For the many years I’ve been a fan of DBZ, I’ve always seen Chi Chi in the brightest light.
That was even true when I was a teenager like many who “don’t get it” when it comes to Chi Chi.
I mean look at the question of this post. Why word it like that? Because people are asking this question, and people actually believe Chi Chi from DBZ to be a bad mother and a bad wife.
That’s why I’m setting the record straight even though I already did it over on Quora.
Is Chi Chi a bad wife? Let’s break it down:
1. To an ungrateful person, yes she is a “bad wife” or mother
First of all, the only way anyone who’s sane can see Chi Chi as being a bad mother or wife is if they’re ungrateful people.
You might say well this is just an opinion about fiction, but we forget our opinions are based on “reality” meaning it translates to how our attitudes are or would be to others in the real world.
I mean what more could you ask for:
Chi Chi is a literal housewife who takes care of EVERYTHING.
How many wives are gonna “take care” of everything in a situation where the man can’t be present all the time?
Not because that man is bad (Goku isn’t a bad person), but because he can’t be present a lot of the time.
And yet, as a housewife, there isn’t a thing she doesn’t do, if not more, and that to me is valuable and speaks to Chi Chi’s GREAT character.
She cooks, cleans, makes the best food Goku could ask for, and raises her kids to have morals and respect
Following up on the last point, Chi Chi cooks, cleans, prepares and makes the best food Goku could ask for when he’s home.
This is also true for the kids, but less so now that they have their own lives for the most part (mostly true for Gohan and Videl, but still).
On top of this, Chi Chi raised her kids to have morals and RESPECT not just for others, but for themselves. This is a reflection of Chi Chi herself who is a pleasant and gentle woman who respects people until they give her a reason not to.
Gohan goes on to become that type of man because of Chi Chi, despite being “pushy” in some ways, and becomes a productive part of society even if it’s in the context of DBZ where fights, Aliens, training, and destruction are part of the story.
Despite Goku’s absence or nonchalant attitude, Chi Chi sticks by him
Now I’m not suggesting anyone should be a mug for any partner they get with, but Chi Chi in this context is NOT a mug or a fool for that matter.
Goku is a special kind of guy. He literally fell on his head and it changed his entire personality, and he was raised in a forest so his understanding of the world and even Earth is a bit warped.
Falling on his head seemed to have made him obsessed with training as well.
Despite this, Chi Chi from the beginning accepts these flaws, sticks by the guy, and always has a home welcome for Goku when he’s ready or done with whatever “world” problems he’s dealing with.
How can Chi Chi be a bad wife or mother on the basis of this?
Even before winning the prize money (Hercule and whatnot), she worked her ass off
Chi Chi won prize money from the tournament, I forget the details exactly but that doesn’t matter. She’s always had a work ethic and has always put in the effort, never relying or becoming too dependent on anyone.
Even with BULMA as her friend since childhood, Chi Chi never lowered or expected the world from Bulma despite Bulma being from an extremely rich family.
Chi Chi’s character has shined from the beginning in this way.
Chi Chi has every right to get “mad” at the thought of her kids being in danger
In the DBZ franchise, we see Chi Chi seemingly complaining a lot, and it’s as if the losers of the DBZ community use this as a “grudge” to hate on Chi Chi and claim she ruined Gohan, etc, etc.
This is false and straight-up childish.
In a world like DBZ, where the planet could literally explode into millions of pieces of enemies aren’t taken care of, and the thought of your own kids being involved in this, any “good” mother would worry their ass off.
What a mother would NOT do is willingly and optimistically push their kids into that world even if it’s for the greater good. It’s called caring regardless of whether it’s overly emotional.
Anyone who can’t see the sanity in Chi Chi’s perspective is too emotional to see reason.
Chi Chi only wants the best for her children’s future
Again, anyone complaining that Chi Chi is being a little pushy, extra, aggressive, or whatever term you wanna use, is short-sighted or probably wants a woman who sits in the corner and shuts the f*ck up.
In the context of DBZ, as I keep pointing out, which is an insane world at times, it’s even more sane for Chi Chi to want the best from her kids, and the family at large.
Goku, in the context of humans and Earth, didn’t amount to anything but he’s a Saiyan so it doesn’t count. But her kids are very human with Saiyan Blood, so it’s only right for her to want them to grow up and have something going for them in the real world.
She wants it for them, and she wants to represent her family the best way she can, and that only makes sense given her family’s name, history, etc.
We’d praise this in the real world, but somehow it’s “negative” when talking about DBZ and its fandom.
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Besides all that…
Goku’s main values are protecting his family, saving the world (intentionally or otherwise), providing food (hunting in the wild) and being somewhat of a positive figure for his kids… Despite his slack attitude at times.
He has a gentle nature and does love Chichi, it’s just he’s irresponsible and a bit childish when it comes to certain aspects of being a so-called adult and parent.
Remember, we’re talking about a guy who fell on his head, was raised in a forest, and is inept when it comes to “normal” human issues, science, or whatever else he lacks common sense with.
But that is what makes his relationship with Chi Chi special and compatible.
Can Chichi seem annoying, demanding, disagreeable, and imposing? Yeah, but look at it from her perspective.
If she was anyone else (or any other character like Bulma) they wouldn’t still be married.
Where it matters, Chichi delivers and Goku is lucky as they fit like a glove in a way no one else would.
She looks at the bigger picture and puts family first above all else. And she’s been holding down the fort for decades.
If none of that makes Chi Chi a good wife or a good mother, there’s nothing else to say.
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