Limelight: A sort of common pattern in the Namek Arc; whenever a character storywise is going to die in the upcoming episode, they read the disclaimer. Otherwise, it's a character that gets the focus (usually Vegeta). Made painfully obvious in episode 29.

Krillin: "The following is a non-profit, fan-based parody. Dragon Ball, Dragonball Z and Dragonball GT are all owned by FUNimation, Toei Animation, Fuji Tv and Akira Toriyama. Please support the official release." Phew. Alright, how was that?
Voice Director: That was perfect Krillin. Eh... don't worry about your check. We'll send it to your next of kin.
Krillin: ...what?

  • A Date with Rosie Palms:
    • In Episode 12, Krillin has to go a month with Bulma walking around in her underwear and no "alone time" because the toilet keeps yelling at him. He is finally able to relieve that tension in Episode 13.
    • In the beginning of Episode 20, Burter, Jeice, and Recoome briefly talk about the last time they felt the urge.
    • In Episode 22, Ginyu makes it into a Brick Joke.
  • Affectionate Parody: Naturally.
  • Affably Evil:
    • Nappa:

Nappa: (looking at Tenshinhan getting pissed that Nappa just killed his friends) Oh Vegeta, I think I made him mad. Should I talk to him about it? The first step to solving your problems is healthy communication. (Tenshinhan tries to punch him) That was very rude. I was talking to VEGETA! (beats the crap out of Tenshinhan)

    • The Ginyu Force, with a special mention to the extremely polite Captain Ginyu.
  • A Good Name for a Rock Band: From Episode 21: Seizure Procedure
  • Alas, Poor Villain: Invoked and Subverted. It seems like Vegeta might incur this in episode 28, but quickly admits he'd still be evil even if Freeza had not enslaved his race.

Vegeta (to Goku): If this situation were reversed, this conversation would never have happened. You'd be dead, and I'd be laughing. Ahaha-ah, it hurts to laugh.

Jeice: Let's see, full moon, lose your tail, stronger every time you... oh. Well, I'm right f**ked, aren't I?

Krillin: (taking Spirit Bomb) Holy crap, so this is what being important feels like!

  • Alternative Character Interpretation: In-Universe, just as in many other abridged series.
    • While most of the characters are just exaggerated versions of their normal selves, Mr. Popo has been turned into the [most terrifying and/or freaking awesome creature in existence.
    • Nappa as a Psychopathic Manchild.
    • Lord Guru is a senile, bloodthirsty despot. It gets even better with an alternate interpretation of Abridged Guru, after he gives Nail a false Rousing Speech. He knew Nail was going to die. Why not give him some hope of coming out of it alive?
    • Toolo (that surviving Kanassian Alien from from Bardock: The Father of Goku), who is oblivious to the fact his people are destroyed, probably because he couldn't tell the difference between his visions and the present moment anymore.

"I CAN SEE THE FUUUUTURE!!!"

    • Freeza gives us one that explains a little too much: The Namekians are space rednecks.
    • Guldo trying to be nice to Vegeta in the past is quite the opposite of their encounter in the source material.
    • In the main series, Ginyu cares very little about his men and even plans to replace them with Freeza's mooks before even finding out if they've succeeded in their mission or not. Here, he's undoubtedly loyal to Freeza and while firm with discipline, he and the rest of the force have a mutual respect for each other...except for Guldo.
    • Jeice's voice actor in the FUNimation/Saban dub (using Ocean Studios) gave Jeice something of a Liverpudlian accent. Chris Sabat at FUNimation took that and turned it into an outrageously exaggerated Aussie twang instead. TFS beats it into the ground and pisses on it for good measure by turning Jeice into a full-on overly-jingoistic Larrikin.

Krillin: WE GET IT, YOU'RE FROM SPACE AUSTRALIA!!!

Goku: AUGH, spine! AUGH, RIBS! Definitely ribs!

Vegeta: I am here for it... Dragonball... I need that dragonball... Give it to me... One you took... Need my wish... SHUT UP GHOST OF NAPPA! I'M NOT CRAZY! YOU'RE CRAZY! ESPECIALLY YOU, NAPPA! Dragonball. Hand now, please.

"Now to crush you like an Arlian."
"A what?"
"Exactly."

    • And in Episode 24:

Freeza: "Tell me. Have you ever heard of planet Vegeta?"
Nail: "N-no?
Freeza: "Funny. Because that's exactly what I expect the next person will say when I ask them about Namek!"

  • Arc Fatigue: Lampshaded In-Universe in Episode 24, where Krillin randomly is surprised at the fact that they're still on Namek. He also gives the fourth wall a nudge by noting that it feels like it's been a year since they got there, which is how long it's taken to do Episodes 13-24. (For the curious, the events in those episodes take place over six days).
  • Aren't You Going to Ravish Me?:

Vegeta: That...reminds me. Did you do anything to me while I was unconscious?

Zarbon: (affronted): Did-- Did I what?

Vegeta: Did you do anything to me while I was unconscious?

Zarbon: What? No! God, no!

Vegeta: Oh, thank God! I j-- wait, what do you mean by that? Am I not good enough for you?

King Yemma: And not just any mahogany! But mahogany from the planet Malchior 7! Where the trees are 300 feet tall and BREATHE FIRE! From these trees this desk was forged 2000 years ago using ANCIENT BLOOD RITUALS OF THE MALCHIOR PEOPLE! Not only does this make my desk NIGH INDESTRUCTIBLE, but it can BEND THE FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSE ITSELF! [[[Beat]]] ...Also it's a very fine material. Very expensive.

Elder: What do you want from us? Why are you slaughtering our people?
Freeza: Well you see, I was just in the area and I thought this would be a delightful place for a summer home what the *BEEP* do you think I'm here for?
Elder: ...Our trees?
Freeza: ...Zarbon, two or three more.

  • A-Team Firing / Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: "Damn man, you couldn't hit the broad side of a space-barn!"
  • Atomic F-Bomb: Vegeta is rather prone to it.
  • Attention Deficit Ooh Shiny: Goku, Nappa, and Guru do this a lot.
  • Authority Equals Asskicking: A simultaneously humorous and chilling example as Mr. Popo's explains the "pecking order" to the Z-Fighters receiving training: You - The Dirt - The Worms Inside of the Dirt - Popo's Stool (shown as a black box with the word "Censored" stamped across it) - Kami - Popo. A confirmation is even presented after Mr. Popo knocks Krillin off Kami's Lookout (increasing his "Owned Count") after asking a question out of turn, despite asking if anyone had any.
  • Ax Crazy:
    • Chi-Chi's violent outbursts are feared by Krillin.
    • Also Guru. "Kill it like the rest."


B

  • Bad Boss:
    • Freeza considers his minions extremely expendable (see We Have Reserves below), doesn't pay them, and casually kills them off to intimidate his other soldiers and to end awkward conversations.
    • There's also Super Kami Guru. Though his worst phase seems to be over, these days he settles for being a Cloudcuckoolander Jerkass.
  • Badass: Goku manages to be an even bigger one in the Abridged series than in the main continuity, due to his fights being radically cut down in time.
  • Badass Boast: Played with a lot, given the prevalence in the source material:
    • Piccolo:

Piccolo: "Yeah. That's right. I can take anything you can dish ou-oh God there go my organs."

    • Vegeta's is a rather unusual case. He manages to make a Badass Boast to Cui about how he got destroyed on Earth.
    • Recoome delivers an absolutely epic one in Episode 20.

Recoome: "Vegeta! You think that just because you're the Prince of all Saiyans, you're the best there is at what you do, but let Recoome tell ya somethin', brother, you ain't no Wolverine, and you ain't got what it takes to step up to a FIVE-TIME CHAMPION! You see, Vegeta, you sit there and brag about how the Saiyans are the mightiest warriors in the universe, how they're the most ruthless, but look where they are now...DEAD! You talk about your legends, your warrior race, and your pride, but that doesn't mean a damn thing to this man! BECAUSE THE NAME'S RECOOME, AND IT RHYMES WITH DOOM, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE HURTIN', ALL TOO SOON!"

    • Freeza derails a Namekian by keeping a running tally of how many times he's heard a particular Badass Boast. The Namekian tries to utter an original phrase, but Freeza has already heard "We're going to fuck your face!" twelve times. Admittedly, it was less common than "We're here to stop this senseless slaughter of our people" (92), "Now you're going to pay" (355), "We are the ones who will stop you" (419), or even "You insane bastard" (190).
      • Later, Goku delivers a boast even Freeza hasn't heard before.

Goku: Soooo, are you that Freezer Guy?
Freeza: I am Lord Freeza, yes.
Goku: Awesome! Imma deck ya in the shnoz!

    • Subverted again twice in Episode 25, as Vegeta already knew Freeza could transform and cuts him off, while Freeza grows increasingly bored with Vegeta's speeches about the Super Saiyan.
    • Gohan gets one in Episode 26 before taking on Form 3 Freeza.

Gohan: Hey Freeza! The human body is composed of 75% water! I am 100% DEATH! HAVE SOME!

Burter: Speed of light and strength of all
Recoome: The Ginyu Force shall make them fall!
Jeice: We're King Cold's army's strongest force
Guldo: We'll beat them all, secure the course!
Ginyu: If trouble meets us as we pass
Ginyu Force: WE'LL SHOVE OUR FIST RIGHT UP THEIR ASS!

King Enma: I'm the closest thing to a god in this show! Until you get to the Kais... then I'll be horribly insignificant.

Nappa: "Well, I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is, reports say our entire planet has been destroyed by a gigantic meteorite, along with all its inhabitants. [...] Aaaaaaand your father [...] But the good news is, we're going to DAIRY QUEEN!!"

  • Beard of Evil: Parodied in the Christmas special, as Goku realizes that Turles was his Evil Counterpart, he noticed that he didn't have one of these. So he imagined one.
  • Beat: Excessively used to increase the hilarity in any given scene.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: In Episode 5, Nail feels that his current life on Namek is dull and hopes that something exciting happens soon, not caring what it is. Then came Freeza...
    • During the Christmas Special, Krillin wished for best Christmas tree from Shenron, and Shenron delivered...
    • When Piccolo gets wished to Namek, he appears somewhere on the planet.
  • Because You Were Nice to Me: In Episode 25.

Gohan: I...you...healed me.
Dende: You are the only one I respect.

  • Beleaguered Assistant: Nail puts up with a lot from Super Kami Guru.
  • Berserk Button:
    • Gohan's gets triggered multiple times, especially after Piccolo dies.
    • Nappa after getting slashed by Krillin's Destructo Disk. His precious modeling career!
    • Krillin snaps after Piccolo calls him a meat-shield. This was when he defeated three of the Saibamen through a Limit Break, although nobody cares.
    • With each subsequent failure, Freeza loses more and more of his composure, so the heroes thwarting his plans again and again could be considered one long, drawn out, Berserk Button.
    • Vegeta absolutely loses it when he realizes Gohan stole his dragonball.
    • Goku has some rather silly ones, mostly related to food and Christmas.
    • Burter is rather sensitive about his status as "the fastest in the universe".
    • King Kai and the pronunciation of his Signature Move, the "Kaioken".
    • Tenshinhan is not fond of weeaboos.
    • Lord Slug and being compared to "King Piccolo".
  • Better by a Different Name: Done in-universe by Vegeta.

"I liked that show (Bleach) better when it was called Yu Yu Hakusho, and I liked that show better when it was called Dragonball Z!"

  • Beware the Nice Ones: Gohan. As if it wasn't obvious enough in the actual series.
  • Bigger Bad: While Vegeta was the Big Bad of Season 1, Team Four Star made it pretty clear that Freeza was lurking around the corner. And during the Ginyu Saga of Season 2, King Cold's name was thrown around.
  • Big No: This is practically Vegeta's Catch Phrase.
    • One of the outtakes has Vegeta yelling various levels of Big No in response to Nappa asking "Are We There Yet?" once.
    • And Krillin when he hears that they have to face the Saiyans a second time.
  • Big "What?": Piccolo, while channeling Stone Cold Steve Austin in Lord Slug. Mostly yelled at Gohan.
    • Also Vegeta when Dodoria tells him she's a woman.
  • Bilingual Bonus
    • The Toilet in Kami's Spaceship. It speaks Japanese when Dr. Briefs tried to fix it, but it was set to a "language he didn't know." Later, when Krillin tries to use it twice, the toilet speaks in German.

Dr. Briefs: Damn moonspeak!

      • The toilet speaks three times in German. It says, "I'm filled with pisswater!", "Shit in my face!", and "No!" The last one is briefly heard before being destroyed.
    • Apparently, all Namekians are fluent in Klingon.
  • Bizarre Alien Biology: References to it are added to Freeza's soldiers for comedy.
    • Also to Namekians, but specifically Piccolo.

Freeza: "And now, for your other glubok!"
Piccolo: "You're not really familiar with our anatomy, are you?"

      • A callback in Episode 29, while Freeza is demolishing Piccolo in combat:

Piccolo: "No, no, no-- *snap* Oh god, my glubok!"

Krillin: I don't wanna die a virgin!
Popo: Boy, you really need to watch just what you say...
Krillin: OH GOD!

Krillin (after hearing the henchman's story of how he killed a cancer patient): God, you are one of the worst mall Santas ever -- right behind those ones that molest kids!
Minion: So I'm the worst mall Santa?
Krillin: Oh, come on!

  • Blatant Lies: Vegeta does this in Episode 21. Goku asks Vegeta what happened to him, and Vegeta says he fell down some stairs. When Krillin attempts to call him out on this, Vegeta threatens to throw him down a flight.
    • Goku blames Icarus's death on Vegeta in order to get Gohan to attack him. This is not true.
    • Guru does this in Episode 22 when he tells Nail he can kick Freeza's ass. As soon as Nail flies away to fight Freeza, Guru calls him a fool and says that if he had bothered to train Nail properly, he might have stood a chance.
    • Even Dende pulls one on Krillin.

Dende: The better question is, why did I tell him he was immortal?

  • Blofeld Ploy: Freeza does this to Minion 43 when he gets fed up with Zarbon's incompetence.

Freeza: Minion 43 could you come to the bridge? I need an example.
Minion 43: An example of what Lord Freeza--(explodes)
Freeza: You see that, Zarbon? That's you if Vegeta is not in front of me in the next 10 minutes. *beat* Bye.

"Ha! Nice try, jackass Next time, give it your A-game!"

  • Bond One-Liner: Goku, of all people, makes one when he thinks he killed Freeza "You could say he suffered a bad case of...freezer burn."
    • Krillin sets one up after he and Gohan take out a pair of Freeza's soldiers, but all it does is give him his first Owned Count point of the season.
  • Brain Bleach:
    • Bulma's reaction when she walks into the cave in Episode 13, after Krillin relieved himself.
    • Vegeta following the revelation that Dodoria is a woman, and especially after she asks Vegeta to join her as her husband. Vegeta blasts her into oblivion to repress THAT knowledge from his mind.
  • Bratty Half-Pint: Chaotzu
  • Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: A very straight example and in-universe:

Freeza: Oh good! I'll stop by [Earth] on the way home. Get some space eggs, some space milk, and BLOW IT THE F**K UP!!!

    • Another example during Episode 20, when Recoome explains that the only things he sells are his merchandise; we see typical Recoome memorabilia (cap, action figure, etc.), and then the last thing that pops up is a Recoome vibrator.
  • Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs: Freeza spends the first part of Episode 27 assessing his situation (with all those dead subordinates and all) while effortlessly dodging Vegeta's attacks. When he gets to what to send the Ginyus' families, he considers gift baskets and wine before kicking Vegeta's ki blast back and deciding on gift baskets with wine.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: It happens a few times early in the series, but that fades away as the comedy improves.

Vegeta: Nine minutes eighteen seconds, nine minutes eighteen seconds.
Nappa: What's that, Vegeta?
Vegeta: Happiest. Moment. Of. My life.[1]

Nappa: Vegeta, look! Imma firin' mah--BLAAH!

  • Brick Joke/Call Back: Almost every joke that isn't a Running Gag. Noteworthy examples would be the whaaaaaaaales, "What smells like deer," and the narrator's bet with King Kai.
    • When Gohan asks Krillin if he hears Vegeta's bloodcurdling scream of rage, Krillin replies, "I feel that." Later, when Gohan asks him if he feels Freeza's energy as he's powering up, Krillin says, "I taste that."
    • In Episode 25, the Solar Flare is Dodoria as a fat woman, as Freeza is the one who receives it.
    • Freaky Alien Genotype. Vegeta says this after killing Zarbon.
    • Goku mentions Fake Namek when he arrives.
    • Gohan brings up Peach Farming when fighting against Recoome:

Gohan: "I may be smaller than you, younger than you, and weaker than you, but I know much more about Peach Farming than y-- I think this was a horrible mistake."

    • In 2009, Team FourStar made "Yamcha the Scarfaced Bandit", a parody of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer". One year later, guess what the minion Yamcha attempts to fight is playing on his scouter?
    • In the Bardock: Father Of Goku special, Freeza contemplates calling Cooler, but decides against this, citing his reasons as "No, he's a prick." Cooler is later seen in his ship and deems not to fire on Goku's pod. His reasons? "Because I'm a prick." This joke carries on into a later episode when Freeza is wondering what he'll do first once he becomes immortal. He eventually decides that he'll "slap Cooler right in his smug, prick face!" And on his Space Twitter profile, the message below his boast about blowing up Planet Vegeta says "@Cooler- You're a prick".
    • When Krillin and Gohan hide from Freeza and his men in Episode 14, Krillin makes a quacking noise and Dodoria comments on the majestic sound of the space duck. In Episode 21, Goku hears Krillin screaming in pain due to his beating from Recoome...and thinks it's a duck. In Episode, 25 he tries to fool Freeza into thinking he's a space duck. While right in front of him.
    • In Episode 16, Guru wants Nail to gather the dragonballs to wish for a plasma screen TV. In Episode 21, he compares Dende's loss of everyone he ever loved to the origin of Batman. When Dende has no idea who that is, "See! This is why we NEED TV!"
    • After two exclamations of "No! My space <NOUN>!" from Raditz, Piccolo exclaims, "We get it, you're from space!" Much later, after Jeice finishes a sentence chock full of Australian slang, Krillin shouts, "We get it, you're from Space Australia!"
    • In Episode 11, when Krillin sees Gohan's new hairstyle, he likens Gohan to Moe Howard. Then in Episode 18, Vegeta says the same thing when he meets Gohan mid-flight.
    • In Episode 21, Jeice gets repeatedly punched by Goku, while trying to remember what Captain Ginyu told them to do in such a situation. When Ginyu is actually present in Episode 22, he calls him out on it.
    • In Episode 23, Bulma yelled at Gohan and Krillin by saying that she fought a giant crab and killed one.
    • Episode 24 has so many:
      • We found out what happened to the Albino Namekians.
      • George Takei strikes again!
      • Vegeta's "scream" occurs. Piccolo yells out, "Ow! My ear!"
      • This dialogue between Vegeta and Gohan returns from Episode 18, but with different results.
    • Bulma's panties.
    • In Episode 25, Piccolo mentions something about Nail adding him on Myspace. This goes back to the contents of Episode 1.
    • Lord Slug Abridged mentions Freeza Day, the misfit minions, and Goku saving Christmas from the Tree of Might special. When Slug goes giant, he crushes Goku and laughs when Goku squeaks, just like when Vegeta did the same as a giant gorilla.
    • Gohan's comment that the mountain Piccolo was throwing him at looked more like a plateau gets repeated by Vegeta, when Freeza is throwing him into one.
    • Vegeta's Legendary Super Saiyan Rant;

Freeza: I feel like we've been here before, have we been here before?

    • During the credits to the Christmas Tree of Might, it gets mentioned that one of Piccolo's gifts was a bigger part in the next movie. Sure enough, his role in Lord Slug was key to the good guys winning and probably the most memorable thing about that movie.
    • At one point, Guru says to Freeza "Leave my brother out of this!". We learn that he's the Evil Twin of Lord Slug in the Lord Slug film.
    • In episode 27, when Freeza is going to attack.

Gohan: So that means we should-?
Piccolo: DODGE!

    • Freeza likes to keep count of all sayings and speeches he gets from opponents. In episode 27, Goku gives him a new one.

Goku: So are you that Freezer guy?
Freeza: [beat] I am Lord Freeza, yes.
Goku: Awesome, Imma deck you in the shnoz!
Freeza: [beat, followed by dropping Vegeta humorously]
Vegeta: Ow.
Freeza: I'm sorry, that's a new one.

    • Episode 28 brings an end to the "Kaio-ken/Kaio-what?" running gag.

Freeza: No seriously, Kaio what?

Goku: Kaio-crap!

Freeza: I thought so.

    • Episode 29 has Goku send Piccolo to hold off Freeza while he charges his attack, as payback for Piccolo getting him to do the same thing against Radditz in Episode 2.

Piccolo: Di...did you just hold a grudge?

    • In Episode 11, Popo says, "See you when you get back! Except...this season ...you" to Krillin. In Episode 29, right after Krillin gets killed by Freeza, Popo appears in the stinger, saying "Called it!"
  • Broken Record: Vegeta's ability to speak coherently declines rapidly during his Freak-Out in Episode 18.
  • Brother Chuck: Lampshaded in Episode 10 when Bulma and the other characters are reminiscing about the times they were useful to the series.

Bulma: Whatever happened to Launch?

  • Buffy-Speak: "Well it is a little corpsey"
  • Bumbling Sidekick: Nappa was essentially this to Vegeta.
  • Butt Monkey:
    • Krillin (by everyone) to the point of having a special counter whenever he is disrespected (usually someone beats him up, but in Episode 2, Krillin got owned when Master Roshi told him to shut up, and in a Season 2 episode, Krillin owned himself after screwing up a witty one-liner).
    • If it isn't Krillin, it's normally Yamcha.
    • Raditz (by his teammates) with the constant references to how weak he was.
    • Vegeta seems to be suffering a good deal of psychological trauma as well, especially in Season 2.
    • Nail is one toward Guru.
    • Guldo to Vegeta, who treats him like a dog, and even to the rest of the Ginyu Force.


C

  • The Caligula: Guru's reign during his prime was apparently "terrifying."
  • Call Back: Piccolo mentions that he switched from Myspace to "Spacebook" in Episode 25.
    • In Episode 26 he mentions how he just assumed he could connect to the Internet with his antennae when Nail mentions he has apps.
    • In Episode 3, Piccolo tells Gohan that he's going to throw him at a mountain in order to draw out his hidden power. It doesn't work. Gohan corrects him, saying that it looks more like a plateau. The scene is repeated in Episode 26 between Freeza and Vegeta.
    • Krillin's Destructo Disc hits a mountain after slashing Nappa's cheek, replete with sound effects used previously when Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon hit a different mountain in Episode 2.
    • In the Lord Slug special, the minions think Christmas is the Earth name for Freeza Day, mentioned in the (Christmas) Tree of Might special.
    • The Stinger to Episode 27 is a call back to a line from Episode 5. Vegeta even lampshades it:

Huh. Should've known that was a one-hit wonder.

    • In episode 29, Goku has to charge his spirit bomb attack to use against Freeza, and needs Piccolo to provide a distraction. The conversation between the two is word for word the conversation between Piccolo and Goku in episode 2 when Piccolo charges his Special Beam Cannon to use on Raditz and gets Goku to distract him, only with the roles reversed.
    • Also, not only is Goku humming the same song Piccolo was while charging the Special Beam Cannon, but Freeza finally hits Piccolo's glubock!
      • The Stinger? Well in reference to Krillin's death and episode 11...

Popo: Called it.

  • Calling the Old Man Out: Gohan uses Goku and Ginyu's body swap as an opportunity to let out some much needed aggression:

Gohan: Abandon me for a year with Piccolo... Send me off into space... And the next time I get to see you, you lost your damn body!? YOU'RE NOT EVEN YOU ANYMORE!

Vegeta: "I'm going to end this with a BIG BANG! ... kind of attack."

Goku: "FULL NELSON!"
Raditz: (incredulously) "A full nelson? That won't work on me. I'm Raditz!"

    • And Raditz was recast due to an argument over attack names ("Double Sunday" or "Keep Your Eye on the Birdie") mid-attack.
    • Finally, Piccolo tries to call the name of his five-minute beam attack during the battle with Raditz; after struggling to use the Japanese name, he just goes with the English name, Special Beam Cannon.
      • Piccolo just gives up and spouts a bunch of random syllables for DBZ Kai Abridged.
    • Parodied in Dead Zone Abridged when Garlic Jr.'s minions have names for actions/attack patterns that didn't have any in the original, such as: "Wheel of Bitchslaps" for when they attacked Goku in a circle and "Gentle Statue Push" when Goku gets sent flying into a statue.
    • "CLOTHES BEAM!"
  • Camp Straight: Zarbon as revealed in Episode 17 when he mentions his girlfriend.
    • Though in Episode 21, Freeza rants that he's convinced Zarbon's "girlfriend" is named Chuck.
  • I Cannot Self-Terminate:

King Kai: This is King Kai. Wish these idiots of my planet before I kill myself.
Krillin: Wait, can gods kill themselves?
King Kai: I'm about to try!

Vegeta: (still on Namek) This is so non-canon it hurts.

Nappa: Hey, Vegeta.
Vegeta: What is it?
Nappa: We're in prison, Vegeta.
Vegeta: I see that, Nappa.
Nappa: Hey.
Vegeta: What?
Nappa: Don't drop the soap.
Vegeta: I swear to God, Nappa, I will shiv you.

Nappa: "Vegeta... I can fly!"

      • Also, the repeated:

Gohan: (exposition of something terrible that just happened)
Krillin: "YES GOHAN! I NOTICED!"

Vegeta: That's it, everyone dies! Say goodbye to your planet, Kakarot!
Goku: That's not very nice.
Vegeta: OF COURSE NOT, I'M FUCKING EVIL!

  • The Cast Showoff: In a particularly awesome way, "Make A Man Out Of You".
  • Catch Phrase: "Goddammit, Nappa!"
    • "Goddammit!"
    • "Freakin' weeaboo.": Tenshinhan's for those who love Gratuitous Japanese or Gratuitous Engrish.
    • "Doooodge!!" Poor Piccolo...
    • One shared by the Namekians: "I don't know who/what this (noun) is, but he/it sounds (adjective)."
      • Example: "I do not know what this 'Yamcha' is, but it sounds disappointing."
    • "NERRRRD!"
      • "Wait...what?"
    • "Pecking order."
    • "NAIL!!!" and for a moment, "BIG GREEN!!!" by Lord Guru.
    • Nappa has "Hey, Vegeta...".
    • King Kai has "Shut up, Bubbles/Gregory/Bojack!", usually in groups and usually ending with Bojack.
    • "THE NAME'S RECOOME, AND IT RHYMES WITH DOOM, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE HURTIN', ALL TOO SOON!"
    • Goku has "Bored now!" for a catchphrase. Krillin also has "Damn it!"
    • Gohan has "Crap baskets!"
    • Freeza's "Adorable"
  • Celebrity Endorsement: Spoofed by Nappa's Butterfinger ad.
  • Celebrity Impersonator: Or rather voice actor impersonator.
    • Lanipator's voicework is a deadringer for Chris Sabat's Piccolo, Vegeta, Shenron, and his early work for Popo; Linda Young's Freeza (albeit briefly); and Justin Cook's Raditz (until the recast).
    • Kaiser Neko for Sean Schemmel's King Kai, Eric Vale's Future Trunks, and a remarkably good Yajirobe.
    • Ganxingba for John Burgmeier's Tenshinhan.
    • Vegeta3986 for Sabat's Yamcha and (in the first FAQ special) Brian Drummond's Vegeta.
  • Cerebus Syndrome: Yes, you read that right. The Namek arc is slightly more serious than the Saiyan arc, due to Freeza still being evil and nasty. Sometimes it's Played for Laughs, but mostly it's genuine drama.
  • Character Exaggeration: Lots of it:
    • Nappa becomes FAR too insanely stupid to live, Piccolo becomes a lonely and sarcastic Jerkass, Krillin's Butt Monkey status has increased to crazy levels (right down to having a counter for the many times he's been "owned"), and Vegeta becomes pretty much the sanest character (when he's calm), and he's the bad guy (for now).
  • Chew Bubblegum: Piccolo screwed this one up several times throughout Dead Zone.
  • The Chew Toy: Krillin, with his status as Butt Monkey.
  • Chirping Crickets: Both times when Gohan was kidnapped ("Quick, somebody stop him!") and after Yamcha adds that he and Tenshinhan should rescue Krillin during their training in the time city.
  • Christmas Special: Christmas Tree of Might.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Nappa.

[Gohan disappears from Nappa's sight as he tries to stomp him]
Nappa: "Huh! Where'd he go? Did he disappear? Or was he never there to begin with?

[Dramatic music plays]

    • And Guru.

Guru: "I shall henceforth be known as Super Kami. No wait... Super Kami Guru."

    • King Yemma is sometimes no better, with his obsession with his desk, and more specifically the material it's made out of: mahogany. But not just ANY Mahogany. Mahogany from the planet of Melchior SEVEN, where the trees are 300 feet tall and breathe FIRE!
  • Cluster F-Bomb: Subverted. Vegeta goes into a long rant, most of which can't be heard over the beeps of Jeice's scouter. During The Stinger of that episode, the rant is heard without the beeps, but it turns out to be a Minor Insult Meltdown or string of Unusual Euphemisms instead.

Vegeta: "Son of a gum-chewing funk monster! Why the fruit does all this funny stuff happen to me?! Forget my life! Always surrounded by miserable failing clods! Like this whole world just likes to bend me over and find me in the Alps! Like I'm some sort of schlock receptacle! Well as far as I care, these miserable cows can have a fancy barbeque, with a Goddamn pig!"

Vegeta: You know, I'm surprised you're here, Ginyu; I thought you'd be busy polishing Freeza's boots.
Ginyu: First off, Lord Freeza doesn't wear boots. Second, if he did, I'd've already polished them.

    • And then there was this exchange between Goku and Freeza

Freeza: Unfortunately, Vegeta and I were having ourselves a disagreement. He wanted himself to live, and well...I didn't.
Goku: Why do you want to die?
Freeza: Wha-? No! I-I-I meant-I meant I want him to di-
Goku: Is it 'cause you look weird?

    • A very large portion of episode 28 involves this happening between Goku and Freeza.
  • The Comically Serious: Tenshinhan is the only serious character in this show. That's the joke.
  • Content Warnings: The outtakes, parodied. "If you're under the age of 18 and have not heard the word "fuck" before... well, ya have now."
    • Krillin: "Warning! The following contains strong language not suitable for minors. If you're under the age of 18, then you-"*CRASH* "OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!"
  • Couch Gag: From Episode 17 onward, the "please support official release" message is always done by the character who dies in that episode. (Or, in Episode 25's case, the character who ceases to exist as an individual being in that episode. Jeice and Recoome died the following episodes they did their announcements though, and Vegeta didn't die in Episode 18, although his sanity did temporarily)
    • In Episode 28 this is taken another step: a character who was horribly wounded at the end of 27 (yes, he did the message for that episode) does it for this one too... slowly... and in great pain.
    • Lampshaded in episode 29, where Krillin does it and then is told that his paycheck will sent to his next of kin.
  • Creepy Child/Creepy Monotone: Dende, though Krillin doesn't think so.

Dende: Mr. Gohan, those things on that person's chest, what are they?
Gohan: Oh, on Bulma? Those are breasts.
Dende: They look lovely. I wish to nestle between them.
Krillin: [[[Beat]]] You are just adorable!

    • He briefly drops the monotone post-Guru powerup.
  • Cross-Dressing Voices: Chaotzu and Puar are both voiced by Megami33.
  • Crossover: The Superfriends in Episode 5. Aquaman's whales killed by Nappa in Episode 8.
  • Crunchtastic:

Reporter 2: Mr. Kent, if you had to come up with a word for how dead he is, what would it be?
Mr. Kent: Cadaveriffic!

Dorodabo: [weakly] Please don't break mah arm...
Piccolo: [deadpan] No.
*CRUNCH*

    • King Kai vs most of the Ginyu's. One moment they're mocking him the next they fall down into Hell.
  • Curse Cut Short: A Running Gag with Vegeta is them appearing to do this by shifting scenes or bleeping his words, but then it gets finished anyway.

Vegeta: "Nononono FUUUUUUUU--" (scene change) (scene changes back) "--UUUUUUUUCK!"

Vegeta: "FU [BEEEEEP] uck."

Vegeta: "Oh you motherFU--" (scene change) (heard from a distance) "--CKEEEEEERS!"

Piccolo: "Ow! My ears!"

    • Jeice's curse gets cut short in Episode 23:

Krillin: "Why's that Space New Zealand guy here?"
Jeice: "Oh, what the fu--"

Bulma (after seeing Zarbon): Oh my God, he's so hot! I just wanna grab him and--
Goku (doing upside down crunches): ...sixty-nine, seventy, seventy--
Vegeta (confronting Zarbon): One time, you've defeated me Zarbon, and that's one time too many.


D

Piccolo: And we're just gonna abuse it?
Nail: Oh, maliciously.
Piccolo: Bitchin'! What we do?

Vegeta: Psyche! Eight for eight! *SQUISH*

(Vegeta hits the ground, large explosion. Later, he crawls out.)
Vegeta (gasping): Why did I explode?

  • Delegation Relay: Freeza tells Zarbon to give the command. Zarbon tells Dodoria to give the command. Dodoria gives the command to nameless mooks. Nameless mooks follow said command and die like flies as the above three stand around looking bored.
  • Delicious Distraction:
    • Goku has this in spades. Anytime anything with reference to any food is mentioned around Goku, he plays this trope straight. He does it when his ribs are being crushed by his brother...

Raditz: (stomps on Goku’s ribs) STOP IGNORING ME!
Goku: AH! MY RIBS! I THINK YOU BROKE MY- Mmmm… Ribs…

    • And twice while fighting Vegeta, enough to get the latter enraged enough to destroy Earth.
    • In episode 4, during the Shout-Out to Pac-Man, Goku stops in the maze to eat a steak just laying there, while being chased by Princess Snake's head.
  • Department of Redundancy Department: "And now to redeem myself, through one final act of redemption"
  • Despair Event Horizon: Vegeta, upon realizing Goku is the last remaining Saiyen. His eyes say it all.
  • Description Cut: When Goku wonders where Bulma is in episode 22, Krillin assumes she's doing "something girly". Cut to her fighting a Giant Enemy Crab underwater in a Mini-Mecha.
    • In episode 15, when Zarbon and Freeza's discussion of Dodoria's abilities are inter-cut with him failing at every instance.
  • Deus Ex Machina: Pulled off with Yajirobe in episode 10, if only because he hadn't even been mentioned at all in the Abridged Series up until he cut off Oozaru Vegeta's tail.
    • Then there's this exchange:

Goku I brought some senzu beans.
Krillin Whoo-hoo! Legume Ex Machina!

Vegeta: Idiot, you don't take your clothes with you when you die.
Goku: Well, I did.
Vegeta: What?
Goku: Yeah. Even had my weighted clothes on, too. And I didn't even die in those. Hmmm...
Vegeta: THAT LYING RED MOTHERF*CKER!!!

  • Disappeared Dad: As the series has progressed, Gohan is displaying increasing anger and disgust with his generally ineffective and absent father. It becomes an asset after Captain Ginyu steals Goku's body, and Gohan launches into a violent rage while shouting all the things that Goku has subjected him to.
  • Discontinuity Nod: Done by Guru as he reads the disclaimer for Episode 24. He sounds audibly surprised that Dragon Ball GT is included on the list of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball-related intellectual property.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: "Hello, and welcome to the Heavenly Check-In Station. Please no cutting in line. If you are caught cutting in line, you will be sent straight to hell." Of course, cutting in line in front of the gate of heaven before your soul is judged really isn't a very smart move.
    • This exchange from episode 25:

Dende: (To Freeza) They're from Earth.
Krillin: Little Green, why??
Dende: Because my name is Dende.

Vegeta: Face down with another man beating your ass. Is it Wednesday already, Zarbon?

Vegeta: Now it's time to reveal my giant monkey... [camera over his crotch]
Crowd: [collective gasp]
Vegeta: ...form. [camera pans to his face]
Crowd: [sighs of relief]
Man in Crowd: Thank God, I thought he meant penis!

  • Double Entendre: Zarbon practically lives off of these.
    • Vegeta likes to invoke this trope to mock Zarbon.

Vegeta: Now let me put this in a way you'll understand: I'm about to blow my load all over your insides...
Zarbon: What... the...
Vegeta: No homo.

    • Zarbon's association with this trope is even well known to Freeza.

Goku (screaming due to his burning posterior): My butt is flaming!!
Freeza: ...I miss Zarbon.

    • A whole slew of these were thrown in episode 24 when Goku was explaining his situation to King Kai after he landed on Namek.

Goku: Well, when I got down here, I ran into some really weird guys. One was really big and muscly, but he went down really easy. Then these two guys double-teamed me. One of them took it really hard in the back, but the other didn't seem that interested, so he went and brought this really horny guy.

    • Lord Slug drops one of these as well.

"This is amazing! I feel like a young, strapping lad, beating his meat furiously for the first time!"

"That thing's a GUY!?!?!"

    • And then in episode 15, we get an inversion from Dodoria.


E

  • Early-Bird Cameo: Vegeta and Nappa in episode 1. Guru and Nail in episode 5. Trunks in episode 18. Cooler and an infant Broli in Bardock Abridged.
    • The mentions of Bojack are a partial example since we're told he's there and we hear his voice a couple times, but we won't see him until they abridge his movie (if they do so).
  • Early Installment Weirdness: Generally averted, but in the Dead Zone abridged movie (made before the official formation of Team FourStar), Gohan was portrayed as mentally handicapped ("I know how many fingers fish have!"). In the regular series, he's probably the most intelligent character of the bunch.
    • In the pre-TFS abridged movies, most notably The World's Strongest, Goku was portrayed with as a Trickster, being able to outwit his opponents. He was also portrayed as mean-spirited, especially towards Krillin, and swore often. These traits carried over into the first two DBZ Abridged episodes, after which Abridged Goku became the food-obsessed Idiot Hero that is Too Dumb to Live, but we all know now.
  • Eccentric Mentor: Guru. "I'm about to misuse my hand upside your head!"
  • Elite Mooks: The Arlian elite guards get wiped out in a second.
  • Epileptic Flashing Lights: Jeice and Burter's combo attack "SEIZURE PROCEDURE!" It gives Krillin unlucky number 13 on his Owned Count.
  • Especially Zoidberg: When Goku finds his allies dead.

Goku: Hey guys, what'd I miss? Oh... are they all? Tenshinhan... Piccolo... Yamcha... Oh wow, especially Yamcha.

Mr. Popo Prepare to be assimilated.

Freeza: Oh no, don't mind me. By all means...(voice drops two octaves) Give me some ideas.

Krillin: So it's like Australia...
Jeice: ...In space.

"Stupid monkeys hit by falling rocks (not deathball thrown by Freeza). Hahahahahahaha! P.S. Freeza rules you."

  • Extreme Melee Revenge: Goku incapacitates Nappa in less than ten seconds, but still proceeds to break his arm and throw him across the field.

Nappa: Not that way. My arm doesn't bend that way! **crack** AWW, NOW IT DOES!

Vegeta: GAH! MY eye! Why is it always the goddamn eye!?

    • Made into somewhat of a Brick Joke in episode 18. When Vegeta pops a blood vessel in his eye, it pops in his right eye. The same eye that was both elbowed by Gohan and blasted by Goku in the aforementioned episode.
    • Again in Lord Slug Abriged when Gohan defeats a mook by shattering the glass visor of his helmet.

Mook: OH GOD ALL I CAN SEE IS GLASS AND BLOOD!


F

  • Fake Static: Goku somehow manages to trick King Kai into thinking he hung up... during a telepathic conversation. This is immediately lampshaded by King Kai himself:

King Kai: He hung up on me! How did he even do that?!

Jeice (right before getting blasted to Kingdom Come by Vegeta): Clever girl.
Vegeta (episode 28): Because, Kakarot, you are our race's last hope. You...are the last remaining Saiyan. Oh God, you're the last remaining Saiyan!

Chi-Chi: See? Just because I'm a woman... [gets instantly knocked out by another henchman]
Bulma: That actually lasted longer than I expected.

Vegeta: All I have to do now is stay under the radar and not fly around like a jackass saying...
Krillin: I've got a dragonball!
Vegeta: I was going to say, "come and get me Freeza", but that works too.

    • Not long after that:

Zarbon: Maybe Lord Freeza won't find me if I just stay low and don't fly around like a jackass saying...
Vegeta: Come to papa, you bald bastard!
Zarbon: I was going to say, "come and get me Freeza", but that works too!

  • Flame War: For quite a popular series, these are prevalent in the forums and on Youtube. Also mentioned in the FAQ Specials.
    • In the TFS FAQ Special, Vegeta says that somebody who asks who to voice for will be flamed. Along with that, in the 2nd TFS FAQ Special, Chaotzu insults people who want to audition, saying that "they have no talent" and that "they suck".
    • NEVER... EVER... EVER... speculate about a future appearance of Ghost Nappa.
    • There are also debates of how Guru is either a great and hilarious character or a horrible and predictable character.
    • Nappa himself. Some people just plain hated him.
    • Surprisingly, Popo hasn't received any negative criticism... yet.
      • They just know better.
      • _O O_
  • Flat What: This exchange:

Vegeta: Look at you, Dodoria, you're always so damn proud. And now here you are, crying like a woman!
Dodoria: I AM A WOMAN!
Vegeta: What.

    • Also this:

Nappa: Good effort, but I'm the Patty Cake Champion!

Piccolo: [[[Beat]]] What.

    • Two in rapid succession in episode 16:

Yamcha: But I waxed off everything. I waxed off your car, I waxed off your house, I even waxed off your monkey.

Piccolo: Okay, I just started paying attention. What.

Yamcha: Seriously, when are we going to learn the Kay-o-Ken?

King Kai: What.

Freeza: I've had a worse time, you know. It's not often I dirty my hands with this sort of grunt work. There's always a certain amount of satisfaction I get out of doing it myself.
[Freeza begins laughing - and after a few seconds so does Nail]
Freeza: Ah... it is kind of funny, isn't it?
Nail: [still laughing] I'm laughing at something else, actually.
Freeza: [still laughing] What?
Nail: [still laughing] The Earthlings have the password.
[[[Beat]]]
Freeza: What.

    • And this exchange:

Zarbon: Too bad... and that Bardock was such a dashing rogue...
[[[Beat]]]
Dodoria: ...What.

  • Foil: Goku is the perfect counterpart to Freeza. Not do Freeza's attempts at intimidating Goku fall flat, but Goku is literally too dumb to insult.
  • Foreign Cuss Word: In Episode 27, the Jamaican crab describes Freeza as a "bumbaclot.", a corruption of the word "blood clot" considered an extreme form of insult in Jamaica.
  • Foreshadowing: During the Namek saga, anyone who recites the opening disclaimer will die in one to two episodes (Except Vegeta, who recited two separate disclaimers before dying. Because he's that awesome.)
    • There's also Popo at the start of that same saga.

Mr. Popo: "See you all when you get back! Except... this season... (looks to Krillin) you..."

    • Spoofed in episode 7, after Nappa forgot why he and Vegeta came to Earth, Vegeta says, "One of these days you're going to die. Then you'll be out of my hair forever." This is followed by the caption Epic Foreshadowing.
  • Forgot I Could Fly: Played for Laughs literally when Goku jumped out of a hospital in Episode 13 hoping to be caught by Nimbus. He could've just flown out of the hospital room.
    • Nappa forgets he could fly... while he was flying.
  • Forgotten Phlebotinum: Gohan wonders why Krillin never follows up his Solar Flare (which blinds and incapacitates stronger enemies for a while) with his Destructo Disk (which is slow but can cut even much stronger opponents).
  • Freeze-Frame Bonus: There is one in episode 15. Try to find it. (It's at 2:27.)
    • CALISSE D'OSTIE DE TABARNAC, MY EYES!
    • In Episode 7, when Piccolo says that the Saiyans are seeking to find the one with the strongest power level. After Gohan claims that Piccolo is the strongest, someone else is seen laughing in the background standing on top of a mountain. Can you find it? (It's at 1:57)
  • Freudian Excuse: Turles hates Christmas because Santa Claus never visited Planet Vegeta, and they only got Freeza's Day (when he blew up the planet). It's actually revealed that Santa tried to visit the planet several times, but they always tried to blow up his sled.
    • Subverted when Vegeta tells about how he's always lived under Freeza's rule and has lost his entire race. Goku thinks that means that without Freeza he wouldn't have been evil.

Vegeta: Oh no, I'd definitely still be evil. If this situation was reversed, this conversation would never have happened. You'd be dead, and I'd be laughing. Ha ha, ouch it hurts to laugh.

Goku: I ran into these really weird guys. The first one was big and muscly, but he went down real easy. Then these two guys double-teamed me. One of them took it really hard in the back, but the other didn't seem that interested, so he brought this really horny guy.
George Takei: Oh my!

Goku: Who's that, King Kai?

King Kai: That's George Takei. Somehow he made this into a three-way.

George Takei: Oh my!

King Kai: Call! Three-way-call!

  • Frothy Mugs of Water: Mercilessly parodied, with DBZ inspiring the Trope Name.
    • "I'm drinking OJ! *Ding* Now it's apple juice. *Ding* Now it's beer. YAY BEER!"
      • And later... "Now it's a Nestlé Crunch bar! Now it's a gummi bear! Now it's Nappa!"

Nappa: "Wait, what the hell?"

Nappa: Well, it's edited by the TIGER KITTY!
Vegeta: Kaiser Neko, Nappa.
Nappa: Kaiser-cat!
Vegeta: Neko...
Nappa: Meow! *materializes cat ears on his head*
Vegeta: Oh, Goddamn it, Nappa!


G

Burter: I've got his right leg.
Jayce: I've got his left.
Guildo: I've got his middle

Piccolo: "All right, what's your gimmick?"
Dorodabo: "Gimmick?"

Piccolo: "Yeah, like the last guys, they were all misfit minions and crap. What are you?"

Angira: "We're just here for your planet... though if I had to choose, I'd say I'm the pretty one."

Piccolo: "Eh, six out of ten."

Angira: "You sassy bitch."

Piccolo, to Medamatcha: "That makes you the weird one with the freaky power..."

Medamatcha: "I CAN SPAWN MINI-MES!"

Piccolo: "Spectacular. (turns to Dorodabo) And that would make you, no doubt, the big, tough, stupid one."

Dorodabo: "You take that back or I'll kill you!"

Piccolo: "All right, all right, you're not tough."

Dorodabo: "That's better!"

Gohan: "Wait, didn't you...?"

Piccolo: "Give him a minute."

Dorodabo: "...Hey!"

Bulma: "I FOUGHT A GIANT CRAB!"
Krillin: "...They make a special shampoo for that, I hear--OW!"

  • "Gift of the Magi" Plot: "Christmas Tree of Might" has Yamcha receive a lifetime supply of gasoline at the end, after the car he spent his life savings on was destroyed.
  • Gilligan Cut: At the start of episode twenty-seven, Goku reflects that he's sure everybody is just fine. Cut to:

Vegeta: "Healer's down!"
Krillin: "Need a rez!"
Gohan: "Out of mana!"
Vegeta starts screaming and they all follow suit.

    • And when the Ginyu's insult King Kai

King Kai: Yeah, all of you can just go straight to hell.

Recoom: Oh yeah? And who's gonna make Recoom?

[Cut to a distant punch sound, followed by all four Ginyu's crash-landing into hell]

  • Giving Up on Logic: In Christmas Tree of Might, Goku starts trying to talk to the titular tree to get it to leave Earth. Yamcha tries to explain that trees can't talk only to be cut off by Slay's voice which appears to answer for the tree since Slay is offscreen. Yamcha gives up in exasperation. The whole exchange is the page quote.
  • Go Mad from the Revelation: Vegeta. Poor, poor Vegeta.
  • Gosh Dang It to Heck: Vegeta's monologue at the end of episode 19.

"Son of a gum-chewing funk moster! Why the fruit does all this funny stuff happen to me? For-get my life! Always surrounded by miserable failing clods. Like this whole world just likes to bend me over, AND FIND ME IN THE ALPS! Like I'm some sort of schlock receptacle. Well, as far as I care, these miserable cows can have a fancy barbecue, WITH A GODDAMNED PIG!!"

    • Goku also delivers one of these as a Pre-Mortem One-Liner in Christmas Tree of Might and Lord Slug Abridged, the latter's line referencing this this trope's use in the official dub.
  • Gratuitous Japanese: The title of episode 19, plus the Ginyu Force theme. It's meant as a parody of the Sentai shows that inspired the Ginyu Force, though the episode title itself comes off as a bit wonky if you speak Japanese.[3]
    • In episode 25:

Freeza: (after killing King Vegeta, without the usual exuberance associated with the phrase) "Yatta." (meaning, "I did it.")

      • This is also a Street Fighter reference to Chun Li's "Win quote," seeing as Freeza just killed King Vegeta with a Shoryuken and got the Street Fighter audio of "K.O.! You win!"
    • Botched by Piccolo when he tried to say his attack's Japanese name, finally he just decides to go with Special Beam Cannon.
    • Vegeta tries one in episode 8 after Nappa's attack on Tien.

Vegeta: Looks like he's been... disarmed!
{{[[[Beat]] beat}}; gust of wind]

Nappa: I get it!


H

  • Hands-Off Parenting: When Gohan tells Goku to hang Freeza by his entrails, Goku realizes something is up with his son...and thinks Piccolo should sit him down and have a talk with him.
  • Happy Dance: In addition to Dragonball Z's Dance of Joy (which he is contractually obligated to perform by King Cold), Ginyu also does the "Daddy's Little Princess Dance" (commanded by Cooler) the "Dance of Cheering You Up", and the "Dance of Solitude".
  • Head Desk: Done in episode 21 when Nail, tired of Guru's orders, goes outside for twenty minutes and does this.
  • The Hero Sucks Song: Yamcha the Scarfaced Bandit..
  • Heroic RROD: After his rage-induced scream in Episode 18, when Vegeta is next seen his eyes are bloodshot and he is driven insane, talking in Hulk Speak and hallucinating Ghost Nappa. He later proceeds to pop the blood vessels in his eyes right as he is about to utterly erase Krillin from existence, but he instantly recovers upon sensing Gohan's power level and has no recollection of what just happened.
    • His eyes bleeding looks similar to his nosebleed in Episode 9.
  • Heterosexual Life Partners: Lampshaded with Tenshinhan and Chaotzu. Subverted with Yamcha and Pu'er.

Tenshinhan: Chiaotzu! My partner!
Yamcha: Gay.
Tenshinhan: Hey! At least I don't spend all my free time living alone with a cat!
Yamcha: Hey! At least I get some puss-- ...wow, that did not come out right.

Tenshinhan: Krillin! He was my closest friend... I... I loved him.
Krillin: As a memorial to Yamcha... Gay.

    • Burter & Jeice.
      • In Episode 19, Guldo says that Burter is gay.
  • Hilarious Outtakes: Good luck getting through this video without laughing at least once.
  • Hiroshima as a Unit of Measure: Vegeta and Nappa measure themselves and the heroes' power levels in 'Raditz'(who had a power level of 1200).
    • Ginyu had a standing bet with Burter over whether or not Guldo would die, with the wager being "50 Raditz". It Makes Just as Much Sense in Context.
      • Presumably, he was betting 60000 of something. Of what, of course, we don't actually know.Space Dollars, maybe?
    • The ad for "Spacey's" promotes the chain's Raditz Menu, made up of items that cost only a Raditz. Whatever it means as a currency, it's evidently not very much. Oh, Raditz.
    • The Raditz currency is referenced again in Episode 28: "New Game 1/2 Raditz"
  • Horrible Judge of Character: Krillin, in the FAKE Namek episode. Bonus because the FAKE Namekians are inspired by the Plutonians from Aqua Teen Hunger Force.
    • Councillor Nappa believes that Freeza can be dealt with by looking him dead in the eye and saying "Don't blow up my planet".

King Vegeta: And you think that'll work?
Nappa: He'd have to be awfully evil if it didn't. And I'm not gonna lie... I like the cut of his jib!

Goku: Mr. Popo! I need your carpet to get to my friends as quickly as possible!
Mr. Popo: [from inside Kami's house] Makin' toast!

    • Happens in the original too, but made much funnier here.

Vegeta: You... Green thing... Heal me...
Dende: Oh, I'm sorry, I have trouble hearing you over the blood of my people on your hands.

Gohan: Piccolo's actually standing up to him (Freeze), Krillin!
Krillin: I don't believe it! We may actually win!
Vegeta: Yeah, that's just... great... if you'll excuse me though, I gotta... bye!

  • Hot Mom: Mrs. Briefs, who insists that you refer to her the same way everyone else does- as "MILF". Granted, she doesn't know what that means...
  • How Would You Like to Die?: Freeza's closing line in Episode 24:

Vegeta: Don't you understand? If I didn't get my wish, then I'm not immortal, and Freeza is going to... going to... (stammers upon seeing Freeza)
Freeza: Oh don't mind me, by all means...Give me some ideas.

Gohan: Gohan smash effeminate alien! Gohan strongest there is!

  • Humanoid Abomination: Mr. Popo.
  • Humiliation Conga: Vegeta. After having his tail cut off, being blasted by a Spirit Bomb, getting crushed by a naked child, and almost killed by Krillin of all people, he escapes to his pod, only to be greeted by... GHOST NAPPA!
  • Hypocritical Humor: Guru calls Kami a pretentious prick for calling himself God [4]. Immediately after that, Guru tells nail to call him Super Kami Guru.

"Can't I just call you Guru for short?"
"Super Kami Guru allows this."

Tien (after he is revealed to be Jewish): I'm just trying to culturally sensitive... you Buddhist ass!
Krillin (a little offended): Well, happy holidays to you, too.

    • Vegeta displayed this when attacked for the second time by Yajirobe.

Vegeta: You... you cut through my armor! This was a gift from my father!
Yajirobe: I'm sorry, I'm sure your father was a great man.
Vegeta: I hated my father!
Yajirobe: Oh, well then I'm sure he was a total prick.
Vegeta: [attacks Yajirobe] How dare you talk about my father like that!


I

Nappa: Vegeta! Look! A Pokémon.
Chaotzu: I'm not a Pokémon, I'm Chaotzu! Chaotzu!
Nappa: Hear that, Vegeta? It's a Chaotzu! (generates PokéBall from his hand) I'm gonna catch it!
Chaotzu: I told you, I'm not a-
(Throws PokéBall at Chaotzu)
Chaotzu: Ow!
Nappa: Aww! It didn't work, Vegeta!
Vegeta: That's because you have to damage it first.
Nappa: Alright! I'll see if I can get a critical.

Yajirobe: You gonna eat that Saiyan?

Krillin: What?

Yajirobe: Dibs.

    • And in the second blooper special, along with trying to eat Tien's arm:

Krillin: Yajirobe, what were you doing here to begin with, anyways?
Yajirobe: Well, I thought I smelled something cooking, but then it just turned out to be Yamcha's body.
Krillin: ...Wait, you didn-
Yajirobe: Almost.

Vegeta: *Upon sensing Gohan's power level on Namek* Hey! Show yourself before I turn this place into a barren wasteland. So basically the same, only on fire.

Krillin: (after knocking two Mooks into a lake) Looks like they're all... washed up!
Gohan stares at him blankly
Krillin: Yeah! Da-da-da-da, da-da ... Aww.

    • And one from Vegeta of all people:

Vegeta: Next time you see me I will be immortal. Not that you stood a chance to begin with, I'm just...Saiyan.
[canned laughter]

  • Inelegant Blubbering: Vegeta finally snaps in Episode 27 when he completely fails to do anything to Freeza.

Freeza: See? It's like I told you, Vegeta - like a bitch.
Vegeta: [voice cracking] SHUTTUP!
Freeza: Oh my god, You actually are crying!
Vegeta: [hoarsely] 'M NOT CRYING! 'M NOOOT!

  • Infallible Narrator: Lampshaded when the narrator tries to get in on King Kai's betting pool over Vegeta and Goku's battle.

King Kai: Don't you already know the outcome of the fight?
Narrator: ...No...

Freeza: Zarbon really screwed the pooch on this one!
Zarbon: Lord Freeza, Vegeta's really giving us a pounding!
Freeza: I'm coming Zarbon! Quick, grab my balls!
Ginyu Force: (laughter)

Freeza: "So, did you eliminate everyone on the planet?
Dodoria: "Complete Annihilation."
Zarbon: "...Where are all your men?"
Dodoria: "Complete Annihilation."
Zarbon: (later, as Bardock's pod surpasses Freeza's ship) "So, "Complete Annihilation", huh?"

    • In the same special, Freeza debates giving his brother Cooler a call because it's Cooler's birthday, but decides against it because he's a prick. At the end of the special, Goku's pod is detected by Cooler's ship. He orders his men not to fire on it. When asked why he replies "Because I'm a prick."
    • "My mother's dead." "I know."
    • Goku and Piccolo's dialogue in Episode 29 when Goku needs to finish up the Spirit Bomb is a slight variation of a similar scene in Episode 2, complete with "Mahnah Mahnah" song. Piccolo even lampshades it given the role reversal ("Did you just hold a grudge?")
  • Irony: Bardock averts it.

(About to be killed by Freeza's death-ball)
Well, I'd say 'I should have seen this coming,' but that would be ironic.[5]

Piccolo: I'm not a Goddamn Yoshi!
Goku: But you said you were.

Piccolo: It's called sarcasm.

Goku: What's that taste like?

Piccolo: Dammit, Goku!

Ghost Nappa: *tap tap* "Is this thing on? Is it on? Okay there we go! *clears his throat* YOU ARE NOW THINKING ABOUT WHAT ZARBON DID TO YOU, WHILE YOU WERE UNCONSCIOUS. Have fun with that."

  • It's Pronounced "kah-ee-oh": King Kai berates Yamcha for saying "Kaiou Ken" with the original (as in no longer used) US pronounciation of "kay-oh."
  • It Was His Sled: In-universe example - Vegeta already knew that Freeza blew up his home planet. Freeza really needs to stay off the (Space)Twitter.
    • Also, from episode 18, the fact that Vegeta is Trunks' father.
    • Thanks to a conversation with Guldo, Vegeta already knows Freeza can transform.


J

Shenron: Yeah.. yeah ok. I'll give you your tree. I'll give you the best damn tree you've ever seen! WAHAHAHA-AHAHAHA!

Krillin: Thank you!

Shenron: Oh, don't thank me. 'Tis the season of giving.

    • Justified in the Running Gag that Shenron is really tired with people asking for simple wishes, primarily by the heroes again and again and again.
  • Jacob Marley Apparel: Many of the dead seem to follow this, except for Vegeta. But that's because Yemma told him he couldn't take his clothes with him. Vegeta was not amused when he learned Goku kept his clothes.
    • Played with in that Goku mentions he got to keep clothes he WASN'T wearing at the time.
  • Jerkass: Piccolo. One example includes deliberately telling Gohan to let Tenshinhan fight Nappa alone to avenge Chaotzu, despite Ten's constant desperate pleas for help.
    • Another example:

Gohan: Where's my daddy?
Piccolo: I hate to tell you kid but your dad's dead. Actually, no, I love saying that. HAHAHA your dad's dead!
Gohan: (cries)
Piccolo: Aw, dammit. This is why I hang out in the wastelands.

    • Cooler is a prick.
    • Guru and Popo to the point that even Freeza seems nicer

Super Kami Guru I feel they've finally summoned the dragon... it would be a real dick move to die right now...hurk.

Krillin: We get it! You're from Space Australia!

      • The phrase "Good Night Irene" is a reference to Australian MMA commentator Mike "The Voice" Schiavello, who is referencing wrestling commentator Gorilla Monsoon, who said it when wrestler Adrian Adonis performed a sleeper hold.
  • Just Between You and Me: Vegeta tells Cui how he got his ass kicked by Goku & Co., after explaining the Saiyans' ability to gain power from being beaten to near-death. Cui still thinks their Power Levels are the same (18,000), and doesn't get it.

Cui: "Why are you telling me this?! You'd never tell anyone this!"
Vegeta: "Easy - because I know you'll never tell anybody, Cui."

Cui: "But, but I hate you! Why would I--"

  • Vegeta obliterates Cui*

Vegeta: "God, I love therapy!"


K

  • Keet: Goku in Episode 17

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Bulma: And we're going to make love every single KILL IT WITH FIRE!

King Vegeta: Freeza, can I sit down and have a word with--
Freeza: Shouryuken!

    • Also happens to Vegeta

Freeza: No seriously, you have no idea how old that got.


L

  • If You Know What I Mean: When the cast meet Goku and Gohan and discover that Gohan is Goku's son. But due to the aforementioned traits Goku doesn't have a clue what they're talking about.
    • Zarbon is full of this right until he transforms, upon which he is far less subtle.
    • There's this from episode twenty-three:

Krillin: If you ask me all [Bulma] needs is a little wink-wink, nudge-nudge... (clicks teeth twice, then wolf-whistles)
Gohan: Still five...

Krillin: Right.

  • Lampshaded the Obscure Reference: Vegeta does this when Nappa mentions Fraggle Rock.
  • Large Ham: Lanipator as Piccolo and Vegeta, but hell, that doesn't matter!
    • Kaiser as King Kai as well, especially in the Training Montage video, in which he's basically shouting all his lines as loud as he can.
    • Little Kuriboh, the Large Ham of the Abridging community, as Freeza.
    • Takahata101 as Guru. "Naaaiil, stop making out with your boyfriend! I can hear it from heeere."
  • Laser-Guided Karma: Krillin discussing karma with Dende ("Little Green") followed by shots of Vegeta getting pummelled by Zarbon in his "Beast Within" form.
    • Although it would have worked regardless of who was pummeling who there. Both of them had recently slaughtered Namekian villages.
  • Laugh with Me: Subverted

Freeza: (Laughing after beating the crap out of Nail with Nail joining in) Ah, it is kind of funny isn't it?
Nail: Hehe, I'm laughing about something else actually.
Freeza: Hehehe, what?
Nail: The Earthlings have the password.
Freeza: [[[Beat]]] What?

Nail: That little Namekian you passed on the way to Guru's? On his way to the Humans with the password, by now he's probably there and they're about to summon the dragon.

Freeza: GHHGHGHHH...

Nail: Yeah, if I had to guess your biggest mistake it would be not stopping him, that or the purple lipstick.

Freeza: I WILL F*CKING MURDER YOU!

Nail: Whatever.

Freeza: Oh no, that minion died, could you go fix that, we'll continue this conversation never.

Freeza: How many Namekians does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Their whole race! One to screw in the lightbulb and the rest to die... And then the other one dies, too.

    • It comes back to bite him in the ass in Episode 25:

Freeza: Tell me, how many Namekians does it take to--
Piccolo: {{[[[Megaton Punch]] (punch)}}] Just one.

      • Well, he did say "Stop me if you've heard this one", and Piccolo (by extension of being fused with Nail) actually had.
  • Limit Break: In episode 8, Final Fantasy VII style.

Krillin: That's it! I can't take it any more! I can only be pushed so far!

  • Literal Genie: Porunga. Note that this was the case in the original series, but it's more blatantly lampshaded here when Piccolo has been wished to Namek:

Dende: He is on Namek.
Gohan: Wait, where is he?
Dende: On Namek.

Piccolo (from the other side of the planet): You dumbass!

Krillin: Why didn't it bring him here?

Dende: You must be specific.

Gohan: Oh, so it's a sort of monkey's paw; you have to be careful what the hubris in your wish is.

Piccolo (still distant): NERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!

Piccolo: Why can't you save YOUR OWN DAMN SELF?!

Raditz: And to top off this expositional onslaught, I... AM YOUR BROTHER!

  • Lyrical Dissonance: Goku's little ditty as he charges up a Spirit Bomb in Lord Slug Abridged.

Goku: Sun, sun, Mister Golden Sun, kill my enemies~!


M

  • Magitek: It's starting to be a Running Gag in Season Two. A generic medic in Freeza's army instructs his men to revive Vegeta with "delicious magical science", while Goku calls a sensu bean "sweet sciency magic."
    • And they're both voiced by MasakoX!
  • Made of Explodium:

Vegeta (After being thrown into a lake): ...Why did I explode?...

Messenger: He's been telling everyone that Freeza plans to destroy Vegeta!
King Vegeta: Wait, my son, the planet, or me?

Messenger: ...Yes.

(Vegeta kills messenger)

King Vegeta: Freakin' smartass.

  • Meaningful Background Event: In Episode 26, Freeza's yelling can be heard in the background while he makes his final transformation. Dende dies mere seconds after the yelling stops, when it's revealed that Freeza's already changed.
  • Meanwhile Back At The: Used often in early season 1, to the point of parody.
  • Metaphorgotten: Done, unsurprisingly, by Goku.

"Now I may not be the brightest knife in the crayon box...

Vegeta: Look at your men, now back to me, now look back to your men, now back to me, I am not your men, I'm flipping you off, now look at the the ground, back to me, where's the Dragon Ball? It's gone, I threw it, and there's not a damn thing you can--

Burter: *comes back with the Dragon Ball* Here you go.

Goku: Hey, I'm just like any other guy. I pay my taxes one leg at a time.

  • Mood Whiplash:
    • Freeza's group is shockingly good at this in Episode 14. Freeza himself is a peppy, fey individual who can go from amusing to intimidating in less than a sentence. Dodoria on the other hand is close to Complete Monster territory, with a brand of humor dark as pitch.
    • In Episode 14, Goku exclaiming "This is the best day ever!" while a peppy song song plays on the background. Cut to Dodoria slaughtering Namekians.
    • In Episode 18, Krillin gets happy when he and Gohan approach Guru's place to unlock Gohan's potential. Then he feels Vegeta's anger at finding his Dragon Ball missing.

Krillin: That's it! We're gonna make it! We're finally gonna *feels Vegeta approach* die. We are going to die.
Gohan: Krillin, what is that?!
Krillin: Pure rage, Gohan. Pure rage.

Nappa: Well, it's been fun kid. I mean, for me, not for you. As for you (cut to Piccolo), everyone important to you is dead.
Krillin: Hey, I'm still alive--
Nappa: EVERYONE IMPORTANT.

    • Another variation:

Tenshinhan: Let's do it for Chaotzu!
Yamcha: And Krillin!
(Chirping Crickets)
Yamcha: OK, just Chaotzu.

    • Yamcha's apparent awesomeness gets turned on its head in episode 13. When they are stranded on Namek:

Bulma: Who knows? Maybe here I'll finally meet a real man.
Krillin: What about Yamcha?
Bulma: A real man.

      • And again when the Z Fighters show up on King Kai's planet. King Kai tells Yamcha to wash his car while the others train.
      • From episode 23:

Krillin: Now let's hurry up and wish back Piccolo, Tenshinhan, and Chaotzu!
Gohan: What about Yamcha?
Krillin: What about Yamcha?
Vegeta: I don't know what this Yamcha is, but it sounds just like Raditz.

      • From episode 24, while they're deliberating who to wish back to life:

Piccolo: Just wish me back.
King Kai: I guess we should ask Yamcha what he thinks.
Yamcha: Uh--
Piccolo: No one cares what Yamcha thinks.

  • Mythology Gag: When recalling his lost underlings, Freeza mentions Cui. Only he can't remember his actual name and winds up calling him "Kiwi", which is the character's original (and less inventive) Japanese name.
    • Piccolo asks if Namekians are demons. This is a reference to his first appearence in Dragon Ball, when he was known as Demon King Piccolo.
    • Super Kami Guru, unleashing Gohan's hidden potential, says he's going to go gentle on Gohan because it's his "first time". While this is a continuation of the molestation gag it also works as an explanation for why Gohan is ultimately going to have his hidden potential unleashed twice more during the series.
    • Also, during one of Krillin's "IcannotshutupwhenImscared" moments, he mentioned that he once had a crush on a boy that he thought was a girl. This actually happened with Krillin and Upa in one of the early chapters of Dragon Ball. (Also counts as Shown Their Work)
    • Then there's Goku's comment that the wound he recieved from Ginyu is the second worst hole in his chest. The first is the one Piccolo shot through him during their battle in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.
    • Bulma is actually humming her leitmotif from Dragonball just before Krillin lands and knocks her out of her chair in episode 17.
  1. ↑ That's the moment in the video in which Vegeta kills Nappa.
  2. ↑ Vegeta: And-is that a camera? What kind of sadistic retard watches this crap?!?.
  3. ↑ It's given as "到着を恐怖!! ギニュー特戦隊は、敬礼!!" ("Fear the arrival!! As for the Ginyu Force, [they] salute!!"), when what's probably meant is "恐怖の到着!ギニュー特戦隊、敬礼!" ("Dreaded arrival! Ginyu Force, salute!")
  4. ↑ "Kami" in Japanese is translated to "God"
  5. ↑ Bardock is clairvoyant, and literally did see it coming.
  6. ↑ There's a canonical reason why they just can't do that, but Rule of Funny was the dominant factor.
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