10 Techniques Goku Only Knows in the DBZ Games & Movies (2024)

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has never shied away from the fact that Goku is the franchise’s greatest hero. Son Goku embodies all the best characteristics of a traditional shonen protagonist and has inspired Dragon Ball fans for four decades. He's endlessly selfless, courageous, and committed to his craft. Goku genuinely loves the art behind combat and is frequently compelled to fight because he craves a genuine challenge, rather than any desire to save the day or assert his authority over others. Goku's become the prolific hero that he is today thanks to his dutiful training, strong strategic skills, and enviable martial arts abilities.

Goku has also mastered a wide range of techniques and energy attacks that put him in a cut above the rest. Goku wouldn’t be where he is today without signature skills like his Kamehameha, Spirit Bomb, Instant Transmission, and an impressive arsenal of Super Saiyan transformations. All these attacks are introduced in his canon manga and anime adventures, but Goku possesses several obscure skills that have only ever been seen in Dragon Ball’s many movies and games.

10 Goku’s Ki Burst Sphere Has Explosive Internal Effects

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: The Return Of Cooler

At first glance, Goku’s Ki Burst Sphere attack – called Qigong Bullet in Japan – doesn’t look that different from a standard energy blast. It doesn’t help that the technique’s name is fairly generic. There’s actually a surprising nuance to the Ki Burst Sphere and it’s particularly resilient against giant enemies & mechanical menaces. The Ki Burst Sphere involves Goku raising a hand and creating a yellow ki sphere in it, which he proceeds to launch at his opponent. Rather than make direct contact with its target, the Ki Burst Sphere disappears into their body before triggering a powerful explosion from the inside.

This technique proves to be essential in Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler during Goku and Vegeta’s strenuous clash against the enormous Meta-Cooler Core within the Big Gete Star. The Ki Burst Sphere, or perhaps an upgraded version of it, would have been the perfect attack for Goku to use on Gamma 1, Gamma 2, or Cell Max if he were present for their fight. Alternatively, Goku’s Ki Burst Sphere would also have been helpful during his battles against Universe 3’s many robotic warriors during the Tournament of Power, especially Anilaza.

9 The Bluff Kamehameha Is Goku’s Ultimate Troll Tactic

Debut: Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2

Dragon Ball has gotten a lot of mileage out of fusion since the Buu saga. Whether it’s Gotenks, Vegito, or Gogeta, newly fused characters tend to be extremely co*cky and content to toy or taunt their target. One of the most extreme examples of this occurs with Gogeta – Goku and Vegeta’s fusion dance union – who makes his debut in Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn and briefly returns during Dragon Ball GT’s final episodes. Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta spends a lot of time mocking Omega Shenron and all his techniques feel like they’re designed to embarrass the enemy.

This is most effectively accomplished with the Bluff Kamehameha. The technique is performed like the standard energy attack, but instead of firing ki, the user releases party confetti and streamers from their palms. The Bluff Kamehameha doesn’t physically injure the target, but it does destroy their pride. The Bluff Kamehameha is first introduced with Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta in Dragon Ball GT, but is later utilized by Super Saiyan 4 Goku in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. It’s a playful way to frighten and subsequently humiliate an opponent. It’d be so much fun to see the Bluff Kamehameha show up in Dragon Ball Super, either by Ultra Instinct Goku or by Gogeta Blue, now that the fused character has been properly made canon in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.

8 Goku’s Miracle Blow Is A Powerful Punch That Decimates The Enemy

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan

Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan was the franchise's introduction of Broly and features some particularly brutal battles. Broly trumps the collective efforts of Goku, Vegeta, Future Trunks, Gohan, and Piccolo, so it's perhaps only fitting that Goku finishes off the Legendary Super Saiyan with an attack combining all their power. Goku's Miracle Blow is an exceedingly powerful punch that charges a huge amount of destructive energy. The attack is almost akin to Goku's Spirit Bomb, but channeled into his fist instead. Goku experiences a crucial ki transfer from Gohan, Piccolo, Future Trunks, and eventually Vegeta, which gives him the necessary strength to defeat Broly with his Miracle Blow.

The Miracle Blow punch blasts into Broly's stomach and proceeds to launch him out of the planet's orbit. Super Saiyan 4 Goku's Dragon Fist of Rage, which he uses to defeat Eis Shenron in Dragon Ball GT, is a similar attack that involves many of the same principles. Goku's Miracle Blow originates in Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan, and has made its way into several video games, such as Dragon Ball Legends, Dragon Ball Heroes, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, and part of Super Saiyan Goku's Dramatic Finish against Broly in Dragon Ball FighterZ. In an ironic twist of fate, Dragon Ball Super could make Miracle Blow one of Broly's attacks now that he's a permanent part of the series' cast.

7 Energy Meteor Is A Catastrophic Ki Maneuver That Packs A Serious Punch

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13!

Dragon Ball Z’s seventh feature film, Super Android 13!, introduces some fascinating movie-only material. Three new evil Androids threaten Goku, Vegeta, and Future Trunks before they ultimately fuse together into an even superior threat, Super Android 13. Goku is pushed out of his comfort zone when he faces this superior Android, but he still debuts some new moves when he takes on the regular Android 13.

Goku's Energy Meteor is a large energy sphere that Super Saiyan Goku launches at Android 13 during the height of their battle. It's easy for Energy Meteor to get lost in the shuffle since it's a fairly basic technique. It's not nearly as big or powerful as Goku's Spirit Bomb, but it's still more substantial than a basic Kamehameha blast. Energy Meteor may not be one of Goku's most memorable or unique attacks, but it does find its way into Dragon Ball Legends as one of Goku's Special Move Arts Super Attacks.

6 Pseudo Super Saiyan Is A Dangerous Transformation That Usually Slips Through Dragon Ball’s Cracks

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug

Goku's inaugural Super Saiyan transformation occurs during his fierce fight against Frieza on Planet Namek. That said, Dragon Ball Z's fourth movie, Lord Slug, actually predates the anime episode by several months and the manga chapter by over a week. Lord Slug's climax has Goku trigger a Super Saiyan transformation that was initially intended to be the genuine article. In execution, there are several differences between the movie's transformation and Toriyama's design in the manga that retroactively led to the transformation being referred to as Pseudo Super Saiyan – or False Super Saiyan. Pseudo Super Saiyan looks like a more aggressive hybrid between Goku's Kaio-Ken and Super Saiyan forms. He gains a yellow aura and his hair stands upwards, but there's also a red tint to him.

Goku's eyes are also whited out, a design element which later returns in Broly's Legendary Super Saiyan form. Pseudo Super Saiyan Goku is incredibly powerful, but it's worth mentioning that this state can only be activated when the individual is on the brink of death. It's not a transformation Goku can trigger himself, nor is it a permanent tool in the Saiyan's arsenal. Goku’s Pseudo Super Saiyan transformation is Lord Slug’s most substantial original technique and integral to the villain’s destruction. Lord Slug also introduces Goku’s Kaio-Ken x100 power boost, which pushes the helpful strength and speed multiplier to unprecedented heights. In the main series, Kaio-Ken x20 is Goku's highest multiplier which already proves to be a painful and risky procedure.

5 Goku Uses A Sealing Spell To Contain An Incredible, Unstoppable Evil

Debut: Dragon Ball: Plan To Eradicate The Saiyans

Dragon Ball: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans is a two-part OVA that creates a compelling conflict out of the Saiyans' past conflict with the Tuffles. Dr. Lychee, a Tuffle survivor, creates the Bio-Android, Hatchiyack, as well as Ghost Warriors of past villains – Turles, Lord Slug, Cooler, and Frieza – to wage war against the Saiyans. There are multipleDragon Ball villains so dangerous and powerful that it's more plausible to seal them away than outright destroy them. Goku turns to this tactic in order to take Dr. Lychee out of the picture when he instigates a Sealing Spell to lock him away and end his evil.

Sealing Spells can be performed in many different ways, but in this case, Goku is capable of this powerful procedure with the help of a Sealing Tag that he finds on a foreign planet. This is Goku's first and only application of a Sealing Spell, but he does also learn the Evil Containment Wave. The Sealing Spell turns up quite a bit over the course of Dragon Ball, whether it's when Beerus traps Old Kai in a sword, the circ*mstances behind Majin Buu being locked away in a ball, or when Kami helped pacify Garlic and his demonic minions.

4 Super Saiyan 3 Goku’s Super Dragon Twin Fists Help Him Pulverize The Competition

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn

Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn is one of the series' most popular feature films and benefits from some genuinely gorgeous action once Gogeta takes over. That said, there's still a lot to appreciate in Super Saiyan 3 Goku's clash against Janemba before the demonic villain ascends to his Super Janemba state. Goku's Super Dragon Twin Fists is related to his Dragon Fist and Super Dragon Fist techniques, but it's less invasive with its execution. Here, Goku doesn't actually transform into a dragon, but instead charges two powerful energy spheres that are combined with complex physical attacks.

Goku repeatedly punches his opponent and propels them into the air, only to teleport behind them and attack them back into the ground. Before the target collides with the ground, Goku intercepts them and generates two deadly energy spheres, which he smashes into their face for maximum impact. Super Saiyan Goku's Super Dragon Twin Fists is also prominently represented in Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle as a Super Attack. Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO's trailer also indicates that it will be a part of Super Saiyan 3 Goku's attack arsenal, albeit with slightly revised movements.

3 Goku’s Triple Kamehameha Helps Him Efficiently Target Three Targets At Once

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Cooler’s Revenge

Goku's Kamehameha is his signature attack and there are dozens of variations that have aided him at different points in the series, including a version launched from his feet. Goku has utilized a Double Kamehameha where he fires the energy attack from both of his palms in different directions. That being said, Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge presents Goku with multiple opponents who he quickly needs to neutralize. Cooler's Armored Squadron – Salza, Neiz, and Dore – launch a tag-team attack on the Saiyan.

Not to be outdone by these villains, Goku employs some quick thinking and attacks all three targets at once with a Triple Kamehameha. Goku launches two divergent Kamehameha from each hand, while a third is fired from his chest. It's a tactic that takes Cooler's Armored Squadron by surprise and looks incredibly cool, too. The ability to launch Kamehamehas from the chest would definitely be useful to Goku in situations where his hands are restrained, but this effective technique isn't used outside of Cooler's Revenge.

2 Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan Pushes Goku Into A Powerful Fugue State

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13!

Goku's Spirit Bomb and Super Saiyan transformations are two of his most valuable techniques, but they're never used in tandem in the Dragon Ball anime or manga. Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13! actually has Goku create a Spirit Bomb and then turn Super Saiyan at the end of this process. The impure nature of a Super Saiyan's heart causes Goku to absorb the Spirit Bomb's energy instead of releasing it as a deadly projectile. As a Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan, Goku enters a fugue state that he seemingly can't control – it almost feels akin to when he becomes Ultra Instinct Sign.

Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan Goku acquires such a powerful aura that it actively eats away at Super Android 13's fist and he's unable to make contact with Goku. Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan Goku uses this superior power to execute his Final Strike rush attack, where he punches through Super Android 13 and finally destroys the threat. Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan has been creatively incorporated into several Dragon Ball video games, like Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 3, Dragon Ball Fusions, and Dragon Ball Legends. One could argue that Future Trunks' Sword of Hope attack used on Merged Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super is a similar concept to Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan.

1 Super Saiyan 3 Goku’s Dragon Fist Transforms Him Into A Terrifying Attack

Debut: Dragon Ball Z: Wrath Of The Dragon

Goku's Super Saiyan 3 transformation is already such a powerhouse that the heroes know they're in true trouble when it isn't even enough to get the job done. Dragon Ball Z's 13th movie, Wrath of the Dragon, introduces Hirudegarn, a Phantom Majin and kaiju-sized threat that wreaks havoc on West City. Super Saiyan 3 Goku is strong, but he's not even as big as the monster's fist.

Goku manages to overcome and destroy this threat with the help of his Dragon Fist technique, an inexplicable attack where Goku smashes through his target's torso and amplifies his ki into a massive explosion that takes on the form of a golden dragon. Super Saiyan 3 Goku’s Dragon Fist attack is limited to his final fight against Hirudegarn in Wrath of the Dragon. However, Goku adapts and further develops the technique in Dragon Ball GT when he uses the Super Dragon Fist against Super 17, and later, the Dragon Hammer against Omega Shenron when he’s Super Saiyan 4.

Dragon Ball Z (1989)

TV-PG

Anime

Action

Adventure

With the help of the powerful Dragonballs, a team of fighters led by the saiyan warrior Goku defend the planet earth from extraterrestrial enemies.

Release Date

September 30, 1996

Cast

Sean Schemmel , Brian Drummond , Christopher Sabat , Scott McNeil

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

9

Studio

Toei Animation

Creator

Akira Toriyama

Number of Episodes

291