Master Roshi

Lore & Background

Master Roshi lives on an island with his anthropomorphic companion Umigame in a residence known as "Kame House," which serves as a gathering place for Goku and associates. Graduates of his training often wear the kanji for "Turtle" (亀) on their dogi. His first appearance occurred in chapter #3 of the Dragon Ball manga. When fighting anonymously at the World Martial Arts Tournament, he assumes the disguise "Jackie Chun." Roshi is consistently depicted as a pervert who frequently flirts with attractive female characters; notably, in Chapter 5 (published January 15, 1985), he makes advances on "Bulma" wearing a bunny costume, only to be seduced by Oolong in disguise. This incident originated the slang term "puff puff," derived from Japanese onomatopoeia for breast-rubbing.

In Their Own Story

At the beginning of Dragon Ball, Roshi was considered the strongest mortal fighter until his power level paled compared to Goku and allies later in the series. However, he demonstrated immense capability when tasked with extinguishing a fire on Mount Frypan; there, he increased his energy greatly, transforming into a bulky state with height nearly equal to Piccolo's, allowing him to destroy the moon with an enhanced Kamehameha. In Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F', he joined Goku against Frieza's army. During the Universe Survival arc in Dragon Ball Super, Roshi was secretly training and holding back his true strength. He was recruited by Goku not for raw power but for tournament knowledge. After being mind-controlled by Crane School student Yurin, he enlisted Puar to build resistance to beautiful women. In the anime, he eliminated himself when an altercation with Sixth Universe warrior Frost nearly killed him via excessive Mafuba use.

Reader's Guide

Master Roshi's legacy is defined by the Kamehameha and his mentorship. In the Dragon Ball Super manga, during a battle against Jiren, Roshi instructed Goku that martial arts are not about winning fights but conquering oneself. Though Jiren eliminated him by chopping at his neck, this sacrifice allowed Goku to unlock "Ultra Instinct." Roshi also revealed in one episode that the Paradise Herb is the source of his long lifespan, claiming it could extend his life for another millennium. He played a pivotal role in early Dragon Ball as Jackie Chun and returned as a major character in the 2010s revival. His appearances include public safety announcements like "The Goku Traffic Safety" and crossovers such as the "Dream 9" special where he competed in a Food Tournament for Carat Sizzled Cattle.

Did You Know?

• Master Roshi was voiced by Kōhei Miyauchi, who also voiced Kami-sama in Dr. Slump, but Jōji Yanami filled in for episode #137 due to unavailability.
• The term "puff puff" originated from a scene in Chapter 5 where Oolong, disguised as Bulma, seduces Roshi by inviting him to place his face between his breasts.
• In Dragon Ball Super's Universe Survival arc, Master Roshi eliminated himself in the anime after excessive use of the Mafuba technique nearly killed him during an altercation with Frost.
• Hiroshi Masuoka took over voicing Kame-Sennin from episode 288 of Dragon Ball Z onward, including Dragon Ball GT and the 2008 Jump Super Anime Tour film.
• Master Roshi claimed that eating Paradise Herb would allow him to live on for another millennium.