About Kame-sen'nin's long life...

Semajer · Post by **Semajer** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:48 am

I've read through the manga of Dragon Ball about 2 times and I can never remember the explaination for Kame-sen'nin's long life.

I remember early on that he says that he drank an elixer that makes him immortal. I also remember further on, before he attempts the mafuba, that he says lied about that.

Can someone please explain to me what it actually is?

Victator Supreme · Post by **Victator Supreme** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:05 am

I assumed the lie was the elixer would prevent him from being killed. Not that he never drank it.

caejones · Post by **caejones** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:09 am

that, and he's a Sen'nin
(... not sure if that's the right link... o.o.)
This was vaguely mentioned in one of the recent episodes of the podcast, as the MRoA just passed that part of the manga. But I don't think much light ws shed on the topic.

Xyex · Post by **Xyex** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:09 am

I've always figured he was given 'eternal youth' (in so far as he stopped aging) by his (now dead) 'bird of immortality'.

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:02 pm

I -always- perceived as him using the Elixir of immortality out of context with Tenshinhan, in the regards that is saves him from natural death, but not from being killed.

What other way is there to take it? He's held onto his age for so long for a reason.

And really, it's epic that Toriyama-sensei referenced such a small detail from way, way earlier in the story. I always appreciated that.

Post by **Herms** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:38 pm

Actually, the names of the immortality thingy that Sea Turtle says Kame Sen'nin drank at the beginning and the thing that Kame Sen'nin tells Tenshinhan he drank later on are slightly different. I don't actually remember exactly what either one was though...something like "immortality medicine" versus "immortality water". Apparently they decided to call them the same thing in translation, though.

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:42 pm

Herms wrote:Actually, the names of the immortality thingy that Sea Turtle says Kame Sen'nin drank at the beginning and the thing that Kame Sen'nin tells Tenshinhan he drank later on are slightly different. I don't actually remember exactly what either one was though...something like "immortality medicine" versus "immortality water". Apparently they decided to call them the same thing in translation, though.

The more you know!

In that case, I kind've like that the Viz team kept it the same.

Post by **Herms** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:46 pm

Duo wrote: In that case, I kind've like that the Viz team kept it the same.

Yeah, me too. I don't like it when translators decide to "improve" a series, but I think something minor but neat like that is OK. I kind of wish Viz had fixed Trunks warning Goku about #19 and #20.

testing223 · Post by **testing223** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:02 pm

Perhaps he's immortal as in unaging but not undying?

Vekurotto · Post by **Vekurotto** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:47 pm

Yeah Duo already mentioned it. He drank an elixir for eternal life it prevents him from dying naturally but not from being killed. The Mafuba kills the user no matter what their stance on life is.

Horgus · Post by **Horgus** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 12:58 am

See I've always wondered..

Not to change the subject, but if Roshi was immortal, why didn't he keep training? He expressed a desire to eliminate evils in the world, a la Piccolo Daimao and Tao Pai Pai, but lacked the strength to do so. You'd think he would have kept up his training to continue to improve his fighting ability so he could protect the Earth.

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:23 am

Horgus wrote:See I've always wondered..

Not to change the subject, but if Roshi was immortal, why didn't he keep training? He expressed a desire to eliminate evils in the world, a la Piccolo Daimao and Tao Pai Pai, but lacked the strength to do so. You'd think he would have kept up his training to continue to improve his fighting ability so he could protect the Earth.

I guess normal humans can only go so far in strength without being trained by gods or given nutty powerups via a ritual from old Namekians. :/

Victator Supreme · Post by **Victator Supreme** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 7:16 am

Horgus wrote:See I've always wondered..

Not to change the subject, but if Roshi was immortal, why didn't he keep training? He expressed a desire to eliminate evils in the world, a la Piccolo Daimao and Tao Pai Pai, but lacked the strength to do so. You'd think he would have kept up his training to continue to improve his fighting ability so he could protect the Earth.

Roshi had to of been more powerful than Tao. Roshi was going evenly with Tenshinhan. Tenshinhan seemed to believe ROshi was not going all out either. Ten later proved to be equal to GOku who mauled Tao in their second encounter.

Tyro · Post by **Tyro** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 8:27 am

Victator Supreme wrote:Ten later proved to be equal to GOku who mauled Tao in their second encounter.

Ten was only equal to or slightly stronger than Goku's "tournament level" battle strength. After deciding that Ten wouldn't just drop dead from being hit by Goku at full strength, he bumped up to "battle level" and took complete advantage of the fight. Had Chaozu not used his psychic powers to cheat, Goku would have won long before he ever had a chance to lose.

Victator Supreme · Post by **Victator Supreme** » Fri Feb 15, 2008 11:31 am

Tyro wrote:
Victator Supreme wrote:Ten later proved to be equal to GOku who mauled Tao in their second encounter.
Ten was only equal to or slightly stronger than Goku's "tournament level" battle strength. After deciding that Ten would just drop dead from being hit by Goku at full strength, he bumped up to "battle level" and took complete advantage of the fight. Had Chaozu not used his psychic powers to cheat, Goku would have won long before he ever had a chance to lose.

Thats not how I read it. He never had a true advantage. Ten had an answer for everything Goku did up to his final attack.