When it comes down to it, Dragon Ball is the story of Son Goku trying as hard as he can to be the greatest martial artist who ever lived. Not to assert his strength over anyone else, but to simply prove to himself that he can reach new heights. Goku is the type of character who is always looking to grow as a personality. While he personality rarely undergoes any major changes, although it does indeed change, Goku is constantly progressing what his body and mind can do. He is the embodiment of the master martial artist. As a result, he’s wound up with quite a few techniques over the series’ run.
As a master martial artist, Goku did not get there alone. He’s had several masters over the course of the series. Even now, in Super, he’s still training under Whis. Master Roshi, Karin, Mr. Popo, Kami, and Kaio all contributed in Goku’s growth. They taught him not only new martial arts philosophies, but also new techniques. Just about every move Goku has under his belt was learned from someone else, but that doesn’t invalidate him by any means. In fact, that just shows how capable he is. Goku isn’t a trendsetter in the traditional sense. He honors those wiser and older than him, willing to learn at all costs.
30 Mafuba
In the original series, the only characters who could use the Mafuba, otherwise known as the Evil Containment Wave, were Master Roshi, Tien Shinhan, and Kami. Piccolo was able to reverse the Mafuba, but we never saw anyone else master the technique until in Super when both Goku and Future Trunks learned how to use it for the fight against Zamasu.
Naturally, the Mafuba winds up completely useless for both characters, but for Goku especially. It’s an interesting idea for a technique, but Goku just isn’t the kind of character who the Mafuba is best suited for. He likes being in the action and an attack that simply seals his opponent would never be satisfying for him.
29 Tail Attack
There are quite a few techniques that are exclusive to Kid Goku. As Goku ages, he better refines his move pool by training with new masters, but Kid Goku has to make do whenever possible. This results in him having a rather creative set of attacks to dip in and out of. Case in point? His tail attack.
While incredibly basic and short-lived, Goku would occasionally use his tail to either get him out of a jam or simply one-up his opponents. This was typically done only in the Tenkaichi Budokais, and only in the 21st and 22nd, but it was nonetheless an interesting way to use Goku’s anatomy to its fullest.
28 Finger Beam
Goku’s finger beam is probably his most generic technique in the series, but it’s associated with such a great episode that it’s hard not to appreciate it in some extent. Goku primarily uses this move in his fight against Kale and Caulifla, shooting at them from afar to take them out. He’s even in Super Saiyan God to give the scene some added cool factor.
Goku’ll pick you off from afar before you know he’s even pointing at you.
What makes this technique stand out especially is how surprisingly well animated the moment is. It’s far from the best set of action in the Tournament of Power, but it’s a fluid moment that shows just how dangerous Goku can be. Even from afar, and severely underpowered, he could take out 90% of the cast with ease.
27 Full-Nelson
Not all of Goku’s attacks are made up by Akira Toriyama. The Full-Nelson is a legitimate wrestling move and one that Goku uses in one of the most important fights in the entire series. Specifically, he uses it to apprehend Raditz while Piccolo charges up his Makankosappo. What follows is Goku’s very first definitive defeat in the franchise.
The scene is so iconic that it really cannot be disconnected from Goku’s use of the Full Nelson. It’s the entire reason he and Raditz ultimately perish, kick-starting the events of the Saiyan arc in the craziest way imaginable.
26 Power Strained Super Saiyan Blue
The manga adaptation of Dragon Ball Super, for whatever reason, does not feature the return of Kaioken. Rather, Goku masters Super Saiyan Blue to push himself even further power-wise. When it comes time to fight Jiren in the Tournament of Power, however, Mastered Super Saiyan Blue doesn’t do the job so Goku has to strain his body.
Not your Goku’s Kaioken.
This pseudo-Kaioken state is known as Power Strained Super Saiyan Blue and it is effectively an evolution of SSB that concentrates raw power into the form with little regard for the body. In many ways, it’s just Super Saiyan Blue Kaoiken without any of the unique flavor.
25 Kiai
You may not know the Kiai by name, but you’re definitely familiar with the technique as it’s one of the most used in the entirety of Dragon Ball. The Kiai is as basic as an attack can be in the series. It’s simply a burst of raw energy that pushes everything and everyone away from the user in order to create some distance. While that doesn’t sound particularly useful, it has been used many times open up some breathing room and Goku is no exception.
24 Dragon Throw
Theoretically, the Dragon Throw can be any throw Goku uses to toss his opponents around, but it specifically refers to the act of Goku grabbing an opponent’s tail, spinning them around, and flinging them off. Most notably, Goku uses this in his fight against Freeza, grabbing his tail, and spinning him around before launching him.
Interestingly, the Dragon Throw might not necessarily need to be tail based. Instead, it could simply involve an appendage. Wouldn’t Goku grabbing Kid Buu or Fat Buu’s antenna count as a Dragon Throw to some extent? After all, an antenna is basically just a tail for your head when it comes down to it.
23 Super Saiyan 3
Of all the Super Saiyan transformations, Super Saiyan 3 is perhaps the least useful. While it buffs Goku up considerably, taking him from Super Perfect Cell tier to Kid Buu levels of strength in the Majin Buu arc, the stamina drain is way too intense to actually allow him to defeat anyone with the form.
Strength is nothing without stamina.
That said, this is kind of what Toriyama is going for. Super Saiyan 3 is a clear subversion of the Super Saiyan concept. While it does make Goku stronger, it doesn’t come back to save the day in any way. In fact, it arguably makes everyone’s situation worse by eating up all of Goku’s time on Earth and preventing Goku from defeating Kid Buu.
22 Jan Ken
Outside of the Kamehameha, Goku’s Jan Ken is probably the closest thing Kid Goku has to a signature move. When it comes to melee attacks, it absolutely is his signature technique and one that he uses for quite a while before ultimately retiring it. A take on Rock, Paper, Scissors, Jan Ken sees Goku uses the hand gestures to attack his opponents.
Whether it be to poke them in the eyes, slap their face, or simply punch them, the Jan Ken is one of the most endearing attacks in the franchise. Sometimes, Goku even uses the vocal part of the technique to announce the wrong version of the attack, making his opponents expect a punch only to be fingered in the eyes.
21 Mastered Ultra Instinct
For the time being, Mastered Ultra Instinct seems to be the peak of what Goku is capable of. Obviously, he’s had peaks before- Super Saiyan 3, Super Saiyan God, and Super Saiyan Blue- but it truly feels like Mastered Ultra Instinct is here to stay. At least for a longer while than its predecessors.
It’ll be a while before we see MUI again.
A white-haired form, Mastered Ultra Instinct allows Goku to act virtually without thought. The technique brings out the hidden registers of his power as well, effectively creating the apex of strength, one that could potentially rival the gods. The only drawback is that it can short out, nearly destroying Goku in the process.
20 Taiyoken
Widely considered to be one of Tien Shinhan’s signature techniques, Goku has been known to use the Taiyoken from time to time. A move that blinds enemies with a burst of flashing light, Goku only ever uses the move in a pinch. Interestingly, he always makes sure to attribute the technique to Tien before using it, even asking for forgiveness for borrowing a technique that isn’t his even though just about every characters can use the Taiyoken naturally. Either way, it’s a nice reminder of the fact that Tien had a massive impact on Goku’s life at some point.
19 Suspended Blast
You’re probably wondering what the Suspended Blast is and I honestly don’t blame you in the slightest. A technique that only given a name in the Western Trading Card Game, the Suspended Blast refers to the Ki attack Goku used to threaten the Kaioshin with during the Majin Vegeta portion of the Buu arc.
Why even list this technique if it wasn’t even fired off then? Well, because the context is actually incredible. Upon realizing the lengths Majin Vegeta will go for his fight against Goku, Goku is determined to stop him at any means, even if it means taking Kaioshin out with a Ki attack. It’s a ruthless Goku we rarely get to see.
18 Wild Sense
Afterimages have played an important role in Dragon Ball’s combat from as early as the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai. As the series progresses, so do the use of Afterimages. Interestingly, with the introduction of flight, Afterimages get a bit more creative. Specifically, Goku uses them to develop his Wild Sense.
Now you see him, now you don’t.
Wild Sense refers to the technique Goku uses when he seemingly teleports in front of and around his opponents during battles. It’s a quick burst used to confused his enemies before ultimately striking them from behind. Wild Sense is used quite frequently in the movies and Goku even uses it against Freeza on Namek.
17 Super Saiyan Blue
Super Saiyan Blue is honestly right up there with the original Super Saiyan in terms of iconic imagery at this point. Easily Goku’s most used form throughout Dragon Ball Super, Blue is the new Yellow. It may not be as aesthetically pleasing with Goku’s old school outfit, but it’s quite the interesting transformation.
Paired with Goku’s Resurrection F Gi, Super Saiyan Blue serves as a beautiful reboot for the Super Saiyan line of transformations. Effectively making SSJ1 through 3 redundant. Of course, the series never stops using the OG forms, likely for merchandise purposes, but SSB is still the go-to form for modern Dragon Ball and that’s all that matters.
16 Meteor Smash
If you’ve only watched the anime adaptation of Dragon Ball Z, chances are Goku’s Meteor Smash doesn’t rank up particularly high on your list of favorite techniques. As it was used by Super Saiyan Goku in his fight against Freeza, the Meteor Smash was, unfortunately, a victim of Toei catching up to the manga.
The best move you’ve never seen.
As a result, the Meteor Smash’s representation in the anime is a bit lackluster. The manga paints a different picture, however. Every panel has impact, and Goku’s beatdown of Freeza is exceptionally cathartic and well choreographed. It wouldn’t be until Resurrection F’s extended edition when Toei would get a chance to reanimate it.
15 Super Saiyan 2
Super Saiyan 2 isn’t all that visually appealing for most characters. Vegeta, adult Gohan, and Future Trunks all basically look the exact same when using their variants of Super Saiyan 2. Aside from teen Gohan during the Cell Games, Goku is the only character who undergoes a visual change when triggering Super Saiyan 2. Surprisingly, it might actually be his best look. With the one bang, Goku looks truly menacing without falling into the absurdity of SSJ3’s lack of eyebrows. It’s a nice look that should have been used more in the original series.
14 Kamehameha
The Kamehameha is the quintessential Ki attack. Developed originally by Master Roshi, Goku quickly picked up on how to do the Kamehameha and it quickly went on to become not only his signature technique, but also that of the series. Dragon Ball is simply not Dragon Ball without Goku’s Kamehameha.
Despite being Master Roshi’s technique originally, it’s Goku who actually ends up refining and perfecting it over the course of the series. Besides Gohan’s Father-Son Kamehameha at the end of the Cell Games, no other character comes close to using the blast on the same level as Goku.
13 Hakai
If you’ve only watched the Dragon Ball Super anime, you’re probably wondering when Goku ever uses a Hakai during the event of the series. He doesn’t. At least not in the anime. Despite being Beeru’s signature move, albeit one that should theoretically be usable by any God of Destruction, Goku pulls it out in the manga at some point.
Goku’s most dangerous move by far.
In his fight against Merged Zamasu, Goku not only triggers Mastered Super Saiyan Blue, he also tries to erase Zamasu outright by using a version of Beerus’ Hakai. Unfortunately, as he isn’t a God of Destruction and Zamasu’s role as an immortal, it isn’t enough to take out the deity, but it’s still a great moment for Goku in the manga.
12 Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken
What do you get when you pile the Kaioken on top of Super Saiyan Blue? Power scaling issues. Jokes aside, you get Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken, Goku’s secret weapon in the anime version of Dragon Ball Super from the end of the Universe 6 Tournament arc to around the midpoint of the Tournament of Power.
At its core, Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken is just a means of bringing Kaioken back into the action after years of inactivity. It’s basically fanservice, but Toei uses it well enough to allow Goku to be a bit weaker while letting villains come off all the stronger. Goku uses it when he needs to and it can make for good drama.
11 Genki Dama
The Genki Dama, also known as the Spirit Bomb in the Funimation dub, isn’t a particularly violent technique although it is one Goku likes to dip into for battles. Instead of using Ki, the Genki Dama uses Genki, or life energy. Said Genki then charges the technique and the more Goku charges, the harder it hits.
If nothing else, Goku’s most interesting technique.
Even though it fails against both Vegeta and Freeza, its early appearances are nothing to scoff it. It’s a tremendous technique that can make for incredible drama. There’s a reason Toriyama chose to end the original series with a Genki Dama and why Toei made it a key role in Goku triggering Ultra Instinct in the anime. It’s just that cool.
