Launch
Split-Personality FugitiveLaunch is one of the most memorable characters of the original Dragon Ball series and one of its strangest mysteries. A fugitive with an involuntary split personality, she switches between sweet blue-haired Blue Launch and trigger-happy blonde Blonde Launch every time she sneezes. This guide covers her dual nature, her role as Kame House's live-in housekeeper, her unrequited feelings for Tien, and the legendary story of why Toriyama simply forgot she existed.
1. Overview
Launch is introduced as a wanted criminal with a bounty on her head, but the truth is more complicated. She has two personalities: blue-haired Launch (sweet, gentle, hardworking) and blonde-haired Launch (violent, gun-obsessed, foul-mouthed). The switch is triggered by sneezing — and she has no control over it. Master Roshi and Krillin take her in as a live-in housekeeper (Roshi's motivations are predictably lecherous), and she becomes a fixture of Kame House throughout the original Dragon Ball and early Dragon Ball Z.
Who should read this guide: Dragon Ball fans curious about Launch's bizarre disappearance, character design enthusiasts interested in Toriyama's early writing style, and anyone who wants to understand why a minor character from 1986 still generates discussion forums today.
2. Basic Data
| Attribute | Blue Launch | Blonde Launch | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hair Color | Blue (dark) | Blonde | Color change is instantaneous with sneeze |
| Personality | Timid, kind, polite | Aggressive, wild, criminal | Complete behavioral inversion |
| Combat Ability | ~5 (civilian) | ~50 (armed) | Blonde relies entirely on firearms |
| Primary Skill | Cooking, cleaning | Marksmanship, intimidation | Each form has entirely different skillset |
| Typical Weapon | Broom, cooking utensils | Machine gun, dynamite | Blonde always carries heavy weapons |
| Memory Retention | Partial | Partial | Both forms retain fragmented memories |
3. Ability Analysis
Launch is not a combat-focused character, but her unique dual-personality mechanic makes her one of the most memorable characters in early Dragon Ball.
Sneeze Trigger (Personality Switch)
Mechanism: Any sneeze, voluntary or involuntary, triggers an instantaneous switch between Blue and Blonde Launch. The switch includes hair color change, clothing style change (sometimes), and complete personality rewrite.
Key behavior: Blonde Launch can be calmed down if someone prevents her from sneezing back, but the change is ultimately uncontrollable. External irritants like pepper or dust can trigger unwanted switches.
Notable limitation: Neither personality seems to fully remember what the other does, though both have some fragmented awareness. This makes long-term planning difficult for both versions.
Blonde Launch: Weapons Proficiency
Mechanism: Blonde Launch is highly skilled with firearms, particularly machine guns, pistols, and explosives. She carries an Uzi-style submachine gun as her signature weapon.
Combat role: In the context of early Dragon Ball (where most fighters rely on martial arts), Blonde Launch's gunplay provides a unique comedic contrast. Her weapons are useless against power-scaled opponents but very effective against regular humans and police.
Blue Launch: Domestic Expertise
Mechanism: Blue Launch is an exceptional cook, cleaner, and household manager. She keeps Kame House running smoothly, cooking meals for Roshi, Krillin, and Goku.
Narrative role: Blue Launch provides the domestic grounding that the original Dragon Ball needed. Between world-threatening battles and martial arts tournaments, she represents normalcy and daily life at Kame House.
4. Build: Character Development
Launch's character arc is unusual because it peaks early, plateaus, and then vanishes entirely. Understanding her trajectory reveals a lot about Toriyama's writing process.
Stage 1: Introduction (Dragon Ball Chapters 26-40)
Launch is introduced as a wanted criminal, but the reveal of her split personality immediately establishes her as a gag character. Her early appearances alternate between Blonde Launch trying to rob or shoot someone and Blue Launch apologizing profusely. The visual gag of her hair color and entire demeanor changing with a sneeze is played for maximum comedic effect. She appears during the Uranai Baba arc and the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.
Stage 2: Kame House Years (Dragon Ball Chapters 40-194)
Launch becomes the de facto housekeeper of Kame House. Blue Launch does the cooking and cleaning; Blonde Launch occasionally terrorizes visitors. During this period, she develops a crush on Tien Shinhan, following him around and trying to get his attention. Tien, focused entirely on his martial arts training, barely acknowledges her. This one-sided relationship becomes a running gag.
Stage 3: Disappearance (Post-Saiyan Saga)
After the Saiyan Saga, Launch simply stops appearing. She does not die, she is not written out — she is forgotten. In a 2014 interview, Toriyama admitted he completely forgot Launch existed, saying he designed too many characters and she slipped through the cracks. She makes a brief epilogue cameo in the Buu Saga manga (chasing Tien through the mountains) and an even briefer appearance in Dragon Ball Super (waving during the Spirit Bomb collection), but her role is effectively over after Chapter 194.
5. Strategy Guide: Launch as a Comedic Character
Launch's effectiveness as a character comes from a specific comedic formula that Toriyama mastered in early Dragon Ball.
The Switch Timing Formula
The most effective Launch gags follow a pattern: set up a situation where one personality is at a disadvantage -> introduce an irritant -> sudden sneeze -> instant personality flip -> chaos ensues. For example, Blonde Launch being arrested -> sneezes -> Blue Launch appears confused -> police let her go. Or Blue Launch having a quiet conversation -> sneezes -> Blonde Launch pulls out a gun.
Why She Worked
Two characters in one design slot was efficient storytelling. Goku and Krillin's domestic handler doubled as Roshi's chaotic foil. The visual transformation from innocent blue-haired maiden to wild-eyed blonde criminal with an Uzi was a sight gag that never got old. Launch's dual nature also let Toriyama address two different audience expectations: domestic comedy and action-comedy, switching between them at will.
The Tien Dynamic
Launch's unrequited crush on Tien is one of Dragon Ball's most underdeveloped threads. Blonde Launch is fiercely protective of Tien despite his indifference. In one notable scene, when Tien is injured during the Piccolo Daimao arc, Launch rushes to help him — switching between forms as she sneezes from dust. The relationship never develops because Tien is too focused on training and Launch's writer forgot about her.
6. Matchup Analysis
| Character | Blue Launch | Blonde Launch | Dynamic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Master Roshi | Respectful helper | Angry enforcer | Keeps Roshi in line indirectly |
| Krillin | Friendly roommate | Intimidating presence | Krillin walks on eggshells |
| Tien | Shy admirer | Protective admirer | One-sided; Tien barely notices |
| Goku | Friend/helper | Aggravated | Goku is mostly oblivious |
| Police | Cooperative | Hostile/evasive | She has a bounty, after all |
7. Expert Tips
Lesser-known facts and analysis about Dragon Ball's most famous forgotten character.
- •Toriyama's own explanation: In a 2014 interview with Kanzenshuu, Toriyama stated he simply forgot Launch existed after the Saiyan Saga. His process involved designing many characters for each arc, and characters who were not directly involved in the main plot naturally fell out of his mental rotation. Launch was never killed off — she was just not drawn anymore.
- •Buu Saga epilogue cameo: In the final chapter of Dragon Ball Z (Chapter 517), Launch is shown in the background chasing Tien through the mountains with a rocket launcher. This single panel confirms she survived the entire series and still maintains her obsession.
- •Dragon Ball Super cameo: Launch briefly appears during Episode 98 of DBS, waving at the sky during the Spirit Bomb collection against Kid Buu. This 2-second appearance is her only animated appearance in the Super era.
- •Video game appearances: Launch is playable in several Dragon Ball games including Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden 2, and several Heroes installments. Her movesets typically include her machine gun and the sneeze-switch mechanic as a taunt-style ability.
- •Fan theory: Some fans theorize Toriyama intentionally retired Launch because her gag nature did not fit Dragon Ball Z's increasingly serious tone. Others argue her disappearance was simply an oversight that became a running joke once Toriyama was reminded of it in interviews.
8. FAQ
Why did Launch disappear from Dragon Ball?
Akira Toriyama admitted in a 2014 interview that he simply forgot Launch existed after the Saiyan Saga. She was not written out or killed — she was overlooked as the story shifted to more powerful characters and cosmic stakes. Toriyama's character design process involved creating many characters rapidly, and those not essential to the main plot naturally stopped appearing.
Does Launch appear in Dragon Ball Super?
Yes, but only as a brief cameo. In Dragon Ball Super Episode 98, during the Spirit Bomb collection against Kid Buu (a flashback sequence), Launch is visible waving at the sky. This is her only appearance in the Super anime, and it lasts approximately 2 seconds.
Which personality is the real Launch?
Both are equally "real." Unlike traditional split-personality portrayals where one personality is the original, Launch's condition is presented as a genuine dual identity. Neither personality is dominant or primary — they simply alternate whenever she sneezes. The series does not suggest one is a suppressed version of the other.
Did Launch ever marry Tien?
No. Launch's crush on Tien is entirely one-sided. Tien, dedicated to his martial arts training, never reciprocates her feelings. In the Buu Saga epilogue, she is shown chasing him with a rocket launcher — suggesting she is still pursuing him decades later.
Can Launch use ki techniques?
No. Launch has no ki control whatsoever. She cannot fly, project energy, or use any standard Dragon Ball techniques. Blonde Launch relies exclusively on conventional firearms, which are effective only against ordinary humans. This makes her one of the few Dragon Ball characters who operates entirely outside the ki-based power system.
