She’s the temperamental heiress. He’s an alien warrior prince. Together, they formed the most unlikely love affair in "Dragon Ball Z". When I was a young girl, DBZ captivated me more than the classic Disney movies and shows most girls watched religiously. I fell in love with the dark prince Vegeta almost immediately.
Don't get me wrong, I loved Bulma too. She was a little tomboyish (like I was), yet still feminine in many ways; she was also super smart. Her feisty attitude and humor set her apart. Like most DBZ fans I never saw the romance between these two coming, though individually they were both adored. This is probably why I like their relationship more than all of the Disney romances I'd seen as a kid. There are a lot of lessons about love that stem from what I've seen in Bulma and Vegeta's relationship.
First impressions aren’t always right. Vegeta wanted to kill her best friend and destroy her planet; she was loud and obnoxious... He obviously takes the cake on this one. But the point is, the first time meeting someone or a first date isn’t as important as most people think it is. One interaction just isn’t enough to tell the character of a person or who that person will end up being.
It’s okay to have a past. Life isn’t a fairytale and the person you end up with should be confident enough to deal with it. Bulma didn’t wait around for Vegeta while sitting locked away in a tower, brushing her blue hair! She was with Yamcha before she was with Vegeta. Life is messy--as is love, and that is just fine because everyone has their own baggage.
You have to love your life and maintain your independence. Bulma was way more than just a sexy character used to offset the guys. She invented life saving cures, repaired time machines, created spacecrafts and ran a giant tech corporation! Bulma was always pursuing her own goals and dreams.
Most of your romance should occur ‘off screen.’ Most of the relationship between Bulma and Vegeta remains a mystery. My generation loves broadcasting their love life, heartbreaks and all (admittedly, I am no exception to this) on social media, but some things in your relationship should remain private. Super Saiyan fights are status worthy, but not every fight in your love life is.
Actions are ALWAYS more important than words. People express their love differently, but people's actions and how they treat you tell you everything you need to know. Vegeta has Bulma’s back at the end of the day.
Not everyone is comfortable showing grand gestures of love or expressing themselves verbally. That's alright, as long as they show you how they feel.
The bad boy isn’t always really ‘bad’ and the good girl isn’t always ‘good.’ Those labels and reputations don’t mean anything unless you take the time to get to know someone. Look beyond the surface and judge that person on the way they treat you & how they make you feel.
Traditions don’t need to dictate your love life. Vegeta and Bulma moved in together without being married. They raised two children together. While they may or may not have married during one of the many time gaps DBZ has in their relationship, it doesn’t matter. There are no set structures you need to follow or adhere to in order to be in love.
You should accept people the way they are, not the way you want them to be. Don’t romanticize who they are or overlook their flaws so you can create this perfect Prince Charming image of them in your head. Bulma and Vegeta accepted each other even though they bumped heads a lot.
You cannot force anyone to change, but if someone truly loves you and is the right person, they will for the better. Vegeta started off the DBZ series as a selfish villain and ended up an endearing hero. Their relationship is far from a Disney stamped Happily-Ever-After, but I’d pick Prince Vegeta over Prince Charming any day.
