Oolong is the cigar-chomping, shapeshifting pig who holds the dubious honor of being the most consequential comedy character in Dragon Ball history. A student of the Southern Transformation Kindergarten before being expelled for stealing the teacher's panties, Oolong's shapeshifting ability is limited to five minutes per transformation, after which he must rest.Oolong is the cigar-chomping, shapeshifting pig who holds the dubious honor of being the most consequential comedy character in Dragon Ball history. A student of the Southern Transformation Kindergarten before being expelled for stealing the teacher's panties, Oolong's shapeshifting ability is limited to five minutes per transformation, after which he must rest. His personality is defined by cowardice, perversion, and a chronic inability to live up to the expectations of heroism — traits that, paradoxically, have repeatedly saved the world. His single most important act in the entire franchise occurred in the very first arc: when Emperor Pilaf summoned Shenron and prepared to wish for world domination, Oolong, in a panic, blurted out a wish for a pair of panties before Pilaf could speak. This absurd, impulsive act saved the world on literally the first possible occasion and set the tone for Dragon Ball's unique blend of world-ending stakes and juvenile comedy. Oolong's transformations, including his battle form as a giant robot and his most commonly used form as a small pig, gave the early Dragon Ball adventures their signature visual creativity. He traveled with Goku and Bulma throughout the original Dragon Ball, providing comic relief, complaining about the danger, and occasionally rising to the occasion despite himself. His dynamic with Puar, another shapeshifting animal who attended the same school, is one of friendly rivalry, with the two sharing transformation tips and mutual exasperation at the Saiyans' disregard for personal safety. In later arcs, Oolong receded to background status, appearing at Capsule Corp and during social gatherings, his role as the shapeshifting trickster having been supplanted by cosmic-scale threats. Yet his place in Dragon Ball history is secure: without Oolong's panty wish, Pilaf would have conquered Earth, and the entire Dragon Ball story would have ended three episodes in.... Read more
