Movie
Description
Muten Roshi, also known as the Turtle Hermit, is a legendary martial arts master who lives on a small island at Kame House. In Dragon Ball Movie 2: Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle, he serves as the catalyst for the story. When both Goku and Krillin arrive seeking training, Roshi initially refuses, but after Krillin offers him a bribe of magazines, he agrees to accept one of them as a student on one condition: whoever retrieves the Sleeping Princess from the Devil's Hand will earn his tutelage. This test sets the boys on their perilous journey.
Roshi's personality is a blend of lecherous folly and genuine wisdom. He is easily distracted by attractive women, as seen when he is caught watching an exercise program on television, and he is not above using the mission as a way to get what he wants. Yet beneath his perverted facade he is a shrewd and experienced teacher who understands the value of character-building challenges. His motivations in the movie are straightforward: he wants to train promising disciples but only after they prove themselves worthy through a dangerous trial.
His role in the story is almost entirely at the beginning, where he provides the exposition about the Sleeping Princess and the Devil's Hand, and at the end, where he accepts Goku, Krillin, and Launch as his students, mistakenly believing that Launch is the princess they rescued. Though he does not participate in the fighting, his influence drives the entire narrative. Key relationships include his brief but formative interactions with Goku and Krillin, whom he sets on their first joint mission, and his indirect connection to Launch, who becomes an unwitting part of his household.
In terms of development, Roshi does not undergo a personal arc in this film; instead, his decision to take on the boys marks the beginning of their martial arts training, which continues beyond the movie. His notable abilities are not demonstrated here, but he is established as the creator of the Kamehameha technique and as one of the most skilled martial artists on Earth, a reputation that underpins his authority as a master. His cunning and experience also allow him to craft a clever test that forces Goku and Krillin to work together despite their rivalry.
Roshi's personality is a blend of lecherous folly and genuine wisdom. He is easily distracted by attractive women, as seen when he is caught watching an exercise program on television, and he is not above using the mission as a way to get what he wants. Yet beneath his perverted facade he is a shrewd and experienced teacher who understands the value of character-building challenges. His motivations in the movie are straightforward: he wants to train promising disciples but only after they prove themselves worthy through a dangerous trial.
His role in the story is almost entirely at the beginning, where he provides the exposition about the Sleeping Princess and the Devil's Hand, and at the end, where he accepts Goku, Krillin, and Launch as his students, mistakenly believing that Launch is the princess they rescued. Though he does not participate in the fighting, his influence drives the entire narrative. Key relationships include his brief but formative interactions with Goku and Krillin, whom he sets on their first joint mission, and his indirect connection to Launch, who becomes an unwitting part of his household.
In terms of development, Roshi does not undergo a personal arc in this film; instead, his decision to take on the boys marks the beginning of their martial arts training, which continues beyond the movie. His notable abilities are not demonstrated here, but he is established as the creator of the Kamehameha technique and as one of the most skilled martial artists on Earth, a reputation that underpins his authority as a master. His cunning and experience also allow him to craft a clever test that forces Goku and Krillin to work together despite their rivalry.