This article series is where we showcase some of the cool kanji that appear all throughout Dragon Ball. In today's lesson, we'll be looking at an incredibly powerful special technique that can dish out huge damage to even the toughest opponents! What kind of kanji are used in the name of this ace up Goku's sleeve?!

[Reading] Gen Ki Dama
[Meaning in Dragon Ball] The Genki-dama is performed by borrowing tiny amounts of energy from everything around the user—from grass and trees to people and animals, even the air and atmosphere itself—and forming it into a single, enormous ball of energy. This technique is one that the user aims not with their eyes but by sensing the evil Ki around them then firing. It cannot hurt those of pure heart and can be deflected by or transferred between their hands. It's truly a one-of-a-kind special technique!

Let's take a look at the readings, meanings, and stroke orders.
There are three kanji used for the word Genki-dama.

● Readings, Meaning, and Stroke Orders　*Source: Imidas (SHUEISHA)

Readings: gen, gan, moto
Meanings: Beginning. Start. Origin. Name of an imperial era. Former name for China.

Readings: ki, ke
Meanings: Heart. Spirit. Intention. Disposition. Atmosphere. Natural phenomena. Breath.
<Cool Point!>
This kanji has a lot of different meanings but generally refers to things that you can't physically see, like motivation and mood or atmosphere. In Dragon Ball, "Ki" is the energy that is hidden within all people, and by controlling that Ki, characters can gain access to special abilities like the Kamehameha and Buku-jutsu (Levitation Technique).

Readings: gyoku, tama
Meanings: Spherical object. Gem. Lens. Pile (of noodles, etc.). "Jewels".

That marks the end of the fifth lesson in the "~Learn Cool Kanji with Dragon Ball!~" series! The "Ki" kanji that was showcased in today's <Cool Point!> is often used in the names of techniques in Dragon Ball. If you continue to learn lots of new kanji, you can even have fun coming up with cool original names of your own!

See you in the next lesson!