How does the Genki-Dama work/ Difference of Ki and Genki

[hleV]

Genki is a part of ki. If Kibitoshin used up his genki for the Genki-Dama, then his ki now lacked the genki portion (was no longer truly ki) and thus couldn't use a technique which required ki. Kibitoshin's teleportation doesn't have to rely on genki specifically, but ki in general, which, according to the "rules", is supposed to consist of genki and other things.

[Bussani]

First, I have never seen anything being said about "parts" of ki. Ki isn't what you get when you add up genki, yuuki and shouki.

That's exactly what it sounds like to me.

When it comes to battle, the most important thing is ki size, and its control. Of course, “ki” also includes such spiritual power as energy/vigor [genki] and bravery [yuuki], and being in one’s right mind [shouki; could also be translated as "true character"] (note 11).

[Enbi]

Yeah, I'm sure the 3 are components of chi (I spell it chi) rather than different kinds of chi.

The way I see it:

Genki's basically life force, so I guess it'd be closer to 'raw energy' (hence why it's collected for the Genki Dama, an energy attack).

Yuuki would affect one's current chi output (meaning that if you're shaking in your pants legs, your lack of yuuki is probably causing a decreased chi output...or it could be preventing you from accessing all of your genki, however way you want to see it..).

Dunno about shouki though, that could be related to how Goku's always better than Vegeta or something. Or it could have to do with reasons for fighting (IE, Vegeta fighting for pride, Goku fighting to protect others and to try his limits, etc.)

[Bussani]

Personally, I think they're simultaneously kinds of ki (which is why genki is sometimes just called ki--like how a Mercedes is still a car) and components of total ki. I also think the three we have names for are just some examples, since it says ki includes spiritual powers "such as" them; there are probably other spiritual qualities that affect your total ki as well. But that's just how I look at it.

[SaiyanZ]

Genki is not life energy though. King Kai actually warns Vegeta from taking anymore energy for the Bomb against Buu, lest he draw on the human population's "life force".

[smiley]

Mercedes is still a car

Mercedes is a car, but all Mercedes cars are not components of a larger entity called "the car". Similarly, three things called that are equally "ki" can't result in "ki" when they are put together. The subset doesn't equal the set. I don't think you can claim something is simultaneously a component and a type of something.

Toriyama has referred to yuuki, shouki and so forth as different types of ki:

If you think this way, you might understand how different kinds of “ki” are very important in battle.

[Bussani]

Mercedes is a car, but all Mercedes cars are not components of a larger entity called "the car".

The only difference is that "ki" is already plural. "All of these ki (genki, yuuki, shouki) make up your ki," is the same as saying, "all of these cars (the Mercedes, the Honda, and the Mini) make up your cars."

Maybe that isn't a great example either. How about: "This bottle contains liquid; the liquid is made up of these types of liquid"?

[Fox666]

Ki is like chocolate milk, and Genki is the chocolate powder. If you take away all of the powder, you end up without chocolate milk.

[smiley]

Mercedes is a car, but all Mercedes cars are not components of a larger entity called "the car".

The only difference is that "ki" is already plural. "All of these ki (genki, yuuki, shouki) make up your ki," is the same as saying, "all of these cars (the Mercedes, the Honda, and the Mini) make up your cars."

Maybe that isn't a great example either. How about: "This bottle contains liquid; the liquid is made up of these types of liquid"?

I suppose that makes sense... but I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced. The liquid you get is still a type of liquid... it's not "the liquid"... if you get what I mean. Maybe what I'm saying doesn't make sense.


Anyway... even if that is so. Do you agree "genki" is solely responsible for the quantity of energy a character has? Yuuki is bravery, it has nothing to do with the quantity of energy. Nor do sanity, or health or whatever. And all things being equal, and I would say all things usually are equal (except in some rare cases where the combatant is sick or insane or cowardly), it is the difference in genki that determines the victor.

When a character says "What a terrifying ki!", they are clearly not impressed by their foe's bravery or whatever. They are impressed by the quantity of energy they possess. When Goku transforms into Super Saiyan, he doesn't get stronger because he got braver, but because he has a lot more energy. The Saikyou ritual didn't make Gohan braver or healthier, it just allowed him to access more of his hidden energy.

[Bussani]

I suppose that makes sense... but I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced. The liquid you get is still a type of liquid... it's not "the liquid"... if you get what I mean. Maybe what I'm saying doesn't make sense.

Maybe what I'm saying doesn't make sense--but it does to me! Anyway, yeah, the total of all the liquids is still a type of liquid, and I think the total of all the ki is a type of ki as well.

Anyway... even if that is so. Do you agree "genki" is solely responsible for the quantity of energy a character has? Yuuki is bravery, it has nothing to do with the quantity of energy. Nor do sanity, or health or whatever. And all things being equal, and I would say all things usually are equal (except in some rare cases where the combatant is sick or insane or cowardly), it is the difference in genki that determines the victor.

When a character says "What a terrifying ki!", they are clearly not impressed by their foe's bravery or whatever. They are impressed by the quantity of energy they possess. When Goku transforms into Super Saiyan, he doesn't get stronger because he got braver, but because he has a lot more energy. The Saikyou ritual didn't make Gohan braver or healthier, it just allowed him to access more of his hidden energy.

Actually, I don't see it that way. I see genki as important (since without genki, even with all the spirit and will and courage in the world, you can't do anything), but I do think of other things as contributors to your total ki. Ki is spiritual power, so it seems natural to me to think of things like courage, determination, etc. as adding to it, at least in some subtle way.

If Dragon Ball were a video game, I'd probably think of it along these lines (although this is only a simple example):

(yuuki + shouki + <insert other spiritual quantities here>) * genki = total ki

So if you have no genki, you basically have no ki; but there are other factors that affect the size of that ki as well.

[Zeshen]

Kinda like how Cell said as long as the nucleus in his head was intact he could regenerate, then Goku destroys his head and he somehow still lives.

My personal canon/theory on that is Cell was meaning "when all other body mass has been destroyed".

I.E. His self destruct (he's a pokemon like Chaiotzu lolz), destroyed almost all of his body except for that nucleus, but when Goku blew off half of him, his legs and arm were still there to regrow from.

In realism terms, I think the best way I can put is is similar to a plant. I think there are some plants you can cut off parts and still regrow a new plant, as well as using their seeds(?).
Anyways, that's my 2 cents.

Back to the topic at hand.

I think Genki is like ambient energy from life, anything living makes Genki. Whereas Ki, is your own personal energy. (this is stripped down to be understandable and not going into sub levels and such)