TV-Series
Description
Prince Kamehame is a justice chojin, or heroic superhuman, from the anime and manga series Kinnikuman by Yudetamago. He was born on Planet Coconuts but is primarily associated with Hawaii in the United States, where he lived and competed. By the time of his introduction he is seventy years old, stands 185 centimeters tall, weighs 90 kilograms, and carries a chojin strength rating that is generally listed around 950,000 power, with some later sources giving higher figures. He is physically distinctive, with brown skin, a large eagle emblem on his chest, a crest on his head resembling a rooster's comb or an ancient helmet, and a thick beard that covers much of the lower half of his face.
His background is that of a veteran champion. Before the main story, Kamehame was the Hawaiian heavyweight champion and successfully defended his title 999 times without ever losing. His thousandth defense was against Jesse Maivia, a younger challenger whom he lost to, marking the first defeat of his career. After that loss, he became Maivia's personal assistant, apparently looking for a chance to reclaim the title, but after his parents died he lost the will to continue fighting and gave up on a rematch. Despite his fallen status, he remained widely respected, known to younger heroes such as Terryman and Robin Mask, and was worshipped as a god in Hawaii because of his strength and his royal lineage as a prince of the Coconut Star people.
Kamehame is a disciplined and highly experienced fighter who relies on technique rather than raw power. As an older competitor, he maintains a strong body through daily training, but his stamina is not what it once was, and he can tire during long matches. His trademark fighting style is the Kamehame killing method, a complete combat system consisting of 100 techniques, made up of 48 killing techniques and 52 submission holds. He is known for exploiting his opponents' openings, and his signature finishing move is the back flip. He also demonstrates sharp striking skills such as martial arts kicks and rolling savate. In his prime, before his physical decline, he has been described in some sources as the strongest superhuman in the history of the series.
His personality is marked by patience, wisdom, and a strong sense of duty. He values the fundamentals of fighting and teaches his students that building a solid base is essential. He is humble enough to serve as an assistant to the man who took his title, and he shows great selflessness, repeatedly putting himself in danger to protect others. He is also a shrewd tactician who remains calm under pressure and never gives up hope even in desperate situations. In his earlier years he grew weary of endless conflict, and audiences eventually came to see his fighting as dull during his decline, which is part of why he lost his final title defense.
His most important role in the story is that of Kinnikuman's master. He first meets Kinnikuman when the young hero arrives in Hawaii to challenge Jesse Maivia. A preliminary non-title match is arranged, and Kamehame defeats Kinnikuman in just seven seconds with a back flip, becoming the first superhuman to beat Kinnikuman in an official match. Rather than dismissing his opponent, Kamehame sees promise in Kinnikuman and decides to train him, passing on the 48 killing techniques and serving as his second during the successful match against Maivia. Kinnikuman offers him the Hawaiian championship belt afterward, but Kamehame refuses it and walks away, showing that his interest was in developing his student rather than regaining glory. Kinnikuman comes to call him Master, and Kamehame is the one person the protagonist truly cannot stand up against in terms of respect.
Later, during the Dream Chojin Tag Tournament, Kamehame returns to help Kinnikuman, who has no tag partner. He wears a black mask and bodysuit and adopts the identity of Kinnikuman Great, forming the tag team known as the Muscle Brothers with Kinnikuman. In their first match they defeat the four-dimensional duo of Pentagon and Black Hole, using the combination move Muscle Docking. During a later match he intervenes to save Terryman and Geronimo from the attacks of the stray devil chojin, and in doing so he is caught by Sunshine's cursed roller attack and fatally wounded. Before dying, he reveals his identity to Terryman and entrusts him with the mask of Kinnikuman Great and the mission of restoring friendship among justice chojin. Terryman becomes the second Kinnikuman Great, and Kamehame later appears to him as a spirit to help him master his techniques.
Kamehame appears again during the Kinniku star throne succession match. When the Omega Man uses his Omega Metamorphosis technique to summon the superhuman that Kinnikuman believes is the strongest, Kamehame's spirit takes over the Omega Man's body. He uses this opportunity to teach Kinnikuman the remaining 52 submission techniques he had not yet passed on, doing so through genuine combat. Once the teaching is complete, he states that he has nothing left to teach, reveals his intentions, and disappears in tears. With his full repertoire of techniques, Kinnikuman is then able to defeat the Omega Man and becomes strong enough to challenge Super Phoenix. A flashback also shows Kamehame scolding Kinnikuman for skipping basic training, an experience that later helps Kinnikuman in his victory against Peak-a-Boo.
His key relationships include Jesse Maivia, his rival and the man who ended his championship reign, with whom he is eventually reconciled in expanded material, to the point of cooperating to protect the Hawaiian chojin world. Doctor Bombe is both his physician and his close friend of forty years. Terryman is his successor, receiving his techniques and the Kinnikuman Great identity after his death. In later story arcs it is revealed that Prince Kamehame and the people of Coconut Star descend from a lineage created by the god of insight, Magnificent, tying his origins to one of the series' divine beings. In the sequel series Kinnikuman II, his ashes are scattered at sea by Kinnikuman, and he appears as a spirit to train Kinnikuman's son Mantaro and his partner Chaos Avenir, using wooden training dummies as he once did with Kinnikuman. In that sequel he refers to Kinnikuman as his only disciple in his lifetime.
Overall, Kamehame serves as the mentor figure whose teachings, sacrifice, and continued spiritual presence shape the growth of the protagonist. His legacy as a champion, his development from a declining former titleholder to a selfless teacher and protector, and his complete combat system all define his place in the story as one of the most respected figures among the justice chojin.
His background is that of a veteran champion. Before the main story, Kamehame was the Hawaiian heavyweight champion and successfully defended his title 999 times without ever losing. His thousandth defense was against Jesse Maivia, a younger challenger whom he lost to, marking the first defeat of his career. After that loss, he became Maivia's personal assistant, apparently looking for a chance to reclaim the title, but after his parents died he lost the will to continue fighting and gave up on a rematch. Despite his fallen status, he remained widely respected, known to younger heroes such as Terryman and Robin Mask, and was worshipped as a god in Hawaii because of his strength and his royal lineage as a prince of the Coconut Star people.
Kamehame is a disciplined and highly experienced fighter who relies on technique rather than raw power. As an older competitor, he maintains a strong body through daily training, but his stamina is not what it once was, and he can tire during long matches. His trademark fighting style is the Kamehame killing method, a complete combat system consisting of 100 techniques, made up of 48 killing techniques and 52 submission holds. He is known for exploiting his opponents' openings, and his signature finishing move is the back flip. He also demonstrates sharp striking skills such as martial arts kicks and rolling savate. In his prime, before his physical decline, he has been described in some sources as the strongest superhuman in the history of the series.
His personality is marked by patience, wisdom, and a strong sense of duty. He values the fundamentals of fighting and teaches his students that building a solid base is essential. He is humble enough to serve as an assistant to the man who took his title, and he shows great selflessness, repeatedly putting himself in danger to protect others. He is also a shrewd tactician who remains calm under pressure and never gives up hope even in desperate situations. In his earlier years he grew weary of endless conflict, and audiences eventually came to see his fighting as dull during his decline, which is part of why he lost his final title defense.
His most important role in the story is that of Kinnikuman's master. He first meets Kinnikuman when the young hero arrives in Hawaii to challenge Jesse Maivia. A preliminary non-title match is arranged, and Kamehame defeats Kinnikuman in just seven seconds with a back flip, becoming the first superhuman to beat Kinnikuman in an official match. Rather than dismissing his opponent, Kamehame sees promise in Kinnikuman and decides to train him, passing on the 48 killing techniques and serving as his second during the successful match against Maivia. Kinnikuman offers him the Hawaiian championship belt afterward, but Kamehame refuses it and walks away, showing that his interest was in developing his student rather than regaining glory. Kinnikuman comes to call him Master, and Kamehame is the one person the protagonist truly cannot stand up against in terms of respect.
Later, during the Dream Chojin Tag Tournament, Kamehame returns to help Kinnikuman, who has no tag partner. He wears a black mask and bodysuit and adopts the identity of Kinnikuman Great, forming the tag team known as the Muscle Brothers with Kinnikuman. In their first match they defeat the four-dimensional duo of Pentagon and Black Hole, using the combination move Muscle Docking. During a later match he intervenes to save Terryman and Geronimo from the attacks of the stray devil chojin, and in doing so he is caught by Sunshine's cursed roller attack and fatally wounded. Before dying, he reveals his identity to Terryman and entrusts him with the mask of Kinnikuman Great and the mission of restoring friendship among justice chojin. Terryman becomes the second Kinnikuman Great, and Kamehame later appears to him as a spirit to help him master his techniques.
Kamehame appears again during the Kinniku star throne succession match. When the Omega Man uses his Omega Metamorphosis technique to summon the superhuman that Kinnikuman believes is the strongest, Kamehame's spirit takes over the Omega Man's body. He uses this opportunity to teach Kinnikuman the remaining 52 submission techniques he had not yet passed on, doing so through genuine combat. Once the teaching is complete, he states that he has nothing left to teach, reveals his intentions, and disappears in tears. With his full repertoire of techniques, Kinnikuman is then able to defeat the Omega Man and becomes strong enough to challenge Super Phoenix. A flashback also shows Kamehame scolding Kinnikuman for skipping basic training, an experience that later helps Kinnikuman in his victory against Peak-a-Boo.
His key relationships include Jesse Maivia, his rival and the man who ended his championship reign, with whom he is eventually reconciled in expanded material, to the point of cooperating to protect the Hawaiian chojin world. Doctor Bombe is both his physician and his close friend of forty years. Terryman is his successor, receiving his techniques and the Kinnikuman Great identity after his death. In later story arcs it is revealed that Prince Kamehame and the people of Coconut Star descend from a lineage created by the god of insight, Magnificent, tying his origins to one of the series' divine beings. In the sequel series Kinnikuman II, his ashes are scattered at sea by Kinnikuman, and he appears as a spirit to train Kinnikuman's son Mantaro and his partner Chaos Avenir, using wooden training dummies as he once did with Kinnikuman. In that sequel he refers to Kinnikuman as his only disciple in his lifetime.
Overall, Kamehame serves as the mentor figure whose teachings, sacrifice, and continued spiritual presence shape the growth of the protagonist. His legacy as a champion, his development from a declining former titleholder to a selfless teacher and protector, and his complete combat system all define his place in the story as one of the most respected figures among the justice chojin.