Can Muten Roshi die of old age?

[Ringworm128]

I'm going to go with the classic theory of Toriyama's memory. He and the writers of GT probably forgot that Roshi, Crane Hermit etc were ridiculously old and forgot to make them die of old age.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I'm going to go with the classic theory of Toriyama's memory. He and the writers of GT probably forgot that Roshi, Crane Hermit etc were ridiculously old and forgot to make them die of old age.

Why would you think that? Maybe he just wanted them to live that long, since they're sennins after all (well, Tao Pai Pai's not confirmed to be one and doesn't have a special title like his brother and brother's rival, but you know what I mean). They could've died after GT.

[Ringworm128]

I'm going to go with the classic theory of Toriyama's memory. He and the writers of GT probably forgot that Roshi, Crane Hermit etc were ridiculously old and forgot to make them die of old age.

Why would you think that? Maybe he just wanted them to live that long, since they're sennins after all (well, Tao Pai Pai's not confirmed to be one and doesn't have a special title like his brother and brother's rival, but you know what I mean). They could've died after GT.

Well Toriyama has a reputation for forgetting things. There's always the chance he did remember and could not be bothered writing their deaths into the plot.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I'm going to go with the classic theory of Toriyama's memory. He and the writers of GT probably forgot that Roshi, Crane Hermit etc were ridiculously old and forgot to make them die of old age.

Why would you think that? Maybe he just wanted them to live that long, since they're sennins after all (well, Tao Pai Pai's not confirmed to be one and doesn't have a special title like his brother and brother's rival, but you know what I mean). They could've died after GT.

Well Toriyama has a reputation for forgetting things. There's always the chance he did remember and could not be bothered writing their deaths into the plot.

You can't just write everything off that doesn't fit into your opinion of how the Dragon World and its characters work as "Toriyama forgot something". Nothing's contradicted here.

[Mystic Gohan]

Lots of people ignore what they don't work. There are plot holes in DB, some have to be ignored.

[DoomieDoomie911]

I think I'm just going to leave it at "He can, but he won't".

[Piccolo Daimao]

I think I'm just going to leave it at "He can, but he won't".

There's life in the ol' turtle yet!

[Cold Skin]

If we refer to the manga, I first thought "he can die by being killed, but not of old age". Basically being corrected by the turtle when he says he will die of old age, but telling Ten Shin Han he might die when facing Demon King Piccolo. However, checking out the dialogues, all kind of immortality seems to be a lie, since he does say that the stuff he is supposed to have drunk never existed in the first place... But then again, he might actually say that it's the "giving immortality" part that is a lie... Anyway, here are the specific quotes, with references so that you all know where to look for to have your official of personnal translations for it.

FRENCH KANZENBAN (PERFECT EDITION) N°1 - CHAPTER 13 "KAME SENNIN'S HAND FAN"

Kame Sennin: "What are you talking about?! You have no heart! I'm not asking for much, I just want to have good memories to carry on to the Other World when I'm dead!"

Umigame: "What do you mean, 'when I'm dead'?! You drank the Elixir of Youth and Immortality!"

Kame Sennin: "Like it matters!!"

FRENCH KANZENBAN (PERFECT EDITION) N°10 - CHAPTER 145 "MUTEN ROSHI'S DECISION"

Kame Sennin: "You stay here... I'm going to try something... There's nothing to worry about, I won't die. I drank the Water of Youth giving immortality..."

And then, when Ten Shin Han is knocked out.

Kame Sennin: "The Water of Youth giving immortality doesn't exist... I lied to you... And if I die... Now that Goku's no longer with us, you'll be the only one able to defeat the Demon King..."

[DoomieDoomie911]

I think I'm just going to leave it at "He can, but he won't".

There's life in the ol' turtle yet!

Yup

[Attitudefan]

Maybe Kame-Sennin lives as long as turtles do...?

[Piccolo Daimao]

Maybe Kame-Sennin lives as long as turtles do...?

Well, concerning Tsuru-sennin, how long are cranes supposed to live? As long as turtles?

Anyway, there's so much about Kame-sennin's life that we don't actually know of, or at least, the full story on. I'm amazed no-one's written about in a guidebook or special, since there's so much potential. I mean, a guy who's lived for over 300 years has got to have a lot of stories. Maybe he didn't drink the elixir of immortality, but perhaps something else happened to him. He knew the "immortality phoenix" (who actually died, although maybe he's a bit like Seth from Misfits; he can give others special powers, but can't use any himself), at least.

[LiamKav]

I don't know if this is a factor....but look at what kinda time frame these people live in. It looks like BC with futuristic elements. I remember in the bible (BC), people were able to live about 800-900 years (don't ask), so to me it doesn't sound to farfetched for anyone is DBZ to live past 100.

But in the Bible, aren't those people explicitly stated to be Prophets or something?

Moses was stated to be 120 years old when he died. Noah was apparently 950. Adam was 930. The life-spans get shorted as you go through the bible. You could argue that perhaps the first generations of humans lived such long lives because they were so close to the man that God created and what God creates was perfect from the beginning. Or that someone mistranslated an old work of fiction written by scores of people over hundreds of years because they weren't as thorough as Julian. Your call.

(Bonus choice: Blame everything on St Paul's memory not being very good. He totally forgot about Bartholemew once we got to New Testement Z, after all.)