So at first we're introduced to Kami as "God" but then....

[Bardo117]

He really can't do anything "God" like in the series. He can't personally revive anyone, can't destroy/create anything he wants, and he actually has a form, so to speak(Unlike God)

And we also never see him do anything involving humans like letting them into heaven/hell and stuff like that.

[Sun-Wukong]

But he can revive people and create things (you know, like the Dragon Balls)! Besides, how do you know God has no form? I don't think that's ever been proven in any capacity regardless of opinion.

That said, there's a hierarchy of Gods. There's one for each planet (Kami, all of the other ones), one for each Galaxy, and... another one for each galaxy. Hm.

[Herms]

So at first we're introduced to God as "God", but then...

Frankly, discussions like this always seem to stem from the fact that a lot of people don't know much about religions other than their own. Yeah, DB's God of Earth isn't that impressive compared to the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent deities of most monotheistic religions, but he's not really that out of line with the way gods are portrayed in many polytheistic religions and belief systems. Case in point, he's pretty similar to the gods of Journey to the West: beings who attain their position as gods by being assigned to some divine post, are way more powerful than the average joe, but are also capable of being outdone by non-gods like the Monkey King. Toriyama just seems to have been channeling those sorts of deities when creating the gods of DB.

[Cipher]

1) As Herms said, we're not dealing with a Judeo-Christian God here.

2) It's also part of the gag that, after all this build-up, God turns out to just be this guy who looks like Piccolo.

That said, there's a hierarchy of Gods. There's one for each planet (Kami, all of the other ones), one for each Galaxy, and... another one for each galaxy. Hm.

Well, not quite. Each Kaio watches over a quadrant of the universe (or galaxy? Is it ever specifically stated there are only four galaxies?) and each Kaioshin watches over a section of all existence, including the afterlife and mortal realm. The Kaioshin oversee a lot more than the Kaio.

[Sun-Wukong]

...each Kaioshin watches over a section of all existence, including the afterlife and mortal realm. The Kaioshin oversee a lot more than the Kaio.

Oh yeah, I knew there was something I was forgetting about them.

[Fox666]

So at first we're introduced to God as "God", but then...

Frankly, discussions like this always seem to stem from the fact that a lot of people don't know much about religions other than their own. Yeah, DB's God of Earth isn't that impressive compared to the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent deities of most monotheistic religions, but he's not really that out of line with the way gods are portrayed in many polytheistic religions and belief systems. Case in point, he's pretty similar to the gods of Journey to the West: beings who attain their position as gods by being assigned to some divine post, are way more powerful than the average joe, but are also capable of being outdone by non-gods like the Monkey King. Toriyama just seems to have been channeling those sorts of deities when creating the gods of DB.

You explained it very well. The god in Dragonball is not like in cristian religion.

For example, in greek mythology (religion) the gods have a "mundane" behavior.

Well, not quite. Each Kaio watches over a quadrant of the universe (or galaxy? Is it ever specifically stated there are only four galaxies?) and each Kaioshin watches over a section of all existence, including the afterlife and mortal realm. The Kaioshin oversee a lot more than the Kaio.

I believe it works this way:

• The Dai Kaioshin command the universe
• Each of the 4 Kaioshins command a quadrant of the universe and are subordinate to the Dai Kaioshin
• Each quadrant of the universe has several* galaxies
• Each Dai Kaio command a galaxy
• Each of the 4 Kaios command a quadrant of a galaxy and are subordinate to the Dai Kaio

*I heard somewere it would be 4 Dai Kaios under each Kaioshin, making a total of 16 galaxies and 64 Kaios. However I am not sure about the source, so it could be anything.

[Bussani]

can't destroy/create anything he wants

He rebuilt the whole moon.

And we also never see him do anything involving humans like letting them into heaven/hell and stuff like that.

That's Enma's job.

I believe it works this way:

• The Dai Kaioshin command the universe
• Each of the 4 Kaioshins command a quadrant of the universe and are subordinate to the Dai Kaioshin
• Each quadrant of the universe has several* galaxies
• Each Dai Kaio command a galaxy
• Each of the 4 Kaios command a quadrant of a galaxy and are subordinate to the Dai Kaio

*I heard somewere it would be 4 Dai Kaios under each Kaioshin, making a total of 16 galaxies and 64 Kaios. However I am not sure about the source, so it could be anything.

That's not quite right. I think it comes from an old fan-site. According to the guides, each world with sentient life has a God chosen from its population. A Kaio watches over a quarter of the universe (or one galaxy each, if there are only four galaxies). Dai Kaio leads the Kaio. Then there are four Kaioshin, each watching over a quarter of existence (so a chunk of the mortal realm and the afterlife--although they apparently don't watch over the Demon World, since there are Makaio/Makaioshin to do that), and the Dai Kaioshin who leads them. So altogether there are supposed to be five Kaio, five Kaioshin, and a bunch of planetary gods.

See Herms' God Guide thingy for full details!

[Herms]

*I heard somewere it would be 4 Dai Kaios under each Kaioshin, making a total of 16 galaxies and 64 Kaios. However I am not sure about the source, so it could be anything.

That's not quite right. I think it comes from an old fan-site.

Yeah, it originally came from Planet Namek.com's planet guide, or at least that site did the most to promote this error. In more recent years, MFG had a planet guide that was simply a copy of the one from PN.com, so that probably helped keep it alive. I'd also be infinitely surprised if the DB wikia didn't repeat this idea like they do practically every other mistake from the old English DB fansites, but I can't remember offhand whether they do or not.

[Olivier Hague]

I'd also be infinitely surprised if the DB wikia didn't repeat this idea like they do practically every other mistake from the old English DB fansites, but I can't remember offhand whether they do or not.

Lack of surprise!

[Bussani]

Yeah, it originally came from Planet Namek.com's planet guide, or at least that site did the most to promote this error. In more recent years, MFG had a planet guide that was simply a copy of the one from PN.com, so that probably helped keep it alive.

Know what's funny? That's the first thing you ever taught me was wrong!

[Fox666]

So altogether there are supposed to be five Kaio, five Kaioshin, and a bunch of planetary gods.

That sounds very odd. At least is not the impression the series gave me.

I don't like the idea of mere 4 Kaios, and 1 Dai Kaio subordinate for all 4 Kaioshins. It's very odd from the Kaioshin being that important if they exist in the same number as Kaios.

[p123]

Yea some random wandering Namekian splitting into two and then one side having access to Heaven is awfully unsettling. Why grants Kami these abilties to talk to people on the other side. That's silly, he's just a Namekian..


Does Guru have this sort of relationship with any of the Kaios? Does every planet have a god? That would be ridicolous, but like one of the posters says it appears to be the format..



Question, how come there are no new Kaioshins? After all these years still no? Why not?

[kingvegito]

Wasn't it explained in one of the "Super exciting guides" last year that the reason Kaioushin are so rare is because they come from a special golden fruit?

[Bussani]

Yea some random wandering Namekian splitting into two and then one side having access to Heaven is awfully unsettling. Why grants Kami these abilties to talk to people on the other side. That's silly, he's just a Namekian..

Planetary gods are chosen from the planet's sentient population, thus leaving the fate of a world in the hands of its own people, so to speak. "Kami" became god because he was chosen by Earth's previous god, but only after he'd trained and meditated to the point that he could purge himself of the evil in his heart, which unbeknown to him went on to become Daimao.

Does every planet have a god? That would be ridicolous, but like one of the posters says it appears to be the format..

Most planets with sentient life have a god looking over them, but I guess there can be cases where there was no one from the population who was worthy, or the previous god was killed and hasn't been replaced yet. I mean, Earth went without a god for a while after Piccolo and Kami fused, and I suppose Earth might not have a god in Trunks' future.

Question, how come there are no new Kaioshins? After all these years still no? Why not?

Kaio and Kaioshin are appointed by a lottery from the population of a race called the Shin-jin, who are born from fruits. Only Shin-jin born from special rare golden fruits can become Kaioshin, so maybe they're so rare that they're still waiting for them to grow on the Shin-jin tree.

[Bardo117]

This works more like a system of checks and balances rather than a "God-Like" system.

[Bussani]

This works more like a system of checks and balances rather than a "God-Like" system.

How should a "God-Like system" work?

[Patient-mental]

Yes he is a deity but not the western modern view of a "God" (Who happens to be black and look act and sound exactly like Morgan Freeman)

Think of it this way.

Kami = Pope
Kiao = God
Shinkaio = Watcher of Gods
Daikaio = Super God

etc

[Piccolo Daimao]

Earth went without a god for a while after Piccolo and Kami fused, and I suppose Earth might not have a god in Trunks' future.

Wasn't it said in one of the guides that if there was no-one worthy enough to become a god, the god's assistant would take over the role as the god? So Mr. Popo could've become the God of Earth in Trunks' time.

[Bussani]

Wasn't it said in one of the guides that if there was no-one worthy enough to become a god, the god's assistant would take over the role as the god? So Mr. Popo could've become the God of Earth in Trunks' time.

Daizenshuu 7 said something like, "Beings sent from the afterlife usually become god's attendants rather than actual gods." Since it says "usually", Herms thought that might imply that they sometimes could fill the role themselves. So maybe.

[CatouttaHell]

One of the definitions for "god" is as follows: "a man of such superior qualities that he seems like a deity to other people; "he was a god among men.""

God doesn't have to mean an omnipotent, omniscient, etc being. Kami-sama created the dragonballs themselves, and was so powerful that he sent the guy who defeated the seemingly indestructible Pikkoro Daimao flying by flicking his finger in his general direction. Someone like that definitely fits the definition above.