Namu first appears in the 21st Tenka-ichi Budōkai, where he faces off against Ran Fuan. He struggles in the fight because he is a Buddhist monk and she strips down to her underwear, socks, and shoes. Despite this, he manages to overcome his discomfort and defeat her. His next opponent is Son Goku, and although the battle is intense, Namu ultimately loses. He had entered the tournament to win prize money to buy water, as his homeland was suffering from a severe drought and he was tasked with finding a solution. After his defeat, unable to secure the funds for water, he decides to leave. Muten Roshi reads his mind and understands his intentions, then provides him with a capsule to store water from a well. In return, Namu agrees to impersonate Muten Roshi among the crowd to protect Roshi's secret identity from his suspicious students.
In the 22nd Tenka-ichi Budōkai, Namu makes another appearance, claiming he came just to enjoy the event. However, he ends up losing in the preliminary rounds to Tenshinhan, who leaves him unconscious and nearly dead to send a message to Goku and his friends. Later, Namu is killed by Tambourine, one of Piccolo Daimaō's minions, but is revived by Shenlong. He later contributes to Goku's Spirit Bomb in the Dragon Ball Z series and has a brief cameo in Dragon Ball GT during the episode titled "Piccolo's Decision." Rumors suggest that he might be related to Uub, but this remains unconfirmed. His name originates from the Nenbutsu phrase: "Namu Amida Butsu."
