The Complete Guide to the Vehicles of Dragon Ball

Okay, you've picked up a signal on a Dragon Ball and its moving fast...really fast! What's the best way to catch it? Why with a Capsule #991 Plane courtesy of Dr. Brief and the good people of the Capsule Corporation. In Dragon Ball, it was a major event when a character could fly, later in Dragon Ball Z flying was natural, but in those early days, people still needed to get around! Luckily Akira Toriyama was adept at creating unique methods of transportation. Not only did he create modern vehicles, but also mystical and comical ones like the Flying Nimbus and Kid Gamera. Here we'll critique some of Toriyama san's best automotive, aerial, nautical, outer-space and magical vehicles!

WHEEL CARS

Bulma's Car: This is the very first vehicle shown in the Dragon Ball series. Bulma's car is seen speeding right into Goku while he was walking home with his recently caught fish meal. He attacks the car (AKA Monster) and hurls it into the grassy area nearby. Bulma gets out of the car and explains that it is not a monster but a car.

Yamcha's Loaner Car: After partially destroying Oolong's House Wagon, Yamcha realizes that following Goku, Bulma, and Oolong as they search for the Dragon Balls is a good idea so he can overcome his fear of beautiful women. He then goes to them and gives them this car so they can continue their journey.

Mighty Mouse: Yamcha's tiny car that he rides in early Dragon Ball features olf-fashioned framework and design. This antique is more than adequate to accommodate him and his sidekick Puar, not to mention heavy artillery!

Monster Carrot's Car: The leader of the Rabbit gang drives this custom rabbit-style car. Looking somewhat like a Beetle, this is how to drive in style...if you're a giant rabbit.

Oolong's House Wagon: Poor Oolong. After he's debunked from his position as an abductor of girls, Oolong is forced to drive Goku and Bulma through a desert in his double-decker house wagon. It comes equipped with a kitchen, bathroom and upstairs bedroom. Very Nice!

Mr. Satan's Car: Mr. Satan drives in style with this lovely black town car. He arrives at Cell Game in this expensive beauty, and he's spent the extra dough to have his name painted on the roof and sides of the car. Much of an ego?

Milk Truck: This is a standard Milk Truck, obviously used to deliver milk to people's houses. Don't get to see many of those nowadays.

Pick-up Truck: This is a standard pick-up truck, it is mainly used as a means of transportation or like it's called to pick up stuff.

Farmer's Chevrolet: This is another truck, a bit more advanced than the standard pick-up truck. It belonged to the farmer who gets killed by Raditz, it has two seats in the cockpit and large cargo space in the rear. It takes a bumpy ride and manages to survive until Raditz blows it up into pieces.

Effeminate Ogre's Escort Car: This car is owned by an effeminate(having some characteristic of a woman that makes you seem delicate to an unmanly degree, womanish/weak) ogre. He escorts Goku to the entry way of the Snake Way road that is approximately a bit over 10,000 miles long. The car itself is small, comfortable, and has a moveable top in order for the passengers to exit.

AIR CARS

Ox King's Car: Seen first in Dragon Ball, given to Bulma, Goku, and Oolong in order to complete their mission. Chi-Chi's dad takes no chances with his car's safety. Installed on the front of this reinforced vehicle are machine guns. He just has to remember not to let his daughter succumb to road rage when she drives.

Capsule Silver Star 4: This jet car is owned by Yamcha, it is first seen after Ox-King gives his own to Bulma, Goku, and Oolong. This jet car is able to keep up to their new vehicle and is very roomy.

Western Capitol Taxi: With a ceiling as high as a van, and flip open doors, this makes a ride in a New York cab seem pretty bad. Hey wait, they were pretty bad to begin with.

Goku's Family Car: After he gets his license,(finally), Goku spares no expense,(it helps when your father-in-law is a rich king). This air car can also be driven on the road with descending wheels. The logo on the front is of that Capsule Corporation, so perhaps this was even a gift from Bulma.

Yajirobe's Car: The "Kia" of the Dragon Ball air cars, Yajirobe's ride is very simple. Two seats,(both of which he probably fills up), and basic parts. Nothing fancy, just something to get him from place to place. He uses this to reach Master Roshi's island.(At least it gets good mileage).

Master Roshi's Hover Craft: This simple hovercraft seats four and carries Master Roshi, Krillin, Goku and Lunch to his training island.

Yamcha's Hover Craft: This simple hovercraft looks like a flying motor bike. Yamcha uses it along with his sidekick Puar to steal people's goods in the Diablo Desert.

Police Hover Craft: These are the hover craft that the police use to try and capture Launch. She is easily able to keep ahead of these vehicles but isn't able to complete run away from them.

Trunk's Car: Another one of Capsule Corp's creations. Trunks uses this vehicle to visit Goten but it begins to fly a bit jagged so he stores it back in the capsule and flies the good ol' fashion way.

BIKES

Bulma's Motor Bike: This is the third vehicle seen in Dragon Ball. Bulma uses this bike after Goku wrecks her Capsule #9 Bike(Goku just loves wrecking things, doesn't he?). It's fast to keep up with Goku as he runs in their path to adventure.

Capsule #9 Bike: The second vehicle seen in Dragon Ball and the first one Goku actually rides in. After Goku wrecks Bulma's car, this is her other preferred means of transport. When Goku sees the vehicle appear from a Capsule, he thinks Bulma is a witch, but she assures him that she's a normal girl.

Capsule #14 Bike: Bulma changes from her Motor Bike to this Capsule #14 Bike to be able to math Goku's new speed with help from the Flying Nimbus. Like all motor bikes, it has an incredible speed rate, it is later stolen with the rest of her Capsules.

One Wheel Bike: This speedy and sporty one-person one-wheel bike is designed to look like a snail, but it's certainly not sluggish. This is the bike Lunch escapes from the authorities on when she first enters the series.

Oolong the Motor Bike: This motor bike is not like any other motor bike, in fact it's Oolong himself. This is another of his transformations, even though it's more like a rubber scooter he offers a ride to Bulma. Not the strongest machinary, he collapses as Bulma sits on him.

PLANES

Emperor Pilaf's Mission Plane: A regular plane designed for simple missions. This plane's similarity to a giant bird is the reason for its destruction. Goku considers it his next meal, when he sees Agent Mai and Shu near it he thinks they're trying to steal his meal. After being attacked by wolves, Goku destroys the plane when it's in flight.

Emperor Pilaf's Water Plane: A more advanced plane designed for simple air and water missions. It can transform from its plane form into a motored water plane. It's Emperor Pilaf's first time to accompany his agents(Mai and Shu) in a mission on this plane. While at Kame House, Master Roshi pokes a hole on it as he pushes it onto sea.

Passenger Plane for Papaya Island: A simple passenger plane that takes competitors to the World Tournament on Papaya Island. It's not exactly the fanciest of planes, but Master Roshi certainly likes the stewardess or...is that flight attendant?

Capsule #339 Plane: This huge cargo plane is used to transport the Namekians to the Capsule Corporation when they arrive on earth. The size of the plane is a bit impractical for normal use and this is only used once in the series.

Captain Yellow's Plane: Captain Yellow of the Red Ribbon Army pilots this one-man copter plane. Unfortunately for him, he's not a very skillful pilot and is defeated by Goku in a mid-air battle.

Yamcha's Plane: This handy little plane looks like it was inspired by a bug because of its large jet in the rear. Perfect for what Yamcha loves doing, impressing lovely ladies.

Blue's Plane: This single-pilot plane looks similar to Yamcha's. It's extremely fast and can keep up with Goku's Flying Nimbus for a bit. Unfortunately, he pays more attention to Goku than the mountain in front of him, which he crashes into.

Capsule #192 Plane: This rather unique-looking plane was used to pick up Goku, Krillin, Gohan and Yajirobe after the battle with Vegeta concluded. On the way home, the bodies of dead warriors were also picked up and loaded onto the plane. The inside is spacious and comfortable. Plenty of room and fun for the whole family, (when you're not picking up dead bodies).

Capsule #576 Plane: Looking like a VW van with a glass dome stuck on the front and wings, this is the major source of non-flight transportation in the Cell Saga. When characters need to shield their ki, they travel in around in this. It also seems to have driving capabilities, but if it does, it is not shown.

Red Ribbon Small Fighter: The design of this one-man fighter plane is similar to Ox King's car. Rugged reinforced design and twin machine guns in the front. Nice at getting the job done.

Pilaf's Flying Base: This mini-air fortress is owned by Emperor Pilaf. It is where we first see the first 100% evil (literally) villain in Dragon Ball, Piccolo Daimaou. Pilaf flies Piccolo around in this base and acts like he has control of Piccolo, but obviously Piccolo has ulterior motives and ditches Pilaf when he gets everything he needs.

Milk Helicopter: This is a regular helicopter but it is used to make Milk deliveries faster for the country people. Since houses are far away a truck would'nt be able to make it before breakfast time.

Capsule #87 Copter: This is basically a helicopter with a jet engine on it's rear. Not much info is shown on this vehicle but it's Bulma's preffered means of getting to Master Roshi's house to reunite with Goku.

Capsule #186 Plane: This is the plane Bulma and Vegeta used to visit Goku while he is sparring Goten in preparation for the World Martial Arts Tournament. It isn't shown anymore after this scene.

SHIPS

Red Ribbon Submarine: Everything you'd expect from a typical submarine is here. Missiles, launch pods, sirens, you name it, it's got it.

Capsule #80 Submarine: This Capsule Corp submarine is shown in the DBZ Movie Special, Trunk's Story. Master Roshi, Oolong, and Puar are hiding as they watch news reports of the Androids' destruction. The submarine has a standard telescope in which they use to look out for the Androids.

Capsule #103 Ship: This ship owned by Bulma and is pretty fast, it is powered by a single jet engine and takes Roshi, Krillin, and Bulma to where the Raditz battles was. They use it again during the Nappa and Vegeta battle to carry the Z Warrior's corpses, and again at the end of the fight to take Gohan, Goku, and Krillin to the hospital.

Capsule #115 Ship: This ship is owned by Yamcha, it is used to leave from what's left of Emperor Pilaf's Castle. It is very fast thanks to it's jet engines. It is later destroyed when they crash in what seems to be a rain forest.

BOATS

Capsule #8 Boat: This boat is used to cross the rivers after leaving Sherman Priest's Village. It runs out of gas in the middle of their water trip, Oolong turns into a paddle and Goku rows using Oolong. It is last seen being tied down right before crossing the Diablo Desert.

Krillin's Boat: This boat is used by Krillin in order to cross the sea to reach Master Roshi's island. It might not have it's technological equipment but it gets the job done.

Gohan's Boat: This boat is a catamaran which Gohan made himself to escape Piccolo and get back home. The boat has a log on one side of the catamaran and a hollowed out and carved log the other side, where the sailor sits. It also has a mast in the middle with a sail so it can be sailed or manually paddled.

ROBOTS

Shu's Robot: A four-legged robot designed for simple missions. It's piloted by Shu when he steals the Dragon Balls from Goku. Goku thinks he's "killed" the robot when he finds it abondoned down the road. This type of robot first appears when they raid Oolong's House Wagon to try and plant a bomb on it.

Battle Jacket: A very large Robot suit for beating the tar out of anything. The finishing touch is a missle launcher on its back. Goku fights the Battle Jacket when it is piloted by Red Ribbon's Black Attendant. In the end, Goku busts through the center of the suit and causes it to blow up, killing Black Attendant and the Red Ribbon Army except for that guy named Dr. Gero, but he couldn't cause any trouble by himself...right?? In the 10th Anniversary Dragon Ball Movie, the Battle Jacket is once again Goku's final nemesis, however, it is a far more dramatic battle and the Battle Jacket is far larger and much better equipped: Chest laser cannon, Missiles a la Heavy Arms Custom, jet boosters and a load of lethal touches. Not a machine to mess with.

Pilaf Robo: This Voltron-esque trio of robots are each a little dangerous on their own, but they can join together forming a large and rather intimidating opponent. However, when Goku blasts half of the robot off with a Kamehameha, it reveals its final form, a giant chicken.

Time Machine: Designed by Future Bulma, this device enables Trunks to travel back in time to deliver heart medicine to Goku and to warn him of the Androids. It takes 8 months to fully charge the Time Machine and it is not fully known whether this is due to the bleak future's power supply, or if it would normally take that long. In the third future, Cell kills Trunks and rides the Time Machine into the past, arriving in the present, just when Goku defeated Frieza on Namek. This is one of those devices where the old proverb,"a tool for good or great evil", applies.

SPACESHIPS

Namekian Spaceship: This was the ship used by Piccolo to arrive on Earth. All modern conveniences are available in the ship, you just need to ask for it in Namekian. It travels extremely fast and delivers Krillin, Bulma and Gohan to Namek in a matter of months.

Capsule Spaceship: Based on the architecture of the ship Goku came to Earth in, this modified capsule is very fast and designed for special gravity training. Vegeta later utilizes the ship's gravity during the years before the Androids arrive.

Frieza's Spaceship: This bug-like ship is a winding maze of hallways and rooms. The interior is actually rather bright and cheery, which says something nice for Frieza's sense of interior décor. This ship is destroyed with the planet Namek.

Round Spaceship: The classic mode of transportation for all deep-space travelers. For especially long trips, there is a cold sleep mode, which lets the passenger rest peacefully while it zips around the universe.

Babidi's Spaceship: An underground tower of terror, Babidi's ship is a 6 level battle stage. Each level of Babidi's ship holds a new challenge. First is a menagerie of low-level fighters, second is Majin Pui Pui's level, he's easily defeated by Vegeta. Next is the monster Yakon's territory. He likes to fight in the dark, but Goku devises a bright idea to beat him. Finally is Darbura's stage. He battles Gohan, but Babidi calls back his minion after some time because he gets a good idea. The next level has no guardian and the final stage contains, Majin Buu.

Saiyan Space Pod: These space pods are designed to be able to travel straight through meteors without injuring the passenger during the flight, or damaging the pod, they appear to have a rough landing but the passenger is secured safely within the pod. They are used by the Saiyans to arrive on Earth, Raditz' pod is the first one seen in the series. Vegeta and Nappa also have their own space pod in which they land on Earth.

MYSTICAL

Flying Nimbus: The Flying Nimbus (AKA The Kintoun) is Goku's main mode of transportation before he learns how to fly. Only a person with a pure heart can ride it. It is a living entity and it can be killed. It is killed by Tambourine and thought to be gone forever, but later, it is discovered that there is actually a gigantic heard of Flying Nimbus and one breaks off, becoming Goku's New ride.

Magic Carpet: Mr. Popo's magic carpet is only used once during the series at the end of the battle with Vegeta. He uses it to take Bulma to Yunzabit Heights to uncover Kami's Spaceship.

Kid Gamera: Inspired by the giant monster-movie turtle, this little Gamera works like Flying Nimbus, but in a very dizzying style, just like in the movies.

OTHER

Gohan's Sand Windsurfer: Gohan makes this useful item to travel through the desert using the wind. It looks just like a normal sea windsurfer but is made entirely out of wood, except for the sail.