Nam
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Nam (ナム Namu) is a warrior from a desert village who enters the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament in Dragon Ball to help his drought-stricken village.
| Names | Nam (ナム Namu) |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Human |
| Occupation | Martial Artist |
| Origin | Dragon Ball Chapter 35:"The Battle is Set!!"(！！Taisen Kettei!!,lit. "The Matchups are Decided!!") July 30, 1985 (Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1985 #35) |
| Alignment | Good |
| Age | 29 |
| Created By | Akira Toriyama |
| Height | 182 cm (6ft 0in)[1] |
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lbs)[1] |
Appearance[edit | edit source]
Nam is fairly tall, with brown skin, a long face, small beady eyes, and a red bindi on his forehead. His attire includes a white turban and an orange and maroon robe, resembling the traditional clothing of Indian and Thai Buddhist monks. Years later, he is seen with a fully grown black beard, marking his aged appearance.
Personality[edit | edit source]
Nam is a quiet and reserved individual, typically displaying little outward emotion, especially during his participation in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. His primary motivation for joining the tournament was to win the prize money, which he hoped to use to provide a much-needed water supply for his drought-stricken village. This selfless act highlights Nam's caring and compassionate nature.
Nam is also highly focused and disciplined, with a strong sense of determination described by Master Roshi as strong-willed. Before each match, he performs a prayer-like gesture with his eyes closed and hands together, symbolizing his resolve to succeed for his village's sake.
While generally calm and collected, Nam can still be caught off guard, as shown in his match against Ranfan. When she uses her feminine charm to distract him, Nam blushes, revealing his shyness and vulnerability to seduction. Despite this, his commitment to his village helps him overcome these distractions, allowing him to close his eyes and use his Shura Gekiretsuken technique to win the match.
After losing to Goku in the tournament, Nam gracefully accepts his defeat and even encourages Goku to win. His acceptance of loss and his congratulatory attitude toward Goku reflect his humility and sportsmanship. In the episode "The Roaming Lake," it’s revealed that Nam is a pacifist, preferring non-violence to resolve conflicts. He is also shown to have a pure heart, as he is able to ride the Flying Nimbus.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Dragon Ball[edit | edit source]
21st World Martial Arts Tournament Saga[edit | edit source]
Nam makes his first appearance in the Tournament Saga as one of the finalists in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. In the first round, he faces Ranfan, whose attempts to distract him with her appearance nearly succeed, bringing him close to defeat. However, Nam overcomes this by closing his eyes and relying on his other senses to secure the victory.
In his next match, Nam faces Goku in an intense fight. He uses his ultimate technique, the Cross Arm Dive, a powerful move capable of knocking an opponent out for ten days. Despite his efforts, Nam ultimately loses to Goku.
Nam entered the tournament to earn prize money for his drought-stricken village, hoping to use it to purchase a supply of water. After his defeat, he is disappointed, realizing he won’t be able to afford the water. Master Roshi, sensing Nam's noble intentions, offers him a capsule to store water from a well nearby, where it is abundant and free. Grateful, Nam agrees to help Roshi maintain his secret identity by impersonating him in the crowd, preventing Roshi's students from realizing that Jackie Chun is actually Master Roshi in disguise.
Red Ribbon Army Saga[edit | edit source]
After the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament, Nam returns to his desert village, saddened by his loss, but shares the water he obtained using Master Roshi's capsule, bringing life to the village. Determined to investigate the cause of the drought, Nam sets off and, during his search, is captured by a pterodactyl. Goku rescues him, and together, they discover that Giran and his kin are causing the drought by blocking the dam with Merry-Go-Round Gum. Goku uses the Kamehameha to remove the blockage, restoring water flow to the village.
Tien Shinhan Saga[edit | edit source]
Nam enters the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament to enjoy the experience. However, he is defeated by Tien Shinhan in the preliminaries and is left unconscious, as Tien uses the fight to send a message to Goku and his friends.
King Piccolo Saga[edit | edit source]
Nam is one of many martial artists targeted and killed by Tambourine under King Piccolo's orders to eliminate any potential users of the Evil Containment Wave. Nam's death is not shown onscreen, but his picture is displayed on a news broadcast alongside other fallen fighters. Later, he is resurrected by Shenron along with King Piccolo's other victims.
Dragon Ball Z[edit | edit source]
Majin Buu Saga[edit | edit source]
Nam is killed by Majin Buu but is brought back by Porunga, contributing his energy to Goku's Super Spirit Bomb to help defeat Kid Buu.
Dragon Ball GT[edit | edit source]
Baby Saga[edit | edit source]
Nam, now visibly older with a black beard and mustache, is shown meditating as Goku gathers Earth's remaining survivors before its impending destruction.
Power and Statistics[edit | edit source]
Tier: At least 8-C, possibly higher
Powers and Abilities: Superhuman Physical Characteristics, Acrobatics, Afterimages, Master Martial Artist, Ki Sensing
Attack Potency: At least Building level, possibly higher (Fought 21st Budōkai Goku on near equal grounds, but lost in the end)
Speed: Superhuman with Supersonic+ combat speed (Can keep up with Goku and moved at such speeds)
Lifting Strength: Class K
Striking Strength: At least Building level, possibly higher
Durability: At least Building level, possibly higher
Stamina: Superhuman
Range: Standard Melee Range
Standard Equipment: None notable
Intelligence: Skilled in martial arts
Weaknesses: Normal human weaknesses to a lower extent than other humans
Attacks and Techniques[edit | edit source]
Nam possesses several advanced techniques and abilities:
Ki Sense – Nam has heightened senses, allowing him to feel his opponents' movements, as demonstrated in his fights with Ranfan and Goku, where he sensed and countered attacks such as the Afterimage Technique.
Meditation – Nam practices deep meditation, often taking a stance like the lotus position to channel his ki energy, maintaining calm and focus for using other techniques.
Shura Gekiretsuken – Sensing an impending attack, Nam jumps over his opponent and delivers a neck chop from behind, effectively knocking them out, as he did to Ranfan.
Cross Arm Dive – Nam jumps 40 feet in the air and descends with his arms crossed to strike his opponent, powerful enough to knock them out for days. Also called "Aerial Attack" or "Heaven Cross."
Cross Arm Attack – Nam crosses his arms in an X-shape and charges toward the target, inflicting massive damage.
Super Cross Arm Dive (Chō Tenkū x Jiken) – A stronger version of the Cross Arm Dive, where Nam jumps higher for a more powerful impact on his opponent.
Heart Purity – Nam’s pure heart allows him to ride the Flying Nimbus, showing his inner goodness.
Afterimage Technique – Used in Budokai Tenkaichi 3, this technique lets Nam leave an afterimage to evade attacks.
For The Villagers – Nam’s unique Blast 1 move in Budokai Tenkaichi 3, symbolizing his dedication to his village.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- Nam’s and his brother’s names are derived from the Buddhist chant "Namuamidabutsu," with "Nam" also coincidentally meaning "sleep" in Arabic, aligning with his move that can knock opponents out for ten days. There are indications Nam may follow Buddhist practices, as he shouts “In the name of Buddha” when using his Heaven Cross technique. Despite this, he also wears a bindi, a Hindu symbol, on his forehead.
- In the anime and manga, Nam is depicted with darker skin, but he appears lighter-skinned in his Advanced Adventure portrait. Additionally, the Mighty-but-compassionate Warrior from Master Roshi’s story about the Devilmite Beam resembles Nam.
- Nam shares numerous similarities with Uub, a later character introduced in the series. Both come from impoverished human villages, entered the World Martial Arts Tournament with hopes of using the prize money to support their people (Nam seeking water, Uub seeking food), and have pure hearts, which led both to bond with Goku.
- Nam’s death by Tambourine is reported on television without a direct visual, and he is later revived with Shenron’s help along with the other victims of King Piccolo.
- Nam’s hobby is working, and he notably dislikes lazy people.[2]
