The mid-day sun had barely begun to descend when an unseasonable, perfect full moon rose over Mt. Paozu. It was an anomaly, but one that was lost on Gohan, who was preoccupied with keeping a wailing Goku entertained. The smaller Saiyan had left his favorite toy, a carved wooden dragon, outside and was inconsolable.
The provided text describes Tatsu's behavior under the influence of a full moon. His Saiyan instincts, driven by curiosity and appetite, are heightened by the moon. This leads to a series of comedic events as he attempts to reach or destroy the moon. Tatsu's actions include:
Trying to jump to the moon.
Throwing rocks at the moon.
Firing a ki blast at the moon, which explodes harmlessly.
Attempting to climb a tree, smashing his way up the trunk.
Trying to use a tree as a javelin.
Digging a hole, seemingly to get under the moon.
These efforts are unsuccessful. Exhausted and battered by dawn, Tatsu collapses and falls asleep. Gohan, witnessing the events, is left amused by Tatsu's actions.
(Based on Saiyan biology and instincts, Tatsu would be interested in the "new moon" not because it's a new moon, but because it appeared suddenly during the day, triggering his innate Saiyan fascination with celestial objects that appear different or unusual. This was an instinctual, rather than a logical, response for Tatsu). TLDR, return to monke go brrr.
Saiyan instinct and the full moon
The transformative trigger: The great ape transformation is triggered by special waves of light, called Blutz Waves, which are reflected by a celestial body, most notably a full moon. For Tatsu, a moon appearing during the day would be an unusual and instinct-arousing event, even if his brain didn't consciously understand why.
The visual cue: A key component of the transformation is the absorption of these waves through the eyes. The unusually timed moon would have instinctively drawn Tatsu's gaze, setting off the internal, biological triggers associated with celestial objects.
The desire to engage: Tatsu's reaction—attempting to "eat the moon"—stems from a primal desire to interact with and control this new, powerful stimulus. He lacks the advanced knowledge to understand the scientific reason for the transformation, so his instincts express a brute-force approach to confronting the object that is causing a strange sensation within him.
Tatsu's specificreaction
Unfamiliarity and brute force: Tatsu's behavior is a manifestation of his untamed Saiyan nature. He knows nothing of the science behind the Blutz Waves and transformation. For him, a mysterious celestial object is suddenly present during the day, triggering the animalistic part of his brain to act. His solution is to physically confront it, much like how he tried to protect Gohan from the "aggressive" tree.
A "comedic relief" moment: The absurdity of his actions, from trying to jump to the moon to throwing ki blasts at it, is a comedic relief chapter because it highlights the gap between his immense power and his childlike, instinctual understanding of the world. It shows that despite his strength, he is still a creature of instinct, prone to simple, absurd solutions for complex phenomena.