"Tadaa! We just wanted to slip into something more comfortable. These are the most advanced armored battle bots ever made. I call them my Power Suits." |
Pilaf Machines (ピラフマシン) are Emperor Pilaf's robots, mainly used when battling Goku for the Dragon Balls.
Overview
A Pilaf Machine first appears controlled by Shu when he attacks the Dragon Ball Gang's hovercar in Diablo Desert to steal their Dragon Balls.
Later, during the Fortuneteller Baba Saga, Goku is still searching for the last Dragon Ball and is able to view the location of the Dragon Balls by using Fortuneteller Baba's Crystal Ball. The Crystal Ball then reveals it to be in a car (who later turns out to be Emperor Pilaf's car, along with his minions Shu and Mai) on the City Street. Goku then decides that he will go find the Dragon Ball, and tells Upa to keep an eye on the remaining six. Goku then heads off in search of the last Dragon Ball. Yamcha then wonders why the Dragon Radar could not pick up the last one, to which Bulma responds by saying it might be broken.
Goku then arrives and ambushes Pilaf and his minions while they are driving in their car (comically, by jumping from his Flying Nimbus and landing on top of their car). Pilaf then gets out the car and challenges Goku for the remaining Dragon Balls, saying that if he won Goku would have to give up the last Dragon Balls and to make a pinky and thumb promise (to which Goku senselessly responds by saying "It's impolite to swear"). Goku accepts the challenge however, and the battle begins. Pilaf, Shu, and Mai then all pull out [apsule's that morph into what Emperor Pilaf calls "Pilaf Machines". Goku then assumes that he will win easily and attacks Pilaf Machine. Pilaf Machine, however, is able to catch a kick surprisingly from Goku, and is also able to gain the upper hand several times on him.
Pilaf then order's Shu to eliminate Goku, and deliver's several blasts, that after a while, seem to have killed Goku. Goku survives easily however (by burrowing underground), and Pilaf and his fellow minions then begin to strategize a way of defeating Goku. They then notice that his tail is his only weakness and attempt to pull his tail. Pilaf and his lackies then surround Goku and begin attack on the count of three. Shu then notices that Goku's tail is gone and theorizes that he has it tucked it in his pants and they then begin to once again organize a plan of dealing with the young Goku. Pilaf Machine, Shu, and Mai gang up on Goku, with Mai holding him while Shu burns off his pants, giving Pilaf the chance to pull off his tail. Pilaf Machine, then is shocked, along with his minions, only to notice that Goku's tail is gone. Goku then announces that it was removed during his battle with Grandpa Gohan.
Pilaf then resorts to his final plan by combining all of his Pilaf Machines into one giant one. Goku, however, is not surprised and simply destroys the robot's right arm, with a Kamehameha. This attack once again surprises everyone and Pilaf is forced to once again revert his Pilaf Machines into another robot (in the shape of an ostrich). Goku then chases after them and Pilaf then releases a powerful missile at the young Saiyan, but Goku is able to catch it however, and throw it back at Pilaf, destroying the Machine. Pilaf is then forced to give up his Dragonball and forces Shu to give up his clothes (due to him having burned off Goku's pants) and leaves Shu naked.
Pilaf and the others later use a third generation of Pilaf Machines to travel Mount Frappe in the [|Dragon Ball]] anime filler episode "Outrageous Octagon". In Dragon Ball GT, Pilaf used his Pilaf Machine to reach Kami's Lookout and steal the Black Star Dragon Ball's.
Power
While in the Pilaf Machine, Pilaf's power proved to be fairly equal to Goku's and far too tough for him to make a dent in (though he does manage to deal two effective blows to Pilaf Machine). Pilaf's strength also seems to grow a decent price when combined with his fellow minions Shu, Mai, and Emperor Pilaf himself. Despite being combined with his lackies, Pilaf Machine's right arm is destroyed easily with a Kamehameha wave, however, due to all the power that the robot suit possesses it is very likely that Pilaf Machine (Combined) could possibly be able to beat Goku.
Special abilities and arsenal
- Used by all several machines
Hikou – A special device inside the Pilaf Machine that allows it to fly. 'Arm Extension – The ability to elongate arms. Used by Pilaf's machine at the end of the Fortuneteller Baba Saga and by Shu's machine while the gang was on Mount Frappe. This technique is also used by Pilaf's machine in Dragon Ball: Advanced Adventure" and the "Dragon Ball Z: 'Budokai Tenkaichi video game series.
- Great Pilaf Operation – Pilaf launches himself at the opponent and lifts them up in the air. Shu, and Mai then arrive and then run over the opponent two times and while the opponent is in the air, they then fuse and tackle the opponent, dealing a massive amount of damage. It is the Pilaf Machine's Ultimate Blast in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
- Pilaf Machine
- Gigant Rock Throw – Pilaf Machine picks up a gigantic boulder and launches it at its opponent. This attack is one of the Pilaf Machine's Blast 2 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
- Rolling Smash – Pilaf Machine rolls itself up in a ball and launches itself at the opponent. This attack was names in the Budokai Tenkaichi series and is one of Pilaf Machine's Blast 2. Pilaf Machine uses a similar attack in Advanced Adventure.
- – One of the Pilaf Machine's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
- 'False Courage – One of the Pilaf Machine's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
- Mai Machine
- 'Double Buster – The Fused Pilaf Machine releases strong pink energy beams from the two slots on the front of Mai's unit, which deals great damage. In Dragon Ball GT and Advanced Adventure, Mai's machine launches two missiles from this slots instead of two beams.
- Gatling Gun – Mai's Pilaf Machine unit reveals a machine gun in one of its arms and releases waves of blasts at his opponent. This attack is one of the Fused Pilaf Machine's Blast 2 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. In Advanced Adventure, Mai's unit reveals two machine guns in the two slots on the front of her machine instead of the arm. It is also used by Mai in a first generation of Pilaf Machine in Dragon Ball: Origins, as well as the giant Pilaf Robot.
- Shu Machine
- Electric Waves – Shu's Pilaf Machine can shoot pink Energy Waves that look like bolts of electricity from its hands. In Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo, those attacks are yellow instead of pink. It is also used by the giant Pilaf Robot in Dragon Ball: Origins.
- Flamethrower – Shu's Pilaf Machine can throw flames from its "tail". It is also used by the giant Pilaf Robot in Dragon Ball: Origins.
- Bazooka|Launch Missiles! – Shu's Pilaf Machine can release a powerful missile. Shu first used it to destroy Ox-King's hovercar in Diablo Desert. He later used this technique against Goku on the City Street, but the missile was caught and thrown back at him and Pilaf, destroying his and Pilaf's machines. Shu also used the Launch Missiles! on Mount Frappe near the end of Dragon Ball, and on Kami's Lookout in Dragon Ball GT. It is the Fused Pilaf Machine's Ultimate Blast in the Budokai Tenkaichi series: Pilaf yells "launch missiles now!" and Shu's Pilaf Machine unit releases a powerful missile that deals a high amount of damage.
Trivia
- Pilaf Machines used in the Fortuneteller Baba Saga almost resemble the Battle Jacket of the Red Ribbon Army. Interestingly, in Dragon Ball: Origins 2, Emperor Pilaf employed Colonel Violet to lead him to the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters control room and find a surviving Red Ribbon Battle Jacket capsule.
- In the episode "Destination: Guru", Bulma uses a Capsule Corporation robot that looks similar to a Pilaf Machine.
- ↑ Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 credits