Majin Buu

A pink entity of chaotic magic who turns foes into candy and regenerates from vapor.

Majin Buu is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists in the Dragon Ball series by Akira Toriyama. Spelled Majin Boo in Japanese anime subtitles and rendered as Boo the Djinn in the Viz Media manga, he debuted in chapter #460 "Majin Buu Appears?!" on March 1, 1994. Generally pink with an antenna and pores, Buu possesses a rubbery body capable of instant regeneration, shape-shifting, and absorbing others to gain their power. While often naive and childlike, his forms range from the gentle "Innocent Majin Buu" to the feral "Kid Buu," representing a volatile force unleashed by the warlock Bibidi's son, Babidi.

Quick Facts

Series

Dragon Ball

Creator

Akira Toriyama

Family

Marba (creator)
Uub (reincarnation)
Mr. Satan (caretaker)

Race

Majin

Lore & Background

In Dragon Ball Z, he is a creation of the evil warlock Bibidi, unleashed by his son Babidi. However, Toriyama later noted in an interview that Buu existed outside Bibidi, who merely summoned him. The 2024–2025 series Dragon Ball Daima reveals that the Demon World witch Marba created Buu when she was commissioned by Bibidi." In this timeline, Buu killed two of five Supreme Kais before absorbing the Grand Supreme Kai. This absorption dulled his destructive nature, creating the rotund, kindhearted form seen in Z. When Babidi revived him on Earth, Buu initially obeyed orders but soon killed Babidi when threatened with re-sealing. The "Fat Buu" eventually expelled his evil half as a skinnier, dark grey "Pure Evil Majin Buu." This evil form absorbed the fat one to become "Evil Majin Buu" (Super Buu), who later absorbed Gotenks and Gohan before reverting to the original, feral "Kid Buu."

Reader's Guide

Majin Buu appears in several distinct forms, each with unique traits. The first is "Innocent Majin Buu," a rotund pink creature wearing gloves, boots, a vest, and a cape bearing an "M" symbol. When he expels his evil, it becomes the taller, frail, dark grey "Pure Evil Majin Buu." Absorbing the fat one creates "Evil Majin Buu" (Super Buu), who is more intelligent and described as "pure rage."

This form lengthens his antennae into five fingers after absorbing Gotenks and Piccolo. After absorbing Gohan, he wears a dōgi top. Finally, removing all absorbed victims reveals "Kid Buu" or "Pure Majin Buu," the original form, which is completely feral and animalistic. All his forms but one have a rubbery body that can regenerate instantly from any wound, separate parts of itself and control them independently, and even completely restore itself from vapor.

His name references the song "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" from Cinderella, and his design was inspired by Arabian Nights adaptations.

Did You Know?

Majin Buu's name in the Viz Media manga is rendered as 'Boo the Djinn' because 'Majin' can read as 'Djinn'.
The character was modeled after Akira Toriyama's editor at the time, Fuyuto Takeda.
In Dragon Ball Daima, a mini version of Majin Buu is voiced by Shiho Amuro, differing from Kōzō Shioya who voices all other forms.
The 'M' symbol on Buu's trousers may stand for 'Majin', the Japanese title 'Madoshi' for Babidi, or something else entirely, as it remains unclear.
Even after Kid Buu is killed, the fat Majin Buu lives on Earth as the kindhearted Mr. Buu.