King Kai
King Kai (北の界王 界王様, Kaiō-sama, lit. "King of Worlds") is the North Kai (北きたの界かい王おう Kita no Kaiō, lit. "Northern King of Worlds") and the ruler of Universe 7’s North Area. A lover of comedy and a brilliant martial arts master, he serves as Goku’s mentor, teaching him the Kaio-ken and the Spirit Bomb. He later trains Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Piccolo, and Chiaotzu, remaining a key supporting character throughout most of the series.
| Names | King Kai (北の界王 界王様, Kaiō-sama, lit. "King of Worlds") North Kai,The Lord of Worlds,Kaio, Kaiou, Kaioh, Kai-Sama, Kaíbe, Emperor |
| Gender | Male ♂ |
| Race | Glind (グリンド人 Gurindo-jin), Core Person (芯人 Shin-jin) |
| Occupation | North Kai of Universe 7 |
| Origin | Dragon Ball Chapter 210 (DBZ 16) "Masters and Students" 親子二代の荒修業 Oyako Nidai no Ara Shūgyō, lit. "The Father and Son's Harsh Training") January 18, 1989 (Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1989 #10) |
| Alignment | Good |
| Age | Millions of Years |
| Created By | Akira Toriyama |
| Personality Type | ESFJ, 2w1 (Enneagram) |
| Voice Actors |  Japanese: Jōji Yanami † (most media until DBS episode 12), Naoki Tatsuta (DBS episodes 13 onward)
|
Appearance
King Kai is a short, blue-skinned being with pointed ears and a pair of catfish-like barbels on his face. He wears teashade sunglasses, a black tunic with goldenrod-trimmed sleeves and his personal emblem on the front, as well as small white shoes. His head is adorned with a pair of cricket-like antennae.
Personality
King Kai has an eccentric personality, with a deep love for humor—so much so that he requires potential students to make him laugh before agreeing to train them. He is known for his terrible jokes and is aware of how bad they are, even using them as a threat to get Goku’s attention while warning him about Frieza. Despite his comedic nature, he is highly intelligent, possessing vast knowledge of the universe and expertise in universal telepathic communication. Although he was weaker than Vegeta even before training Goku, King Kai is an invaluable source of techniques, skills, and centuries of wisdom.
Strategic and resourceful, he played a critical role during the Frieza Saga, coordinating with Kami to teleport the Namekians and Z Fighters to Earth before Planet Namek exploded. His training methods are highly unconventional, such as requiring students to catch his pet monkey, Bubbles, and strike his butler cricket, Gregory, with a hammer (the latter being anime-only filler). Despite these odd tasks, his teaching is effective, and he takes pride in his students’ progress. He shares a strong bond with Goku, though he was annoyed when Goku unintentionally got him killed by teleporting Cell’s explosion to his planet. He later playfully teased Goku about Delayed Onset Ki Disorder potentially hindering his growth.
Like the other Kais, King Kai can be immature, often boasting about the strength of his warriors and engaging in sibling-like bickering with his fellow Kais. However, he does share a camaraderie with them, as seen when they gather to watch the events of Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn, likely due to their shared subordination under the Grand Kai.
Biography
Background
Like all Glind, King Kai was born on Kaishin and eventually became a Kai, taking up residence on his own planet at the end of Snake Way in the Other World. There, he lives with a monkey named Bubbles and a talkative grasshopper named Gregory, spending his time counting blades of grass, contemplating the heavens, cruising in his red 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop, and testing the limits of his bladder control. On his tiny planet, he teaches advanced techniques such as the Spirit Bomb and Kaio-ken to those who seek his guidance.
His planet was once 100 times its current size, allowing him to enjoy his hobby of driving. However, in Age 451, the God of Destruction, Beerus, visited. The reason for the visit varies—some say they played hide-and-seek, others claim it was a car racing video game, or perhaps Beerus was simply displeased with King Kai’s food. Regardless, Beerus lost, became irritated, and destroyed the planet. King Kai salvaged a large fragment, shaped it into a sphere, and built a road so he could still enjoy driving. Alongside the other Kais, he also played a role in defeating the galaxy pirate Bojack and his gang, sealing them within a star.
Dragon Ball Z
Saiyan Saga
When Goku is killed during his battle with Raditz, King Yemma instructs him to seek out King Kai for training, as he will need to become much stronger to face the approaching Saiyans, Nappa and Vegeta. Goku endures a six-month journey across Snake Way to reach King Kai’s planet. Upon arrival, he initially mistakes Bubbles for King Kai, only to be corrected moments later. Before agreeing to train Goku, King Kai insists that he tell a joke. Though Goku succeeds in making him laugh, King Kai is disappointed to learn that he isn't here to train in comedy.
Before training begins, King Kai warns Goku that Nappa and Vegeta are even stronger than himself, meaning Goku must at least surpass him to stand a chance. Goku's training starts with a task to catch Bubbles, a difficult challenge due to the planet’s gravity being ten times that of Earth—similar to that of Planet Vegeta. After three weeks, Goku succeeds, impressing King Kai. Next, Goku must hit Gregory with a heavy mallet, a task exclusive to the anime as Gregory does not exist in the manga. Over time, these exercises significantly enhance Goku’s speed and strength.
Shortly before the Saiyans arrive on Earth, Goku is revived and departs, with King Kai observing the battle. During the fight against Vegeta, King Kai pleads with Goku not to exceed Kaio-ken x2, fearing irreversible damage to his body. However, Goku ignores his warnings as Vegeta gains the upper hand. Despite Goku mastering his physical training, King Kai believes he still has room to improve his humor.
Frieza Saga
After Vegeta's retreat, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo travel Snake Way much faster than Goku did and arrive on King Kai’s planet for training. King Kai warns Goku never to cross paths with Frieza, the intergalactic tyrant who is the most powerful being in the universe at the time. While Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu undergo training, Piccolo largely opts to train alone, dismissing King Kai’s methods as silly. He effortlessly catches Bubbles, pointing out that the planet’s gravity is similar to his own weighted training. However, during a sparring match, he is surprised to see noticeable improvement in the others—an event exclusive to the anime.
Meanwhile, King Kai observes the battle on Namek, including a fight between the deceased Ginyu Force and the Dragon Team in the afterlife (anime-only). Despite King Kai's warnings, Goku eventually battles Frieza and appears to defeat him with a Large Spirit Bomb. However, King Kai is horrified when Frieza survives, injuring Piccolo and killing Krillin. This act pushes Goku over the edge, triggering his transformation into a Super Saiyan.
As Goku gains the upper hand, Frieza, refusing to accept defeat, attempts to destroy Namek with a Death Ball. Though the destruction is not immediate, Frieza estimates the planet has five minutes before it is obliterated. King Kai, now coordinating with Kami, formulates a plan to use Earth's Dragon Balls to revive those killed by Frieza and his men, including Grand Elder Guru, so that Porunga can be restored.
When Frieza begins charging to 100% power, King Kai urgently contacts Goku, pleading with him to finish the fight before Frieza reaches his peak strength. However, Goku, now overtaken by Saiyan pride and enraged over Krillin’s death, insists on facing Frieza at full power, much to King Kai’s dismay. King Kai is shocked by Goku's newfound aggression but ultimately relents, though he remains worried for the others on Namek.
Once Porunga is revived, King Kai telepathically contacts Guru and instructs him to have Dende wish everyone on Namek—except Frieza—back to Earth. However, Goku intervenes, insisting he stay behind to finish Frieza. Despite King Kai’s protests, Goku refuses to abandon the battle. Left with no choice, the revised wish is made, transporting everyone except Goku and Frieza to Earth.
King Kai continues to watch the battle unfold and is taken aback when Frieza, in a desperate final move, accidentally slices himself in half with his own attack. As Goku attempts to escape on Frieza’s damaged spaceship, the planet is destroyed, seemingly taking him with it. King Kai relays the news of Goku’s death to Yamcha, who informs Bulma.
However, Bulma suggests using the Namekian Dragon Balls to revive Goku, along with Krillin and Chiaotzu, who have both died twice. King Kai notes that while Chiaotzu can be revived, Goku and Krillin perished on Namek, meaning if they were wished back to life, they would instantly die again in the vacuum of space. Vegeta then proposes an alternative: wishing them to the Earth's Check-In Station before reviving them. When they attempt to revive Goku, Porunga surprises everyone—including King Kai—by stating that Goku is still alive and refuses to be wished home.
Frieza-Androids Interlude
King Kai, along with everyone else aware of the events unfolding, is left stunned when a mysterious boy from the future arrives and effortlessly defeats Frieza and King Cold. The father and son duo had come to Earth seeking revenge for Frieza’s defeat on Namek, but the young warrior eliminates them with ease. King Kai even cheers him on during the battle.
Cell Saga
With Kami merging with Piccolo, Earth was left without a guardian, rendering the Dragon Balls inactive. When Goku planned to travel to New Namek in search of a new guardian, he enlisted King Kai’s help to locate the planet.
Later, when Gohan overpowers Cell in battle, the android prepares to self-destruct, threatening to take the entire planet with him. With mere seconds to act, Goku uses Instant Transmission to transport both himself and Cell to King Kai’s planet. The resulting explosion kills Goku, King Kai, and his pets. However, King Kai quickly realizes that Cell has somehow survived. This catastrophe also causes the release of Bojack and his team from their imprisonment. Furious at Goku for getting him killed, King Kai nevertheless uses his telepathic abilities to help Goku provide spiritual support to Gohan, who is forced to fight Cell once again.
After Cell's final defeat, Goku declines the opportunity to be revived, stating that King Kai has also refused resurrection, choosing instead to remain in the Other World and guide Goku in his journey there.
Other World Saga
Despite being dead, King Kai continues his usual affairs, though he faces great embarrassment among the other Kais for his untimely demise—especially since Goku sacrificed someone as revered as him just to save Earth. As seen in the anime, Grand Kai organizes a tournament on his planet in honor of King Kai’s passing, where it is revealed that King Kai is the North Kai.
During the Other World Tournament, King Kai's best fighter (aside from Goku) is Olibu. Goku and Pikkon, the student of West Kai, reach the finals. Goku appears to win, but Grand Kai disqualifies both fighters for touching the ceiling. Before the match, King Kai and West Kai make a bet: if Pikkon wins, King Kai will serve as West Kai’s attendant, but if Goku wins, King Kai will claim West Kai’s planet. However, since the match ends in a draw, neither side wins the bet—though West Kai briefly seems prepared to back out of the deal anyway.
Majin Buu Saga
King Kai observes the unfolding chaos when Majin Buu is revived by the evil wizard Babidi. When Goku faces the demon to buy time for his allies, he unveils his new transformation—Super Saiyan 3. From the Other World, King Kai frantically warns Goku not to use this form on Earth, as it will drain his energy too quickly, forcing him to return to the afterlife with no one left to stop Buu. Despite King Kai’s concerns, Goku goes through with the transformation, succeeding in stalling Buu long enough for the Dragon Radar to be recovered.
As events escalate to the final battle against Kid Buu on the Sacred World of the Kai, Vegeta devises a plan to create a Super Spirit Bomb using energy from Earth’s inhabitants. Dende and Kibito Kai travel to New Namek to summon Porunga, restoring Earth and reviving all innocent lives lost since Babidi’s arrival. King Kai uses his telepathy to help Vegeta, Goku, and Mr. Satan persuade the people of Earth to contribute their energy. When Goku launches the Super Spirit Bomb, Kid Buu initially resists. However, a final wish restores Goku’s strength, allowing him to transform into a Super Saiyan and overpower Buu. As Kid Buu is erased, King Kai proudly watches, satisfied that his Spirit Bomb technique played a crucial role in the victory.
The Return of Son Goku and Friends!
Two years after Kid Buu's defeat, King Kai, Bubbles, and Gregory observe Mr. Satan's grand banquet celebrating Earth’s victory. The celebration is interrupted by the arrival of Abo and Kado, a brotherly duo seeking Vegeta’s long-lost brother, Tarble.
Goten and Trunks step up to challenge the brothers but fail to defeat them. In response, Abo and Kado merge into Aka and unleash a devastating attack that destroys Mr. Satan’s newly built hotel. Goku ultimately defeats Aka with a powerful Kamehameha, after which the group resumes their feast.
Dragon Ball Super
Sometime after Majin Buu's defeat, King Kai contacts Moori to use the Namekian Dragon Balls to restore his planet. When Porunga is summoned on Snake Way, King Kai eagerly requests a larger planet with lower gravity and a built-in racetrack. However, before he can finish his wish, Goku arrives and instead asks for King Kai’s planet to be restored exactly as it was, believing it to be perfect for his training.
God of Destruction Beerus Saga
One day, King Kai is driving around his planet with Bubbles and Gregory when Goku suddenly arrives, causing him to crash into his house. Annoyed but resigned, King Kai quickly prepares food for Goku and starts repairing his home. However, he finds Goku to be a constant nuisance, as the Saiyan sees him as an old friend rather than recognizing his importance as a divine figure. Undeterred, Goku immediately begins gravity training on King Kai’s planet.
Concerned about Beerus’ potential awakening, King Kai contacts Elder Kai and Kibito Kai telepathically to inform them that Goku is currently training on his planet. Goku, overhearing his name, becomes curious about their conversation, but King Kai quickly distracts him by complaining—once again—about how Goku teleported Cell to his planet, resulting in his own death along with Bubbles and Gregory, and how he still hasn’t been revived. Relieved that Goku is too distracted to learn about Beerus, King Kai hopes to keep it that way. However, Goku suddenly remembers Bulma’s birthday, momentarily shifting his focus. As Beerus moves closer to his planet, King Kai becomes increasingly anxious and urges Goku to attend the party instead. Goku, however, refuses and resumes training.
Later, as King Kai repaints his house, Goku accidentally destroys it with a misplaced Kamehameha wave. Amid his frustration, King Kai unintentionally blurts out Beerus' name, piquing Goku’s curiosity. Realizing he can’t hide it any longer, King Kai explains his role in maintaining balance in the universe and the terrifying power of the God of Destruction. This only excites Goku, who becomes eager to meet Beerus. Sensing Beerus’ ki approaching, King Kai desperately tries to hide Goku, but his efforts are in vain—the Destroyer arrives.
Terrified, King Kai greets Beerus and offers him food, but Beerus is uninterested and demands to speak with Goku. When Beerus inquires about the Super Saiyan God, Goku admits he has no knowledge of it. King Kai urgently warns Goku not to fight Beerus, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. The battle commences, and after Beerus easily overpowers Goku, King Kai contacts Vegeta—who is at Bulma’s birthday party—to warn him of Beerus’ arrival and to avoid provoking him. After the battle, King Kai gives Goku a Senzu Bean to help him recover but, fearing he might challenge Beerus again, he and his companions attempt to stop Goku from going to the party.
When Goku eventually attains the Super Saiyan God form, King Kai is utterly astonished, running frantically across his planet and rambling in disbelief. Old Kai contacts him in a fit of rage, warning that if Goku pushes Beerus too far, he could destroy the universe. However, the battle ends with Beerus victorious, sparing Earth despite his overwhelming power. King Kai, baffled by the outcome, remarks that even the God of Destruction has somehow become one of Goku’s many friends.
Golden Frieza Saga
King Kai is stunned when Goku surpasses Super Saiyan God, anxiously wondering what kind of training he received under Beerus and Whis.
Universe 6 Saga
Following the battle with Golden Frieza, Bulma summons Shenron to locate the final Super Dragon Ball. However, Shenron is unable to find it as it lies beyond his reach. Frustrated, Beerus dismisses the dragon, deeming him useless. At that moment, Goku suddenly realizes he forgot to revive King Kai, prompting King Kai to erupt in frustration.
Copy-Vegeta Saga
When Goku finally arrives on King Kai’s planet using Instant Transmission, King Kai examines him with a stethoscope and diagnoses him with Delayed Onset Ki Disorder—a condition that causes a gradual loss of energy control. Goku, visibly worried, listens as King Kai warns that if he continues to overuse his ki recklessly, he will eventually lose his ability to fight or grow stronger. Amused at first, King Kai then angrily scolds Goku, reminding him once again of the consequences of bringing Cell to his planet, symbolized by the halo above his head.
Future Trunks Saga
In the anime, when Goku attempts to train on King Kai’s planet, King Kai furiously orders him to leave, still angry over the extensive damage Goku caused during his previous training sessions.
Later, after Future Trunks returns to his timeline, Goku attempts to fulfill his long-standing promise to revive King Kai. However, as he summons Shenron, King Kai is forced to endure a chaotic dispute over the wish, involving Bulma, Android 18, Master Roshi, Goten, and Trunks. Just as Goku is about to restore King Kai to life, Shenron reaches his time limit and vanishes before the wish can be granted. Goku promises to revive him next time, but an exasperated King Kai loudly berates him in frustration.
Universe Survival Saga
In the anime, when Goku rescues Android 17 and the Galactic Poachers' boss in deep space, he uses Instant Transmission to teleport to King Kai’s planet. Introducing Android 17, Goku explains his plan to leave the boss there to self-destruct, preventing harm to any nearby creatures. Outraged, King Kai yells that his planet is not a "bomb disposal unit" and insists that Goku take him elsewhere. Ignoring his protests, Goku leaves the boss on the planet anyway.
Despite the boss being immobilized due to the planet’s intense gravity, King Kai remains fearful that another catastrophe will befall his home—especially after what happened with Cell. Before King Kai can panic further, Dende contacts them and reveals that the boss had been bluffing about having a self-destruct device. To confirm, 17 demands that the boss press the detonator, and to everyone’s surprise, it only releases fireworks and confetti.
Dragon Ball GT
Black Star Dragon Ball Saga
Still residing on Grand Kai’s Planet, King Kai warns Goku—who has been turned into a child by the Black Star Dragon Balls—of the immense danger they pose. He informs Goku, his family, and his friends that they must retrieve all seven Black Star Dragon Balls scattered across the galaxy within a year, or Earth will be destroyed by the negative energy left behind.
Super 17 Saga
A year later, King Kai is back on his own planet when he warns Goku that the dead are escaping from Hell. During this time, he is also shown to be sick.
Shadow Dragon Saga
On Grand Kai’s Planet, King Kai assists Goku in forming the Super Ultra Spirit Bomb to defeat Omega Shenron. He creates a universal telepathic link, allowing Goku to request energy from beings across the universe.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes
Demon Invader Saga
King Kai, along with Bubbles and Gregory, is absorbed by Majin Ozotto when the villain arrives on his planet.
Film Appearances
The Tree of Might
When Turles and the Turles Crusher Corps arrive on Earth to plant the Tree of Might, King Kai informs Goku and the Z Fighters—along with Master Roshi, Bulma, Chi-Chi, Oolong, and Puar—about the tree’s origins and its devastating impact. After the tree is destroyed, he explains that Goku used its energy against it with the Spirit Bomb, allowing the stolen energy to return to Earth.
Lord Slug
From his planet, King Kai observes Goku’s battle against Lord Slug. When Goku briefly transforms into a Pseudo Super Saiyan, King Kai mistakenly believes he has become the legendary Super Saiyan. As Slug transforms into a giant, King Kai contacts Goku and informs him of the villain’s origins as a Super Namekian. After Slug is defeated by a Spirit Bomb, King Kai congratulates Goku on his victory.
Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan
King Kai senses a powerful Saiyan in the South Area destroying planets and heading toward the North Area. Alarmed, he telepathically contacts Goku, urging him to come to his planet immediately. Once Goku arrives, King Kai provides him with food before warning him that the Saiyan may be stronger than he is. Instead of being intimidated, Goku grows even more excited. Since King Kai does not know the Saiyan’s exact location, he advises Goku to use Instant Transmission to track his energy, pointing him in the right direction.
Bojack Unbound
Months after Cell's defeat, King Kai, along with Goku, Bubbles, and Gregory, travels along Snake Way toward the Other World. Along the way, they stop to watch the Intergalactic World Martial Arts Tournament so Goku can see Gohan compete.
When Bojack and his crew arrive, King Kai reveals that Bojack was so powerful that he and the other Kais had to seal him away to prevent him from taking over the universe. He explains that Bojack had been imprisoned within a star, but when Goku destroyed King Kai’s planet during the Cell Games, the seal was broken, allowing Bojack to escape.
Goku, eager to help Gohan, is told by King Kai that interfering is beyond his power. However, as the battle escalates, Goku breaks the rules by using Instant Transmission to momentarily aid Gohan, granting him the strength to defeat Bojack. Though King Kai admonishes Goku for violating the laws of the Other World, he ultimately lets it slide.
Fusion Reborn
King Kai, along with the other Kais, is present on Grand Kai’s Planet to watch a tournament featuring deceased warriors from across the universe. As the competition unfolds, he argues with the other Kais over which contestant will emerge victorious.
During Goku’s final match against Pikkon, King Kai notices a major disturbance caused by Janemba. Later, when Goku and Vegeta attempt to fuse, King Kai and the other Kais watch as their failed attempt results in the creation of Veku, who struggles against Janemba. After Goku and Vegeta separate, King Kai telepathically contacts them, explaining that they failed because Vegeta did not extend his finger correctly during the Fusion Dance.
Dokkan Battle
In Age ???, a dimensional distortion creates an abnormal version of the main timeline, causing historical alterations and the appearance of figures from other timelines. To investigate, King Kai recruits a wayward Future Trunks, who was accidentally pulled into this anomaly along with his Time Machine.
Acting as a Time Patroller, Future Trunks sets off on his mission, partnering with another warrior while King Kai provides guidance, wisdom, and information—similar to how Elder Kai and Chronoa oversee missions from the Time Nest. Unlike the larger Time Patrol, this smaller division operates under King Kai’s authority due to the urgency of the situation. It is implied that Chronoa granted King Kai permission to handle the matter, as the distortion is dimensional rather than temporal, affecting space-time differently than typical time distortions.
Powers and Statistics
Tier: At least 5-A
Powers and abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Likely Self-Sustenance (Type 1), Enhanced Senses, Master of Martial Arts, Flight, Ki Manipulation (Master Level), Ki Sensing, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Magic and Creation (Able to create a new uniform for Goku and materialize bricks for Goku's Spirit Bomb training), Density Manipulation, Statistics Amplification and Possibly Ki/Energy Absorption (Taught Kaio-Ken and Spirit Bomb to Goku). Adapted to Gravity 10 x Earth's, Resistance to Cold and Radiation
Attack Potency: At least Large Planet level (Much stronger than Raditz)
Speed: Relativistic+ (Via power-scaling from Raditz)
Lifting Strength: Unknown
Striking Strength: At least Large Planet level
Durability: At least Large Planet level
Stamina: Superhuman
Range: Standard melee range, Planetary with his abilities, High Universal and Interdimensional with Telepathy (Can communicate with people anywhere in the universe)
Standard Equipment: None notable
Intelligence: Gifted (He is an extremely well skilled martial art expert, has extensive knowledge of the universe, and can calculate trajectories in 3-Dimensional space)
Weaknesses: None notable
Attacks and Techniques
Flight – The ability to fly using ki. However, King Kai can also fly without ki due to his insect-like wings.
Hikou – King Kai possesses a pair of insect-like wings that allow him to fly without expending ki.
Ki Sense – The ability to detect ki signatures.
Energy Wave – A basic ki blast attack. King Kai uses this technique in Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu, Dragon Ball Z: Super Gokuden: Kakusei-Hen, and Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butōden.
Continuous Energy Wave – A rapid-fire barrage of energy blasts. This technique is used in Super Saiya Densetsu and Ultimate Butōden.
Hypnosis Technique – Used in Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu, this ability allows King Kai to influence Vegeta into telling jokes.
Magic Materialization – The power to create objects at will. King Kai first demonstrates this ability by providing Goku with new clothes before he departs to fight the Saiyans. In Ultimate Butōden, he uses it to conjure and throw objects at opponents, including summoning his car.
Healing – As a Kai, King Kai possesses powerful healing abilities, capable of instantly restoring a person's health. He channels this ability through his antennae, which emit a flickering light when activated.
Telekinesis – A special technique used in Super Gokuden: Kakusei-Hen and Ultimate Butōden, allowing King Kai to immobilize his opponents.
Telepathy – King Kai can communicate mentally over vast distances. He has one of the strongest telepathic abilities in the universe, allowing him to engage in psychic conversations with billions of beings simultaneously. He uses this ability to coordinate battle plans, relay warnings to Goku, and facilitate wishes such as reviving those who died on Namek. Anyone touching his back can share in his telepathic communication. He can also enable others to mentally communicate with his targets, as demonstrated when he allows Vegeta to urge Earth's inhabitants to contribute energy for Goku’s Super Spirit Bomb.
Far-Seeing Arts – A divine ability that grants those residing in godly realms the power to observe events occurring in the lower realms.
Kaio-ken – A legendary technique that briefly unlocks the user's full potential, vastly exceeding their normal limits. When activated, the user is surrounded by a red aura and experiences an immense power boost, with Goku pushing it up to 100 times his base strength. Although King Kai created the technique, he himself was never able to master it.
Spirit Bomb – One of the most powerful attacks in the series, its strength depends on the energy donated by living beings. The user raises their hands to gather energy into a massive sphere. King Kai, unable to fully master the technique, is shocked when Goku successfully destroys a giant speeding brick with a Spirit Bomb formed on his small planet.
Instant Transmission – In the original Funimation dub, King Kai mentions that he could have taught Goku this technique when Goku visits his planet to locate New Namek during the Cell Games Saga.
Temporal Regression – In the Ocean dub, King Kai states that he can reverse events and undo damage within a specific timeframe. He demonstrates this ability during Piccolo's training with Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu by restoring Chiaotzu’s injuries, ensuring that the sparring session can continue without risk of lasting harm.
Big Brick (大レンガ) – King Kai’s Super Attack in Ultimate Butōden.
Hobby Drive (趣味のドライブ) – Another of King Kai’s Super Attacks in Ultimate Butōden.
The Best's Gag (最高のギャグ) – A comedic Super Attack used by King Kai in Ultimate Butōden.
Super Speed Big Brick (超スピード大レンガ) – King Kai’s Ultimate Attack in Ultimate Butōden.
Kiai – A powerful force wave attack used in Dragon Ball: The Breakers.
Get Out Here, Bubbles! – One of King Kai’s Active Skills in Dragon Ball: The Breakers, where he calls Bubbles to distract nearby enemies by flying into their faces, temporarily blocking their vision and preventing them from locking onto their target.
Trivia
- Gregory claims that King Kai knows everything, though this is likely an exaggeration due to his deep respect for him. In reality, King Kai has shown gaps in his knowledge. He mistakenly assumes Namekians need more than just water to survive, is unaware of Cell’s existence until Goku mentions him, and initially believes Frieza died at Goku’s hands. He also incorrectly assumes Goku perished when Planet Namek exploded, a contradiction Goku himself points out in Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan. In the Funimation dub, when Goku questions this inconsistency, King Kai humorously responds that his knowledge "depends on his mood." Additionally, in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, he is completely unaware of the Super Saiyan God.
- King Kai is the only one of the four Kais to die during the Dragon Ball series.
- He is the first Glind to appear in the franchise.
- King Kai was not revived along with Cell’s victims, likely due to Shenron’s wish specifying, "...revive all those on Earth killed by Cell." Since he died due to Goku’s last-second actions (albeit caused by Cell’s self-destruction), he may have been excluded. However, in the manga, King Kai states he deliberately chose not to be revived so he could continue guiding Goku in Other World.
- In Dragon Ball Super, King Kai, Gregory, and Bubbles are still frustrated that they haven’t been revived, blaming Goku for their continued deaths. They had hoped to return each time Shenron was summoned, despite the original limitation that Shenron can only revive multiple people who have been dead for less than a year. Additionally, it remains unclear why King Kai never requested Porunga to restore him after his planet was brought back.
- In the Cell Games Saga, King Kai claims he can use Instant Transmission (anime only). However, during the Saiyan Saga, after Goku’s training, he tells Goku he must travel back along Snake Way instead of simply teleporting him to Earth or even to the Check-In Station. This inconsistency could suggest that King Kai learned the technique sometime within the five-year gap between the Saiyan Saga and Cell Saga, possibly inspired by Goku’s struggle against Vegeta.
- King Kai deserves credit for aiding in the defeat of several major villains. He was responsible for teaching Goku the Spirit Bomb, at times directly requesting energy contributions from others. Additionally, his creation of the Kaio-ken technique helped Goku defeat multiple minor foes and temporarily surpass Vegeta in their first battle, forcing the Saiyan prince to rely on his Great Ape transformation after failing to overpower Goku’s x4 Kaio-ken Kamehameha.
- In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, when Goku uses the Large Spirit Bomb against Frieza, Chronoa acknowledges King Kai’s contributions, saying, "The North Kai sure comes up with humdingers, even if he can't use them himself!"—a nod to his creation of the Kaio-ken and Spirit Bomb, which had significant historical impacts.
- Interestingly, King Kai holds the same position (North Kai) as the rogue Kai Zamasu and his various incarnations (Goku Black, Future Zamasu). Zamasu originally served as the North Kai of Universe 10, making him King Kai’s counterpart in that universe.
- In the Malaysian English Speedy Dub, King Kai was mistakenly renamed "Gay King" due to a mistranslation of his Japanese name’s Cantonese pronunciation ("Gai Wong") combined with the Japanese "Kaiō."
- In Xenoverse 2, there is an accessory called "King Kai’s Wings," referencing the insect-like wings he possesses in the anime/manga scene featuring Goku with a halo and angel wings.
