Most Creative Techniques In Dragon Ball, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Using powers creatively can make fights more memorable and exciting.
• Techniques like Galactic Donut and Solar Flare provide unique advantages in battle.
• Time-Skip and Body Change offer strategic ways to gain the upper hand against powerful foes.

In a series full of immense powers and mind-blowing transformations, it’s easy to forget that some of Dragon Ball‘s most iconic moments come in the form of the most creative powers that heroes and villains whip out in battle. Watching these characters use powers in unique ways is a great way to break the monotony of fights that mostly involve endless punch rushes and ki attacks.

Some of the best attacks in Dragon Ball are the ones that were used in ways that fans wouldn’t have imagined. This eccentric use of one’s superpowers makes it clear why these attacks are so memorable.

8 Galactic Donut

Yellow Rings Of Energy That Bind A Target

• Known User(s): Gotenks
• Anime Debut: “Super Moves of Gotenks” (Episode 258 of Dragon Ball Z)

Gotenks is one of the goofiest fighters in the series, despite being quite strong in his own right. The fact that he was able to take the fight to Super Buu is a great example of what made him so intimidating. However, having the mind of a child wasn’t great for the killing instinct of a fighter.

As a result, some of Gotenks’ powers can be rather childish, yet they are creative. A great example is the Galactic Donut, where this fused fighter uses rings made of ki to bind an opponent and leave them vulnerable to a humiliating series of attacks.

7 Energy Landmine

Traps Made With Ki

• Known User(s): Goku
• Anime Debut: “Body, Soul and Power Unleashed! Goku and Vegeta!” (Episode 123 of Dragon Ball Super)

Jiren is one of the most powerful fighters in Dragon Ball Super, and Goku had to pull out every trick in his arsenal to try and get an advantage on this foe. This involved a ki trap that fans would see for the first time in the series.

By focusing his energy, Goku could set up energy landmines that could blow up and cause serious damage. However, for a fighter as mighty as Jiren, these traps were nothing more than an annoyance, and he had no problems with them.

6 Feet Kamehameha

An Innovative Way For Goku To Ascend Into The Air

• Known User(s): Goku
• Anime Debut: “Goku’s Trap” (Episode 146 of Dragon Ball)

During his fight against Piccolo Jr. in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku was sent plummeting to the ground after a damaging blow by this enemy. However, he had a surprise up his sleeve that nobody could have expected.

By charging his ki in his feet, Goku unleashed a Kamehameha from his feet that allowed him to ascend and land a powerful double punch on Piccolo. Since he hadn’t displayed the power of flight before this point, this was a clever workaround for the Saiyan to turn the tables against his powerful foe.

5 Body Change

Switching Bodies Will Always Make For Creative Scenarios

• Known User(s): Captain Ginyu
• Anime Debut: “Goku is Ginyu and Ginyu is Goku” (Episode 71 of Dragon Ball Z)

Captain Ginyu may be one of the goofiest characters in the series, but that should take nothing away from the power he wields in battle. But on the occasion that he’s fighting an enemy with superior strength, Ginyu has a trick up his sleeve to reverse the battle’s momentum in a flash.

He can use Body Change to swap his physical frame with that of a superior fighter to become more powerful. However, this Body Change prevents him from drawing out the maximum potential of a fighter, which can be a huge detriment if his trick is figured out.

4 Solar Flare

A Great Way To Distract Enemies And Give Them The Slip

• Known User(s): Tien Shinhan, Son Goku, Krillin, Cell, Master Roshi, Future Trunks, Future Gohan
• Anime Debut: “Stepping Down” (Episode 94 of Dragon Ball)

Ever since Tien used this technique for the first time in Dragon Ball, the Solar Flare is a recurring technique that fans can’t get enough of. There’s something about this distracting technique that makes it a joy to witness in the series. The used emits a burst of light, stunning and sometimes blinding opponents.

Most Z Fighters have used this technique in the series at least once, with Cell whipping it out when he had to locate Android 18. Solar Flare is a great way to distract enemies, either leaving them open for a damaging attack or letting the user flee a vastly superior opponent.

3 Time-Skip

Allows The User To Skip Time And Land Technical Blows

• Known User(s): Hit
• Anime Debut: “Turn Your Anger into Strength! Vegeta’s Full-Bore Battle” (Episode 35 of Dragon Ball Super)

Hit is one of the most interesting fighters in Dragon Ball Super. What he lacks in physical strength, he more than makes up for with a Time-Skip technique. This skill takes a while to figure out.

Vegeta himself succumbed to this technique in his Super Saiyan Blue form, and Goku had to whip out the Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken form to counter Hit’s attack. Being able to skip through time and nail an enemy where it hurts is a valuable technique that makes it clear why Hit is such a successful assassin.

2 Instant Transmission Kamehameha

One Of The Highlights Of The Cell Saga

• Known User(s): Goku
• Anime Debut: “No More Rules” (Episode 179 of Dragon Ball Z)

During his fight against Cell, Goku realized he needed an ace in the hole if he wanted to take out this regenerating villain for good. This seemed to be the case when Goku was charging up a powerful Kamehameha that could have blown up Earth from the angle where he was firing.

However, at the last minute, he used Instant Transmission to teleport in front of Cell, firing a powerful Kamehameha that blows up Cell’s upper half. If Goku had gotten the angle just right, then Cell could have been defeated then and there with this move.

1 Sliding Kamehameha

Without Flight, Goku Had To Get Creative To Close The Distance To Kefla

• Known User(s): Goku
• Anime Debut: “Signs of a Turnabout! The Autonomous Ultra Instinct Erupts!” (Episode 116 of Dragon Ball Super)

The Tournament of Power has some of the best Dragon Ball moments of all time, and Goku’s Sliding Kamehameha is a great example. With flight banned in this tournament, Goku had to figure out another way to make the most of his Ultra Instinct Sign transformation and take out Kefla in one shot.

He did this by charging a Kamehameha as he slowly closed the distance to Kefla, whose energy was going haywire at that point. After jumping towards Kefla, the fused fighter unleashed a high-power beam at Goku, hoping to hit him when he had no footing left to dodge. However, Goku’s heightened battle instincts allowed him to glide over the surface of the beam using his stored ki in one of the most creative moves in the series. This ended with a full-frontal Kamehameha that eliminated Kefla for good.

• 

  Dragon Ball

  Release Date

  February 26, 1986

  Studio

  Toei Animation

• 

  Dragon Ball Z

  Release Date

  April 26, 1989

  Studio

  Toei Animation

• 

  Dragon Ball Super

  Release Date

  July 5, 2015

  Studio

  Toei Animation