Goku, Roshi and the Kamehameha

[GohanRez]

In the DB episodes were Master Roshi puts out fire mountain with his kamehameha, Goku tries it, seemingly right in front of him, but in episode 26 during the tournament Roshi say's Goku wouldn't be able to do it since it took him 50 years. Huh?

[Makaioshin]

I thought he said,"There's no way you can do as great a Kamehameha as me!". Or atleast something along the lines of that.
Perhaps incorrect dub dialouge or incorrect subtitles?

[Bussani]

It goes something like this in the manga (paraphrasing):

Goku: "I thought about using a Kamehameha to get back like you did."
Jackie Chun: "Insolent brat! You couldn't blast a Kamehameha half as strong as mine!"
Goku: "Could too!"
Jackie Chun: "Oh, you think so? Then take a look at a Kamehameha that took decades to develop!"

It might also be worth noting that he's pretending to be Jackie Chun, so he shouldn't know something that only Roshi would know.

[Dayspring]

I just figured it refered to how many years he'd been practicing it throughout his martial arts career (starting as of when he created it). Basically, his skill increased more and more over time. Kind of like how Goku's first Kamehameha was nothing compared to the ones he fired against Boo.

Analogy time: Kindergarten student and Graduate students are both students, but Grad students are usually better in math.

[Herms]

He tells Goku that it'll take him 50 years of training to learn the Kamehameha back when he first uses it to blow up Mt. Frypan, not at the tournament. As for why this didn't apply to Goku...well, Kame-sennin had to actually invent the attack from scratch, while Goku just had to copy him, so maybe that made it easier? Daizenshuu 7's technique dictionary also says Goku may have learned the Kamehameha so quickly due to the ki training Grandpa Gohan gave him, or because of his special Saiyan characteristics.

[Terra-jin]

I loved that bit... it does seem weird that Goku could just instantly learn the Kamehameha. AFAIK, only Buu has the ability to learn moves that quickly. Cell doesn't count because his cells somehow 'taught' him...

[Piccolo Daimao]

He tells Goku that it'll take him 50 years of training to learn the Kamehameha back when he first uses it to blow up Mt. Frypan, not at the tournament. As for why this didn't apply to Goku...well, Kame-sennin had to actually invent the attack from scratch, while Goku just had to copy him, so maybe that made it easier? Daizenshuu 7's technique dictionary also says Goku may have learned the Kamehameha so quickly due to the ki training Grandpa Gohan gave him, or because of his special Saiyan characteristics.

Son Goku did a similar thing with Karin's training. It took Muten-Roshi 3 years to grab the Super Holy Water (I think, forgive me if I'm wrong), but it took Goku a matter of...days? Something like that.

Goku was able to mimic Roshi's Zanzoken as well.

On another note, is it mentioned whether or not Kuririn had ki training at Orin Temple? Since, while Goku learnt it just by witnessing Roshi do it, it took Kuririn years to finally perfect it (even at the 22nd Budokai, after he had ki training (assumedly) from Roshi, he still wasn't adept at the technique). Maybe it is due to Son Goku's special Saiyan characteristics that he could learn techniques so quickly.

I loved that bit... it does seem weird that Goku could just instantly learn the Kamehameha. AFAIK, only Buu has the ability to learn moves that quickly. Cell doesn't count because his cells somehow 'taught' him...

What about Tenshinhan? He performed the Kamehameha during his match with Muten-Rôshi after witnessing Yamcha do it. And what do you mean, learn moves that quickly? Do you mean learn it and be able to utilise it with as much skill as its master? 'Cos Goku did it soon after he saw Roshi do it, but not as strong. We don't know how strong Tenshinhan's Kamehameha was, though.

[Kaboom]

We may all be sick of this answer, but it's primarily because Goku's a Saiyan. Not only can he use Ki naturally, but his knack for technique and instinct in battle is naturally far greater than any human. It's not surprising he'd be able to do these things even more easily than the people who came up with them.

Of course, before "Saiyans" existed in the narrative, he was just a prodigy. After all, Kuririn also managed to pull off his first Kamehameha just through mimicry like Goku.

[TrunksTrevelyan0064]

Maybe it took Kamesennin so long because he didn't know the specific hand movements yet?
What I'm trying to say is, unlike Goku, Kuririn, Yamcha and everybody, Kamesennin didn't have anyone to mimic the Kamehameha from. He had to actually invent it, or so I would think.