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Every story of best friends has a beginning. In Dragon Ball, Goku and Kuririn are rivals at first, are trained under the one master and become close friends. Another example is Goten and Trunks, who grew close as they are roughly the same age and played together often as children.
The story of how Tenshinhan and Chaozu met is never disclosed in the manga or the anime (though DB movie 3 tells its own version of the tale.) And yet we know for a fact that Tenshinhan and Chaozu are the very best of friends. We know that Tenshinhan promised he’d always be by Chaozu’s side. What is not know is how they became so close.
1. The Way They Were Trained
They are both taught by Tsuru-sennin, so perhaps they formed a friendship in a similar manner as Goku and Kuririn. However, Tsuru-sennin is quite a different master, using his students as instruments of revenge against Kame-sennin. My theory is that Tsuru-sennin laid down the foundations, but Tenshinhan was the one who actually reinforced all of the lessons. Maybe their bond formed from having to live rely on only each other for most of the time.
Support for this theory comes from the anime, the Dragon Ball anime to be specific. Episode 82 reveals our two Crane pupils as con-artists, teaming up with Inoshikachou (a boar/deer/butterfly hybrid) and wreaking havoc in villages, then offering “clean up” after the beast for a sum. The two are clearly on their own, making me believe that they’re used to this way of living.
In addition, Chaozu loyalty truly lies with Tenshinhan. He is Chaozu’s senior schoolmate, so they formed a strong upper/under-classman relationship. Chaozu follows Tenshinhan without hesitation the instant Tenshinhan decides to leave Tsuru-sennin.
2. Tenshinhan as a Bodyguard
Many sources mention Tenshinhan as Chaozu’s bodyguard. This theory certainly fits if you watch the third Dragon Ball movie, where it seems as if Tenshinhan was assigned to watch over his small charge. While I do like this idea quite a bit, I believe his protectiveness really stems from the fatherly relationship he has with Chaozu. Maybe the bodyguard notion is linked to the promise Tenshinhan has with Chaozu. In the manga, Tenshinhan often refers to it, saying that they’ll never be apart. It could also perhaps be a pact that Tenshinhan would protect Chaozu no matter what, because Chaozu’s first death was a really hard thing for them both. Chaozu was lonely in the Afterlife; something that Tenshinhan simply won’t allow (as stated right before Tenshinhan Kikohoes (new word) Nappa). Tenshinhan fears losing Chaozu without the promise of the Dragon Balls that he’d be wished back to life. Chaozu’s second death is proof of this, and I do believe it ties in with the promise and it’s the main reason why Tenshinhan decides to leave him behind at the start of the Cell Arc.
It never was important to me to know how Tenshinhan and Chaozu met; since their cute friendship and the fact that Tenshinhan goes all paternal now is what squees are made of. XD
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