Many of the characters seen in Dragon Ball were inspired by traditional or pop culture. It’s well known that Goku was inspired by the Monkey King from Journey to the West, as well as martial arts actor Jackie Chan.

But not all of the characters’ points of origin are as easy to see.

Today I will reveal for the first time the original inspiration for Kame Sennin.

You’ll learn who Kume Sennin is, hear his legend, and see how his transformation into a Japanese pop cultural figure was later emulated in cinema and then once again by Akira Toriyama in Dragon Ball.

You’ll also learn why this legend is so essential to the Dragon Ball story, and how it’s so well integrated that you may never have realized it.

Who is Kume Sennin?

Who is Kume Sennin and how is he related to Kame Sennin?

First let me briefly describe the Japanese term, “Sennin.”

Sennin (仙人, or せんにん) translates as “Mountain Man,” but generally refers to hermits, sages, or immortals who live alone in the wilderness. The term comes directly from Chinese Daoism, where the equivalent Xianren (仙人) originates.

Daoists were known for leaving society behind, with all its illusions and false concepts, and turning to nature in order to unlock supernormal powers, become one with the Dao and attain immortality. They usually lived alone or at most with a few disciples.

Since they lived on mountains, rivers, and islands, “Xianren” was coined to describe these people. The Japanese inherited the Daoist and Buddhist concepts from China, and transliterated the term as “Sennin.”

Kume Sennin (久米仙人) was one of these Daoists who chose to live in the wilderness and cultivate his heart.

From the results of his cultivation he gained the ability to fly on a magic cloud, just like Kame Sennin’s Kinto’un in Dragon Ball, known in the American dub as the Flying Nimbus.

In traditional Chinese culture, people that could fly through the air, such as Buddhist or Daoist deities or powerful cultivators, were illustrated as having clouds underneath their feet. It was believed these people could travel quickly along the skies or mists, or teleport through space and time.

Sun Wukong’s magic cloud in Journey to the West (late 16^th century) is based on these beliefs, and therefore so is Goku’s Kinto’un in Dragon Ball.

Everybody attributes Goku’s magic cloud to Sun Wukong. But it actually goes farther back than that. Much farther back.

As you may remember, Goku was not the first to own the Kinto’un.

Kume Sennin’s Legend

Kume Sennin’s legend is recounted in classical works, such as Book 11:24 of Konjaku Monogotari (今昔物語集) a 12^th century collection of Buddhist Parables, and Essay 8 of Tsuregurekusa (徒然草), a collection of thoughts on life by the Buddhist monk Yoshida Kenko (1283 – 1352).

The legend says that Kume was traveling on his cloud when he suddenly noticed a young woman near a river washing her clothes. He curiously watched the woman and unexpectedly caught a glimpse of her white leg under her raised kimono.

Kume’s mind became filled with desire and he immediately lost the ability to fly. Heavy with lustful thoughts, Kume fell to the earth and crashed in front of the lady!

Smitten, Kume chose to marry the maiden. They made love for many years and started a family. Yet one day Kume realized the error of his ways, repented and set off to achieve the ultimate goal of immortality all over again.

According to the legend, Kume worked hard to redeem himself, regained his powers, and built (or inspired the building of) Kumedera Temple (久米寺)in Kashiara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan. This temple dates back to the time of Prince Shotoku Taishi (574 – 622 AD) and still exists today.  This tells us that the Kume legend goes back at least 1,400 years.

Kume’s legend is well known in Japan, and his story has been considered part of pop culture for centuries, just like Journey to the West, the primary inspiration for Dragon Ball.

The Perverted Sennin’s

Kume Sennin was not the first Sennin to fall prey to temptations of the flesh. The lesson of his story was most likely inherited from China, along with other Buddho-Daoist beliefs.

Certain types of Sennin in China also had the dubious reputation of being lustful because of their infamously detailed sexual practices involving “Jade Girls.” The Sennin’s believed that through ritual sex acts these young virgins could help transform their “vital essence” into immortality elixirs.

Since this culture and concept of ‘perverted Sennin’ already existed, and because Kume’s legend existed for so long and was so popular in society, I surmise that his tale, along with similar stories, became synonymous with a certain type of Sennin in general. A type that is, shall we say, weak to women.

That means alongside the classical “8 Daoist Immortals” that were found in homes and worshipped with deep respect, there was also this type of Sennin, a lecherous old man who was always looking for his next young lady.

In other words, even if they had special magic powers and could perform amazing feats, this type of Sennin became a joke.

Kume Sennin’s legend was an iconic example that took root in Japanese folklore.

Thus these Sennin became common, formulaic characters.

The Cinema Influences Toriyama

By now you may be starting to see where this is headed in relation to Kame Sennin, but it gets even more interesting.

When Akira Toriyama decided to create Dragon Ball, did he receive all his inspiration for Kame Sennin’s character from this classic legend, or was there something else that played a role?

Consider for a moment that Toriyama was born in 1955 and was a huge fan of cinema, both domestic and abroad.

In 1963 a major cinematic feature was released in Japan called Dai Tozoku (大盗賊, The Great Bandit) known internationally as Samurai Pirate and in America as The Lost World of Sinbad.

Dai Tozoku was developed by Toho Co., Ltd., the makers of Godzilla (ゴジラ, Gojira) and other giant monster movies, Akira Kurosawa samurai films, and many Tokusatsu superhero films; All of which Toriyama has cited as inspirations for Dragon Ball. Toriyama grew up watching Toho’s movies, and they greatly affected his later work.

This particular action adventure film stars samurai film legend Toshiro Mifune as Sukeza, a brave man who fights to regain his lost treasure from pirates and defeat a corrupt chancellor trying to overthrow the king. Along the way he meets many companions, including bandits, a princess, and a nameless Sennin.

This Sennin looks and acts shockingly similar to Kame Sennin in Dragon Ball. He’s an old Japanese man with no hair, a classic white beard and mustache, dressed in traditional Chinese hermit clothing and carrying a staff. The stereotypical Sennin outfit, actually. He also smokes from a long pipe and is missing several teeth.

When Sukeza encounters him for the first time, it’s on a beach, with the Sennin sitting in front of a giant clam shell. Sukeza says, “Who the hell are you?” The Sennin replies, “My ancestor was Kume Sennin! Haven’t you heard of him?!” Sukeza says, “Oh, it’s the man who fell to earth from the clouds when he saw a nude woman, isn’t it?” The Sennin smiles slightly and says, “That’s right. That’s the weakness that has run in my family for generations.”

The Sennin stands up to follow Sukeza, and as he crosses a bridge he sees a beautiful woman washing her clothes in a nearby river, copying the story of Kume Sennin. The camera zooms in on the woman’s cleavage and then cuts back to the widened eyes of the Sennin (just like a scene out of Dragon Ball). He becomes stiff as a board, facing the woman at a sharp 45 degree angle, as if his whole body were erect.

The Sennin suddenly screams as he realizes he’s fallen into the trap of lust. Sukeza runs back to help him, but the Sennin regains his composure and says, “Hey, don’t look at me with such contempt. It’s the blood of my ancestor at work.”

He tells Sukeza, “There are different classes of Sennin, you know. When my ancestor fell from the clouds tempted by a woman, he was demoted from the Heaven Sennin class to the Earth Sennin class. Since then, the Sennin of Kume family have devoted our lives to being promoted back to the original Heaven class.” He then sits down and crosses his legs in the full lotus meditation position. “To make up for the mistake I’ve just made, I need to train for three days.”

Like other Sennin’s, this Sennin has mighty powers. He has the ability to transform into a fly or even into other people, just like how Oolong and Puar can transform in Dragon Ball. Once, while transformed as a fly, he purposefully landed on top of a woman’s breasts in order to do some “research.” Keep that point in mind as we continue.

And to make the comparison to Dragon Ball even stronger, the Sennin fights against an evil old witch named Baba.

That’s right, Baba the Witch. She’s a fortune teller who performs magic and can fly, just like Kame Sennin’s older sister, Fortuneteller Baba (占いババ, Urunai Baba), the witch in Dragon Ball. Baba the Witch in Dai Tozoku looks somewhat similar to and even talks like Fortuneteller Baba. In Dragon Ball she’s made more comedic by wearing a stereotypical witches hat, but otherwise these two Baba the Witch characters are strikingly similar.

There are a lot of other similarities between Dragon Ball and Dai Tozoku, such as fighting, Sun Wukong’s giant red staff, and more, but that will have to wait for another post.

Suffice to say it’s my belief that Toriyama must have seen this movie as a child and was heavily influenced by it.

Akira Toriyama had always been into comics, fantasy, animation, giant monster movies and action adventure films. He grew up on these films and soaked up their influences like a sponge. Dai Tozoku was a blockbuster with well known stars and cutting edge special effects.

Since Toriyama was 11 years old at the time, it seems very likely that he would have seen this movie and then later used it as inspiration in his comics.

In this case, to create Kame Sennin.

How Was Kame Sennin Created?

This is conjecture, but I can very easily imagine the following scenario when Toriyama was creating Kame Sennin.

Toriyama had read Journey to the West and wanted to create a similar story, as advised by his first editor, Kazuhiko Torishima. He had already turned Sun Wukong into Son Goku and now he needed a “master” character like Subodhi, who taught Sun Wukong the sacred arts, in order to teach Son Goku the higher level martial arts.

Just like Subodhi, he had to be a hermit who possessed mystical Buddho-Daoist powers. But because Toriyama is such a comedic fellow, he didn’t want him to be exactly like Subodhi, as that would be too boring. Subodhi was rather strict and unkind.

So instead he based him on Kume Sennin, the well known pop culture figure. By doing so, Toriyama would be free to make all the funny, perverted jokes that he loves so much.

But a direct clone of Kume would be boring as well, as he’d have to stick too close to the already established model. So he changed one letter and turned Kume to Kame.

The name made perfect sense. Daoist Sennin’s always had some type of unique characteristic or single animal familiar anyway, such as a fish, ox, toad, donkey or dragon, so basing him on turtle’s (亀, Kame) was a nice coincidence. Turtle’s also have great significance in East Asian culture, so it would serve as a rich source of ideas and symbols. For example, long life and immortality, which is what Kame Sennin exemplifies.

Like many of Toriyama’s creations, Kame Sennin fit within traditional culture while still being outlandish and funny.

It was also easier for his young audience to understand, since they could relate Kame Sennin with Kume Sennin.

Who is Kame Sennin?

Let’s take a moment to look at Kame Sennin (亀仙人, the Turtle Hermit), otherwise known as Muten Roshi (武天老師, or Master Roshi) and see how he compares to Kume Sennin.

As we all know, Kame Sennin is the old perverted master of martial arts that lives on Kame Island in the Kame House. Like other Sennin’s, he lives alone except for his acquaintance, Turtle (海亀, Umigame), a slow yet honest talking sea turtle that comedically represents his Sennin familiar.

Kame Sennin is very much a cross cultural creation. He teaches the boys martial arts in a Zen Buddhist style of self comprehension amidst physical suffering. Meanwhile, he dresses like a Daoist Taiji master when fighting or teaching. He knows Taiji Chuan and Chinese boxing styles, and helps strengthen his disciples’ ability to use Ki (Qi). On top of that, he emulates Jackie Chan as Jackie Chun, a popular Chinese martial arts film star. He’s a mix of Buddhist, Daoist, Chinese and Japanese.

Kame Sennin is an immortal. It’s never explained exactly how he became immortal, but he is over 300 years old by the time Goku meets him as a child, and he never ages during the progression of the story.

Visually, like Kume Sennin, Kame Sennin is a bald man with a classic white beard and mustache, and carries a classic Daoist style Chinese staff. Like the Sennin from Dai Tozoku, he occasionally smokes from a long pipe and is missing several teeth.

Kame Sennin sometimes wears traditional Chinese clothing, but the first time he’s introduced he’s humorously wearing a modern tropical Islands shirt, shorts, flip flop sandals and a pair of sunglasses. Not the typical Sennin outfit you would expect a great master to be wearing!

This is Toriyama’s comedic style at work. A fusion of cultures across different time periods.

Let’s now turn our attention to the bigger links between the two.

Kame Sennin’s Magic Cloud

Just like Kume Sennin, Kame Sennin has a magic cloud, which he calls the Kinto’un (筋斗雲), and which shares similar Kanji to the one in Journey to the West, where it’s called the “Somersault Cloud.”

Kame Sennin is unable to ride the cloud, because like his predecessor Kume Sennin, his thoughts are impure and heavy, licentious and perverted.

In chapter 4 of the manga, Kame Sennin decides to thank Goku and Bulma for saving Turtle’s life (in the previous chapter), by giving Goku a gift.

He says, “COME TO ME, IMMORTAL PHOENIX!!!”

But nothing comes.

Turtle says, “Umm… the immortal phoenix died of food poisoning.”

Kame Sennin says, “Really?! Oh yeah, now that you mention it…”

Bulma asks, “It died even though it’s immortal…?”

Kame Sennin continues, “Hmmm… I was planning on summoning the immortal phoenix and granting you eternal life… Alright! Instead of that I’ll give you this…!”

“COME TO ME!!! KINTO’UN!!!”

Off in the distance a puffy cloud appears in the sky and with super speed zips toward the group. It stops on a dime in front of them.

Goku asks, “How do I eat it?” Kame Sennin responds, “Don’t eat my treasured cloud!!!”

Bulma says, “But why do YOU have this cloud? It has nothing to do with turtles…” He says, “It’s unbecoming of children to pay attention to such details…”

He tells Goku that it can be used to fly in the sky, but that “Only those with a pure heart can ride on Kinto’un!”

Kame Sennin tries to show him how to do it, jumping with both feet above the cloud. But he falls right through and hits the sand below!

“ARRRRGGGGH, m-my back!!!” Turtle asks, “A-are you alright? “Wh-what happened…?” Bulma points and laughs. Kame Sennin says, “Mumu… th-that’s strange…”

Goku jumps on top and becomes happy. “Yaaaay, I can ride it, I can ride it!!!” He then zooms around on the cloud at breakneck speeds, performing loop-de-loops in the air as if he already had years of experience.

Since Kame Sennin can’t ride the cloud anyway, he offers it to Goku as a gift. But then Bulma asks for a gift too.

Kame Sennin says, “Unfortunately there is only one Kinto’un. But I can give you something else in its place…….. As long as… y… you… SHOW ME YOUR PANTIES FIRST!!”

Turtle screams at him, “HOW CAN A SENNIN LIKE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!”

He responds, “WH-WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?! Even Sennin’s want to see some panties once in a while!!!”

Turtle says, “Now I know why you couldn’t ride Kinto’un…” Kame Sennin glares at him, “SILENCE!!”

Bulma is shy, but decides to lift up her dress and show her panties in exchange for another great gift. Unfortunately for her, she wasn’t aware that Goku had innocently taken the panties off of her while she slept, just out of curiosity to see if she had boy parts like he does.

That means Kame Sennin and Turtle got an eyeful of the goods!

As a result, blood shoots out of Kame Sennin’s nose! Why? In manga this signifies that a man has an erection. The blood pressure becomes so high that it literally shoots out of their nose! It’s the same idea as the Sennin in Dai Tozoku standing erect at a 45 degree angle, but much more pronounced and visual.

In exchange, Bulma requests his Dragon Ball, the Three Star ball.

Kame Sennin gives it to her and then thinks to himself, “I should’ve brought my camera…”

He hops on to Turtle and rides back to his Island. He says to Turtle. “Wow, I still can’t believe what I saw today… I’m gonna live a long life!”

It’s as if Kame Sennin is implying his life is going to be extended because he saw Bulma’s naked body. Toriyama is basically presenting a child-like version of what the Daoist Sennin in China sought after, with their virgin “Jade Girls.” That is, the immortal elixir created by invigoration of their own “vital essence.”

Since the source of Kame Sennin’s immortality is never explained, perhaps this is how he became immortal in the first place!

And perhaps that is why he’s always looking for more pretty girls.

A Pure Heart and a Dirty Heart

Why was Goku able to ride the Kinto’un, while Kame Sennin was not?

Goku was pure hearted and simple minded, so the cloud supported him.

The ultimate goal of Daoism is to return to your original, true self. To return to the simple, pure hearted nature that we have as children, what Daoists refer to as, “The Uncarved Block.” Goku was already at this state, so he was able to ride the cloud.

Kame Sennin obviously no longer met that standard.

Consider the following question. Why would Kame Sennin have a flying cloud that he can’t ride?

To answer that, we also have to ask, how did Kame Sennin receive the Kinto’un in the first place?

It’s not explicitly shown, but it’s mentioned he got it from Karin, the Senbyō (仙猫, Hermit Cat or Immortal Cat) that lives in Karin Tower, the midway point between earth and Kami’s Lookout. Note that Senbyō and Sennin share the same first character, both referring to their hermit like nature.

Kame Sennin climbed up the impossibly tall Karin Tower, doing something that few people were ever strong enough to do. He also defeated Karin in combat and acquired the Super Holy Water. We are then led to believe that Karin gave it to him as a reward.

Why is this likely? Because in the original Dragon Ball series we see that Goku receives his own Kinto’un from Karin after performing the same feats. He had to replace the one that Kame Sennin gave him because it was killed by Piccolo Daimao’s child, Tambourine, a member of the Mazoku (Demon Clan).

Karin gave the Kinto’un to Goku because of his purity of heart and great inner qualities. That is the requirement for receiving it and also riding it.

Karin’s primary responsibility is to prevent the unworthy from going higher up and meeting Kami. The Kinto’un is unable to take a person higher than Karin’s Tower. To go higher, you need the Nyoibo staff that connects the top of Karin Tower to the bottom of Kami’s Lookout. But to even get the Kinto’un you first have to prove to Karin that you are pure of heart.

How did Kame Sennin ever get it? As a young man while training under Master Mutaito (alongside Tsuru Sennin (Crane Hermit)) he was already chasing after women and peeking at them through the bushes. Why would Karin give it to him if he was impure and couldn’t ride it?

The most likely reason is that at some point in his long life Kame Sennin climbed the tower, cultivated a pure heart and received the cloud from Karin. Karin tells Goku that it took Kame Sennin 3 whole years to defeat him. It took that much time to calm his mind.

Then later in his life he became licentious all over again, falling to the earth just like Kume Sennin!

Makes sense when you consider the inspiration for his character, doesn’t it? He cultivated well, received the blessings, then became lustful and lost his powers.

We never once get to see Kame Sennin ride the cloud he rightfully earned.

But unlike Kume Sennin, Kame Sennin did not renew his cultivation. He stayed on his Island, living in comfort, watching the exercise girls on TV and reading pornographic magazines.

As a lonely old man unable to let go of his attachments, he continued to chase after every pretty girl he could find, for the rest of his life.

Forever alone.

Pervy Sage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MswXUj1UoCc

Kume Sennin’s story represents a transition point between showing immortals in a respectful way and showing immortals in a lustful and comical way. I surmise that over time, perhaps centuries, this then created a formulaic concept of Daoist Sennin’s being dirty old men who live in the wilderness and chase after pretty girls.

Meanwhile, Japan had a long history of slightly risqué art, depicting men peeking at women from a distance, or seeing underneath their skirts.

Toriyama then took these two humorous concepts to the extreme (as he tends to do) and made Kame Sennin, a blatantly lecherous immortal.

Kame Sennin is now such an iconic character that I would argue he is one of the most well known manga and anime characters of all time. Definitely not the most popular, but certainly well known. He is the martial arts master of Son Goku, after all.

Kame Sennin represents all the perverted, dirty old men of the world who also happen to be martial arts masters!

Of course there may not be many of those in real life, but just as Kume Sennin was iconic enough to inspire the creation of Kame Sennin, Kame Sennin was iconic enough to inspire the creation of Gama Sennin.

Who is Gama Sennin?

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball directly inspired manga author Masashi Kishimoto to create the Naruto series of manga, often described as the spiritual successor to Dragon Ball. In Naruto, he created a character just like Kame Sennin, known as Gama Sennin (蝦蟇仙人, The Frog Hermit), also known as Jiraiya. And the titular character Naruto is a lot like Goku.

Toriyama’s influence on Kishimoto was profound, as Kishimoto has even stated that, “Toriyama is like a god to me.”

Kishimito, just like Toriyama, mined traditional Japanese legends for inspiration of his characters, while also having modern influences.

Going back in time to traditional culture, the Gama Sennin in Naruto was directly inspired by a 10^th century Sennin alchemist who learned the secrets of Immortality from a 3 legged toad. Like the Kume Sennin legend, Jiraiya is also the name of another Japanese legend, called Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari (The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya), a man who was a master shape shifting ninja associated with toads. He was one of three master ninja’s, the other two being Tsunade (associated with snails / slugs) and Orochimaru (associated with snakes). Together they made up the Sannin (Three Ninja’s). The giant toads and ninjutsu techniques in Naruto are a representation of his ancient background and Sennin powers.

In the modern sense, Naruto’s Jiraiya is directly inspired by Toriyama’s Kame Sennin, as a dirty old man who chases skirts, gropes women whenever he has the chance, and ogle’s girls from a distance through his telescope. Jiraiya takes Naruto on “research” expeditions, which involve hanging out at brothels, or peeking at women through the bushes, like Kame Sennin did as a young man, and like Kume Sennin’s descendent depicted in Dai Tozoku.

Jiraiya’s licentious ways are so obvious that Naruto gives him the nickname Ero Sennin, translated as “Perverted Hermit,” or the shorter, “Pervy Sage.”

Pervy Sage is now a term all its own, and refers to these types of formulaic characters: The super powerful old man who can kick butt and dispense wisdom, but also has an inherent weakness for the ladies.

These characters, Kame Sennin from Dragon Ball and Gama Sennin from Naruto, are regarded as two of the most iconic pervy sage’s in Japanese pop culture. They define the term.

After reading this article you can now see they had a predecessor in Kume Sennin. And the interplay between the three offers a fascinating look into ancient and modern Japanese culture.

A Popular Legend, Retold

Why was Kume Sennin a popular tale for thousands of years? Because he was a mystical, yet perverted hermit who finds redemption.

Kame Sennin is also a super powerful man who has relatable flaws. Plus he’s endearingly funny.

Both of these perverted Sennin had this weakness of the heart and were relatable to the human condition.

Kume Sennin was an iconic Japanese Sennin figure, even though the majority of Sennin were inherited from the Chinese. And just like Journey to the West, where in Japan it became known as Saiyuki (西遊記) and received Japanese flavor, Kume Sennin was the Japanese representation of Chinese traditional culture and Buddho-Daoist beliefs. A cross cultural Chinese Daoist figure written about by Japanese Buddhist monks. That is to say, Chinese culture with Japanese characteristics.

Kame Sennin represents the same mix.

Let’s trace the path of inspiration. Ancient cultural beliefs in cultivation via Buddha and Dao led to Kume Sennin and Journey to the West. Then for Toriyama, Journey to the West’s Sun Wukong led to Son Goku, and its’ Subodhi figure led to Kume Sennin, which led to Kame Sennin. This then led Kishimoto to Toriyama’s Dragon Ball, which finally led to Naruto and Gama Sennin.

In all three cases the dirty old man became an iconic figure, and in all three stories the legend became popular among the masses.

The Kume Sennin story is extremely popular. The Kame Sennin story is extremely popular. The Gama Sennin story is extremely popular.

Maybe the secret to success is being a dirty old man.

Returning to the Way and Ascending

The Kume Sennin legend tells of a man who achieved great heights, stumbled, and then found the Way again.

His legend shows the dangers of lustfulness, revealing that it will weigh you down in illusion and prevent you from rising to higher levels. It also shows the moral importance of remaining virtuous and returning to your true calling.

Unfortunately Kame Sennin was unable to do this. He fell down and stayed down, basically giving up on his cultivation after attaining immortality. He was undisciplined and succumbed to comfort and pleasure. Routinely failing the test of lust, he stayed fixed at the same level for the rest of his life.

Goku on the other hand, never had this problem. This is why he surpassed his master so quickly. Simply by being a pure hearted little boy, he did what Kame Sennin could not.

In the end of Kume Sennin’s story, he leaves his wife and kids behind. He decides that his own cultivation is more important. Through this action he lives up to the standard of a dedicated cultivator of those times. He cut his ties to the mundane world and let go of his attachments.

As harsh as that may sound, from a traditional cultivation perspective it was the right thing to do for his own salvation. He had to let go of sentimentality for family in order to escape from the cycle of life and death. All attachments had to be eliminated.

Goku, just like Kume Sennin, flies on a magical cloud, has supernormal abilities, and fell into the mundane world as he was essentially pushed into marriage by Chi-Chi.

Yet Goku is ultimately more focused on his own cultivation than he is on his wife and children. He prefers to train and refine his abilities rather than play the role of a family man. He fulfills some of his familial responsibilities, but at his core it’s not what drives him and truly makes him happy.

I honestly think that Goku would be happier living alone as a hermit, maybe with a single disciple, just like each of his martial arts masters. Goku is not concerned with staying around family for sentimental reasons. He doesn’t have that attachment. Like a true Saiyan (a true cultivator), he just wants to train. He understands that this is the purpose of his life.

In fact, this is exactly how Dragon Ball Z ends, with Goku finding his one disciple, Uub, among all the people of the world. He tracks down the reincarnated Majin Buu, unlocks his incredible power, and then flies away with his new student, leaving all of his family and friends behind. He even gives Uub the Kinto’un, and Uub can ride it.

Goku returns to the Way that makes him truly happy. He passes the magic cloud onto the next generation, and the two of them soar off into the distance to begin their training!

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Kame Sennin and Kume Sennin – The Perverted Hermits

That’s right, there is now a Dragon Ball religion. It is called Gokuism, also known as The Church of Goku.

Gokuism is the belief that the principles of Dragon Ball provide a moral compass for one’s life, and that Goku is an ideal role model and moralistic person. By some definitions, it implies that Goku provides personal, global, and universal salvation, and that his death and resurrections were for our sake.

With so many religions already existing, why create this one based on Dragon Ball?

In today’s blog post you’ll learn where Gokuism came from, what its practitioners believe, and explore some thought provoking questions about this new faith.

The Roots of Gokuism

For many fans, Dragon Ball has always held a special place in their hearts. It’s more than just a show. Some spiritually inclined fans find moral lessons that align with their own perspectives, or they are inspired by Goku’s actions to improve themselves. This can range from hitting the gym to trying to become more honest and pure.

In Western Europe and North America there are believers in Judeo-Christian tenets that feel their beliefs relate to the principles in Dragon Ball. They see Goku’s actions and are inspired to become closer to God. But such inspirations had always been restrained within the understandable confines of Dragon Ball being a fabricated series, not an actual paradigm of salvation. And they were individually personal, not promulgated to others.

In this college essay from 2009, “cmvitolo” wrote, “He was a role model of a father, a great guy, strong and above all, caring. This one character, named Goku, demonstrated this beautiful personality, and his positive attitude and pure heart affected me. … As a follower of Christ, I was further influenced by Goku’s ability to do exactly what Christ had suggested we do: “Love your enemy.””

Bringing it to others via Gokuism, Dragon Ball fans have taken a story and world that they know is fantastical to begin with, and made a belief system out of it.

This is not an official religion endorsed by the Japanese license holders, nor the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama. It springs from the collective minds of fans.

There does not seem to be a single specific place that Gokuism originated. As a global phenomenon promulgated through the internet, Gokuism could have first appeared anywhere and then gained popularity. Although it has a somewhat larger following in Spain and Mexico.

At the moment, Gokuism seems to have just begun, with only a few sites and established groups existing on the internet. But the comparisons between Goku and Jesus Christ have been around for as long as the series has been popular, which I explore below.

Given more time, what might the future hold? Could Goku become a bigger religious icon or a larger symbol of faith?

Before you write off the possibility, consider for a moment that this exact thing has already occurred with another very well known series.

Gokuism and Jediism

Gokuism appears similar to the Jedi Religion born from Star Wars, known as Jediism, or The Jedi Church

Is Jediism for real? Yes, very much so. According to Wikipedia, Jediism is an actual recognized religion in Canada. And in the 2001 census for England and Wales, there were over 390,127 declared followers. That same year in New Zealand there were 53,000 declared Jedi followers, even eclipsing the amount of Buddhists. There are followers across the world, and you can see the resources below for more information.

Sociologically what I find most interesting is the cross cultural comparison between the two.

Both Gokuism and Jediism are fan based creations aligned with pseudo-religious spirituality and eastern principles.

Jediism was based on a western creation interwoven with eastern Daoist / Zen mysticism and Taiji theories ala the Force. While Gokuism was based off an eastern creation interwoven with Buddho-Daoist legends and American Hollywood influences, and then recently paralleled with Judeo-Christian beliefs of the west.

It’s as if each group of followers is looking outside their own culture for something else and then finding ways to connect it to their already accepted world view.

Numerous books about Star Wars and living the path of the Jedi have been written, where the authors detail the similarities between Jedi philosophy and western belief systems, so as to make the content relatable. Is Dragon Ball the next subject for this treatment?

On the Facebook page titled Evangelical Gokuism, the owner says he created the page “To spread the message of our personal savior Goku, as well as promote my forthcoming book, “Praying to Goku.””

As Dragon Ball is in many ways a similar phenomenon to Star Wars (with films, a global fan base, billion dollar licensing deals, etc.), could Gokuism become the next Jediism? It has the same qualifications, such as worldwide appeal, an in-world belief system, an afterlife, demons, deities, and martial arts based paths of personal development.

Star Wars fans find the Daoist / Zen Buddhist perspective attractive enough to make it their lifestyle, so it seems logical that Dragon Ball fans would as well, since it is based on Journey to the West. In addition, members of both fan bases share similar ‘nerdy’ traits, and it is common to admire both series.

But truth be told, on a larger scale it seems that Gokuism is still years away from reaching the level of the Jedi Church, if at all. That said, Dragon Ball is incredibly popular. Perhaps all Gokuism would need to grow is another televised Dragon Ball series or a successful series of Hollywood films, thus pushing it further into the minds of the populace.

The Beliefs of Gokuism

What are the beliefs of Gokuism?

At the bare minimum, practicing Gokuism implies that you are a huge fan of Goku, as can be seen on this Spanish Facebook page, called “Because he Died for Us and Rose Again to Save Us… WE LOVE YOU GOKU,” which has over 290,000 Likes.

On a more religious level there is unfortunately little material available on the actual beliefs or tenants. At the moment there are no texts or codified materials. There is this site in Spanish that lists the 10 Commandments of Goku, but it appears to be a joke.

From what is available online I gather that Goku is perceived as a super powerful figure who sacrificed his life, was reborn, and fought for the salvation of mankind. Goku is taken as the physical and moral ideal. A role model of innocence and purity who has unfathomable power yet only uses it to help others.

According to one Gokuism Facebook page, it states the following creed. “Do you believe that Goku is the all powerful son of Bardock? Do you believe that Goku has a power level Over 9,000? Do you believe that Goku died, trained with King Kai, and was resurrected? Do you believe that Goku defeated Freeza, and gave Son Gohan the motivation to defeat Cell? Do you believe that you would give Goku your energy if he ever did another Spirit Bomb?”

Elsewhere, this sacrament appears. “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Saiyan Spirit.”

On a Spanish Facebook Gokuism page, it says, “Goku is above all things. Gohan is seated at the right of the father. Through the work of Vegeta he spoke through the prophets.”

Honestly I can’t tell if these are jokes or genuine beliefs. I contacted the owners of several sites to try and get answers to my questions, but did not hear back.

More importantly, what does a follower get if they believe these things? The ability to fire a Kamehameha, fly into the air, teleport, or punch through mountains? So far nobody has promised these abilities to converts, but if the movement became more serious, these temptations would be easy bait to swing in front of the eyes, just like Jedi Force powers.

It’s not that far-fetched, either. Consider that these same promises and belief systems were proselytized during the Boxer Revolution (1898 to 1901) in China, and among the White Lotus sects and secret religious martial arts clans for thousands of years. The result was millions of violent deaths.

In regards to physicality, if I had to conjecture, I would imagine that practitioners of Gokuism should also try and embody Goku’s exercise regimen and dietetic practices, such as avoiding alcohol and consuming healthy, natural foods, while training in the martial arts. This seems positive.

What is the ultimate goal of Gokuism? To simply live a better life in the model of Goku? Or does it encompass entering Heaven and fighting demons and other villains as well? Maybe the more spiritual aspects are perceived as allegory for internal conflicts and achievements within the practitioner.

Gokuism opens up a gigantic can of theological worms, so for my own sake I’ll stop with conjecturing here.

As it happens, Gokuism is just beginning, and the majority of inspiration for its existence seems to have sprung from followers of Christianity.

Son Goku and Jesus Christ

Ever since Dragon Ball has become popular in the mid to late 90’s, comparisons between Son Goku and Superman have often been made. Likewise, comparisons between Son Goku and Jesus Christ. There are reasons why.

Consider that in all three cases, the “only son” was sent from “heaven” down to earth, where he matured and harnessed supernormal or “divine” powers to fight against “great evil” and “save humanity.” The three stories are similar in many ways.

Followers of Gokuism (Gokuists?) often seem to believe in both Goku and Jesus Christ. Theologically speaking, can a person who practices Gokuism also practice another faith simultaneously? I would think that eventually they would have to decide which one is their true personal savior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGjbTXIuVM

In the above video, rumored to be from Spain, titled “Ten Reasons Why I Am a Gokuista and Not a Christian,” the creator, EspirituNoTanSanto, states why he believes Goku is superior to Jesus.

For example, Reason 1, “The Number of Times They Saved the World.” According to the video, Jesus saved the world once, against Satan, by removing original sin. Goku on the other hand, saved the world from Pilaf, the Red Ribbon Army, Piccolo, Raditz, Vegeta and Nappa, Freeza, Cell, Majin Buu, and the Evil Dragons.

Reason 2, “The Number of Times Resurrected.” Jesus was only resurrected once, but Goku was resurrected twice.

Reason 3, “Their Skills.” Jesus can heal the blind, raise the dead, remove sin, walk on water, and multiply fish. Goku has the Kamehameha, Kaioken, Taioken, Dragon Fist, Teleport and Genki Dama.

It goes on like that for 7 more slides, concluding in the argument that Goku lived his entire life for other people and would soundly defeat Jesus in a fight. Therefore, he is the “Undisputed Winner.”

Dragon Ball and Parallels to Christianity

To be fair, there are many genuine parallels that can be drawn between Judeo Christian beliefs and the world of Dragon Ball, with Goku in particular.

For example, in regards to the Holy Trinity, Goku is simultaneously the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In one sense, he is the Son of Bardock, the Father of Gohan, and a Spiritual being that resides in both Heaven and Earth. He finishes Bardock’s fight against Freeza, closing the circle of “savior of the people” against “persecutory tyrant.” In a sense, he is like the child that was sent down in order to defeat Satan. He is also made in the same image as Bardock.

In another perspective, Goku is a Father to Gohan and Goten, the youngest and last pure blooded Son of the Saiyan people, and a Spiritual being that can manifest physically in two places at once. For example, after sacrificing his life and going to Heaven, he physically helped Gohan defeat Cell on Earth. Likewise, he rescued Gohan from the death grip of Bojack, appearing in physical form for a split second in order to punch Bojack in the face and free his son. Both acts could be considered the definition of a miracle.

Lastly, in Dragon Ball GT, Goku as an adult is the Father who shrinks down in size and becomes a child (aka the Son), while maintaining his mind and Spiritual powers. He is all three beings at once.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDfsF4zDdR0

Goku experienced many great tests. For example, at the end of the original Dragon Ball series Kami asks Goku to replace him as God and ascend the throne. But Goku refuses, choosing to remain on earth as a poor hermit so that he can continue improving and fighting stronger opponents.

There are also the demonic beings that Goku defeats, such as Broly. In Dragon Ball Z movie 8, Broly said the following. “Me, a monster? No, I am the Devil.” Christian fans of DBZ have grabbed onto this as an argument that Goku is defeating the devil. Similarly, Piccolo and several others also refer to themselves as demons. Goku defeats them all.

In terms of holy powers, in Dragon Ball Z movie 5, Cooler’s Revenge, Goku holds a dead bird in his hand and brings it back to life. And of course there is the ‘laying on of hands’ that Dende performs on others when healing them. Although from my perspective I believe this stems more from Daoist Qigong energy healing found in the eastern martial arts.

In any case, there are many other parallels to be drawn, and perhaps these are the reasons why people believe in the ideal of Goku and follow his way.

Practicing Ones Faith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SBMTHcAwXA

Fantastical or otherwise, in the mind of a believer, Goku represents an ideal that can be followed.

Having considered the emerging presence of Gokuism and its reasons for being, it may be easy to see why Goku is considered a god, or even a manifestation of God Himself. Goku’s ability to save others and defeat evil, while teleporting between dimensions and enduring the unendurable, all lend credence to the perspective that he is a holy being.

Naturally this brings up the question of religious tolerance, and whether or not Gokuism should be considered a valid religion.

In the above video’s description the creator says, “Do you realize something? The character of Jesus is as fictional and or fanciful as Goku. However, people consider it ridiculous to worship Goku and not Jesus.”

Should a religion based on a cartoon character be taken seriously? Is Goku real? Is Jesus real? Is it all in the mind of the believer?

Goku’s origins can be traced directly back to the mind of Akira Toriyama, a comic book creator in Japan influenced by eastern legends, Hong Kong martial arts, and Hollywood cinema. We know for a fact that Goku is a fabrication.

For Jesus’ origins we have the biblical texts and historical artifacts that point in His direction, but no definitive proof. Thus His existence is, arguably, dependent on faith.

And yet for a practitioner of Gokuism, who may seemingly also believe in Judeo-Christian beliefs, does it even matter? I don’t think so, because in the mind of a practitioner, gradual self improvement toward an ideal is all that matters, even if the source of motivation is fabricated.

In The Dao of Dragon Ball book I quote a young man who said that Goku helped him come closer to Jesus, and that he hopes that when he dies, that Goku is there waiting for him. He is not a declared follow of Gokuism, and I don’t think he had ever heard of the practice, but in either case, both belief systems are reflecting off one another and providing reciprocal motivation.

In the end, while it seems Gokuism has been around for years on an individual level, it is only now beginning to establish itself on the internet. This means Gokuism may fade away, or it may grow. Only time will tell.

Concluding Thoughts

Since there are so many unanswered questions, that means this post serves as a great conversation starter. I’d love to hear what you guys think.

Personally, if I got into the mind of a Gokuist, I would immediately ask myself the question, “What would Goku think of all this?”

I believe he’d scratch his head, let out a laugh, and then return to his training.

Resources

Definition of Gokuism

The Church of Goku

Goku and the Church of Latter Day Saiyans

Evangelical Gokuism

I am a Dragon Ball Gokuista

Gokuism Group

Gokuism Group 2

Gokuism Group – Resurrection

Religión Gokuista

Because he Died for Us and Rose Again to Save Us… WE LOVE YOU GOKU

Gokuism on Tripod [The Great Book of Shenron]

Goku and Jesus Comparisons

Comments and Jokes on Reddit about Gokuism

The 10 Commandments of Goku

Christianity and Goku

Essay on Goku and Christ

Morality and Jesus vs Goku

Goku is NOT God

Super Saiyan Jesus

The Return of Jesus as a Super Saiyan

An Internet Theory about Goku and World History

The Jedi Church

Jediism Census Info on Wikipedia

Temple of the Jedi Order

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Gokuism – The Church of Goku

The “Saiyan Showdown” documentary was made during the time when Dragon Ball Z was entrenched in the minds of fans.

FUNimation had decided to redub the first 67 episodes of Dragon Ball Z with the current FUNimation cast, to replace the original Ocean Group dub from 1996. The new versions were going to be called The Ultimate Uncut Editions, and the Saiyan Showdown was a bonus video that came with the first disc of the series.

The Saiyan Showdown documentary consists of interviews with Sean Schemmel (Goku) and Christopher Sabat (Vegeta), as well as two experts in the anime industry, Milton Griepp, the President from ICV2, and Robert Bricken, former Editor of Anime Insider Magazine.

Dragon Ball fans from an anime convention are also asked questions about their favorite character, and why Dragon Ball is an important show for them.

A YouTube user was nice enough to post the videos online, and I found them during my research for the book. I mined them for some quotes and decided to share them on the blog.

Many of the quotes provide excellent insights and perspectives, and plenty of food for thought.

Here are the videos in their entirety, followed by notable quotes from this DBZ documentary. The length is 26 minutes and 57 seconds long.

Saiyan Showdown Videos

Sean Schemmel

“Goku was my first audition ever, for anything, except for puppet shows at the theater, that I did in Dallas.”

“I have a deep affinity for Goku in particular. That will always have a core place in my heart. And I think there’s no better place I could have started.”

“Absolutely life changing. Absolutely. And I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

“We went to New Orleans, and they had us on this whirlwind autograph tour at these schools, and they had a lot of security there, and we had to leave early, and the kids set the school on fire because they didn’t get Goku’s autograph! [laughter].”

“I think Goku believes that everybody can be good. Absolutely. Because he can see. He sees through all the things that make people covered, evil, cloudy. He looks through that. That’s part of what makes it dangerous for him, because, and I’ve been guilty of this in my life, I’m just like, “I like you, and you like me, and you’re not going to hurt me!””

“Goku is not ever selfish. He’s never like, there was a line that made him sound really selfish, “Oh, I hope I don’t get killed if I do this,” or something like that. I was like, “No. He doesn’t, he’s not worried about it. He’s worried about saving other people. He’s not worried about saving himself.””

“He’s just, enlightened. He’s so in the moment with his training, and everything is so positive that he’s unsinkable.”

“Goku is just simply more talented. Vegeta has the training, he’s got the money. He’s the rich Harvard kid [who] doesn’t have to try. Goku’s the punk from Texas. Goku is the Lance Armstrong to the guy who had all the… . Here’s a kid from Texas who is going to go win the Tour De France 5 or 6 times.”

“Vegeta and Goku come together because there are things that Vegeta has to learn, and Goku is a compelling enough force to make him learn those things. And vice versa. That’s why people come together, I think.”

“He’s got short man syndrome [laughter]. Vegeta.”

Christopher Sabat

“I love Vegeta! And I don’t know if I like Vegeta because I always was meant to like Vegeta, or playing Vegeta made me like Vegeta.”

“What made Dragon Ball Z a huge success is that it has the most incredible, epic story. The story just, once you get into it, it’s like animated crack.”

“When all of a sudden you are walking around, going out to eat, and the person walking in front of you has a Vegeta shirt on. Or when you start seeing kids blasting with their hands at the mall, you start realizing that the thing you are working on has bled into the culture.”

“I don’t think I can ever get tired of it. I thought there was a point where I’d be tired of it, but I think that anyone who has been on the DBZ series knows that … it changed everyone’s lives who worked on it. This isn’t some sort of weird, spiritual thing. It’s weird to look, you’re in the grocery store, and you see a magazine that has anime on it, and you see your face in it. I don’t even know where I’d be right now… there’s a good chance I’d still be reading a [too quiet to hear] spot or something like that, the ‘Fall Men’s Collection.’”

“The first battle between Goku and Vegeta is extremely important, because it’s the first fight that everyone really wanted to see.”

“Vegeta, at least the way I saw Vegeta, he was probably the single most bitter, angry man alive.”

“But at the same time, Vegeta cannot exist without Goku.”

Milton Griepp, President of ICV2 Trade Publications

“I remember I was in a store in France, and American comics were very popular in the rest of Europe and in France then, and X-Men was the most popular American comic. I was talking to this retailer and he said, “This comic here is selling better than X-Men in my store.” And it was Dragon Ball Z.”

“Dragon Ball Z just had a special look about it. That carried onto retail, from 1999 to 2000. It just had such a stylish appearance that stood out among all the other anime products.”

Dragon Ball Fans at Anime Convention

“The style of it. The beauty of it. The action. The relationships. The whole story line. It’s perfect.”

“The best thing I like about the show is the action. And Goku. He’s my favorite character. He sets it off for me. When he powers up to Super Saiyan, it’s on!”

“They’re not just normal humans, walking around talking. They have abilities that nobody else has. They can fly, they can shoot energy balls, they can go forever in fighting.”

“It has the drama. It has the romance. It has your goofiness. It has high action fights. What more could you ask for, really?”

“I watched Dragon Ball Z with my brother a lot. He passed away a few years ago, but that’s something that he and I would always watch. We were big fans of Dragon Ball Z in the beginning. We went on to GT, and then back to the original Dragon Ball series itself. We really liked it a lot. It was part of a bond. I know it doesn’t really sound all that great, but it was something that we watched a lot together, and looked forward to watching together. Even now it’s a big part of our relationship, even though he isn’t here.”

Robert Bricken, former Managing Editor of Anime Insider Magazine

“Without Goku and Vegeta there is no Dragon Ball Z. Goku is the superhero, the Superman, if you will. He’s the happy go lucky hero that every great story really needs.”

“Vegeta is the one that Goku needs to balance him. The one who is dark, who is mad, everything like that. They show the two polar aspects of humanity. Especially Vegeta at the beginning of the Saiyan Saga, when he is pure evil. It’s a perfect polar opposite.”

“It’s safe to say that without the two of them, and their rivalry, the series would not have continued on. And that was all based on the original fight between Goku and Vegeta on earth.”

“It is that rivalry that drives them forward, both those characters and the series forward as they go on their adventures. And Vegeta can always turn to Goku and say “You can’t fight him because I’m going to.” Things like that.”

“We did rank the top 10 anime battles of all time, and while there were other Dragon Ball Z fights on there, the original fight between Goku and Vegeta was number 1 in all of anime-dom. It’s such a visceral fight that even the later Cell and Majin Buu fights don’t come close to matching, they’re so bloody and beaten, and Goku is practically dead by the end of it. It’s the fight that all other Dragon Ball Z fights would be judged by.”

“I think Dragon Ball Z is the greatest action anime of all time. It really set the tone for all other anime action. It was the most popular in Japan, and the most popular over here. The whole core of the action, the fight that raised the bar for the action in the entire 200 plus episodes, was the Goku vs. Vegeta fight. And then later on when Vegeta turns into Majin Vegeta in the Majin Buu saga, the early stages, that is probably, for me, the most emotionally satisfying moment there, because Vegeta and Goku had this history together. None of it would have been possible without that fight. Not the popularity of the series, not the incredible action, not the emotional resonance that I think has made Dragon Ball Z so popular throughout the world.”

Your Thoughts

How do you feel about the quotes above? Did any of them strike a chord?

I found the perspectives of Sean Schemmel and Christoper Sabat very interesting. But the most memorable quote to me is from the young man who used to watch DBZ with his brother, who then passed away. Very touching.

I’m glad that this resource was made available to provide a glimpse into a special moment of time for DBZ fans.

Let us know how you feel!

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Saiyan Showdown Documentary

Anger and pain narrow the mind. Compassion and tolerance broaden the mind.

Pain and anger drive one to take immediate actions. Comfort and pleasure pacify the mind to linger in non-action.

In Dragon Ball, villainous forces run amok. Different beings vie for power and control of planets.

Both the Guardian named Kami and North Kaio are passive deities, wrapped in idyllic comfort. They are supposed to protect the people within their domain, but most of the time they don’t do anything.

Placed above the living world in stations of authority, they look out with a broad view at the sentient beings below. Yet they are more dedicated to watching events unfold then changing them. They pass time with voyeurism.

They do not use their vast powers and supernormal abilities. Laws are in place that state how they can interact with the lesser beings. Thus, with restraint in their heart and a broad long term perspective that things will work out on their own, they do not act. They only lament the current state of affairs. The beings below are left to fend for themselves.

Goku’s life is uncomfortable. Whether under attack or in training, Goku is forced to become angry in order to ascend. Goku is a genuinely nice person, but when he is pushed to the limit he becomes filled with rage. He is a true spiritual warrior who directs short term anger in explosive waves.

There were only a couple cases in Dragon Ball when Kami became angry enough to act.

The first was when he descended to earth to fight Piccolo Daimao in the Tenkaichi Budokai martial arts tournament. Filled with rage against his spiritual lesser half, and frustrated with himself for his lack of previous actions to solve the problem, Kami sought to kill his other self.

But even while taking action it was through indirect means, as Kami possessed a pure spirited human’s body to enter the tournament.

In the end, he wasn’t strong enough to win the battle, and Goku had to finish the job.

The second was in the Dragon Ball Z movie called Dead Zone. Kami fought against Garlic Jr., a being who sought to usurp the throne of Guardian. Kami became angry, gained focus, and descended to the earth once again.

But even with his holy powers, Kami was too weak of a fighter to offer a serious challenge.

If Goku and his son Gohan weren’t around to defeat this villain, then Kami’s old age and lack of battle power would have meant the destruction of the world.

The responsibility is repeatedly left to Goku to fight, sacrifice, and endure in order to overcome increasingly greater challenges. As a result, Goku grows in power exponentially and surpasses all the gods, including his martial arts masters.

Burst Through Limits

Goku’s masters do not help him ascend. They only provide the environment and means to do so.

Goku learns by doing. Because Goku is a self-enlightening student, his teachers cannot help him enlighten through lecturing. Rather, they passively provide him with difficult external situations. The training consists of physical suffering amidst external stimuli.

His masters only take direct action after Goku passes one of their challenges and are therefore forced to set up another. Eventually they have no more to offer and he moves onward.

The few martial arts techniques they do teach are ultimately self-taught anyway. Goku’s painful martial arts training forces him to focus on the higher states of mind required to perfect each technique.

His masters are ensconced in comfort, have no focus, and do not grow. They do not cultivate themselves. For ages they stay in their positions and fulfill their roles. Yet as time cycles onward, their lives come to an end. Soon they are replaced by another, who again maintains the status quo.

Goku’s continual progress is the combined result of deadly external circumstances and an internal drive to burst through limits. Even when external scenarios do not provide a barrier to overcome, he finds one within.

This is why Goku is #1.

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Anger and Focus in Dragon Ball

Goku lives a simple life.

Like a wandering pilgrim, Goku’s only possessions are a martial arts uniform and occasionally the nyoi bo staff.

Goku is almost single mindedly focused on his martial arts cultivation.

Chi-Chi handles all of the domestic affairs, including the caring of their house, the monetary concerns, and the raising of children.

This reminded me of my own life and how it is a bit too complicated.

By an average person’s standard my life may seem rather simple: An average guy with an apartment and some stuff. There are also career, family, social relationships, time, personal projects, and trying to achieve many things simultaneously. Perhaps too many.

In regard to physical stuff in particular, at times all of the external content can feel a little heavy, because each one of those items is connected to my emotions. Each material item, when picked up, transports my memory back 5, 10, in some cases even 15 years. They all carry emotional weight. An outsider cannot see or feel this.

I recently read a book called The Power of Less, by Leo Babauta, and it emphasized the importance of simplifying our lives.

I also read a blog post on Man vs. Debt that presented the idea of taking inventory of all the items in your possession, one by one, and the benefit of the process.

So that’s what I did.

Taking Stock and Letting Go

I counted every single item in my home and car: Every spoon, every pencil, every piece of clothing, and every game, miniature and cable.

They were recorded by hand and then entered into a spreadsheet (here). It was an exhausting process.

The end result was 1,706 items.

The number was surprising. How could I own so much?

When I looked at the spreadsheet of all the items from a zoomed out perspective, it seemed to almost amount to the culmination of my external worth. As if this was the entirety of my life.

But I knew this wasn’t true.

What would I be without all of these things? Would I still be me?

Yes. And perhaps even more so.

During the taking of inventory I threw some items away and designated others for donation. I donated three bags of clothes, electronics, and other items to Goodwill.

As time goes on, unwanted books and other items will be sold or donated. Why keep what has already been utilized?

There’s a story from Buddhism that states that once you’ve ridden your hand crafted boat to the other shore of nirvana, it is important to remember not to be attached to the boat. It was a beautiful boat and served you well. It was the vehicle that made your journey across the ocean possible. But now that you’ve made it this far, it’s time to let that vehicle go. Otherwise you cannot move forward.

Some items were easy to let go, while others were difficult. For example, my DBZ t-shirts, which I had worn since high school.

It was hard to look at each item practically, and ask if I really needed it or would use it in the future. Often I discovered that the item had been with me all these years for purely sentimental reasons.

Ultimately it is the attachment to the items that matter. Not the physical items themselves. Without attachments, anything can be let go if it’s no longer needed. Likewise, without attachments, the amount or value of material items isn’t important. Ideally, everything we own can be made of gold, yet we are not attached.

The entire process was liberating, as it allowed me to take stock of life, internally as well as externally. It was empowering to realize what I have available, and to control things, rather than have things control me.

To gain, one must lose. Because there is more empty space, I feel freed up and lighter in spirit.

Imagine how it must feel to be like Goku, as described in the final episode of Dragon Ball GT:

Full of joy and care free.

Gentle, with a good heart.

This is the Goku everyone loves.

I recommend that you try this activity for yourself. Begin with a single section of a room and expand from there.

Tackle life with as much energy as Goku, and you’ll be sure to succeed.

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Goku’s Simple Life

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Suffering Succotash

Goku Thinks Deep Thoughts

I prefer to write all of my own content and create original posts. That’s why sometimes it takes a little while for a new article to find its way to the blog. But I just discovered some gems of Dragon Ball related philosophy that had to be shared.

These beauty’s are from the Overthinking.com site:

• Why Overthink Dragon Ball?
• On Chosen Ones and Super Saiyans
• Metonymy and Metaphor
• Dragonball Abomination Z

All the articles are written by the same author, Fenzel, and they each explore a different aspect of the Dragon Ball series.

They are also poignant because sometimes I am accused of over thinking Dragon Ball. Now I know there is at least one other person out there willing to take the time to write articles like this. I’m not alone!

On their podcast he said there would be 48 posts, but so far there are only 4. Luckily they are well written and thought provoking.

Why Overthink Dragon Ball?: Fenzel discusses the inherent value of the Dragon Ball series and how it does so many things well that are often overlooked.

On Chosen Ones and Super Saiyans: The “Chosen One” story path and the concept of determinism are discussed in light of pop culture stories like Star Wars, The Matrix, and why Dragon Ball is a prime example of how to do it right.

Metonymy and Metaphor: An educational lesson on advanced literary techniques espoused through the lens of DBZ.

Dragonball Abomination Z: Here Fenzel analyzes the Dragonball: Evolution movie and talks about the ways he felt it failed.

All of them are worth reading for a deeper look at the series.

Unfortunately their comments are disabled on older posts. So, if you feel like sharing, then please do so in the comments below. There’s certainly a lot of fuel for the fire.

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Overthinking Dragon Ball