Kuririn

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Kuririn

Japanese	クリリン
Romaji	Kuririn
Anime Name	Krillin
Manga Name	Kuririn
Alternate Name(s)	Kulilin Kliliyn Kullin Bongo Kririn
First Appearance	Chapter #25 DB Episode #14
Appears in
Race	Human
Family Android 18 (wife) Marron (daughter)
DB Character Listing - Category

Kuririn, known popularly in the United States as Krillin due to the English anime dubs, is a fictional character in the manga Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z, and the anime for Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. In the early Harmony Gold English Dragon Ball dub from the 1980s, he is known as Bongo. His seiyū is Mayumi Tanaka. In the English dub he is voiced by Sonny Strait and Terry Klassen (as an adult) and by Laurie Steele (as a kid). In the Latin American dub he is voiced by Eduardo Garza (as an adult) and Rosy Aguirre (as a kid).

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

A short, hairless (for most of the series) warrior monk, loyal Kuririn provides comic relief during tense moments. Like Chaozu, Kuririn doesn't have a nose. He is a good-natured, outgoing and competitive martial artist. Once a fierce rival of Son Goku, he quickly became his best friend while training under Muten-Rôshi. He also is close to Goku's son, Gohan. He eventually marries Android 18 and settles down, having a daughter named Marron.

1 Name Pun
2 Character Information
3 History
4 Kuririn and his deaths
5 Dragon Ball GT
6 Special abilities
7 Video games

[edit] Name Pun

Young Kuririn

Like most Dragon Ball characters, Kuririn's name is a pun. In his case, it is made up of two parts. The first two syllables come from 栗 kuri, which means "chestnut" in reference to his shaved head (the "chestnut" pun is also carried over to his daughter, Marron). The second part of his name comes from 少林 Shōrin ("Shaolin" in Chinese), as his early character designs were closely modeled on Shaolin monks.

[edit] Character Information

Originally a Shaolin monk who came to Muten-Rôshi for training, Kuririn is the best friend of Son Goku and student of Muten-Rôshi in his first appearance in the anime and manga. He is often used as comic relief or cannon fodder by the author, and has been killed a number of times in the series.

Kuririn during the Freeza Saga, wearing armour typical of Saiyan warriors and other members of Freeza's army.

Despite this reputation as being a weakling compared to his Saiyan comrades, he is considered to be one of the stronger pure-blooded humans in the Dragon Ball series, being thousands of times stronger than the average person. Although he is not as strong as Goku or Gohan, his determination in helping his friends is a key asset. Furthermore, Kuririn's ingenuity and talent for Ki-manipulation is far superior than that of most warriors, even those stronger than himself, and he has a knack for sensing hidden powers. Kuririn had his dormant Ki awakened by the Namek Elder during the events of Freeza, but this has been his only "enhancement". Kuririn has trained hard most of his life, becoming extremely powerful and proving it in combat with many foes. Unfortunately, he is quickly outclassed by many of the other characters in the series, such as Piccolo and the Saiyans; though among all the full-blooded humans he faces in combat he is one of the strongest. On one occasion, Yamcha says, during the course of the World Tournament in the Buu Saga, that Kuririn is the strongest human being in the world. Some fans feel that Akira Toriyama uses Yamcha to state a canonical fact on this scene, but some argue that he was speaking to Kuririn's daughter, making the statement questionable (In fact, he told Marron that Kuririn was the strongest in the world. But then he corrected himself in his head, redubbing him as the strongest human).

At any rate, Kuririn is brave and resourceful, and the audience identifies him as a good-natured underdog. He has also, arguably, adjusted to a relatively normal life better than most of his friends by seeking women in his life. He is the more "normal" human of his friends as he can be seen wearing normal clothes on days where he's not fighting other then his typical martial arts dōgi.

A running joke in the anime is Kuririn's poor luck with women despite his enthusiasm. Consistent with the theme of redemption in the series, he spared Android 18's life when presented with the chance to activate her self-destruct sequence because he found her to be redeemable. In a bit of ironic fortune, he later married the beautiful cyborg and later had a relatively normal daughter named Marron.

Overall Kuririn is a highly valued character in the Dragon Ball series: powerful, loyal, and brave.

Despite popular fan belief, Kuririn is not naturally bald. Due to his original monastic training, he merely shaves his head. During his training with Goku under Muten-Rôshi, Kuririn comments that 'All who aspire to master the martial arts shave their heads in order to unfetter their ki' and seemed surprised to find out Muten-Rôshi was naturally bald. After settling down with his new family, his hair grows out, although his original smoothcrowned look is the most familiar to fans. The six dots on his forehead are probably scars from incense burns, based on the similar pattern that appears on the forehead of a Shaolin monk.

[edit] History

He trains under Muten-Rôshi alongside Goku in preparation for the 21st Tenka'ichi Budôkai (World Martial Arts Tournament). In it he fares very well, easily advancing as one of the eight warriors going on into the main event. He is defeated in the semi-finals, losing to Jackie Chun (Muten-Rôshi in disguise).

After the tournament, he trains under Muten Rôshi again, this time alongside Yamcha. He enters the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budôkai and again makes it to the semi-finals, this time defeated by Goku. After the Budôkai, he is killed by Tambourine, a servant of Piccolo Daimaō, who was out to kill all of the greatest martial artists so that Piccolo would go unchallenged. He is later revived by the Dragon Balls.

Kuririn's signature move, the Kienzan

He plays a key role early in Dragon Ball Z, as he is one of the few fighters to survive the battle with Nappa, actually Vegeta saved Nappa from a Kienzan attack, warning him to dodge instead of blocking. He accompanies Gohan and Bulma to Planet Namek where he gets his hidden powers unlocked and fights alongside Gohan against Freeza's forces. He often underestimates himself and his powers, however, so often it seems as though he could have done a lot more than what he had done, when instead he does nothing, doubting himself. At the same time, however, he accomplishes what may well be his impressive feat during the Freeza saga, managing to singlehandedly hold off through cunning and clever techniques Freeza in his second state while buying time for the others. Considering that Freeza was widely believed to be the strongest being in the universe at that time, it was quite an accomplishment.

In terms of deaths, Kuririn has been struck in the head by Tambourine, blown up by Freeza, eaten by Majin Buu, and in Dragon Ball GT again murdered by Android 17. He is restored to life each time, twice by Porunga and twice by Shenlong. The second resurrection by Shenlong at the end of GT breaks the rule of continuity established in DBZ that Shenlong cannot revive anyone twice. However, that can be excused by theorizing that the immense power of Goku, who (at least temporarily) gave his life for the wish to revive all the good people killed since the start of the Super Android 17 Saga, perhaps was enough for Shenlong to bend the rules for this ultimate wish. After the final revival, he survives the rest of the series until the end of the last episode, by which he (and all major characters except Pan and possibly Goku) has died of old age.

Kuririn is also killed by the cyborg twins in Future Trunks' alternate timeline, as well as Cell's version of that future. He has been killed 3 times (4 counting either Dragon Ball GT or one of the alternate timelines introduced via the Android/Cell Saga, 5 counting two of the three, 6 counting all three), more times than any other character. This is probably due to the fact that he is, among all other characters, the closest friend to Goku and his family, or characters in the situation where he died (he is Goku's best friend throughout all three series, he is also one of Gohan's best friends [the other being Piccolo].

[edit] Kuririn and his deaths

According to the series, Kuririn died six times in the series:

In Dragon Ball, he had been killed 1 time by Tambourine
In Dragon Ball Z he had been killed 3 times; once by Freeza, again in an alternate future timeline by the androids and again by Majin Buu
In Dragon Ball GT he had been killed 1 time by Android 17
In a Hero's legacy (The only GT special), he died from natural reasons

[edit] Dragon Ball GT

Kuririn in Dragon Ball GT.

Kuririn appears briefly in Dragon Ball GT. He is seen with his wife Android 18 and daughter Marron several brief times through the series. Still true to his role in comic relief, these brief intermissions often see 18 and Marron ordering him around. He is killed in Super 17 saga by Android 17 (at the time brainwashed by Dr. Myū's Hell Fighter clone of him) but is later revived by the Dragon Balls. In his final appearance, Kuririn has an emotional final meeting with Goku, who is still a child, on Roshi's island home along with Muten-Rôshi himself. They reminisce over old times, and Kuririn and Goku have a friendly sparring match. Kuririn wins, to both his and Goku's joy.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Special abilities

Bukujutsu
The ability to fly.

Kakusandan
Kuririn fires two blasts, one from each hand, and merges them. He then directs the blast above his opponents where it breaks up and rains down on them. Kuririn used this technique to destroy the Saibaimen when Vegeta and Nappa first arrived on Earth. It also appears in the game Budokai Tenkaichi 2, under the name Expanding Energy Blast.

Kamehameha
A powerful energy wave, Kuririn is able to use it in its most basic form.

Kienzan
Kuririn's most powerful attack, the Kienzan is a razor sharp disk of energy that can slice through nearly any opponent. Kuririn can create and launch several of these discs at once. This attack is called Destructo Disc in the English series. This attack could kill or create some major damage on Nappa, that was trying to block it, instead, Nappa was saved by Vegeta, warning him to dodge.

Nijū Tsuihikidan
Kuririn shoots two strong ki blasts out of each hand and guides them towards his opponent. He used this move in the 23rd Tenka'ichi Budôkai when fighting against Piccolo as a distraction.

Renzoku Kikou Dan
Kuririn is able to fire many ki blasts at very rapid rate, each one is stronger than the one before.

Shishin No Ken
This technique allows the user to split their body into multiple selves. It was used against Nappa, in the anime only.

Taiyoken
A technique he and Goku picked up from Tenshinhan. Kuririn creates a brilliant flash of light that temporarily blinds and stuns those in close proximity. This move is known as the Solar Flare in the English series.

Zanzoken
Kuririn moves very quickly over a short distance that it leaves an after-image of where he stood. Called the After-Image technique in the U.S. and just in video games in the UK. Kuririn has only used this move once in the anime only when he was a young competitor in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.