History Heartwarming / Dragonball

* Akira Toriyama's passing in March of 2024 resulted in worldwide grieving...but also ''millions'' of people and creators speaking up about how much his characters and stories, especially Dragon Ball, changed their lives for the better and formed so much of pop culture as we know it. Truly the kind of man to make you smile and cry at the same time, even in death.

* The ending animation of ''Yo! Son Goku and his Friends Return!!'' It's basically a long montage of Goku's family: him and his grandfather; him and his wife; him and his wife, son, and father-in-law; him and his wife, eldest son, younger son, daughter-in-law, and daughter-in-law's father. There's a lot of hugs and small moments like Hercule passing food to Goten during a picnic.

* Episode 87 briefly showcases that Tien genuinely cares for Chiaotzu by not wanting him to catch a cold via exposing his [[CharlieBrownBaldness mostly]] bald head. [[PetTheDog This was early on]] back when he was training to be an assasssin and speaks plenty about their friendship given that he was [[KickTheDog previously]] quick to throw their CoolPet [=InoShikaCho=] under the bus to avoid a lynching.[[note]]This was DubText; in Japanese, an embarrassed Tenshinhan was merely warning Chaozu not to start petty squabbles with Kuririn.[[/note]]

* Episode 87 briefly showcases that Tien genuinely cares for Chiaotzu by not wanting him to catch a cold by exposing his [[CharlieBrownBaldness mostly]] bald head. [[PetTheDog This was early on]] back when he was training to be an assasssin and speaks plenty about their friendship given that he was [[KickTheDog previously]] quick to throw their CoolPet [=InoShikaCho=] under the bus to avoid a lynching.

* Episode 87 briefly showcases that Tien genuinely cares for Chiaotzu by not wanting him to catch a cold. [[PetTheDog This was early on]] back when he was training to be an assasssin and speaks plenty about their friendship given that he was [[KickTheDog previously]] quick to throw their CoolPet [=InoShikaCho=] under the bus to avoid a lynching.

** His reunion with the gang in general is one, as it dawns on them that the little boy they knew is now a grown man. It's even more emotional in [[https://youtu.be/B4pFpsR0BQ4?t=52 the Japanese version]] where Masako Nozawa continues portraying him into adulthood, showing that despite his physical growth he's still that boy at heart.

** The original version just have Goku states that he thought "bride" was something you could eat. "But a promise is a promise, so let's marry."

* Tenshinhan's victory at the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. This entire tournament has put Tien through the wringer: he's here for the sole purpose of beating the Kame School martial artists, but when they find out Goku killed Tao Pai Pai, Tenshinhan's role model and his master's younger brother, the goal becomes to kill Goku. At the same time, he shows a sincere desire to win the tournament and test his strength. He brutalizes Yamcha well beyond necessity for a friendly tournament, breaking his leg, but stops short of killing him, because then he'd be disqualified. Jackie Chun (Master Roshi in disguise) forfeits their match, after talking to Tenshinhan a bit and trying to convince him that he has more potential than just being Tsurusennin's bully. Tenshinhan is stunned by this, because while Tsurusennin's goal is to humiliate Roshi and his students, Roshi's is to encourage his students' improvement by the experience and the reminder that there's always someone stronger. Tenshinhan fights Goku next, and Goku, being Goku, gives him a run for his money. Halfway through, Goku starts shouting at Tenshinhan to stop cheating. Tenshinhan scoffs at this, but eventually he realizes Tsurusennin is forcing Chiaotzu to incapacitate Goku psychically. Goku apologizes once Tenshinhan demands to be able to fight Goku fairly, because he realizes he wants to test his strength and improve more than he wants revenge or to be an assassin like Tao. Tien is still in shock, because his refusal to kill Goku and insistence on fighting fairly has amounted to a betrayal of his master, but he allows Goku to beat him down for a bit without fighting back, to make up for the blows he landed with Chiaotzu's help. This tournament, he says, is all he has left now. He uses his strongest attack to destroy the ring, warning Goku to dodge it because he doesn't want to kill him, reasoning that if there's no ring and Goku can't fly, he'll lose by ring out as soon as he dodges, since Tenshinhan ''can'' fly. Goku manages to use a Kamehameha to propel himself into Tenshinhan and injure him enough that they're both in freefall. Goku crashes into a truck and lands first, losing by ring out. The entire crowd runs over to cheer and congratulate them, Tenshinhan and Goku are hoisted on people's shoulders to greet each other, and Tenshinhan is awed by the ''positive'' attention. Master Roshi assures him he's earned it, now that he sees how much better it is to seek to improve yourself than to vanquish enemies. For bonus points, Yamcha is the first one to start the applause for Tenshinhan. Tenshinhan tries to give Goku half the prize money later, and quietly apologizes to Yamcha, once Yamcha congratulates him again. It's an exhaustive HeelFaceTurn, and surprisingly emotive, especially if you've come from DBZ first.

* Tenshinhan's victory at the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. This entire tournament has put Tien through the wringer: he's here for the sole purpose of beating the Kame School martial artists, but when they find out Goku killed Tao Pai Pai, Tenshinhan's role model and his master's younger brother, the goal becomes to kill Goku. At the same time, he shows a sincere desire to win the tournament and test his strength. He brutalizes Yamcha well beyond necessity for a friendly tournament, breaking his leg, but stops short of killing him, because then he'd be disqualified. Jackie Chun (Master Roshi in disguise) forfeits their match, after talking to Tenshinhan a bit and trying to convince him that he has more potential than just being Tsurusennin's bully. Tenshinhan is stunned by this, because while Tsurusennin's goal is to humiliate Roshi and his students, Roshi's is to encourage his students' improvement by the experience and the reminder that there's always someone stronger. Tenshinhan fights Goku next, and Goku, being Goku, gives him a run for his money. Halfway through, Goku starts shouting at Tenshinhan to stop cheating. Tenshinhan scoffs at this, but eventually he realizes Tsurusennin is forcing Chiaotzu to incapacitate Goku psychichally. Goku apologizes once Tenshinhan demands to be able to fight Goku fairly, because he realizes he wants to test his strength and improve more than he wants revenge or to be an assassin like Tao. Tien is still in shock, because his refusal to kill Goku and insistence on fighting fairly has amounted to a betrayal of his master, but he allows Goku to beat him down for a bit without fighting back, to make up for the blows he landed with Chiaotzu's help. This tournament, he says, is all he has left now. He uses his strongest attack to destroy the ring, warning Goku to dodge it because he doesn't want to kill him, reasoning that if there's no ring and Goku can't fly, he'll lose by ring out as soon as he dodges, since Tenshinhan ''can'' fly. Goku manages to use a Kamehameha to propel himself into Tenshinhan and injure him enough that they're both in freefall. Goku crashes into a truck and lands first, losing by ring out. The entire crowd runs over to cheer and congratulate them, Tenshinhan and Goku are hoisted on people's shoulders to greet each other, and Tenshinhan is awed by the ''positive'' attention. Master Roshi assures him he's earned it, now that he sees how much better it is to seek to improve yourself than to vanquish enemies. For bonus points, Yamcha is the first one to start the applause for Tenshinhan. Tenshinhan tries to give Goku half the prize money later, and quietly apologizes to Yamcha, once Yamcha congratulates him again. It's an exhaustive HeelFaceTurn, and surprisingly emotive, especially if you've come from DBZ first.

* The end of the episode "Tien's Atonement". During their search for another Dragon Ball, Tien comes face-to-face with an old rival he previously crippled in a fight. After some arguing and even briefly being accused of being responsible for the resent killing of the martial artists. Tien eventually gets on his hands and knees and begs for the ball. Even offering the man he'd crippled a chance to do the same to him. This causes the man to relent, and he gives Tien the ball.

*** This reunion also cushions the blow later when, after seeing Vegeta turn into the Oozaru, Goku finally pieces it together that ''he'' was the one who crushed and killed his grandpa all those years ago. While Goku is genuinely remorseful, knowing his grandpa loved him and didn't hold it against him gave him the strength to keep fighting and not dwell on his regret.

[[caption-width-right:320:"I looked for you everywhere and I couldn't find you!"]]

* ''Heartwarming/DragonBallGT''

----

[[folder: Dragonball]]

** For bonus points, Krillin manages to win his match against Chiaotzu with math. Chiaotzu has to stop and count on his fingers to solve 9 - 1 (disrupting his psychic attacks aimed with his hands), but Krillin can add double-digits quickly in his head. Because Master Roshi cared enough about him and Goku to make sure they were healthy, well-rounded young men.

-->'''Roshi''': How can you say such things, when it was you who brought our world peace again? If not your training, Goku would never have attained the level of skill he has now. Junior would have won! And if the Dragon Balls hadn't been forged, none of these young warriors would have ever met. And I can't begin to count the number of people who owe their lives to these kids! When their quest began, they were just children. But they soon grew into heroes. When the world needed saving, eight kids answered the call. One ball; that's how it all began.

* After Goku defeats Piccolo Jr., Kami laments that he has not accomplished anything significant during his reign as Guardian of the Earth and he had to rely on mortals to save the day. Master Roshi points out that had Kami hadn't trained Goku, he would never have been strong enough to defeat Piccolo Jr., and if he had never created the Dragon Balls, Bulma would have never gone on a journey and met Goku, met Yamcha, Roshi, etc. If it wasn't for Kami, none of them would have met and become the heroes they are today. Touched, Kami tells Goku that Roshi is a wise man indeed.

* The climax of the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budokai in the anime, which led to the fight been taken ''a few miles outside the arena'' but ended in Tenshinhan (while completely unconscious) barely winning the match because Goku was unfortunate to land first (he flew a van), the ''entire audience'' vacates the arena and runs towards the two combatants to applaud them. Later, a large man offers to hold Tenshinhan on his shoulders, claiming he must be exhausted from the fight. Keep in mind just hours before, Tenshinhan was very much the biggest {{Heel}} seen in a Tenka'ichi Budokai thus far and only [[HeelFaceTurn changed his ways]] during the fight with Goku. The same is almost done with Goku, and the two are brought closer together to congratulate each other, and they just smile at each other. Even Krillin was getting teary-eyed.

* There's something about Goku and Krillin's reunion in the original series episode, "Changes." Krillin had been revived by Goku three years prior but never got a chance to thank him.