Pu'ar Guide: Overview
Pu'ar is the small, floating blue cat-like shapeshifter who has been Yamcha's loyal companion since childhood and one of Dragon Ball's most underestimated supporting characters. As a graduate of the Southern Transformation Kindergarten, Pu'ar mastered shapeshifting with a level of discipline that her classmate Oolong never achieved. While Oolong's transformations are limited to five minutes and require concentration, Pu'ar can maintain transformed forms indefinitely and replicate details with remarkable precision. Her combat contributions, while rare, have been critically important: she once transformed into giant scissors to cut off Goku's tail during his uncontrolled Great Ape rampage, effectively saving the world from an Oozaru that none of the Z-Fighters could have stopped. She has transformed into flying platforms for transport, duplicate copies of fighters for confusion tactics, and various animals for reconnaissance. Pu'ar's fighting style is entirely based on creative transformation use rather than direct combat, making her one of the few Dragon Ball characters whose effectiveness depends entirely on intelligence and imagination rather than power level. She represents the original Dragon Ball era's charm — a time when clever solutions defeated problems that raw power could not solve, and when a floating blue cat with scissors was the world's best hope against a rampaging giant ape.
Pu'ar Stats & Power Scaling
| Stat | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Power Level | F | ~10. Non-combatant. Physical threat level near zero. |
| Shapeshifting | A | Indefinite duration. Fine detail replication. Objects, animals, humanoids. |
| Flight | B+ | Natural levitation. Can carry passengers. Good speed and maneuverability. |
| Intelligence | B | Quick thinker. Creative problem-solving under pressure. |
| Durability | F | Extremely fragile. Single hit incapacitates. |
| Loyalty | S | Never abandoned Yamcha. Decades of unwavering companionship. |
Compared to other shapeshifting characters in Dragon Ball, Pu'ar is superior to Oolong in transformation duration and detail accuracy but inferior in raw magical power. Unlike Majin Buu's biological shapeshifting or the Namekian regeneration-based transformation, Pu'ar's ability is a learned magical skill from the Transformation Kindergarten. Her power level of 10 puts her below even Farmer with Shotgun in direct combat, but her tactical value in creative scenarios far exceeds what the numbers suggest. In the original Dragon Ball era, her greatest feat — cutting Great Ape Goku's tail — arguably saved the Earth from a catastrophe that would have required far greater power to resolve by force.
Pu'ar Skills & Techniques
Indefinite Shapeshifting
Unlike Oolong's five-minute limit, Pu'ar can maintain transformations indefinitely. She can replicate complex objects with fine detail, including scissors, flying platforms, animal forms, and humanoid duplicates. The transformation is magical in nature and does not consume visible energy.
Natural Flight
Pu'ar levitates naturally without visible effort, floating through the air using her small ears as propulsion. She can carry passengers (including humans) while flying, making her a useful transport for short distances. Her flight is silent and highly maneuverable.
Object Transformation
Pu'ar can transform into inanimate objects with full functional detail. Her scissors transformation (used against Oozaru Goku) retained sharpness and cutting ability. She has transformed into ropes, platforms, and other utility objects. This ability is unique among Dragon Ball shapeshifters.
Tactical Assessment
Pu'ar possesses sharp situational awareness and can identify tactical opportunities in combat. Her quick thinking during Goku's Great Ape attack demonstrated that she can analyze threats and execute creative solutions under extreme pressure.
Pu'ar Builds & Fighting Styles
Support Scout Style
Pu'ar's primary combat role is aerial reconnaissance and communication. She flies above the battlefield, relays enemy positions to allies, and identifies threats before they engage. Her small size and natural flight make her nearly invisible in busy combat scenarios.
Utility Transformer Style
This style focuses on transforming into objects that directly aid allies. Pu'ar becomes platforms for fighters needing elevation, ropes for crossing gaps, shields for blocking attacks, or duplicates for confusing enemies. Her creativity is the only limit to this approach.
Distraction Harasser Style
Using her shapeshifting to create confusion, Pu'ar transforms into copies of enemy fighters, giant versions of herself, or frightening creatures to disrupt opponent concentration. Even seconds of hesitation created by a well-timed transformation can turn a fight.
Pu'ar Strategy Guide
Pu'ar cannot win fights through direct confrontation. Her combat strategy revolves entirely around creating advantages for her allies and exploiting opponent vulnerabilities that raw power cannot address.
Pre-Fight Setup
Before engagement, Pu'ar should survey the battlefield from above and identify key environmental features. She can pre-position transformed objects (platforms, ropes) in strategic locations. Understanding the terrain lets her plan transformation placements that give allies positional advantages.
Mid-Fight Adaptation
During combat, Pu'ar stays mobile and observes. She looks for moments when a well-timed transformation can create decisive advantage. If an ally is pinned, she transforms into a distraction. If an enemy is charging a powerful attack, she creates a visual duplicate to split their focus.
Emergency Response
Pu'ar's most critical role is emergency extraction. If an ally is injured or overwhelmed, she provides rapid transport to safety. Her ability to carry passengers while flying makes her an invaluable medic and support unit. Never engage directly — always prioritize ally survival over offensive action.
Pu'ar Counters
Understanding Pu'ar's extreme limitations is necessary to protect her in combat scenarios. She is the most fragile regular character in Dragon Ball and requires constant protection.
Area of Effect Attacks
Any explosive or wide-area attack instantly defeats Pu'ar. She has no durability and no defensive techniques. A single energy blast's shockwave within her vicinity incapacitates her. Against opponents with AoE attacks, Pu'ar must maintain maximum distance.
Speed Blitz
Any opponent who can close distance faster than Pu'ar can react eliminates her utility. She cannot defend herself in close combat and has no evasive techniques beyond basic flight. Speedsters like Dyspo or early Dragon Ball Goku can defeat her before she transforms.
True Sight / Ki Sensing
Opponents who detect ki rather than visual appearance (like most Z-Fighters post-Saiyan Saga) see through Pu'ar's transformations. Her shapeshifting changes appearance but does not mask her ki signature. Against ki-sensing opponents, her duplicates and disguises provide zero tactical value.
Pu'ar Pro Tips
Creative Transformation: The more unconventional your transformation, the more effective. A flying platform is predictable. A giant pair of scissors that cuts your opponent's tail off is world-saving genius. Always look for the unexpected application.
Stay Behind Cover: Pu'ar should never be in the open during combat. Use terrain, structures, or allies' bodies as cover. Her small size makes her easy to hide behind objects that would not cover a human.
Voice Communication: Pu'ar's ability to speak while transformed is a tactical asset. She can relay observations, warn of incoming attacks, and coordinate allies from positions enemies cannot reach.
Know Your Limits: Pu'ar's greatest strength is recognizing when she is outmatched and staying out of the way. Attempting heroics will get her killed. Support from a safe distance is always better than a brave but fatal intervention.
Yamcha Synergy: Pu'ar and Yamcha have fought together for decades. Their coordination is instinctive. Leverage this bond — Pu'ar knows Yamcha's patterns and can predict his needs before he vocalizes them.
Pu'ar FAQ
Is Pu'ar male or female?
Pu'ar's gender is ambiguous in the original Japanese. English dubs typically portray Pu'ar as female with a feminine voice, but Toriyama never explicitly assigned a gender. The character uses gender-neutral pronouns in Japanese and is referred to inconsistently across translations.
Why is Pu'ar's shapeshifting better than Oolong's?
Pu'ar graduated from the Southern Transformation Kindergarten while Oolong was expelled. Her training was complete, allowing indefinite transformations with fine detail. Oolong's incomplete training left him with the five-minute limit and less precise control.
What is Pu'ar's greatest achievement?
Transforming into giant scissors and cutting off Goku's tail during his uncontrollable Great Ape transformation. This act stopped a rampaging Oozaru that none of the Z-Fighters could have defeated, potentially saving the Earth from destruction.
Why does Pu'ar stay with Yamcha?
Pu'ar and Yamcha have been companions since childhood, forming a bond that transcends combat relevance. Even as Yamcha became obsolete as a fighter, Pu'ar remained loyal, providing emotional support and companionship through every phase of his life.
Can Pu'ar transform into anything?
Pu'ar has demonstrated transformation into animals, objects, and humanoid forms. The limits of her ability are never explicitly defined. She cannot duplicate ki signatures or supernatural powers, so transformations are visual and physical only.
Q: What species is Pu'ar exactly?
A: Pu'ar belongs to a race of shapeshifting animals native to Earth in the Dragon Ball world. These anthropomorphic creatures can talk, walk upright, and possess innate magical abilities like transformation. Other members of this species include Oolong (a pig), Shu (a dog-like ninja), and various animal villagers from Dragon Ball's early adventures. The exact species name is never given in canon, but supplementary materials classify them as "Shapeshifting Animals" or "Beast Humans."
Q: Does Pu'ar appear in Dragon Ball Super?
A: Yes, Pu'ar makes brief cameo appearances in Dragon Ball Super, usually in the background of scenes featuring Yamcha. She appears notably during the baseball episode (Episode 70), where Yamcha's team competes against Beerus and Champa. Pu'ar also appears in slice-of-life episodes set in West City, continuing her role as Yamcha's constant companion even as his relevance as a fighter has diminished significantly.
