Tenshinhan
Tenshinhan is a prominent martial artist from the Dragon Ball series. Originally trained under Master Shen of the Crane School, he initially appeared as a ruthless opponent. However, after engaging in fierce battles against Son Goku and receiving guidance from Master Roshi during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, he shed his villainous ways. He subsequently joined Son Goku and his allies as a dependable defender of Earth, continuously honing his skills through rigorous training.
Overview
Tenshinhan is a prominent martial artist from the Dragon Ball series. Originally trained under Master Shen of the Crane School, he initially appeared as a ruthless opponent. However, after engaging in fierce battles against Son Goku and receiving guidance from Master Roshi during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, he shed his villainous ways. He subsequently joined Son Goku and his allies as a dependable defender of Earth, continuously honing his skills through rigorous training.
Appearance
Tenshinhan is a tall, muscular man standing 187 cm tall and weighing 75 kg. His most striking features are his completely bald head and a third eye situated in the middle of his forehead. He bears a distinct scar across his chest, inflicted by Tao Pai Pai during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Initially wearing the traditional Crane School uniform, he frequently transitions to fighting bare-chested, wearing tank tops, or adopting ascetically styled robes marked with the character for sky or heaven.
Personality
Though introduced as a cold-blooded assassin-in-training, Tenshinhan is fundamentally a serious and highly disciplined martial artist driven by a pure desire for self-improvement. After severing ties with his abusive master, he revealed a noble and caring demeanor, demonstrating deep loyalty toward his close companion Chaozu and his fellow warriors. He approaches life with quiet humility, though his strict lifestyle makes him somewhat awkward and easily flustered when dealing with romantic advances.
Abilities
Tenshinhan possesses exceptional eyesight due to his third eye, allowing him to easily perceive rapid movements. He exhibits an extraordinary ability to mirror techniques after witnessing them only once. His signature attack, the Kikoho (Tri-Beam), concentrates vast energy to devastating effect at the cost of intense physical strain, later upgraded into the repeated-fire Shin-Kikoho. His versatile arsenal includes the Taiyoken (Solar Flare) to blind opponents, Shiyo-ken to sprout two extra arms, Shishin-no-Ken to divide into four bodies, and the ability to fire energy beams from his forehead eye.
Background
Raised as a disciple of Master Shen and Tao Pai Pai, Tenshinhan spent his youth training to become a lethal assassin. His encounter with Son Goku at the World Martial Arts Tournament altered his path, leading him to renounce his master's wicked philosophy. Alongside his lifelong partner Chaozu, he embarked on a journey to refine his martial arts, standing as a pivotal defender of Earth during crises involving King Piccolo, the Saiyans, and the Androids. In later years, he settled into a peaceful life engaged in farming while continuing his training.
Relationships
Tenshinhan shares an unbreakable bond with his junior fellow disciple Chaozu, with whom he is almost inseparable. He broke ties with his former mentor, Master Shen, and senior martial brother, Tao Pai Pai, after rejecting their ruthless ideology. Initially a fierce rival to Son Goku, he became one of his most trusted allies. He maintains strong friendships with Yamcha, Krillin, and Master Roshi, while harboring a lingering wariness toward Vegeta despite respecting his strength.
Trivia
His name is derived from Tenshindon, a popular Japanese-Chinese rice dish. He enjoys volleyball as a hobby, which directly inspired his comedic yet effective Haikyu-ken technique. According to supplemental publications, his unique physical traits stem from being a remote descendant of an alien race known as the Three-Eyed Clan who settled on Earth.
