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King Gurumes, also known as Gourmeth, is the principal antagonist of the 1986 film Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies. He is the ruler of his own domain, the Land of Gurumes, where he commands a personal army. His background is tied to a terrible affliction; after discovering that the land beneath his country held priceless blood rubies, he fell victim to a curse. This curse caused him to mutate from a normal, though unattractive, bald man into an obese, grotesque monster driven by an insatiable and painful hunger. His monstrous form is characterized by purple, wart-covered skin, a massive body, pointed ears, fangs, and mismatched eyes, with one significantly larger than the other.
Gurumes' personality is defined by gluttony and greed, having been completely corrupted by his condition. As a tyrant, he orders the relentless excavation of blood rubies to fund a search for the world's most exquisite cuisines in a desperate attempt to satisfy his ever-growing hunger. His primary motivation is entirely self-serving: to find the seven Dragon Balls and summon the eternal dragon Shenron to wish his painful appetite away, allowing him to return to his human form and end his suffering. Unlike a more calculated villain, his actions are driven by the primal, all-consuming need for food.
In the story, Gurumes serves as the central obstacle for the protagonist, Goku, and his companion Bulma. Early in the film, Gurumes already possesses four of the seven Dragon Balls. His two most esteemed henchmen, a woman named Pasta and a large enforcer named Bongo, are dispatched to gather the remaining balls. They steal Goku's Four-Star Dragon Ball from his home, which sets the main plot in motion. Throughout the film, Gurumes remains in his castle, awaiting his subordinates' return while growing more ravenous. His key relationships are primarily with his minions, who serve him out of fear or duty, and with a young girl named Pansy (or Penny), a native of his ruined land who seeks to overthrow him to restore her home.
The character undergoes a significant transformation, both physical and personal, by the film's climax. When Goku and his allies confront him in his throne room, Gurumes's hunger pushes him to a breaking point, causing him to grow into an even more gigantic and powerful berserker. In this state, he proves to be a formidable opponent. He effortlessly crushes his own henchman Bongo and withstands a direct Kamehameha wave from Goku without any visible damage. His notable abilities are primarily rooted in his monstrous strength and durability, making him seemingly unstoppable by conventional attacks. His main weakness, however, is the very curse that empowers him. Bulma realizes that the six Dragon Balls Gurumes had collected are trapped inside his stomach. She defeats him by throwing the seventh ball into his mouth, which allows Shenron to be summoned from within his body. The summoning ray of light explodes from his mouth, destroying the castle and purging the dragon balls. After the wish is made to restore the land, the curse is lifted. Gurumes is reverted to his original human form—a small, bald, naked man. His arc concludes with redemption as his hunger is finally cured, not by a gourmet feast, but by a simple apple offered by Pansy, which he finds delicious.
Gurumes' personality is defined by gluttony and greed, having been completely corrupted by his condition. As a tyrant, he orders the relentless excavation of blood rubies to fund a search for the world's most exquisite cuisines in a desperate attempt to satisfy his ever-growing hunger. His primary motivation is entirely self-serving: to find the seven Dragon Balls and summon the eternal dragon Shenron to wish his painful appetite away, allowing him to return to his human form and end his suffering. Unlike a more calculated villain, his actions are driven by the primal, all-consuming need for food.
In the story, Gurumes serves as the central obstacle for the protagonist, Goku, and his companion Bulma. Early in the film, Gurumes already possesses four of the seven Dragon Balls. His two most esteemed henchmen, a woman named Pasta and a large enforcer named Bongo, are dispatched to gather the remaining balls. They steal Goku's Four-Star Dragon Ball from his home, which sets the main plot in motion. Throughout the film, Gurumes remains in his castle, awaiting his subordinates' return while growing more ravenous. His key relationships are primarily with his minions, who serve him out of fear or duty, and with a young girl named Pansy (or Penny), a native of his ruined land who seeks to overthrow him to restore her home.
The character undergoes a significant transformation, both physical and personal, by the film's climax. When Goku and his allies confront him in his throne room, Gurumes's hunger pushes him to a breaking point, causing him to grow into an even more gigantic and powerful berserker. In this state, he proves to be a formidable opponent. He effortlessly crushes his own henchman Bongo and withstands a direct Kamehameha wave from Goku without any visible damage. His notable abilities are primarily rooted in his monstrous strength and durability, making him seemingly unstoppable by conventional attacks. His main weakness, however, is the very curse that empowers him. Bulma realizes that the six Dragon Balls Gurumes had collected are trapped inside his stomach. She defeats him by throwing the seventh ball into his mouth, which allows Shenron to be summoned from within his body. The summoning ray of light explodes from his mouth, destroying the castle and purging the dragon balls. After the wish is made to restore the land, the curse is lifted. Gurumes is reverted to his original human form—a small, bald, naked man. His arc concludes with redemption as his hunger is finally cured, not by a gourmet feast, but by a simple apple offered by Pansy, which he finds delicious.