Master Roshi is one of Dragon Ball’s most iconic characters. He is the sensei (master) of our main protagonist, Son Goku, who trained him in martial arts. However, one thing that will remain a mystery for most fans is his mortality. Throughout the entire franchise, Master Roshi seems like an immortal.
He does not age a bit, and his physical and mental strength do not diminish at all. As a matter of fact, his power level only increases as the series progresses. This begs the question: is Master Roshi really an immortal? Is Master Roshi even a human being in the first place?
In this article, we will be exploring these questions and analyzing the mortality of our legendary turtle hermit sage.
Immortality in Dragon Ball Franchise
Immortality is a huge subject in the Dragon Ball series. Several powerful villains seek the dragon balls in order to attain eternal life. Throughout the series, it is mentioned that there are several ways in which one can attain eternal life.
Here is a list of all the ways a character can attain immortality in the Dragon Ball universe:
- Collecting the seven dragon balls and wishing for eternal youth.
- Drinking the elixir from the Fountain of Youth not only nullifies aging, it also makes a person unkillable by physical means.
- The Immortal Phoenix can grant people immortality.
- Scientific procedures can turn people into cyborgs that are literally eternal.
- Absorbing life energy from another planet.
- Consuming the Paradise Herb.
- Becoming a ghost and roaming in the physical world instead of passing to the afterlife.
Is Master Roshi a human?
We all know that the Dragon Ball universe is home to a large number of non-human races. Even the main protagonist, Goku, is not human.
Initially, Master Roshi seems like a human. He is old and acts like an old man until it is revealed that he is actually far stronger than he looks. This is still acceptable and kind of expected, as he is a martial arts master.
However, it kind of goes into the realm of impossibility when generations pass and Master Roshi remains the same. From Goku to Gohan to Goten, Son Goku’s family tree keeps expanding, clearly showing the passage of time. But when it comes to Master Roshi, it is as if time doesn’t affect him.
This is why some people wonder if Master Roshi is human or not.
According to the official Dragon Ball anime and manga series, Master Roshi is a human through and through. He is just an exceptional human who has attained the peak of his human body.
Is Master Roshi an immortal?
Now let’s jump back to the main question. Is the world-famous Turtle Hermit Sage an immortal? The answer is yes. Master Roshi is an immortal who has been alive for over 300 years. While he is still fully capable of dying an unnatural death, he has eternal life.
What this means is that Master Roshi does not age. This is all thanks to a special herb called “Paradise Herb” that keeps him alive, ignoring the aging factor. There is a catch, though. He has to eat it every 1,000 years in order to maintain his immortality.
Not only that, Master Roshi also owned an immortal phoenix as a pet long before Goku’s arrival. This bird is capable of granting people biological immortality that nullifies aging. However, Roshi had accidentally killed the bird by feeding it tainted bird seeds. But there is a possibility that he gained immortality from the bird when he possessed it.
So there you go, guys. This is everything that you need to know about Master Roshi’s immortality. You just learned that Roshi is a human being who obtained immortality using a special herb. He has already been alive for 300 years, and he claimed that he could go on for another 1000 thanks to the herb. All he has to do is eat yet another herb when the time comes to extend his years and live on with eternal life.
