Tenshinhan (known as Tien Shinhan in the Funimation dub) is a Dragon Ball Z hero and a Z Warrior. He originally starts out as a villain but later becomes a hero. He defeated Goku in the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai and his best friend is Chiaotzu. Tenshinhan is one of the strongest Earthlings on the show and becomes one of Goku's greatest allies.
Appearance[]
Tien Shinhan is a very muscular bald-headed man of an above-average height. His most prominent feature is his third eye, which he has inherited from his alien ancestors (although some sources claim the third eye was achieved via intense meditation). Allegedly, Tien is not naturally bald, as it is stated by his former mentor, Master Shen, that he shaves his head regularly. Another noteworthy trait of his, is the large scar on the right side of his chest, starting at his collar bone and running all the way down to his abdomen; Tien received this scar at the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai during his fight against his former mentor, Mercenary Tao, who caught him off guard with his Hidden Blade attack, scarring him for life. Throughout the series, he was worn a large number of outfits. However, out of all of his many outfits, the most iconic one is the green gi he wore during the Cell Saga; which consists of a green one shoulder tank top, a pair of baggy green pants, red-and-green wristbands, black boots with yellow covers and a red sash. Tien's non-combat outfit typically consists of a Hanfu-style robe with loose pants and boots, in contrast to the Manchu-style clothing that most Chinese characters in the series wear.
Personality[]
Tien Shinhan was originally a cold and ruthless (both as a warrior and a person), showing little care for others (with the exception of his cohorts), as he at one point contemplated killing Son Goku for being a potential threat to them. He highly respected Mercenary Tao and wanted to be a famous assassin like him. He also demonstrated a sense of brutality by needlessly breaking Yamcha's leg after defeating him.
Due to Master Roshi and Goku's consolations, Tien's personality had changed drastically to the point that he had wished to atone for his sins. Despite the transition and making new friends, Tien is very reclusive and spends his time training to become a better fighter. He (like Piccolo and Vegeta) is very stern and serious, displaying a lesser comical side compared to most of the other members of the Dragon Team.
In battle, Tien fights honorably and dislikes any kind of foul play. He hates being on the sidelines, and unlike the other Earthling characters in the latter half of the story (such as Kuririn and Yamcha, the latter of whom eventually retired from fighting), he will still fight regardless of the odds.
His best friend is Chiaotzu, whom he cares deeply about, as the two are often together. After changing his ways, Tien apologizes to Yamcha and the two become good friends and forged a friendly rivalry, the two men are shown working well alongside each other in combat. He doesn't think much on romance, having an on and off relationship with Launch (sometimes leaving before she even arrives).