Coola
Template:DB Character Coola (クウラ Kūra) is a fictional character and main villain in the fifth and sixth movies of the anime Dragon Ball Z, voiced by Ryūsei Nakao in the original Japanese and Andrew Chandler in FUNimation's English dub. He is the older brother of Freeza, and a son of King Cold. Like his brother, he can push his body through transformations to increase his power. Although only two forms are seen (the last two), it is stated in the fifth film that Coola possesses the same number of forms Freeza does, as well as a fifth and more powerful form.
Coola was designed by Akira Toriyama, the original manga author, for Toei Doga's theatrical production (and later adapted as needed for future appearances). Toriyama's designs can be seen in Dragon Ball daizenshuu #6 ("MOVIES & TV SPECIALS").
Name pun
Like his brother and father, Coola's name is a pun on all things relating to the cold. As both Coola's and Freeza's Japanese names end in a short "a" vowel (rather than the long "ā" which usually signifies "er" in kana spellings on English words), Freeza's name is typically spelled with an "a" at the end (as opposed to "Freezer"). Logic would follow that Coola's English name should in turn be spelled in a similar fashion. Note that FUNimation, the company responsible for Dragon Ball's production and distribution in North America and Australia, chose to spell the name as Cooler (and Freeza as Frieza).
Coola's armoured squadron
Not unlike the mercenary Ginyu Force - right down to the vapid posing - called upon by Freeza on Planet Namek, Coola's Armored Squadron compose the elder brother's own special fighting team. These three warriors serve as Coola's subordinates throughout the course of the fifth film. Their dress is the customary garb of soldiers in Freeza's military; an extended length of armor juts from their left shoulder, while the uniforms themselves are in Coola's primary colors of purple and white. Akin to all Dragon Ball characters, the henchmen's names are derived from puns - in this case, condiments and salad dressings.
- Thousar (サウザー Sauzaa; pun on Thousand Island dressing, "Sauzando Airando"): Blue skinned "pretty-boy" alien with blonde hair; Coola's right-hand man. He is able to slice through objects using a blade of ki formed in his right hand.
Called "Salza" in the English Dub. (Pun on Salsa)
- Naise (ネイズ Neizu; pun on "mayonnaise"): Brown reptilian creature who can retract the whole of his head into his body. He can fire an electrical attack that can immobilize his opponents. Called "Neiz" in the English dub.
- Dore (ドーレ Dōre; derived from saradore (salad dressing): Long-haired and vaguely reminiscent of The Hulk, never seen without his helmet. Called "Doore" in the English dub.
It is also worth noting that Akira Toriyama also provided the character designs for these characters, as seen in the sixth Dragon Ball daizenshuu.
While Coola does not have any specifically-named henchmen in DBZ Movie 6, it could be noted that the gete in Big Gete Star comes from getemono, which roughly means "cobbled together".
Character History
DBZ Movie 5: Cooler's Revenge
While Freeza destroyed Planet Vegeta, the home planet of the Saiyans, a newly-born Kakarrot (Son Goku) was being sent to subjugate Earth. Seeing that one Saiyan baby had escaped the explosion, Coola's henchmen made plans to shoot the capsule down. Coola delayed that order, lamenting that his brother was still far too soft to allow a child's escape and that Freeza's conceit would delay the annihilation of the Saiyan race and jeopardize his family's absolute control over the galaxy.
Twenty-four years later, Coola heard that his brother had been killed by a Saiyan. He doubted that any Saiyan would have the power to defeat Freeza, and went to Earth to check it out. Upon arriving, he had his henchmen find the Saiyan, who turned out to be Son Goku. He succeeds in mortally wounding him in a shot intended for Gohan, but loses sight of his quarry after he is washed down a waterfall. Not content to blow up the planet - being too proud and eager to smite the one who injured his family name - Coola goes to some lengths to have him tracked down. With all three of his henchmen defeated, He finally enters the battle himself. Goku, revived by consuming a Senzu (thus powering him up to new heights) and Coola are a fairly even match, so he honors Goku by showing him his ultimate transformation. He increases dramatically in size, speed, and strength; four horns grow to form a crown atop his head as spikes form on his forearms, and he now sports a facemask of sorts, hiding all facial features save his eyes, which are now red and pupiless. Coola is able to easily overpower Goku in this form, until at length he grows tired of the fight and feels Freeza had further shamed his family by dying at Goku's hand(which he, as it turns out, did not). As he makes plans to destroy the planet, Goku's rage transcends, transforming him into a Super Saiyan. Off-guard and arrogant, Coola is batted around easily. He gathers enough energy to form a Supernova that he hopes will not only be enough to obliterate his opponent, but the Earth along with him. But with a Kamehameha, Goku is able to offset his attack and send Coola hurling into the Sun. It was then that Coola realized that Goku was the Saiyan he had allowed to escape so many years ago, and that in scolding his brother and not lifting a finger he had been far too soft himself. He, however, survives this assault, though only a mechanical head remains of him, attached to the Big Gete Star, where he produces thousands and thousands of Mechanical clones of himself, each far stronger than even Super Saiyan Goku.
DBZ Movie 6: Return of Cooler
Coola was thought to be dead, but a part of his head survived. He set a course for New Namek, intent on draining the planet and using the Namekians there as fuel. Dende called to Earth's warriors for help; Goku, Gohan, and Piccolo, as well as Kuririn, Muten-Rôshi, Oolong, and Yajirobe, traveled there to assist. Upon arriving, they find many robot guards, as well as the revived Metal Coola, now in a wholly metallic and enhanced body. Stronger than ever, he is able to easily repel Goku even as a Super Saiyan, and had it not been for the unlikely appearance of Vegeta, Goku might have been killed. Even the two Super Saiyans ran into difficulty handling Metal Coola; the nano-machines that made up his body would instantly detect and repair any defect, and make it so that defect would no longer hinder the "new-and-improved" version. Only by working together in a joint attack would Metal Coola finally be destroyed.
However, the Big Gete Star housed not one Coola, but hundreds, if not thousands. Goku and Vegeta had no chance of besting them all, and are absorbed by the Star itself, where they find the brains behind it all, the actual Coola - an obscene and grinning head split with one remaining eye, strung up by wires and sheets of metal. All Metal Coolas seen previously were under remote control, and the machine itself formed Coola's true body. He plots to drain Goku and Vegeta of all their energy for his own purposes, but their power is too much and begins to overload the capacity of his systems. The Saiyans then flood the Big Gete Star with energy, causing it to crumble and his remote-controlled dolls to self-destruct, while Coola starts to lose his hold on the planet. Sickened by such "scum" yet again foiling his plans, Coola fashions a final body from what's left of his organic self, intending to throttle Goku in wires. Even to this end Coola believes victory is inevitable, and his arrogance costs him his life as Vegeta shears off one of his mech arms, giving Goku time to destroy what's left of his body. With the "brain" gone, the Big Gete Star disintegrates over New Namek, with Vegeta crushing the original chip in his hand, ensuring that Coola will never come back again.
Additional appearances
Dragon Ball GT
Coola later makes cameo appearance in Dragon Ball GT, when all villains escape from Hell. He and with the rest of the villains are sent back to Hell shortly after.
Video Games
Coola makes several video game appearances. A phantom Coola, along with what appears to be a resurrected Freeza, Tullece, and Lord Slug, attack Goku and his friends in the Famicom game (and later Playdia re-make) Gaiden: Saiya-jin Zetsumetsu Keikaku (Side Story: The Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans) (an OVA was also released on VHS in August 1993), but these are merely false ghost-warriors meant to harass the heroes.
Coola makes an appearance as a boss character in Dragon Ball Z III: Ressen Jinzō Ningen (Famicom) and DBZ: The Legacy of Goku II, and is also a playable character in several fighting games, including Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3, Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi, the Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai series and Dragon Ball Z: Super Sonic Warriors 2. He also appears Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 in his 4th form, final form and as Metal-Coola along with Thousar
Coola also made an appearance as an alternate costume for Freeza in Dragon Ball Z 2 V, a special edition of Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 given out in a contest through the Japanese magazine V-Jump.
Special abilities
Bukujutsu
- Like almost all Dragon Ball Z characters, Coola is able to fly through use of his ki.
Death Ball
- An attack used by both Coola and Freeza. A spark of ki lights on the index finger, and once enough energy is gathered this spark may grow to the size of a small moon. When ready, this "Death Ball" is thrown towards the target. Typically this attack is used to destroy planets or as a last-ditch effort to kill an opponent. Called "Supernova" in the Budokai and Budokai Tenkaichi series, to diffentiate his version from his younger brothers.
- This was to be Coola's trump card versus Goku, but his attack is blocked and he is subsequently pushed by the force of it and Goku's Kamehameha into the Sun.
Henshin
- An extra transformation Coola learned to go beyond Freeza's. Similar to Freeza's second and third forms, Coola gains great strength and a bolster in size, with spikes extending from his arms and head to form gauntlets and a crested crown. Also present is a retractable facemask that hides and protects his facial features. Goku was the first one Coola revealed this ultimate form to, and consequently the last.
Destructive Beam
- A small thin beam shot from both eyes. Coola fired this attack at Gohan. Called "Death Beam" in the FUNimation English production and "Destructive Ray" in the Budokai game series.
Telekinesis
- Coola can lift or move large objects through the air with his mind. Metal Coola uses this ability to drive Goku through a mountain on New Namek.
Shunkan-idō (Instantaneous Movement)
- A unique ability that Goku learned on a planet called Yardrat, it allows him to "teleport" nearly anywhere so long as he focuses on a specific ki signal where he wants to go. He places two fingers on his forehead while he searches for the signal. It is unknown as to how Coola gained this ability, as it's only implemented by one of his metal clones on New Namek. Called "Instant Transmission" in FUNimation's English version, where Metal Coola claims it to be "one of his favorite techniques". Originally he was surprised Goku knew the technique.
Notes and references
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