After watching Dragon Ball for many years, many fans still do not know the origin of the name Kamehameha.
Since its debut, Dragon Ball has been famous and attracted millions of fans worldwide. Author Akira Toriyama is also always open in sharing information related to the world he creates, including iconic characters like Goku and Vegeta .
Goku performs the Kamehameha technique in Dragon Ball
One of them is the mystery related to the Kamehameha technique (roughly translated as the Turtle Wave of Destruction). This is a technique created by Elder Kame during his 50 years of practicing martial arts before starting the Dragon Ball story . By concentrating Ki in the palm of the hand to create an energy wave with great destructive power and long range and then release it outwards. His students such as Goku, Krilin, Yamcha and even their descendants later knew how to use this technique.
Interestingly, the inspiration for the name Kamehameha was not taken from the martial arts scene or Japanese mythology. In fact, the name has a direct connection to the history of the Hawaiian Islands.
Kamehameha I was the unifier of Hawaii
During the colonial period, the Hawaiian Islands were divided into many warring tribes. In this complex context, Kamehameha I appeared. The king achieved what had never been done before, unifying the Hawaiian Islands under a single government. This period of political centralization lasted until the 20th century, when the monarchy chose to abdicate to avoid armed conflict with the United States.
Perhaps motivated by a sense of adventure or simply curiosity, Akira Toriyama decided to name the iconic Dragon Ball technique after the Hawaiian king. Because this is the person who was instrumental in unifying a divided territory, the term “Kamehameha” also symbolizes strength and unity.
In this sense, the choice of the name Kamehameha also carries historical and symbolic weight, adding depth to Dragon Ball ‘s story .