Super Exciting Guide: Character Volume

[omegacwa]

Honestly, from someone who dabbles in the world of Bodybuilding, I can tell you that those weights are not quite realistic. The heights are whatever, but the weights for the majority of the characters are off, Mr. Satan is actually fairly accurate though.

For Goku to look the way he does in Z, at 5'7, he would have to weigh more towards 170lbs. Vegeta would have to be around 155-160lbs at his height. Even if you factor in low bodyfat, which you can't even survive with 1%, it doesn't explain the way they look.

[rereboy]

According to wikipedia (ya I know, not very reliable) the average height in japan in 19 year olds in 2006 was 171.5 cm (5' 7.5") for the men and 158.0 cm (5' 2.2") for the women and in 17 year olds in 2005 it was 170.8 cm (5' 7.2") for men and 158.0 cm (5' 2.2") for women.

So the profiles of the DB charathers don`t seem that off in my opinion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height

But Gokû isn't Asian!! He's an alien!!

Yes, but I think that the author thought of their heights comparing them to average people. Japanese average people.

And I agree that their weights are off.

[Rod]

Mark.

I have been waiting years for that, and it was worth it, I laughed my ass off.
Also, damn I have never seen the cosmos map so I don't have the sightliest idea of what's going on

[Shiyonasan]

The sad part about the whole Mark thing is I've thought that my dad looks like Mister Satan for a while, but without the afro. His name is Mark as well.

[Pain]

The sad part about the whole Mark thing is I've thought that my dad looks like Mister Satan for a while, but without the afro. His name is Mark as well.

I wonder what he thinks about that.

[Shiyonasan]

I wonder what he thinks about that.

He doesn't watch anime, so he doesn't know. Oh, and I'm not demeaning my dad in any way by the way. Me and my dad get along very well.

Anyway, I think the height and weight thing is pretty weird too. I wasn't expecting Goten to be 4 feet and Piccolo to be 7' 3".

[Velasa]

What's so odd about Pic's height? I've thought he was seven for the past decade. What did you guys think he was?

And Goten's height is listed as a child, so that makes sense.

[Shiyonasan]

What's so odd about Pic's height? I've thought he was seven for the past decade. What did you guys think he was?

And Goten's height is listed as a child, so that makes sense.

I just expected him to be a little shorter. I guess it's just the way he's drawn.

As for Piccolo's height, I honestly didn't really think about what his height was, but now that I know, I think it's pretty reasonable.

[Olivier Hague]

But Gokû isn't Asian!! He's an alien!!

Yes, but I think that the author thought of their heights comparing them to average people. Japanese average people.

(don't mind me, I was just kidding anyway)

And Toriyama made that "Mark" / "Akuma" pun before. See Tobal 2.

[rereboy]

[Saiyavenger2941]

So, out of curiosity, how long is Videl's entry in this book? Please tell me it's longer than a paragraph, at least.

And does it, or Gohan's for that matter, give out any awesome little tidbits about their relationship?

Yes. I'm that desperate for new official Gohan and Videl material. Sue me.

[Dayspring]

As Toriyama explains, this is a pun on akuma/devil, fitting his ring name. In Japanese, Mark is writtenマーク/maaku, and if you rearrange that, you get “akuma”.

I love how much this works. I also find it deliciously ironic that one of the Gospels was written by an akuma anagram. XD

Cosmos
Next is a question on how Toriyama came up with the structure of the DB cosmos. He said it was so that it would be easy for both him and the readers to understand. As he explains, it’s this big ball, divided up into the living world and afterlife, and outside that ball are the Kaioshin.

But, Toriyama adds, at the bottom of that big ball, like an antipode, is the Demon Realm (Makai), where there are the Makaioshin (“Gods of the Kings of the Demon Realm; an obvious counterpart to the Kaioshin), who rule over evil. Toriyama says that it seems at the moment, the Kaioshin’s power is greater than the Makaioshin (Japanese not really having a plural form, it’s unclear from all this whether there is only one Makaioshin or more). To go along with this information, there’s another reprint of the standard picture of the DB cosmos, with labels for the Kaioshin Realm, 4 Kaio Planets, and the Demon Realm. The Demon Realm is labeled as being in that little tip at the bottom of the cosmos, like it was in Daizenshuu 7 (in Daizenshuu 4, where the DB cosmos map was first printed, the Demon Realm wasn’t labeled).

Where Kaio come from
Toriyama is next asked what the Kaio’s heredity system is like. Toriyama explains that inside the giant ball that is the DB cosmos is a world called Planet Kaishin (World-Core), which is where the Kaio are all born and raised. This planet is like a giant version of the Kaio Planets that North Kaio and the others live on. On it is a gigantic tree (or trees; the lack of Japanese plural clouds up things again), the Kaiju (World-Tree), and the Kaio are all born from the fruit of this tree, as Shin-jin (Core-People). The population of this planet is about 80. The Shin-jin are genderless, and their average life expectancy is said to be 75,000 years. They live leisurely lives, studying various things at a school-like castle. But whenever one of the Kaio on the Kaio Planets passes away, they draw lots among themselves to choose who will take that Kaio’s place and become the new Kaio. The Kaioshin, however, are chosen only from among Shin-jin born from a special golden fruit that is particularly rare. Occasionally there are delinquent Shin-jin with evil hearts, and they go to be with the Makaio (“Demon Realm Kings”; apparently the Demon Realm answer to the Kaio, like the Makaioshin are to the Kaioshin, though Toriyama doesn’t explain the term).

So there you have it: the supreme gods of the DB cosmos are chosen by lottery. As Crow T. Robot would say, this is weird theology. There’s a diagram illustrating the whole Kaiju fruit thing, showing South Kaio comes from a normal fruit, and East Kaioshin coming from a golden one. There’s also a picture of North Kaio, remarking on his luck at the lottery, and one of Goku saying he’s surprised Kaio wasn’t chosen for his bad jokes.

This is epic. Thanks for the info. Are Dai Kaio and Dai Kaioshin chosen the exact same way? And would Kibito be a Shin-jin? If so, why isn't he considered a Kaioshin?

Interesting. Of course, this raises a few questions: Were there illustrations of the Core People? Do they basically look like Kaios? Where was North Kaio's replacement after he died? Or the other Kaioshin after dying from Buu? I guess this kind of stuff happens when you think things up on the spot/after the series ended.

There weren't any pictures of a regular Core Person, they just used pictures from the series of South Kaio and East Kaioshin. Even with the pictures of the tree and its fruit, the pictures are generic ones clearly not drawn by Toriyama.

With the Kaioshin replacements, it says that the special golden fruit is very rare, so maybe no more have grown in the last five million years? With North Kaio, even dead he's still able to perform his duties (he just has a halo over his head now), so I guess he wouldn't need a replacement. But then that raises the question of why they'd ever need to replace a dead Kaio at all.

I agree that there likely wasn't a golden fruit since East Kaioshin, with the possible exception of Dabura, who turned out to be a "bad seed" of a gold fruit (pun ever so intended).

It says "at the moment" but just what is that? The series has been long over, so perhaps around Buu Saga time, Demons are on top?

It's also possible that Dabra no longer counts as a Makaioshin or whatever he was now that he's Babidi's servent.

Most likely it's because they killed each other for control of the Demon Realm, and/or the current Makaioshin are simply weaker than the current Kaioshin. Not all Kaioshin are equally strong, so it stands to reason that Dabura was weaker than the Kaioshin Boo absorbed, but stronger than the remaining Kaioshin.

[Bussani]

And would Kibito be a Shin-jin? If so, why isn't he considered a Kaioshin?

Maybe he wasn't a golden fruit?

[Dayspring]

And would Kibito be a Shin-jin? If so, why isn't he considered a Kaioshin?

Maybe he wasn't a golden fruit?

But he looks more like Kaioshin than a Kaio (Kaios have antannae, Kaioshin look more elfin).

Maybe the rumors that he's actually a "Kaioshin in training" is actually right?

[SSj_Rambo]

Amazing stuff here! Thanks a ton for the quick translations and summaries, Herms!

Here's a picture of the guide with the banner advertaisment and everything from V-Jump's Official Blog:

[SonGokuGT]

Beyond awesome! This was a great read! Lots of good info, and Mr. Satan's name made me laugh out loud. I'll have to swing by Mitsuwa and pick up a copy!

[mister yummy]

I say the word filter for Hercule be changed from Mr. Satan to Mark immidiately!

It's a shame Toriyama-sensei didn't go with Hercule for his real name. Funimation ahd whoever did the french dub would be thrilled...if they ever bothered to check anyways.

Oh well. Mark, that's awesome. I guess I'll have to find a new way to Fan-wank Hercule in now...maybe it's his ring name's first name that's never used...

Like how The Rock's ring name is Rocky Miavia, even though no one calls him that anymore...a bit of an old example, but newer than the Tugboat Thomas example I thought of first...let's see if I can think of someone more recent...

Batista never goes by Dave anymore...HHH never goes by Hunter Hearst Helmsley anymore...maybe, in the distant past, Mark was known as Hercule Satan, but everyone called him Mr. Satan, and the first name was dropped...or something.

Great info on the heights and masses too. I always thought Goku was 5'9 though, and that Gohan as a teenager/adult was more taller than him than that...oh well

Perhaps they aren't as muscular as they look, or perhaps Ki is lighter than air and makes you lighter...but that wouldn't effect how many kilograms you are though, would it. If only the Japanese used a weight measurement instead of a mass measurement...

[Kingdom Heartless]

Hey, that's great! We finally can put heights to the characters, and can say that no, Kurirn isn't 4 feet tall.

They're taller than previous information would have us believe.

Hah, I wanted to cosplay as Yamucha next year... looks like I'm the right height! He's only 2cm shorter than me.

[MCDaveG]

that awesome stuff with Makaisohin can be cool material for fan-manga

[JulieYBM]

There’s a picture of Mister Satan, with him asking people to please call him “Mister Satan”. Whatever you say Mark.

Hey, I've got some peeps on another forum asking me about this so might it be possible to get a scan of this? Thanks!