Cello

Cello is presented as an arrogant villain in the mold of the Dragon Ball character he parodies. His role depends heavily on the audience immediately recognizing the visual and narrative reference.

He receives little independent characterization because his confrontation with Toushirou Hijikata is intentionally abbreviated rather than developed into the long battle his inspiration would normally suggest.

His humiliation after losing further undercuts the grandeur associated with the type of villain he imitates.

Cello possesses the appearance and implied combat abilities of a powerful extraterrestrial fighter.

The story does not extensively catalogue his techniques because Hijikata defeats him with little difficulty. The brevity of the encounter is itself part of the parody.

Cello has swallowed several Slippery Balls, the Dragon Ball-like objects required to summon the Slippery Dragon. After being defeated, he regurgitates them.

Cello appears during Hijikata's cigarette-search episode, which begins with a smoking ban in Edo and progressively transforms into a parody of Dragon Ball.

After defeating Brieza, Hijikata joins Kobayashi in collecting seven Slippery Balls. Their journey takes them to the planet where Cello possesses the remaining objects.

Hijikata defeats Cello almost immediately, denying the villain anything resembling the extended climactic battle associated with Cell.

Cello then vomits up the Slippery Balls, allowing Hijikata and Kobayashi to summon the Slippery Dragon and make their wishes.

Toushirou Hijikata encounters and defeats Cello while searching for the Slippery Balls.

Kobayashi accompanies Hijikata during the quest and needs the balls to summon the Slippery Dragon.

Brieza is another Dragon Ball-inspired villain encountered earlier in Hijikata's journey.

Grillin is connected to Kobayashi's reason for gathering the Slippery Balls.