Mutaito

This article is about the original character. For the character portrayed in the live action film by Ernie Hudson, see Master Mutaito (Ernie Hudson).

Mutaito (武泰斗, Mutaito; Viz "Mutaito") was master of the Mutaito Training Academy and the first known person to act as Earth's savior (something that was the main role of Son Goku throughout his life). He was Muten Roshi and Crane Hermit's teacher, and the one who taught them the most amazing skills of the martial arts.

Meeting Goku

Goku fighting Mutaito.

In the anime filler episode "The Time Room", during his stay on Kami's Lookout, Goku travels to the past (via the Lookout's Pendulum Room) to a period before Mutaito's battle with Piccolo (back when he was teaching a slightly younger Muten Roshi and Shen in the way of the martial artist), and fights with him. From their battle it was clear however that Mutaito is stronger than Goku, causing something of a continuity error in the series (not uncommon with the anime-only filler).

Mutaito using a one finger Ki technique.

• Note: This is interesting given the fact Goku had not long before defeated Piccolo Daimao, the very demon Mutaito couldn't defeat and eventually gave his life just to seal him away (however Goku's pure-Saiyan bloodline combined with his desire to avenge the deaths of Krillin, Muten Roshi, Chiaotzu, and others killed by Piccolo and his spawn may have been what allowed him finally defeat Piccolo in the end, as during the fight Goku ended up with two broken legs and a broken arm). It should be noted, however, that Mr. Popo tells Goku that the persons encountered while in the Pendulum Room are not real, but mere illusions.

Goku later trains with him and Mutaito teaches Goku the basis of all Ki-based techniques. He also taught this knowledge to his students Roshi and Shen, knowledge which Roshi later used to develop the technique would become his and Goku's (and many others) signature Ki-based attack, the Kamehameha.

Battling King Piccolo

Main article: King Piccolo wars

Mutaito using the Evil Containment Wave (Mafūba).

Mutaito, together with his disciples, faced Piccolo Daimao during his first attempt to conquer the Earth, getting gravely injured and suffering for the death of his pupils (with Roshi and Shen being among those few to have survived). Before his wounds could fully heal, Mutaito, disgraced at being defeated in front of his remaining students, went off somewhere to be alone and train while Piccolo Daimao continued his rampage. For this motive he decided to develop a special technique, training in solitude to avoid any distraction. When he finished his training several years later, during which much of Earth's population had been slaughtered and the cities destroyed, he reunited with Roshi and the two went to find Piccolo Daimao. He faced Piccolo Daimao with the Evil Containment Wave (Mafūba) and managed to conquer him in a rapid and elegant way, trapping him forever in an Electric Rice Cooker and regaining his honor in the process, but died shortly afterwards from the use of this technique which, though tremendously effective, caused death to the one who used it. This selfless act restored natural order and stopped the extinction of the human race, but was centuries later undone by Pilaf who foolishly freed Piccolo Daimao, allowing the evil-Namekian to begin his reign of terror anew, only to be defeated by Roshi's surviving pupil, Goku.

Abilities

• Evil Containment Wave (Mafūba): The technique that Mutaito used to seal Piccolo Daimao in an electric rice cooker jar. Use of this technique resulted in Mutaito's death (it can be considered his signature technique).
• Ki-based techniques: Master Mutaito was actually the first person to mention the word Ki (spiritual energy in the FUNimation dub), and used it to slice a waterfall in two (according to the anime).

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  Mutaito's technique to slice a waterfall in two

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  Mutaito's technique to slice a waterfall in two

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  Mutaito's technique to slice a waterfall in two

Trivia

• Mutaito's hairstyle is the same as the wig Muten Roshi wore when disguised as Jackie Chun.
• Mr. Lao, a character who only appears in the Dragon Ball Z anime filler, resembles Mutaito.
• In Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo, his name was erroneously pronounced "Moo-ty-toe".