The Turtle School was founded by Master Roshi to continue his Master Mutaito’s teachings. The Turtle School is defined by five main pillars: “Move well! Learn well! Play well, eat well, and rest well!” Roshi trains his students with Karate Kid-esque tasks, turning mundane chores into a way to teach patience, discipline, and focus while exercising key muscles.
Goku’s time training under Roshi in the original Dragon Ball is one of the most important periods in the series, setting up Goku’s character arc and journey as a martial artist for the rest of the story. Some incredibly impressive martial artists in the Dragon Ball franchise owe their successes and careers to the Turtle School, Goku most of all.
7
The Ox-King Studied Under Roshi Alongside Grandpa Gohan
The Ox-King was one of Grandpa Gohan’s original students. He trained alongside Grandpa Gohan in the same way Goku and Krillin trained together (a fact that Roshi actually points out directly in Dragon Ball‘s World Tournament Saga). The Ox-King hardly keeps up with the Z-Fighters these days, but in early Dragon Ball, he had quite the reputation.
Yamcha and Oolong were both scared of running into the Ox-King, implying he’s quite powerful and stronger than the average student. The Ox-King never fights on-screen, but based on his reputation and how strong Grandpa Gohan is in the Red Ribbon Army Saga, the Ox-King is likely in league with fighters like Nam.
6
Grandpa Gohan Was Roshi’s Best Student Before Goku
Grandpa Gohan being one of Roshi’s students is introduced very early in Dragon Ball, long before Gohan himself actually makes his first appearance. Interestingly, Grandpa Gohan’s battle with Goku during the Fortuneteller Baba Tournament strongly implies that Gohan was stronger than Roshi. Jackie Chun previously beat Goku in the World Martial Arts Tournament, but Grandpa Gohan offers Goku his hardest fight yet at this point.
Gohan is a master of the Turtle School’s teachings, and learned how to use the Kamehameha where pulling off Ki attacks was genuinely very difficult and required a lot of effort. It’s unclear if Gohan learned the Kamehameha while he was still alive, or if he only mastered the technique in the afterlife. Until Goku came along, Gohan was easily Master Roshi’s star student and taught Goku a few basics before he died.
5
Honorable Mention: Chi-Chi Learned the Turtle Style Herself
Chi-Chi did not study under Master Roshi personally, but her martial arts style is directly based on the Turtle School. During the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, Roshi observes during her fight with Goku that the way Chi-Chi fights is very similar to his own discipline. Chi-Chi’s father is the Ox-King, so it stands to reason that he taught her the basics.
Since the Ox-King was one of Roshi’s original students, he would have passed down the same Turtle School teachings he learned down to Chi-Chi. Beyond that, however, Chi-Chi is totally self-trained. She’s one of the strongest humans alive by the end of the original Dragon Ball, but never fights in canon after her battle with Goku. That said, she does go on to train Goten, so she’s still quite powerful by the Majin Buu Saga.
4
Yamcha Went From Bandit to One of Earth’s Most Powerful Warriors
Yamcha was not only Goku’s first rival, he also handed him his first defeat in all of Dragon Ball. While Yamcha has always had a deep knowledge of martial arts, he was seemingly self-trained before the series started. At the end of the Red Ribbon Army Saga, Yamcha impresses Roshi enough during his battle with Mummy Man that Yamcha is offered a spot in the Turtle School. Yamcha quickly catches up to Goku and Krillin once he begins training with Roshi.
In the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, Tien sizes Yamcha up as the Turtle School’s greatest student. Even though Yamcha is weaker than Krillin and Goku, he’s still powerful. As of Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol, Yamcha remains one of the strongest men on Earth and will go on to help fight off Moro’s army. Yamcha may not have participated in the Tournament of Power, but he could still solo most anime universes without breaking a sweat.
3
Krillin is the Strongest Human on Earth
Krillin can’t keep up with the series’ strongest characters anymore, but back in the day, he and Goku were both getting schooled by Master Roshi. Krillin joined the Turtle School at the exact same time Goku did. While the boys didn’t get along at first, the two quickly struck up a deep friendship as they trained alongside one another. Krillin was never as powerful or as fast as Goku, but he’s arguably the more strategic fighter.
Krillin lives and breathes martial arts, and always finds his way back to the Turtle School, even when he’s training solo. Although he didn’t perform very well in the Tournament of Power, Goku specifically recruited Krillin because of just how experienced he is. By the end of Dragon Ball Z, Krillin is the strongest human on Earth, surpassing both Yamcha and Tien Shinhan. In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, he even manages to stun Cell Max, so Krillin hasn’t slowed down with age.
2
Honorable Mention: Goku Trains Uub As a Turtle School Student After The End of Z
At the end of Dragon Ball Z, Goku meets the reincarnation of Kid Buu at the 28th Tenkaichi Budokai and takes him on as his student. Uub has all of Majin Buu’s latent potential and power, as well as access to God Ki. In the Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, Uub donates Goku so much Ki during the final battle, he actually makes note of just how powerful he is (though Goku doesn’t know Uub yet).
Akira Toriyama’s Neko Majin Z reveals that Goku has been training Uub as a Turtle School student. Uub can be seen wearing Goku’s classic gi in the final chapter of NMZ. Time will tell if Toyotarou will take the Dragon Ball Super manga’s story past Uub’s introduction, but he’s set up the boy for amazing things. He’s realistically already stronger than his GT counterpart.
1
Goku is the Greatest Martial Artist Alive
Goku is living proof that Roshi is an amazing martial arts master. Part of what makes Goku such a legend and the greatest martial artist in Dragon Ball is rooted in everything he learned from Roshi. Above all else, losing to Jackie Chun in the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai taught Goku that there would always be somebody stronger than him, inspiring him to see the world, keep training, and eventually become one of the most powerful men in the multiverse.
Goku has many masters after Roshi, but he reps the Turtle School up until the Peaceful World Saga at the end of Dragon Ball Z. In the Dragon Ball Super manga, Roshi coaches Goku into unlocking Ultra Instinct during the Tournament of Power, tying Goku’s greatest martial arts achievement directly to the Turtle School. Goku is the best student to come out of Master Roshi’s teachings, and he’s only been able to make it so far thanks to the foundation the Turtle School gave him.
- TV Show(s)
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Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball DAIMA
- First TV Show
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Dragon Ball
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- Latest TV Show
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Dragon Ball DAIMA
- Upcoming TV Shows
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Dragon Ball DAIMA
- First Episode Air Date
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February 26, 1986
