Close-up of Tien Shinhan, shaved head and third eye in the middle of his forehead, brow furrowed, a green cloth over his shoulder, against a cloudy blue sky.

Tien Shinhan: The Three-Eyed Warrior

CharacterHumansDragon Ball

Tien Shinhan, recognizable by his third eye, is a former student of the Crane School and Chiaotzu's lifelong friend. A ruthless opponent of Goku at the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, which he narrowly wins, he switches sides in the middle of the final and becomes one of Goku's allies, standing against King Piccolo, Nappa, Cell and Buu. Here's a look back at his tournaments, his sacrifices, his techniques such as the Tri-Beam and the Solar Flare, his appearances in Dragon Ball Super and his voices.

He was supposed to kill Goku, and he ended up defending him: Tien Shinhan switches sides in the heat of a final. Here's the story of this three-eyed warrior, from the Crane School to the Tournament of Power.

Contents

Crane School Student, Third Eye and Friend of Chiaotzu

Created by Akira Toriyama, Tien first appears in chapter 113 of the manga, published on February 24, 1987. In the anime, he enters the story earlier, as early as episode 82 of Dragon Ball, which aired in Japan on October 7, 1987, in an anime-only segment where he and Chiaotzu pretend to slay a monster they've trained, to collect the villagers' reward.

His name, 天津飯, is that of a Japanese-Chinese dish, a crab omelet served over rice: Toriyama explained that he chose it as a joke, even though the character is strong and “cool.” The warrior is also said to recall Erlang Shen, a three-eyed deity from Journey to the West.

His third eye, in the middle of his forehead, is fully functional: he can move it, close it and even fire beams from it. According to the official guides, Tien is said to descend from a three-eyed race.

He is presented as the top student of Master Shen, the master of the Crane School and Master Roshi's rival; like Chiaotzu, his lifelong friend, and their master, he wears the character 鶴, “crane,” the school's emblem. At first, he idolizes Mercenary Tao, Master Shen's younger brother, and dreams of becoming a famous assassin like him.

Master Shen in dark glasses, between Chiaotzu and Tien Shinhan, who wears a skullcap; the master and his student wear the character 鶴 on their green tunics.
In episode 84 of Dragon Ball, Master Shen, master of the Crane School, stands between his students Chiaotzu and Tien, who, like him, bears the character 鶴, “crane.”

🪡 The crane character marks the outfits of Master Shen's students; to sew a symbol or a warrior from the saga onto your own clothes or bag, check out our Dragon Ball patches.

From Ruthless Rival to Loyal Fighter

At the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, Tien beats Yamcha in the quarterfinals, then comes down knee-first on his leg and breaks it (chapter 118). In the semifinals, against Jackie Chun, that is, Master Roshi in disguise, he unveils the Solar Flare, a blinding flash, and fires a Kamehameha he learned just by watching Yamcha; Jackie Chun ends up stepping out of the ring on his own.

In the final against Goku (chapter 131), he realizes that Chiaotzu is paralyzing his opponent on Master Shen's orders. He shouts at Chiaotzu to stop and refuses to kill Goku: he's determined to win by his own strength and no longer wants to become an assassin. This is where he switches sides; enraged, Master Shen threatens Chiaotzu, and Master Roshi blasts the Crane master out of the stadium with a Kamehameha.

In chapter 133, Tien blows the ring to pieces with a Tri-Beam: with no ring left, whoever touches the ground first loses. In the next chapter, Goku hits a truck and touches the ground just before him: Tien wins the tournament, offers Goku half the prize money and admits he only won by luck.

At the 23rd tournament, Mercenary Tao, now a cyborg, detaches his mechanical hand and wounds Tien with the blade hidden inside it; Tien is left with a scar on his chest, but easily disposes of his former mentor. In the semifinals against Goku (chapter 178), he splits into four, but Goku exploits the technique's weak point, which also divides his strength, and wins.

Bare-chested Tien Shinhan, a red gash across his chest, landing a punch to the stomach of Mercenary Tao, who is hunched forward under a metal helmet.
In episode 136 of Dragon Ball, at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Tien, his chest slashed by the blade of Mercenary Tao, now a cyborg, strikes the man he once idolized.

☀️ The Solar Flare blinds everyone not wearing sunglasses with a single flash; to block out the light when your car is parked, unfold one of our Dragon Ball car sunshades, including a design where Goku poses alongside Tien and Yamcha.

King Piccolo, Nappa, Cell and Buu: Sacrificing Himself

During the King Piccolo crisis, the demon kills Chiaotzu right in front of Tien. Tien learns the Evil Containment Wave (Mafuba), the sealing technique Master Roshi used against the demon, just from having seen it; but in chapter 153, he discovers that the rice cooker meant to serve as the prison is cracked, and goes down to fight anyway. King Piccolo sets his servant Drum on him, and Drum has the upper hand until Goku takes him out with a single kick.

When the Saiyans arrive, he quickly beats a Saibaman, then Nappa tears off his left arm in a single blow (chapter 217). After Chiaotzu's futile sacrifice, Tien fires a one-handed Tri-Beam, pouring his last remaining strength into it, and dies from it. In the anime, this is episode 25 of Dragon Ball Z, which aired in Japan on November 1, 1989.

Brought back to life by Namek's Dragon Balls after training with King Kai, he holds Cell back with the Neo Tri-Beam so that Android 16 and Android 18 can escape: his repeated blasts pin Cell to the ground. Drained of his strength, Tien collapses, and Goku arrives by Instant Transmission just in time to get him and Piccolo to safety.

Against Super Buu, he steps in to save Mr. Satan, Dende and the dog Bee, before being taken out with a single kick. Killed along with Chiaotzu when Buu destroys the Earth, then brought back to life, he gives his energy to the final Spirit Bomb.

Two hands joined in a triangle in the foreground frame Cell, a green creature with black spots and an orange tail, standing on rocky ground.
In episode 152 of Dragon Ball Z, Tien aims at Cell through the triangle of his hands: his repeated Neo Tri-Beams will pin the monster to the ground so that Android 16 and Android 18 can escape.
Standing figure of Tien Shinhan, third eye on his forehead and a scar on his chest, green pants and red belt, on a black base with a nameplate.

Tien Shinhan as a figure

Dragon Ball Figure - Tien Shinhan

From his tournaments to his sacrifices against Nappa and Cell, bring home Tien and his third eye with this figure dedicated to him.

€56.90

View product →

The Dojo, the Tournament of Power, GT and the Movies

In the movie Battle of Gods, he attacks Beerus along with Android 18 and Piccolo, and all three are defeated. In Resurrection 'F', he lures some of Frieza's soldiers into a cave and wipes them out with a Tri-Beam. According to information given outside the manga, he also devotes himself to farming; the manga version of Resurrection 'F' in fact shows him working the fields with Chiaotzu.

In the Dragon Ball Super anime, Tien has opened his own dojo, introduced in episode 89, which aired in Japan on May 7, 2017; he takes in Yurin, a former student of Master Shen, and joins the Universe 7 team, believing in the 10 million zeni prize Goku promised.

At the Tournament of Power, in the anime, he eliminates Preecho and the sharpshooter Hermila: in episode 106, Hermila knocks him out of the ring, but Tien's three other bodies drag the sharpshooter out with him. In the Dragon Ball Super manga (chapter 34), it's Frost who eliminates the three-eyed warrior with one punch. Later, in the manga's Moro arc, his friends have a hard time reaching him: he doesn't even have a cell phone.

In Dragon Ball GT, he only makes brief appearances, including one in the final episode, where he trains under a waterfall with Chiaotzu. In the movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, he's only seen in a recap of past events, firing a Neo Tri-Beam at Cell.

Bare-chested Tien Shinhan in green pants, in midair in front of a large waterfall, turning toward Chiaotzu, who is flying near a cliff and a field.
In episode 64 of Dragon Ball GT, the last of the series, Tien trains in front of a waterfall with his friend Chiaotzu.

The Tri-Beam, the Solar Flare and Tien Shinhan's Voices

The Tri-Beam, his signature technique, is fired through a triangle formed with the hands and draws on life energy: it can kill the target, but also the one who fires it. The Solar Flare (“sun fist” in Japanese), the Crane School's blinding flash, would later be adopted by Goku, Krillin and Cell.

In Japanese, Tien is voiced by Hirotaka Suzuoki in most productions; after Suzuoki's death in 2006, Mitsuaki Madono voices him in a few video games, then Hikaru Midorikawa takes over the role starting with Dragon Ball Z Kai. In English, his voice changed twice in quick succession in Funimation's Dragon Ball Z dub: Chris Cason during the Frieza Saga, Lane Pianta for a few episodes, then John Burgmeier from season 4 onward. Burgmeier then redubbed the earlier episodes and kept the role in Dragon Ball, GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai and Dragon Ball Super, as well as in the movies and games; in the Ocean dub of Dragon Ball Z, Tien was voiced by Matt Smith.

In 2004, fans ranked him the 16th most popular character in the series.

Tien Shinhan, third eye on his forehead and a gray tunic with red trim, joining his hands in a triangle around a bright yellow light, in the dark.
In the movie Resurrection 'F', Tien shapes his hands into the triangle through which the Tri-Beam, his signature technique that draws on life energy, is fired.

Tien Shinhan at a Glance

Key fact Tien Shinhan
Japanese name 天津飯 Tenshinhan, the name of a Japanese-Chinese dish
School Crane School (Master Shen); mentor: Mercenary Tao
First appearance Chapter 113 of the manga, February 24, 1987; episode 82 of Dragon Ball, October 7, 1987
Techniques Tri-Beam, Neo Tri-Beam, Solar Flare, Shiyoken, splitting into four bodies
Friend Chiaotzu
Voices Hirotaka Suzuoki, Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese); Chris Cason, John Burgmeier (English)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who is Tien Shinhan?
    He's the Crane School's three-eyed student and Chiaotzu's friend, first Goku's opponent and later one of his allies.
  • Did Tien beat Goku?
    Yes, in the final of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, but just barely: Goku touches the ground right before he does, and Tien himself says he only won by luck. At the 23rd tournament, Goku gets his revenge.
  • Why does Tien have a third eye?
    According to the official guides, he is said to descend from a three-eyed race. His third eye is functional: he can move it, close it and fire beams from it.
  • How does Tien die against the Saiyans?
    With his left arm torn off by Nappa, he fires a one-handed Tri-Beam with the last of his strength, without managing to finish off the Saiyan, and dies from it.
  • What is Tien's signature technique?
    The Tri-Beam, fired through a triangle formed with the hands, which draws on the life energy of the one who fires it.
  • Who voices Tien Shinhan in English?
    John Burgmeier, in Funimation's dub of Dragon Ball Z from season 4 onward (he later redubbed the earlier episodes), as well as in Dragon Ball, GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai and Dragon Ball Super. Before him, Chris Cason voiced Tien during the Frieza Saga, followed by Lane Pianta for a few episodes.

🥋 In the Dragon Ball Super anime, Tien runs his own dojo, where he trains his students; to mark off a corner of your home in the saga's colors, roll out one of our Dragon Ball rugs.

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