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For any fan of the *Dragon Ball* saga, the roar of "Arise, Shenron!" is a sound that signals infinite possibility. The moment the seven mystical Dragon Balls are gathered, the sky darkens, and the colossal Eternal Dragon appears, ready to bestow a gift beyond mortal means: a wish. It’s the driving force behind countless adventures, the ultimate reset button, and the source of some of the series' most pivotal moments.
But a question that has sparked playground debates and online forum wars for decades is, just how powerful is that gift? Specifically, how many wishes does Shenron grant? The answer, like a fight with a main villain, isn't as simple as it first appears. It has evolved over time, with different rules, limitations, and even different dragons. This guide will walk you through every iteration of Shenron's power, so you'll know exactly what to ask for when your turn comes.
The Classic Wish: The Original Rules of the Game
When we first meet Shenron in the original *Dragon Ball* series, his power is both immense and straightforward. Created by Kami, the Guardian of Earth, this version of the Eternal Dragon operated under a strict and simple rule: one summoning, one wish. This singular, powerful wish defined the early quests and set the stakes for Goku and his friends.
Examples of the "One Wish" Era:
1. Oolong's Legendary Save: The very first wish ever made in the series was used by Oolong to ask for the world's most comfortable pair of panties, humorously preventing Emperor Pilaf from wishing for world domination.
2. Reviving Bora: Upa’s heartfelt wish to bring his father, Bora, back to life after he was ruthlessly killed by Mercenary Tao.
3. King Piccolo's Youth: The evil Namekian's wish to restore his youth and full power, which plunged the world into an age of darkness.
4. The First Mass Resurrection: After Goku defeated King Piccolo, this wish was used to revive everyone he and his minions had killed.
5. Goku's First Revival: Following his sacrifice during the battle with Raditz, Goku was wished back to life so he could train with King Kai.
6. The Original Limitation: A key rule established here was that Shenron could not grant a wish to bring someone back to life more than once.
7. The One-Year Cooldown: After a wish was granted, the Dragon Balls would scatter across the globe and turn to stone for one full year.
The Dende Upgrade: More Wishes, More Power
After Kami fuses with Piccolo to fight the Androids, the Earth is left without a Guardian and, therefore, without Dragon Balls. Goku travels to New Namek and brings Dende to Earth to take on the role. Being a gifted Namekian of the Dragon Clan, Dende didn't just recreate Shenron—he upgraded him. This is the version most modern fans are familiar with.
The New and Improved Three-Wish System:
1. Three Wishes as Standard: Dende's new Shenron can now grant three wishes per summoning.
2. Multiple Revivals Allowed: Dende removed Kami's old limitation, allowing the Dragon Balls to revive the same person multiple times.
3. Krillin's Bomb Removal: The first wishes used on the new Shenron were to remove the bombs from Androids 17 and 18.
4. Rebuilding a Planet: After the fight with Kid Buu, the Dragon Balls were used to restore the Earth after it was destroyed.
5. Erasing Memories: A wish was used to erase the world's memory of the good Majin Buu, allowing him to live peacefully.
6. Learning about the Super Saiyan God: The Z-Fighters used a wish to ask Shenron how to achieve the Super Saiyan God transformation.
7. Cheelai's Wish for Broly: In *Dragon Ball Super: Broly*, Cheelai uses one of the wishes to save Broly from Gogeta by teleporting him back to Planet Vampa.
8. The Smallest Wish: In *Dragon Ball Super*, Bulma uses a wish just to ask Shenron what was inside the ice block Beerus wanted, showing the wishes can be used for simple information.
The "Big Wish" Clause: When Three Wishes Become One
Even with Dende's upgrade, there's a catch. The power of three wishes isn't infinite; it's a pool of energy that can be drained by a single, massive request. If a wish is particularly demanding, Shenron will inform the user that it will consume the power of all three wishes at once.
Examples of Wishes That Take All the Energy:
1. Mass Resurrection Post-Buu: The wish to revive everyone on Earth who died since the morning of the World Martial Arts Tournament (except the evil ones) was so powerful it consumed all three of the available wishes.
2. Restoring a Planet's Population: Theoretically, wishing to restore the entire population of a destroyed planet would likely fall under this clause.
3. The "Fix Everything" Wish: A vague but grand wish like "undo all the damage caused by Frieza's army" would almost certainly be a one-and-done request.
4. Granting Immense Power: While Shenron cannot make someone stronger than his creator, a wish to unlock someone's full latent potential (like the Namekian Guru did for Gohan and Krillin) might be a single, all-consuming wish.
5. Recreating a Lost Civilization: A wish to not just revive a people, but also restore their lost cities, culture, and knowledge would be a monumental task.
6. Altering a Fundamental Law: Requesting something that changes a law of nature or physics on a planetary scale would be a prime candidate for a "big wish."
7. Moving a Planet: Wishing to teleport an entire planet to a different galaxy would require an astronomical amount of energy.
Shenron's "Cannot Grant" List: The Wishes Beyond His Power
Despite his incredible abilities, Shenron is not omnipotent. His power is directly tied to the power of his creator (first Kami, then Dende). This creates a clear set of limitations on what he can and cannot do, no matter how many wishes you have.
Wishes That Will Get You a "Cannot Grant":
1. Kill Someone Stronger Than His Creator: Shenron cannot directly kill an enemy like Frieza, Cell, or Majin Buu, as their power exceeds Dende's.
2. Force Someone to Fall in Love: The dragon cannot manipulate emotions or violate a person's free will in that manner.
3. Grant the Same Wish Twice: In the original series, a person could only be revived once. While Dende's upgrade removed this, other exact wishes may still be impossible to repeat.
4. Bring Back a Person Who Died of Natural Causes: The Dragon Balls can only reverse deaths caused by unnatural means (e.g., being killed in a fight, a planetary explosion).
5. Recreate an Android or Artificial Being: Shenron has stated he cannot recreate beings like Android 16, as they are not truly "living" in the same way.
6. Instantly Make You the Strongest in the Universe: This type of wish exceeds his power and falls into the category of affecting beings stronger than his creator.
7. Locate the Final Dragon Ball: A clever limitation—he cannot be used to find himself.
8. Destroy the Earth: While he can *restore* the Earth, he has implied he cannot grant a wish for its destruction.
Hypothetical "What If?" Wishes: Pushing the Dragon Balls' Limits
Half the fun of the Dragon Balls is imagining what *you* would wish for. Given the rules, fans have long theorized about wishes that could have drastically changed the course of history.
Creative Wishes the Z-Fighters Could Have Made:
1. "I wish for the knowledge of all Saiyan transformations to be implanted in our minds." Instead of discovering them through rage, they could have learned the techniques directly.
2. "I wish for Planet Vegeta and the entire Saiyan race to be restored in a peaceful quadrant of the universe." A wish that could have given Vegeta and Goku their people back.
3. "I wish for Dr. Gero's research on Androids and Cell to be completely erased from existence." This could have prevented the entire Android/Cell Saga from ever happening.
4. "I wish for all of Frieza's remaining army and followers to permanently lose their desire for conquest." A non-violent way to neutralize a massive threat.
5. "I wish for a permanent barrier around Earth that prevents anyone with evil intentions from entering." A proactive defense system for the planet.
6. "I wish for the Namekian Book of Legends to be teleported here." This could have unlocked even more secrets about Namekian powers, including the Dragon Balls themselves.
7. "I wish for our bodies to be immune to all diseases." A simple wish that would have saved Goku from his fatal heart virus.
8. "I wish for a direct, permanent portal between Earth and King Kai's planet for training purposes." It would certainly make training in the afterlife a lot easier!
So, the next time someone asks you how many wishes Shenron grants, you can confidently tell them it's complicated! The number has grown from one to three, but the real power lies in knowing the rules, understanding the limitations, and being creative with your request.
The beauty of the Dragon Balls isn't just in the final wish, but in the adventure of gathering them and the hope they represent. Now, think carefully—if you gathered all seven Dragon Balls today, what would *your* wish be? Personalize it, make it count, and be ready when that sky goes dark.