Nail

Nail (ネイル) is a supporting main character in the Dragon Ball manga, and in Dragon Ball Z.

He is a Namekian described as the 'lone' Warrior type left when he first appear in the manga. He is the personal bodyguard to Grand Elder Guru, and is incredibly strong for a Namekian. In fact, he was the most powerful Namekian alive at the time of Frieza's attack on Namek. He would later fuse with Piccolo, meaning he would continue to hold the title of the most powerful Namekian, as he was part of Piccolo's immense strength.

Background

Not much about his past is shown, except that he is the strongest namekian on planet Namek during the start of the series.

Personality

Nail takes on a very heroic, honorable persona. He dedicates his life to the protection of Grand Elder Guru, the Grand Elder of Namek. He cares deeply about his Namekian brothers, something he shows greatly during his battle with Frieza as he jumps into the battle with little concern for his own well-being. Despite being the most powerful Namekian of his time, with a power level of 42,000 (making him comparable to the ranks of the Ginyu Force in power), he is easily brushed aside by the immense power of the galactic tyrant Frieza. Despite being completely outmatched, he continues to attack Frieza, only to suffer a brutal defeat. After fusing with Piccolo, his soul continues to reside within the ultimate Namekian warrior, giving Piccolo his knowledge.

Appearance

Nail takes a very similar appearance to Piccolo. He dons a blue vest and a white scarf around his neck. His chest and stomach are mostly exposed. He wears a blue belt similar to that of Piccolo's with white pants, and brown pointed boots, which are identical to Piccolo's and the other Namekians.

Abilities

In both the anime and manga, Frieza says that Nail's power level is 42,000 after using his scouter to analyze him.[1] Nail's power level of 42,000 is 18,000 higher than even Vegeta's initial level of 24,000 on Namek, arguably enough to put him on par with some members of the Ginyu Force depending on perspective. His level is so high that Frieza is astonished at the reading, and even says to himself that he would have liked to have him join his forces if he could. In the Dragon Ball Z The Anime Adventure Game, Nail's power level is 400,000.

Flight

The ability to fly with the use of ki.

Ki Sense

The ability to sense ki energy. Nail is able to also sense if the energy is good or evil.

Ki Blast

The most basic form of energy wave.

Full Power Energy Wave

An energy wave of focused energy. Also used in Legend of the Super Saiyan.

Continuous Energy Wave

A combination of many energy waves fired at a rapid rate. Used in the RPG Dragon Ball Z Legend of the Super Saiyan.

Please Leave

A rush attack where he charges at the opponent and chops them in their neck.

Super Explosive Wave

A wave of energy more powerful than the simple Explosive Wave. Nail's version of the Super Explosive Wave looks very similar to Piccolo's Hyper Explosive Demon Wave. Used in video games only.

Mystic Flasher

A yellow energy wave Nail used to try and stop Frieza.

Mystic Attack

The Namekian ability to stretch one's limbs or make one's self bigger. Nail uses this technique only in video games.

Regeneration

The Namekian ability to regenerate a lost limb.

Cloning

Used while training to sprout an identical sparring partner. Used in Legend of the Super Saiyan.

Fusion

The ability to integrate his own power into that of another Namekian.

Stalling

One of Nail's Blast 1 in Budokai Tenkaichi 3. Named Buying Time in Raging Blast 2.

Full Power

One of Nail's Blast 1 in Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and Raging Blast 2.

Namekian Fusion

Used to fuse with Piccolo in the manga/anime series.

Dailende

Dailende is a hypothetical fusion of Nail and Dende. It is a "Fusion Frenzy" card in the Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game, however, the card itself does not depict the fused character, instead showing the two fusing characters beside each other.

Dragon Ball Z (Anime)

Namek & Frieza arc

When Dende takes Kuririn to Guru's home to get his inner powers unlocked, Nail is there, who greets Dende and Kuririn. Later on, while Son Gohan is getting his hidden powers unlocked by Guru, Vegeta arrives to collect a missing Dragon Ball. Nail confronts him and is ready to fight, with both of them insulting each other harshly. Gohan emerges with his newly unlocked powers before Nail and Vegeta had the opportunity to battle. Nail then senses five high power levels, which turn out to be those of the Ginyu Force. Guru orders Nail to go help the earthlings combat the Ginyu Force, but before Nail arrives, he turns back to continue assisting Guru, to protect him from Frieza, who came to know what is needed to say to make the Namekian Dragon rise from the Dragon Balls.

Nail distracts Frieza and battles him in order to stop him from killing Guru, and from obtaining the secret password needed to activate the Dragon Balls for immortality. Due to Frieza having a minimum power level of 530,000, which is roughly twelve times that of Nail's. Nail is no match for the tyrant and loses an arm which he regenerates during the brutal battle. Frieza toys with Nail, and threatens to torture Guru, while insisting that Nail must divulge the password needed to summon the Namekian Dragon, Porunga. Before Frieza deals the final blow to Nail, Nail lets out a small smirk, and reveals that this fight was only a diversion to delay Frieza, so that Dende could get the Namekian Dragon Balls' password to the Earthlings. Enraged, Frieza immediately departs at full speed, leaving Nail to slowly die, broken and beaten.

Shortly afterward, thanks to the Namekian Dragon Balls, a newly resurrected Piccolo arrives on the planet and discovers the battered Namekian. Nail tells Piccolo that if Piccolo and Kami were one once, they would have beaten Frieza long ago. Nail asks Piccolo to fuse with him in order to increase his chances against Frieza, and at the same time save his life. Piccolo eventually agrees, after some questioning of Nail's motives, wondering if his personality will still be the same, to which Nail assures Piccolo his personality will not change, and he will still retain control. After they fuse, Piccolo's power level increases dramatically to the point of being even with that of Frieza's second form, and possibly even stronger since Frieza made the decision to use his second transformation immediately after Piccolo removed his heavily weighted clothing.

In the English version only, when Piccolo fought second form Frieza. Piccolo revealed to Frieza that the two had fused while using Nail's voice. Later, when Dende is killed by Frieza in his final form, Nail as Piccolo's thoughts, was shocked and saddened. After everyone on Namek was brought back to life and transported to Earth, Dende finally realized that Nail had merged with Piccolo.

Cell Games arc

Later, Nail was heard via Piccolo's telepathic thoughts when Dende returned to Earth as its new Guardian during Cell's reign.

Majin Buu arc

Nail is later seen in Piccolo's flashback to Dende describing fusion during Majin Buu's reign.

Dragon Ball Super (Anime)

Universe Survival arc

Nail and Kami made a brief motivational appearance inside Piccolo's mind while he was unconscious during the Tournament of Power. Along with Kami, he encourages Piccolo to keep on fight for the sake of Universe 7 and its inhabitants.

Video Games

Nail is a playable character in all the following video games:

Dragon Ball Fusions
Dragon Ball Heroes
Dragon Ball Kai Ultimate Butoden
Dragon Ball Z Bakuretsu Impact
Dragon Ball Z Budokai
Dragon Ball Z Budokai 2
Dragon Ball Z Budokai 3
Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Dragon Ball Z Dokkan Battle
Dragon Ball Z Harukanaru Densetsu
Dragon Ball Z II Gekishin Freeza
Dragon Ball Z Legend of the Super Saiyan
Dragon Ball Z Raging Blast 2
Dragon Ball Z Tenkaichi Tag Team (Cutscene)
Dragon Ball Z Xenoverse 2
Jump Super Stars

Quotes

Grand Elder Guru

Kami

Dende

Moori

Mr. Popo

Frieza

Zarbon

Knownable Relatives

Guru (Father)
Moori (Older Brother)
Cargo (Younger Brother)
Dende (Younger Brother)
Piccolo (Permanent Fuser)
105 other Brothers

Triva

Nail's name is a pun on the word "snail".
There are parts of Nail's clothing that were torn when fighting Frieza which are not present when Piccolo arrives on the site of the battle in both the manga and anime, although Nail is clearly grievously injured as before and had no time to recuperate.
Even though, prior to their fusion, Piccolo says to Nail that once they will finish with Frieza they will split up, he is actually never shown doing so on-screen. Piccolo later reveals to Goku that once two Namekians fuse, they can never separate again.
In the original English version, Nail has a soft, raspy voice. In Dragon Ball Z Kai, he has a deeper voice.