Key Takeaways
- Kais originated from Demon Realm (Glinds), not Core World, and have mysterious ties to divinity.
- Glinds have distinctive appearance – humanoid with pointy ears, robe-like clothing, come in various colors.
- Some Kais are aligned with good, but some are born evil or corrupted, adding complexity to their lore.
Originally introduced as “Core People”, the race of the Kais have been an important part of the Dragon Ball story for a long time, and many of them have contributed various significant elements of the Dragon Ball multiverse for millennia. From Goku’s training under King Kai, to the brave sacrifice that led to the sealing away of Moro aeons before the current age, the Kais have been akin to gods long before the official introduction of the divine in Dragon Ball Super.
In Akira Toriyama’s last installment in the iconic franchise, Dragon Ball DAIMA, their place of origin has been revealed to be the Second Demon World in the Demon Realm where they are known as the Glinds. Who are they?
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How The Glind Were Initially Introduced
The Divine People From World Core
In Dragon Ball Z, the Kais were the race of great beings who come from the planet Kaishin (“Planet Core”) and many of them served as guardians of the universe, with the cardinal directions each having a ruling Kai watching over the galaxies in his assigned area. Beyond that, there is a Supreme Kai for each direction. In Japanese, this race is called “Shin-jin”, which literally translates to “Core People”, but there is no official translation.
The one we are the most familiar with is King Kai, who is the North Kai, meaning he presides over the northern quadrant of Universe 7. Initially, the Core People were beings who were born from magical fruits from gigantic trees called Kaiju, trees that grow on the World Core. They had abilities that far surpassed any normal mortals, and boasted lifespans of about 75 000 years. The Supreme Kais are individuals who come from very rare golden fruit, but there are instances where one can earn the position of Supreme Kai. These Kai go on to live on the Sacred World of the Kai, which was where the dramatic final battle against Kid Buu took place.
As a rule of thumb, the Core People are generally aligned with good, but there are some who are born evil and some, like Zamasu, who become corrupted later on in life. In Dragon Ball DAIMA, the Core People are revealed to be called “Glinds” and actually come from the Demon Realm, where they reside in the Second Demon World and have a reputation for being sophisticated, but the way Glorio puts it, they may not have a great relationship with other demons. With this new piece of information, it is implied that the Glinds left the Demon Realm at some point and populated Planet Core at some point. During the Moro arc of Dragon Ball Super, it was revealed that the current appearance of Majin Buu is based heavily on that of the Grand Supreme Kai, who was absorbed by the demon millions of years prior to the current age.
Basic Glind Characteristics
Abilities, Appearance, Temperament
The Glinds are a humanoid race easily identified by their pointy ears and inhuman complexion that comes in shades of green, purple and even pink. They also wear rather distinctive clothing that generally features a robe-like long tunic with protruding shoulders and long puffy pants reminiscent of those worn by the Namekians. They also wear belts or have some kind of cloth tied around them. The Glinds each style their outfits differently, but the main elements are found in each one’s design.
The revelation that the race of the Kais actually comes from the Demon Realm is incredibly interesting in terms of the lore, as Dragon Ball Super reiterates the idea that they are divine beings, which is why they work so closely with the Gods of Destruction, but if they are originally from the Second Demon World, is that divinity compatible with their demonic origins? The life of the Supreme Kai is intimately tied to that of the God of Destruction of their respective universe, which adds another layer of mystery regarding the divinity of the Glinds. Perhaps only those who are Kais and Supreme Kais are actually tied to the divine in the aforementioned way, but there isn’t much information on the Glinds as denizens of the Demon Realm just yet.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Dragon Ball Daima is the latest anime in Akira Toriyama’s legendary franchise. After being transformed into a child, Goku must travel to a new world to try and turn things around.