Krillin smiling, fists clenched, in an orange gi bearing the Turtle kanji, against a pink sunset sky and a palm tree.

Krillin: Goku's Best Friend

CharacterEarthlingsGoku's Friend

Krillin is a young monk with a shaved head who starts training under Master Roshi at the same time as Goku. At first jealous of this fellow student who outclasses him in combat, he becomes his best friend. Fully human, he invents the Destructo Disc, an energy disc that can slice through opponents far stronger than he is, dies three times in the manga's main timeline, and marries Android 18, with whom he has a daughter, Marron. Here's a look back at his journey, from his beginnings at Orin Temple to his police uniform.

He has no monkey tail and no Saiyan blood, and yet he has fought alongside Goku ever since their very first training session. Krillin is the most prominent Earthling in the gang: brave, often outmatched, sometimes sacrificed, always loyal. Here is the story of Goku's best friend, tournament after tournament, death after death.

Contents

The Little Monk Who Became Master Roshi's Student

Krillin first appears in chapter 25 of the manga, published on May 21, 1985, then in episode 14 of Dragon Ball, which aired in Japan on May 28, 1986. He started out as a monk at Orin Temple, where he was the weakest of the students and was bullied by the others; he wants to train somewhere else so he can surpass them.

To get Master Roshi, who kept saying no, to accept him as a student, he offers him a naughty magazine. He also admits to a less noble motive: learning martial arts to be a hit with girls.

At first, Krillin hates Goku, whom he finds dumb and childish, and is annoyed to discover that his fellow student beats him at everything in combat. But after training side by side, the two boys become inseparable by their very first tournament. Their rivalry turns into a lasting friendship: Goku cares about Krillin as much as he does about his own family.

His look owes a lot to the temple. The six dots on his forehead are moxibustion scars, ritual burns, a reference to the Shaolin monks. And he isn't naturally bald: he shaves his head as a monastic tradition.

Kid Krillin, head shaved and wearing a yellow monk's robe, eyes Goku suspiciously on a beach, the blue sea in the background.
In episode 14 of Dragon Ball, Krillin, still in his monk's robe, sizes up Goku: the rivalry between Master Roshi's two students will turn into a lasting friendship.

👒 With that shaved head, Krillin has good reason to protect himself from the sun; for your own head, pick one of our Dragon Ball bucket hats.

Tournaments, the Destructo Disc and His First Death

At the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament, Krillin gets his revenge on the Orin Temple bullies by easily beating one of the senior monks. He then loses in the semifinals to Jackie Chun, who is none other than his master in disguise. At the next tournament, he beats Chiaotzu by shouting math problems at him to solve in his head, distracting him from his telekinesis.

Right after this 22nd tournament, having gone back for the things Goku left behind, Krillin is killed by Tambourine, King Piccolo's henchman. In the manga, the murder isn't shown: we only discover his body. Chapter 135 even bears his name: “The Death of Kuririn, and a Terrible Plot.” He is brought back to life with the Dragon Balls after the Demon King's defeat.

His signature technique, the Destructo Disc, is a razor-sharp energy disc. He first throws it at the hulking Nappa, who dodges it just in time thanks to a warning from Vegeta and gets away with a gash on his cheek. At the end of the battle against the Saiyans, Krillin could finish off Vegeta with Yajirobe's sword, but he spares him at Goku's request.

Krillin in an orange gi holds a glowing energy disc at arm's length above his head, on a green plain bordered by cliffs.
In episode 27 of Dragon Ball Z, Krillin raises the Destructo Disc, the razor-sharp energy disc he first throws at Nappa.

Namek: Unlocked Potential and Death at Frieza's Hands

On Namek, Guru, the leader of the Namekians, unlocks Krillin's hidden potential. Facing Frieza, who has just transformed into his second form, Krillin pushes Dende out of the way and is impaled on one of the tyrant's horns.

His Destructo Disc can hurt opponents far more powerful than he is: healed by Dende, Krillin uses it to slice off part of Frieza's tail, while Vegeta's and Gohan's energy attacks had no effect.

Then comes his second death: Frieza makes him explode from the inside, killing him instantly. This murder triggers Goku's first transformation into a Super Saiyan, in chapter 317 of the manga and episode 95 of Dragon Ball Z. After Frieza's defeat, Krillin is brought back to life with the Namekian Dragon Balls.

Krillin screams through clenched teeth, wearing black and yellow battle armor pierced at the chest, against a background of green speed lines.
Episode 95 of Dragon Ball Z: Krillin, his armor pierced, screams just before Frieza kills him, a murder that triggers Goku's first transformation into a Super Saiyan.
Orange cushion cover on a blue sofa, featuring three Krillins: in an orange gi, in black and yellow armor, and as a kid in a yellow robe.

For fans of Krillin

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Little monk, Master Roshi's student, then armored fighter on Namek: three Krillins share this Dragon Ball cushion cover.

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Android 18, Marron and Family Life

When they first meet, Android 18 spares Krillin, wishes him good luck and kisses him on the cheek before leaving. When the time comes to shut her down with the remote control designed for that purpose, Krillin throws the device to the ground and crushes it, revealing that he has fallen in love with her.

Shortly afterward, Cell blinds everyone, absorbs Android 18 and reaches his perfect form. It was mainly Vegeta who, out of pride, had let him get near her. After the Cell Games, Krillin uses the second wish on the Dragon Balls to remove the bombs from Androids 17 and 18.

Seven years later, Krillin has grown his hair out, married Android 18 and lives with her and their daughter, Marron, at Kame House, Master Roshi's home. During the Buu Saga, he dies a third time: on Kami's Lookout, Super Buu kills and devours everyone there, except Dende, whom Mr. Popo had thrown over the edge. Brought back to life by the Namekian Dragon Balls, he gives his energy to the Spirit Bomb that destroys Buu.

Neither the manga nor the anime shows their wedding. The screenwriter of the movie Battle of Gods, Yūsuke Watanabe, had originally set the story during that ceremony; in the end, the movie takes place at Bulma's birthday party.

Android 18, with blond hair and a black vest, kisses a tense Krillin in an orange gi on the cheek, in front of a rock wall and a blue sky.
In episode 136 of Dragon Ball Z, when they first meet, Android 18 spares Krillin and kisses him on the cheek before leaving.

🏖️ Kame House stands on a tiny island: for your own days by the water, take along one of our Dragon Ball beach towels.

From Super to Daima: The Cop with the Destructo Disc

In the movie Resurrection 'F' (2015), Krillin has become a police officer; Android 18 shaves his head again before he goes off to fight Frieza. The Dragon Ball Super series picks up this career change.

At the Tournament of Power, the anime gives him a great moment: he eliminates Majora by throwing his smelly shoe at him, followed by a Kamehameha; Frost then catches him off guard and knocks him out of the ring. In the manga, his exit is more abrupt: Frost pushes a distracted Krillin off the ring. The manga does, however, give him a win over Yunba during the Moro arc: Krillin attacks him with the Destructo Disc, tricks him with an afterimage and knocks him out with a Kamehameha.

In the movie Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Krillin blinds Cell Max with his Solar Flare so that Gamma 2 can land his final attack. And in Dragon Ball Daima, he is turned into a child by Gomah's wish, like everyone who fought Majin Buu, along with their friends.

Krillin, wearing a white helmet marked POLICE, tips over with two men on a pink scooter, in front of dome-shaped buildings and palm trees.
Krillin as a police officer, helmet on his head: a career change introduced in the movie Resurrection 'F', then picked up by the Dragon Ball Super series.

Creation, the Missing Nose and English Voices

Krillin was born from a request by editor Kazuhiko Torishima, who found Goku too bland: the story needed a mischievous character to serve as his foil. His Japanese name, Kuririn, is said to come from “kuri,” chestnut, for his shaved head, and “Shōrin,” Shaolin; others hear an onomatopoeia in it, like the tinkling of temple bells.

Krillin has no visible nose. Asked about it, Akira Toriyama replied, apparently jokingly, that Krillin breathes through his skin. At the 21st tournament, Goku even reminds him that he has no nose, and Bacterian's stench no longer gets to him.

In Japanese, Krillin is voiced by Mayumi Tanaka, whom Toriyama chose after hearing her in the movie Night on the Galactic Railroad; in Daima, his mini version is voiced by Aki Kanada. Mayumi Tanaka is also the voice of Luffy in One Piece: in Resurrection 'F', Krillin's ringtone is “We Are!”, that series' first opening theme.

In English, Krillin's main voice is Sonny Strait, who has voiced him at Funimation since 1999: in Dragon Ball Z, then in GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai, Dragon Ball Super, the movies and Dragon Ball Daima, as well as teen Krillin in Dragon Ball. Laurie Steele voices him as a kid in Funimation's Dragon Ball dub, and Terry Klassen voiced him in the Ocean dub of Dragon Ball Z. Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, has said that when he created his series' hero, he drew more inspiration from Krillin than from Goku, because Krillin seemed more human, flaws and all.

Kid Krillin in an orange gi kicks the bearded giant Bacterian in the face, under a blue sky lined with palm trees.
Episode 21 of Dragon Ball: at the 21st tournament, Krillin faces Bacterian, whose stench stops getting to him when Goku reminds him that he has no nose.

Krillin at a Glance

Key fact Krillin
Japanese name クリリン Kuririn, sometimes spelled Kulilin
First appearance Chapter 25 of the manga, May 21, 1985; episode 14 of Dragon Ball
Family Android 18 (wife), Marron (daughter)
Master Master Roshi
Techniques Destructo Disc, Kamehameha, Solar Flare
Deaths (main manga timeline) Tambourine, Frieza, Super Buu
Voices Mayumi Tanaka (Japanese); Sonny Strait, Laurie Steele (English)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Why doesn't Krillin have a nose?
    Asked about it, Akira Toriyama replied, apparently jokingly, that Krillin breathes through his skin. At the 21st tournament, having no nose even lets him withstand Bacterian's stench.
  • What do the dots on Krillin's forehead mean?
    They are six moxibustion scars, ritual burns tied to his training as a monk at Orin Temple, a reference to the Shaolin monks.
  • How many times does Krillin die?
    In the manga's main timeline, three times: killed by Tambourine, then by Frieza on Namek, and finally by Super Buu on Kami's Lookout. He is brought back to life each time with the Dragon Balls.
  • Who is Krillin's wife?
    Android 18, whom he refuses to shut down because he has fallen in love with her. Seven years after the Cell Games, they are married and have a daughter, Marron.
  • Does Krillin become a police officer?
    Yes, in the movie Resurrection 'F' (2015), then in the Dragon Ball Super series. The Dragon Ball Z series never shows him as a police officer.
  • Who voices Krillin in English?
    Sonny Strait, who has voiced him at Funimation since 1999: in Dragon Ball Z, then in GT, Dragon Ball Z Kai, Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball Daima, as well as teen Krillin in Dragon Ball. Laurie Steele voices him as a kid in Funimation's Dragon Ball. In Japanese, it's Mayumi Tanaka.

🧦 In the Dragon Ball Super anime, the smell of Krillin's shoe is enough to knock Majora senseless; as for you, slip on a pair of our Dragon Ball socks instead.

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