Who knew that mercy could be such a game changer?! Just saiyan.
Having mercy on someone can really impact a lot of things for the better. That's exactly what Goku discovered when he had mercy on his "enemies" instead of wiping them out.
In this blog post, we’ll break down how Goku having mercy literally saved the DBZ universe, what does mercy mean and 4 reasons why having mercy is a great idea.
In a hurry? Skip to the section you want to read by clicking any of the links below:
- What is Anime no Iesu?
- What is Dragonball Z
- What exactly is mercy?
- Who is Goku?
- Who is Vegeta?
- What does mercy have to do with Goku?
- 4 Tips on Applying Mercy In Your Life
- Conclusion
Spoiler alert: Content here will reference a few episodes from Dragonball Z. If you haven’t watched the anime series, now’s the time to turn back. Lol.
If you are ready to read beyond this sentence, then let’s dive in!
What is Anime no Iesu?
Welcome to Anime no Iesu, a brand founded by Onyeka Ndukwe. Our mission is to delve into the captivating world of anime and uncover the incredible lessons it holds. With a treasure trove of memes and content, we cater to anime lovers worldwide!
The mission of Anime no Iesu
For this blog post, I’m here to show you something you may have never seen before: How Jesus can talk to you through the amazing world of anime and show you an amazing lesson you can use in real life.
Today, we’ll be talking about the M word. Not Majin. Not Money. Not Manga. Mercy.
Some of you might be saying “Mercy? That’s weak, bro. Give us something hype!”
I’m going to show you how powerful mercy can be (via Goku's first encounter with Vegeta) and why you want to know about it.. We’ll explore this subject from the lens of this awesome anime series (cue the Dragonball Z intro song).
What is Dragonball Z?
Dragonball Z or DBZ is a stellar anime based on the manga series by Akira Toriyamai. Monkeys, dragons, aliens and golden hair and a whole lot of screaming. This epic anime series has it all! Btw, epic screaming = power in the DBZ world. Lol.
If it’s not on your anime watchlist, make some room!
In this blog post, we’ll quickly talk about Goku and Vegeta then break down what mercy is, what it has to do with DBZ and 4 tips on how to apply mercy in your life today.
What exactly is mercy?
Mercy is often seen as a weakness but it's far stronger that you think!
Mercy: Forgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate. Have mercy on the poor and assist them if you can. (Obtained from Wiktionary)
The Latin origin of the word mercy refers to pay, wages or reward. Mercy is something you pay forward.
Ex. Let’s say you have the power to crush someone but you chose not to. What you’ve just done is an act of mercy.
When do you need mercy?
When you're:
- being thrashed in Street Fighter.
- Losing a sports game
- Struggling with your exams
Who is Goku?
Likeable and always there when you need help, Goku and his down-to-earth personality make him the hero people love to have. If this guy was on Insta, his follower count would be over 9000.
As a little kid, he used to battle against cyborgs (cue Dragon Ball scene). Now he’s graduated to saving the Earth from destruction. That’s a massssive leap but Goku’s up for the task.
PS - Nothing a good Kamehameha can’t fix)
Can’t put this guy down no matter how bad the situation gets. Goku is legit super. I’m just sayin’.
Who is Vegeta?
Arrogant prince of the Saiyan race. His upbringing was definitely rough. His planet got blown up. His father was killed in front of him. To top it off, he works for the guy who did this.
All he has known is might makes right. This guy can easily discard an ally when they no longer help with his plans. (Look what he did to Nappa when Nappa lost to Goku!)
Before he ran into the Z fighters, Vegeta was…(you know what - I’ll just say it). Vegeta was a straight-up jerk. Not the guy I’d want to have my back.
That being said, he is definitely strong. No doubt about that. But even a strong guy like Vegeta needed mercy.
Click below to listen to our podcast episode on Spotify!!👇
What does mercy have to do with Goku?
Let me put some context to this: So you’re chilling at home watching a great video like this when 2 Sayians show up from outer space to destroy your planet.
They easily wipe out an entire city and a bunch of your friends.
The strongest guy (Vegeta) beats the snot out of you and it takes everything you (and your surviving friends have) to win the fight.
This guy, who caused all this mayhem, now on the ropes. No energy. His armor is battered.
What do you do?
A) Wipe him out!
B) Let him go
If you chose option B, then you have a lot in common with Goku.
That’s what he did when Vegeta’s life was in the palm of his hands.
He could have told Krillin to take Vegeta out but he didn’t. Instead, Goku did something that was crazy. Crazy enough that even Vegeta was like “what’s wrong with this guy?”
Goku had mercy on Vegeta and chose to let him go. 😮
Here’s where it gets interesting:
You never know how having mercy on someone can pay off. Seriously! That’s what Jesus is trying to teach you through this anime.
Sometimes mercy isn’t logical. Think about it. Vegeta killed so many of Goku’s friends before he showed up and even beat Goku himself.
Even though he was bruised and tired, Goku still asked Krillin to let Vegeta go. That act of mercy blew everyone away. I think even Vegeta was surprised by that un-Saiyanlike behavior.
Somehow this impacted Vegeta as he also had mercy on Krillin and Gohan when he met them on Namek (instead of killing them both for the humiliating defeat he suffered on Earth).
Still don't think having mercy on Vegeta was a big deal? Check this out. Vegeta was key to the Namek saga working out for the Z-fighters (i.e. helping Gohan/Krillin, killing Freiza's subordinates, taking the dragonballs, helping Goku get stronger) . If he had died on Earth, there would be no Z team and Freiza would rule the galaxy after his wishes via the Namekian dragonballs.
Goku’s definitely a merciful guy. There are so many moments that show this in the DBZ series. I’ll only pick on a few of those moments.
Mercy on Piccolo
When Goku had mercy on Piccolo in Dragon ball (gave him a Senzu bean after their fight), little did he know that doing this would end up saving his own son (and the Earth).
After Goku died in their fight against Raditz, it was Piccolo who trained Gohan for the upcoming fight with Vegeta and Nappa.
In that fight, Piccolo sacrificed his life to save Gohan, buying precious time for Goku to arrive on the scene.
Remember Kami? The guy who created and keeps watch over the Earth’s dragonballs? Turns out him and Piccolo are each half of one whole body. If either one dies, they both die.
If Goku had killed Piccolo in Dragon Ball, Kami would have also died. No Kami = no dragonballs. No dragonballs = no wishing anyone back from the dead.
Good call on that one, Goku.
Mercy on Vegeta
We already covered how Goku had mercy on Vegeta.
Now, let’s see the importance of that to the DBZ universe.
No Vegeta = No one to help Gohan and Krillin on Namek
No Vegeta = No one to stall Frieza while Goku healed
No Vegeta = No one to save the Earth when Dr Gero and Android 19 showed up
No Vegeta = No Trunks. No Trunks = No cure for the heart virus that would have killed Goku.
No Vegeta = No Trunks. No Trunks = No one to defend the Earth when Cyborg Freiza showed up
No Vegeta = No Gogeta or Vegito
This goes to show you how important Vegeta became in the DBZ universe.
Something we would have missed if Goku had allowed Krillin to finish him off.
Mercy on Jeice
Some of you might be like “Onyeka, this one’s a stretch” but take a look at the impact this had on the Namek arc.
Goku having mercy on Jeice led to Goku’s fight with Captain Ginyu ( a tougher opponent)
For those who don’t know. Sayians get stronger with every fight they survive.
The beating Goku took from this fight gave him a lot of exp or power points. Bringing him that much closer to being a Super Saiyan.
Mercy on Freiza
This one was...something else.
The first time I saw this scene with Freiza, I was like “Goku, what are you doing?! This guy’s pure evil. Let him have it!”
That was me (pre-Jesus) btw. Lol.
I showed this because people might not always accept your mercy. That’s okay. It’s part of having free will. Everyone is responsible for the choices they make.
The most important thing is that you (point to the camera) are willing to show mercy. Like Goku, you never know how it can pay off in your life.
Lesson of the day: Mercy is a powerful thing. Showing mercy is not a sign of weakness. Instead, it is proof that you are strong!
It’s all about the heart.
If your heart is strong, you can have mercy. If your heart is weak, I’ll never be surprised when you are merciless to others.
Let Jesus help strengthen your heart and see how mercy can change your life today.
4 Tips on Applying Mercy In Your Life
Tip #1: Have mercy on your finances
You’ve definitely been spending on something. Your credit card statement or lack of money is proof of that.
The real question is was that purchase done out of impulse or purpose?
Improving your financial discipline is a major skill that everyone needs. It’ll help you dodge that debt and reduce any unhealthy spending habits which seriously reduce the amount of money you have available.
Stressing your wallet with impulse purchases is never a good idea. You’ll feel that pain (mimic heart pain - ouch) when it comes time to pay the bill.
That’s why you should have mercy on your finances. Here are some tips that can help:
- Learn about your personal spending habits
- Create a budget
- Save a percentage of your money (before you start spending). Aim for 10 - 20% if possible
- Look for sales and deals.
These tips will help you have more money available and avoid a lot of stress related to overspending.
Tip #2: Have mercy on your friends
Your friends aren’t perfect. You know that. They can screw up just like anyone else (including you).
Don’t hold them to some impossible standard. Forgive them if they let you down and move forward. Hold no grudges. Those things are heavy and can damage your heart.
Have mercy on your friends. They might not know how to be a good friend to you. Seriously.
Don’t assume someone knows how to be the friend you need. That way of thinking will definitely hurt you.
Here’s an idea. It might sound crazy but I think you can do it. Why not become the friend that your friend needs?
Something to think about.
Tip #3: Have mercy on your enemies/haters/those you don’t like
Forgiveness is not something humans can do on their own. It literally goes against what humans tend to do whenever they are hurt (to get some payback).
This one’s a tough one. A lot of people have been conditioned to have that “payback mentality” when it comes to enemies or anyone who crosses them.
Your enemies brace themselves for your payback. That one they see coming a mile away.
So why not hit them with the unexpected?
Having mercy on your enemies? That’s crazy.......and the last thing anyone expects you to do.
It’ll make heads spin (for sure). Even your enemies will be like “why aren’t you trying to get revenge?”
You can just tell them: “No idea.”
In time, watch what that act of mercy will do for that person. They might end up being the one who saves you in the future (like Vegeta).
If you have that courage, join me in this simple prayer: (prayer for strength to have mercy on enemies)
Tip #4: Have mercy on yourself
You’ve made mistakes. I’ve made mistakes. Everyone has made mistakes at some point in life.
Some big, some small but don’t let the mistake keep you down.
So what if you screwed up on that test or job interview? It’s okay. Seriously. Just forgive yourself, grab the lesson from that experience and move on with your life.
Doing that is an act of mercy (towards yourself).
Don’t be that guy who keeps beating himself up for a mistake he made in the past. It’s unhealthy and will leave you frozen in the past. Just let it go. Take the L (as in the lesson) and move beyond those old mistakes.
You can do it. Seriously. You’re clever and capable. If no one else has told you that then hear it from me!
Jesus can teach you how to apply mercy the right way.
Please join me in this simple prayer and start that journey towards a more merciful life:
Light of the world, I welcome you into my heart. Help and guide me on this journey called life. Teach me how to show mercy to myself and others. Amen
Conclusion
Those are my 4 tips on how to apply mercy in your life today.
I want you to know that you are not alone. There are millions of people going through the same hurt and pain but please don’t suffer in silence.
I really believe that you can apply mercy in your life and transform so much about your world.
Jesus helped me to do just that and I pray He does the same for you.
See you next time!
