Flying Nimbus

The Flying Nimbus (筋斗雲, Kinto'un, lit. "Somersault Cloud") is a magical, yellow cloud that serves as a way of transportation. Goku obtains the Nimbus from Master Roshi as compensation for saving Turtle.^[3] It served Goku and his sons well throughout Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, by acting as a way for them to fly around at high speeds without using up any energy. The Nimbus makes sporadic appearances in Dragon Ball Super, and has one last brief appearance, alongside the Power Pole, in Dragon Ball GT at the closing scene of the last episode, when Goku flies off on it.

Origin and concept[]

DBMangaKinto'un — Goku and Chi-Chi ride the Nimbus in the manga

The Flying Nimbus is one of the two items that Dragon Ball's version of Sun Wukong/Son Goku possessed that mimics the prior character of the same name in the Chinese novel Journey to the West. The original Sun Wukong/Son Goku rides on a magic cloud, and the other is the Power Pole, which Wukong/Goku also uses.

In regard to the cloud, which has the same name as the Nimbus' Japanese name in Chinese (筋斗雲, Jīndǒuyún/Kinto'un, lit. Somersault Cloud), it is derived off of the technique Wukong/Goku learned of the same name that either allows him to ride on a cloud and/or leap through the clouds up to a distance of 108,000 li, being roughly 54,000 kilometers.

Despite the distance the cloud/technique can travel up to, Wukong/Goku in the original Journey to the West was told that he was forbidden to use the technique to transport the whole group to India, as the whole journey was meant to be done by foot. Wukong/Goku has used it to simply traverse long distances himself independently however, especially whenever he needed solace, head to distant areas to rendezvous with fellow contacts, or tried to scout ahead for hazards.

Before appearing in Dragon Ball, similar flying clouds appeared in two of Akira Toriyama's previous manga: one is used by Thunder Ogre Goronbo in Dr. Slump, and another similar cloud is used by Tanton's master in Dragon Boy.

Biography[]

Background[]

The Flying Nimbus was originally given to Master Roshi by Korin upon reaching the top of Korin Tower.

Dragon Ball[]

RoshiGivesFlyingNimbusGoku — Master Roshi gives the Flying Nimbus to Goku

Master Roshi gave Nimbus to Goku as a replacement reward for rescuing Master Roshi's Turtle (in the manga and original Japanese anime dialogue, Roshi originally intended to have his Immortal Phoenix grant Goku immortality, but Turtle reminded the hermit that the creature had died from tainted birdseed,^[3] this is also used in Dragon Ball: The Path to Power). In the English anime dub, the gift was to be a Magic Carpet, but Turtle reminded Master Roshi that it was at the cleaners. The cloud can only be ridden by someone with a pure heart. Anyone who attempts to do so merely falls through so less moral people like Roshi were unable to demonstrate how to use it, due to his lust for women; nor could Bulma who was also impure. This is also comically used several other times to reveal the true nature of many others, such as Krillin, who immediately confessed to his adult magazines that he was carrying. There is one exception to this policy, the fact that the cloud can also support inanimate objects lain upon it, which as such are free of any particular alignment.^[4] Though impure people cannot ride on the cloud they can circumvent this by holding onto a pure hearted rider as demonstrated by Bulma and Krillin. Bulma invented the Micro Band to make it easy for Goku to carry her. Goku's original Nimbus was destroyed by Colonel Silver, but then was told by the Jingle Village Chief that it could not be destroyed and was returned to him when he called for it. Goku's original Nimbus was destroyed by Tambourine, but he is given another one, this time from Korin after Goku survived drinking the Ultra Divine Water. Korin possesses several Nimbuses, which are stored together as a single large Nimbus. Goku chose a new one from this stock,^[5] and this one continued to be used by both Goku and his sons for the rest of the series.

Dragon Ball Z[]

The Nimbus was used by Goku during the Raditz Saga, Vegeta Saga, and Namek Saga. He used the Nimbus to chase down and save Gohan from Raditz, and later to race toward the battlefield to save his friends from Vegeta and Nappa. The Nimbus perhaps most notably saved Gohan from being stomped to death by Nappa. After recovering in the hospital from the injuries he received during the battle with Vegeta, Goku used the Nimbus once more to travel to the Capsule Corporation in order to begin his journey to Namek in the new spaceship that Dr. Brief built. This was Nimbus' last appearance for quite some time, as most characters had mastered high-speed flight by that time (which outclasses the Nimbus' top speed of Mach 1.5) and Goku had learned Instant Transmission by the time he returned to Earth (which outclasses high-speed flight itself).

Gohan&Nimbus — Gohan riding the Flying Nimbus

It isn't seen again until the Great Saiyaman Saga when Gohan used it to fly from Mount Paozu to Orange Star High School, and even raced with it after becoming Great Saiyaman. He later gave it to his little brother Goten after getting the Great Saiyaman Watch from Bulma,^[6] which allowed him to fly without the fear of someone recognizing him. The Nimbus is only used by Goten briefly, as he would soon learn to fly after Gohan teaches him. This would be the final time the cloud would appear in Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball Super[]

The Flying Nimbus makes its first appearance in Dragon Ball Super when Goku uses it instead of flying regularly in the Forest of Terror, because the illusions of previous villains and Bulma would appear again if he flew using his own energy. After Goku and Krillin overcome these enemy illusions, Goku uses the Nimbus to help deliver a big bag full of Paradise Herbs they had collected for Master Roshi as part of their training expedition. Later Goten used it to fly from Mount Paozu to study.

Peaceful World Saga[]

In the 2004 Kanzenban edition of the manga, four new pages drawn by Akira Toriyama were added to the final Dragon Ball manga volume. They depict Goku giving his Flying Nimbus to Uub while they are leaving Papaya Island.^[7]

Dragon Ball GT[]

The Nimbus makes its final appearance in the last episode of Dragon Ball GT, in which Goku says goodbye to the audience and flies away on it.

Film Appearances[]

GokuKintoUn-PTP — Goku riding the Nimbus Cloud in *The Path to Power*

Variations[]

Dark Nimbus - A nimbus cloud that can be used by impure or evil people. But, as demonstrated on Mercenary Tao, it could be controlled by Korin to fail to work.
Vehicle Capsule #340 - An artificial vehicle modeled after the Flying Nimbus in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2.

Riders[]

Pure-hearted riders[]

UpaFlyingNimbus — Upa riding the Flying Nimbus

Master Roshi: It is unknown if he ever could ride it (though very likely as Turtle was surprised that he could no longer ride it when he gives it to Goku), but he at least owned it before giving it to Goku.
Goku: Uses it to travel as both a child and an adult.
Chi-Chi: Was able to ride as a child, as well as during the final episodes of the Dragon Ball anime. She also has one in Super Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle.
Mermaid: Brought by Goku on the Nimbus to Kame House (in "Goku's Rival").
Muscular Lady: A woman that Goku found for Roshi (in "Goku's Rival").
Launch: Flew with Goku once, likely can only do so while in her "good" personality.
Nam: When Goku rescued him in the episode "The Roaming Lake".

AraleNorimakiGatchanTwins — Arale and the Gatchans on Goku's Flying Nimbus

Arale Norimaki: Seen riding it with the Gatchans in the episode "Penguin Village". She also flies along with Goku in the Gatchans on the cover of Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure and in Dokkan Battle.
Gatchans: Seen riding it with Arale. They also ride with Goku and Arale on the cover of Mystical Adventure and in Dokkan Battle.
Upa: Flew with Goku on it several times, saved him from hitting Korin Tower from Tao's throw.
Gohan: Saved him from being stomped by Nappa as a child; used his father's cloud as a teenager to travel to and from High School (he even races it as Great Saiyaman); eventually he gave it to Goten.
Goten: Uses his father's cloud, given to him by Gohan to keep. Used to travel to and from High School.
Trunks: In Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Trunks is shown riding alongside Goten on the Nimbus cloud at the game's main menu.
Uub: Pure-hearted reincarnation of Kid Buu. Nimbus was given to him by Goku.^[7]

XV2 - Power Pole Pro Future Warrior — Female Earthling Future Warrior riding the Flying Nimbus in *Xenoverse 2*

Otokosuki: Brought over to Kame House by Goku in Dragon Ball SD.
Earthling Future Warrior: Used as part of the Power Pole Pro transformation in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. Given to the Future Warrior by Great Saiyaman after completing Satan House Quest: "Earthling Awakening". According to Great Saiyaman, the incarnation of Goku that lives inside the timeline of Satan House Time Rift gave it to Great Saiyaman to give to the Future Warrior after learning about the heroic deeds that they had done as a member of the Saiya Squad.^[8]

Impure Passengers[]

Bulma: Due to her impure heart Bulma can only use the Flying Nimbus by either holding on to Goku or by using the Micro Band to shrink herself down allowing Goku to carry her easily.
Krillin - While searching for a pretty girl for Master Roshi, Krillin is forced to hold on to Goku due to his impure heart in order to fly along with him.

Crossover riders[]

Famicom Jump hero

Gohan&Chopper — Gohan and Chopper on the Flying Nimbus

Monkey D. Luffy: The cloud caught him in the One Piece x Dragon Ball Z crossovers Kyutai Panic Adventure Returns! and Cross Epoch.
Tony Tony Chopper: Shown riding in the ending of Battle Stadium D.O.N and in a Dream 9 eyecatch.
Neko Majin Z: On the cover of the Nekomajin chapters, "Neko Majin Z 3" and "Neko Majin Z 5".
Masaharu Miyake: The Fuji TV announcer, while commenting with Goku an anime segment in "Nippon Ijin Taishō".

Video Game Appearances[]

ChiChiNimbus(SDBZ) — Chi-Chi on the Flying Nimbus in *Super Dragon Ball Z*

Dragon ball origins 2 — Goku on the Flying Nimbus in *Origins 2*

Nimbus Cloud — Flying Nimbus Awakening Medal from *Dokkan Battle*

Dokkan Battle Pure at Heart Chi-Chi (Youth) card (Flying Nimbus) — Pure at Heart Chi-Chi (Youth) card featuring her riding the Flying Nimbus from *Dokkan Battle*

In Dokkan Battle, the Flying Nimbus is shown as an Awakening Medal for certain characters. It can be obtained by completing challenges in certain events. Additionally certain characters use the Flying Nimbus to fly instead of using jetpacks or Flight. These characters include Goku (Adult & Youth), Chi-Chi (Youth), as well as Goku and Arale Norimaki. Bulma (Youth) and Goku (Youth) also use the Flying Nimbus, though Bulma is forced to hold on to Goku to avoid falling off due to her impure heart.

DBXV2 Artwork (Loading Screen) Artwork 28 (Saiyan Future Warrior riding Flying Nimbus with Goku (Final DBZ Gi) & Majuub (Kid Outfit) flying alongside) — Loading Screen Artwork 28 depicting the Saiyan Future Warrior riding the Flying Nimbus, as Majuub, and Goku use Flight in *Xenoverse 2*

In Xenoverse 2, Earthling Future Warriors can use the Flying Nimbus alongside the Power Pole as part of the Earthling transformation. There is also a special vehicle capsule based on the Flying Nimbus and can be obtained from Oba after completing the main story. As part of the 1.15.00 Update DLC, Artwork 28 depicts the promotional Saiyan Future Warrior riding the Flying Nimbus on the Islands stage as Majuub (Kid Outfit) flies alongside with Goku (Final DBZ Gi) following in the background. It can be purchased from the TP Medal Shop in Conton City. As part of the Conton City Vote Pack DLC, Icarus (Flying Nimbus Colors) was added as a CC Mascot.

DB Legends Kakarot Goku (DBL-EVT-14S) Zenkai Awakening (Character Illustration) — *Kakarot* Goku (DBL-EVT-14S) riding the Flying Nimbus in its Zenkai Awakening character illustration in *Dragon Ball Legends*

In Dragon Ball Legends, the Flying Nimbus is used by Goku (Youth) due to his inability to use Flight. Additionally, Kakarot Goku (DBL-EVT-14S) can be seen riding on the Flying Nimbus on his character illustration and during his victory cutscene.

In Kakarot, the Flying Nimbus appears as a vehicle which Goku and Gohan can utilize to fly around though its usage is completely optional due to Goku's ability to use Flight and Boost Flight. It is one of the only Vehicles in Kakarot that can be accessed while flying. The Flying Nimbus has its own Z Encyclopedia entry as well. In the fifth DLC, "Chaos at the World Tournament", Teen Goku can also use Boost Flight with the Nimbus due to his inability to fly on his own.

Trivia[]

The Flying Nimbus can fly extremely high. When Goku tried to use the Nimbus to go to The Lookout, Korin said that this was the highest it could go. This is probably because the Lookout is above the clouds.
Yajirobe attempts to ride Korin's Flying Nimbus but is not successful showing he does not have a pure heart. The same is true for Bulma, Krillin and Master Roshi.
Though it was said by an old man at Jingle Village that the Nimbus Cloud cannot be destroyed, Tambourine somehow destroyed it. It is possible that the Nimbus was destroyed because Tambourine used ki, as opposed to the Rocket Launcher that Colonel Silver used to blast it, or because no one as powerful as Tambourine had ever tried to destroy a Flying Nimbus before the King Piccolo Saga in the Dragon Ball series. Alternatively, Tambourine was able to destroy the cloud due to his Demon Clansman status.
In Dragon Ball: Origins, the Nimbus is shown to fly at over 400mph. Daizenshuu 4 states that the Nimbus' top speed is Mach 1.5. Both however, do not match up to the original Somersault Cloud's distance of 108,000 li.
Chapter 81 of Dragon Ball was drawn in full color. In that chapter, the Flying Nimbus was depicted as being a lavender color, as opposed to the yellow it is usually shown as in the manga's limited color pages. This also happens in its first panel appearance in Chapter 196, and is kept consistent in the intro scene of Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.