The ‘Dragon Ball’ character who changed their name because Toriyama completely forgot about them
Toei asked the mangaka for the name of Pilaf’s dog-shaped henchman, but it turns out he didn’t have one.
The world of ‘Dragon Ball’ is so vast that even its creator, the legendary Akira Toriyama, occasionally forgets details—like the names of some characters. This was the case for one of Pilaf’s henchmen, the first major villain of the saga, whom Toriyama himself forgot. In fact, it seems the character didn’t even have a name at the start of the series. When Toei Animation, the team behind Goku and friends’ anime, asked Toriyama for the character’s name, his answer revealed he hadn’t named him yet. Thus, the character was christened Shu.
Even Toriyama Forgot Pilaf’s Henchman’s Name
Toei was keen to know the name of one of the characters from the first ‘Dragon Ball’ arc, where Pilaf tries (and fails) to use the Dragon Balls to become king of the world. The anime creators sought Toriyama’s input for the names of several characters, including the anthropomorphic dog dressed as a ninja and loyal to Pilaf. However, it seems Toriyama hadn’t named the character, so they decided to call him Shu.
The name Shu fits perfectly when you consider that Pilaf’s other henchwoman was named Mai. Together, their names form “shu-mai,” which is a type of Chinese dumpling. This continues the tradition of naming ‘Dragon Ball’ characters after food, clothing, drinks, and more—like Pilaf, which is a type of rice.
Interestingly, Toriyama had originally given the character a name, but he forgot it. The character was initially called Soba, which also ties into the food theme, as “soba-mai” is a grain similar to Chinese rice. By the time Toriyama realized the mix-up, it was too late, so he renamed Pilaf’s loyal henchman Shu in the manga as well.
Pilaf and his henchmen have continued to feature in the series, from the Piccoro Dai Maku arc to ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ with their younger appearances. Notably, Mai even becomes Trunks' love interest.
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