What is the Kamehameha?

[DNA]

This Film Theory video just blew my mind and answered a lot of questions that have always been in the back of my mind, both Dragon Ball related and real life.

Film Theory: What IS the Dragon Ball Z Kamehameha Wave?

[ShaneisMC]

A lot of it was fairly well made points. But it cant be completely right. If they are simply extremely highly concentrated levels of plasma, then you would think that the higher the total energy the hotter the plasma must be. Yet there are many many instances where ki blasts dont show any sort of burn damage. It appears more like a friction burn or in the case of obliteration being an effect of extreme kinetic force.Thats why I'm saying he only at best can only be somewhat right. Ki in Dragon Ball is defined as "energy" or "courage" / "mind" by Toriyama. It isnt so simple as an already established scientific principle. It also wouldnt make sense due to the way Ki can be manipulated. It isnt always just energy balls. Ki can be shared with one another and replenish ones energy/life force. I wouldnt exactly define the instance Goku gave Freeza enough Ki to heal him a plasma transfusion. Is he on to something? I believe so. But i dont think we have a conclusive answer by any means.

[TheDevilsCorpse]

Well, he pronounces it wrong and translated it wrong, so I'm just going to go ahead and remain cautious that his research may be inaccurate as well. Wouldn't be the first time. :/

Where is Rocketman when you need him?

[fadeddreams5]

Well, he pronounces it wrong and translated it wrong, so I'm just going to go ahead and remain cautious that his research may be inaccurate as well. Wouldn't be the first time. :/

Where is Rocketman when you need him?

Wait, what did he pronounce and translate wrong?

[TheDevilsCorpse]

Wait, what did he pronounce and translate wrong?

Pronouncing it as "Kuh-meyuh-meyuh" rather than "Kame-hame-ha", and it doesn't actually translate to "Turtle Destruction Wave".

Anyway, in DB no explanation is ever provided as to what the name "Kamehameha" is supposed to mean in the context of the DB world (they don't even technically have a Hawaii). In Japanese the attack name is written so that the last "ha" is the kanji 波/"wave", but everything before that is in hiragana (かめはめ), which is phonetic and so has no inherent meaning. Obviously part of the joke is that the "Kame" links up with 亀/kame, "turtle" like in Kame-sennin's name, but with the attack name it's never written with the kanji 亀. What's more, the "hame" has no particularly obvious meaning. There's a common idea among Western fans that it's short for 破滅/hametsu, "destruction", which seems fitting, but again it's not something ever established in the series or Toriyama interviews or anything. It doesn't even seem to be a theory prevalent among Japanese fans.

[fadeddreams5]

Wait, what did he pronounce and translate wrong?

Pronouncing it as "Ka-meyuh-meyuh" rather than "Kame-hame-ha", and it doesn't actually translate to "Turtle Destruction Wave".

It's a toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe deal. Lol. The original dub used that pronunciation. I prefer it too. Besides, pretty much everyone technically pronounces saiyan and Goku wrong. =P

As for the translation...I actually thought it translated into something similar. Didn't know that was a widespread misconception. Nice to know.

[Doctor.]

Wait, what did he pronounce and translate wrong?

Pronouncing it as "Ka-meyuh-meyuh" rather than "Kame-hame-ha", and it doesn't actually translate to "Turtle Destruction Wave".

It's a toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe deal. Lol. The original dub used that pronunciation. I prefer it too. Besides, pretty much everyone technically pronounces saiyan and Goku wrong. =P

As for the translation...I actually thought it translated into something similar. Probably a widespread misconception, I guess.

Just because many people pronounce it wrong, doesn't mean it's technically alright to do so. I pronounced "Go-ku", "Kuh-may-uh-may-ha" and "Say-en" too before and when I learned what the 'real' pronunciations were, I adapted to them.

Nevertheless, I don't have an issue with people mispronouncing the names, as long as what they have to say is worthwhile (and as long as they aren't inconsistent, like the dub that pronounces "Kai" correctly, but then says "Keioken"). In this case, the video was interesting, as MatPat's videos usually are. Though, and I am no physics or astronomy expert, but he said the fighters just lights up the gases around them, but how can their attacks be used in space?

[fadeddreams5]

Just because many people pronounce it wrong, doesn't mean it's technically alright to do so. I pronounced "Go-ku", "Kuh-may-uh-may-ha" and "Say-en" too before and when I learned what the 'real' pronunciations were, I adapted to them.

Is that pronunciation (ka-may-ha-may-ha/ka-meyuh-meyuh) even wrong? In every video i've ever seen about King Kamehameha, that's how they pronounce his name. And when Goku actually does the attack, he puts emphasis on "mayyyy". It's never "meeeh".

Americans and Canadians pronounce "bus" and "about" differently. Doesn't make one right or wrong. =P

[Doctor.]

Just because many people pronounce it wrong, doesn't mean it's technically alright to do so. I pronounced "Go-ku", "Kuh-may-uh-may-ha" and "Say-en" too before and when I learned what the 'real' pronunciations were, I adapted to them.

Is that pronunciation (ka-may-ha-may-ha/ka-meyuh-meyuh) even wrong? In every video i've ever seen about King Kamehameha, that's how they pronounce his name. And when Goku actually does the attack, he puts emphasis on "mayyyy". It's never "meeeh".

Americans and Canadians pronounce "bus" and "about" differently. Doesn't make one right or wrong. =P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEigRPtOVpg&t=3m15s

I don't know, you tell me.

[fadeddreams5]

Just because many people pronounce it wrong, doesn't mean it's technically alright to do so. I pronounced "Go-ku", "Kuh-may-uh-may-ha" and "Say-en" too before and when I learned what the 'real' pronunciations were, I adapted to them.

Is that pronunciation (ka-may-ha-may-ha/ka-meyuh-meyuh) even wrong? In every video i've ever seen about King Kamehameha, that's how they pronounce his name. And when Goku actually does the attack, he puts emphasis on "mayyyy". It's never "meeeh".

Americans and Canadians pronounce "bus" and "about" differently. Doesn't make one right or wrong. =P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEigRPtOVpg&t=3m15s

I don't know, you tell me.

Bruh...

https://youtu.be/SWnEhLFjyoc?t=54s

[Doctor.]

What about that clip? Nozawa says "meh" too, or are my ears fooling me? She certainly doesn't say it like in the dub.

[DNA]

So there's this cool video about what ki may actually be, and everyone is concerned about the pronunciation of one word. Seems about right for this forum, I'm starting to regret posting the video here.

[Doctor.]

I already asked a question, hoping for a response from any expert. In the meantime, I was just having another discussion. If you're really bothered, I can drop it at anytime.

[fadeddreams5]

What about that clip? Nozawa says "meh" too, or are my ears fooling me? She certainly doesn't say it like in the dub.

I hear "ka-may-ha-may-ha." Both when she says the attack's name and charges it. Might be one occasion. Still...I like it.

And yeah. Sorry for derailing the topic. I liked the vid, and most of game/film theory.

[Herms]

Is that pronunciation (ka-may-ha-may-ha/ka-meyuh-meyuh) even wrong? In every video i've ever seen about King Kamehameha, that's how they pronounce his name. And when Goku actually does the attack, he puts emphasis on "mayyyy". It's never "meeeh".

It's complicated, but basically the Japanese promunciation of the attack name is closer to the traditional Hawaiian promunciation of the king's name, but people commonly pronounce the king's name similar to how the dub pronounces the attack name, even though in both cases it's not quite "correct".

As it happens, the Kamehameha Highway in Hawaii is commonly abbreviated to "Kam Highway", with "Kam" being pronounced like in "camera". For some reason.

[Avery]

The number of people that didn't know about the Plasma thing amazes me.
Also, does everyone on YouTube have to include a Krillin/Yamcha joke?

[VegettoEX]

So there's this cool video about what ki may actually be, and everyone is concerned about the pronunciation of one word. Seems about right for this forum, I'm starting to regret posting the video here.

I think it's an important point to bring up. I generally feel the same way about videos I watch / podcasts I listen to / articles I read. If I feel like I 100% know something for sure is wrong (a pronunciation, a tidbit, a fact, etc.) right off the bat, for me it throws the entire premise into question. I don't trust what they have to say.

[DNA]

I think it's an important point to bring up. I generally feel the same way about videos I watch / podcasts I listen to / articles I read. If I feel like I 100% know something for sure is wrong (a pronunciation, a tidbit, a fact, etc.) right off the bat, for me it throws the entire premise into question. I don't trust what they have to say.

That's not the point of MatPats videos. He goes in depth to find scientific reasoning to certain events in video game, tv series or movies. He actually researches a lot, for months. And everyone here is disregarding the entire video over one slip up, same slip up that's been perpetuated by the USA dub, can you really blame him on something so ingrained in your culture? Something that's not even relevant to the theory itself? That's so incredibly nitpicking of you guys. MatPat is also humble enough to own up to his mistakes, so if you feel so hellbent on this issue, feel free to point it out to him.

[TheUltimateVegito]

A lot of it was fairly well made points. But it cant be completely right. If they are simply extremely highly concentrated levels of plasma, then you would think that the higher the total energy the hotter the plasma must be. Yet there are many many instances where ki blasts dont show any sort of burn damage. It appears more like a friction burn or in the case of obliteration being an effect of extreme kinetic force.Thats why I'm saying he only at best can only be somewhat right. Ki in Dragon Ball is defined as "energy" or "courage" / "mind" by Toriyama. It isnt so simple as an already established scientific principle. It also wouldnt make sense due to the way Ki can be manipulated. It isnt always just energy balls. Ki can be shared with one another and replenish ones energy/life force. I wouldnt exactly define the instance Goku gave Freeza enough Ki to heal him a plasma transfusion. Is he on to something? I believe so. But i dont think we have a conclusive answer by any means.

Exactly this. I don't know why people are trying to decipher a fictional form of energy. It's impossible to do so, otherwise it wouldn't be fictional. You can only decipher what's established, and what's established proves that it's not like any form of real life energy. Unless they want to make up their own rules for it.

But still, I see where they're coming from with the whole plasma idea. I've heard of much worse theories.

[KameRule]

Well, these guys use Ki to strengthen their physical attacks, right? If it was plasma then wouldn't they tear up the insides of their limbs just using it?

Also correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that Toriyama said that Ki was naturally invisible, which is something MatPat outright contradicted in that video.