All of Goku’s Techniques & Transformations in Dragon Ball, Explained

A martial artist is defined by their strength and versatility. Every fighter has various techniques that help them deal with different situations, making them less predictable to their opponents. The best martial artists spend their lives mastering their craft and improving their skills as they progress. In these regards, Son Goku of Dragon Ball fame is a prime example of what a martial artist should think and act. Goku has spent the entirety of Dragon Ball refining his martial arts skills. He’s attained various techniques, attacks, and transformations to make him a formidable fighter.

Most people see him as someone with a handful of basic tricks, like the Kamehameha and Super Saiyan. However, a careful analysis of Goku’s history will reveal a wide range of techniques, and his transformations exist along a broad spectrum. There are various nuances to everything Goku has acquired in his decades of martial arts training, and that’s not even getting into the slight variations on how he applies them. It’s enough to make one wonder what Goku’s enemies think they mean when they say Goku is an inexperienced fighter. The truth is he has plenty of experience and a rapid rate of development.

Goku’s Techniques in Dragon Ball

Rock, Scissors ‘N’ Paper

Goku’s first technique was his Rock, Scissors ‘N’ Paper combination attack. This involves confusing his enemies and making them wonder whether he’ll go for a punch, an open-palm strike, or a poke to the eyes. He often used this in early Dragon Ball against enemies like the Bear Thief (the one who tried to eat Turtle), Yamcha, Jackie Chun, and General Blue. However, the technique became an antique in Goku’s arsenal as his martial arts developed and he gained more powerful and effective moves.

Kamehameha

Gokufirst saw Master Roshi use the Kamehameha to extinguish the fire on Mt. Frypan. He was impressed by the technique and wanted to try it for himself, though Roshi warned him it would take 50 years for him to develop it. Despite this, Goku managed to use the technique instantly and blow up Bulma’s car. He has used the Kamehameha as his primary attack ever since.

Flight

In Early Dragon Ball, Flgiht, or Bukujutsu (舞空術, lit. “Dance Air Art”), was a rare technique only possessed by a handful of skilled fighters, like Tien and Piccolo. Even back then, Goku flew as his primary means of transportation, but only if he used his Flying Nimbus cloud. He eventually learned to fly during his three years of training on the Lookout, which he demonstrated in his final attack against Piccolo Jr. at the end of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. However, he continued using Nimbus for fast travel until the early Namek Saga.

Kaio-ken

The Kaio-Ken is one of two techniques Goku mastered while training under King Kai to fight the Saiyans. This technique is designed to increase all of Goku’s physical abilities in short bursts. He can use it to multiply his power three, ten, or even 20 times over. However, if he uses the technique for too long, or if he multiplies his power by more than his body can handle, he’ll risk destroying his body, maybe even beyond repair. He’s used this technique sparingly against high-level opponents like Nappa, Vegeta, Captain Ginyu, and Frieza.

Spirit Bomb

In addition to the Kaio-Ken, King Kai considered Goku pure enough of heart to master the Spirit Bomb, so he taught that to him, too. By gathering a little energy from every possible source on a planet, Goku can form a devastatingly powerful attack. He can also power it up by gathering energy from other planets, or by gathering as much energy as possible from one planet (assuming the residents are willing to offer it). Since this attack is so dangerous and uses life energy as a source of power, it’s only meant as an absolute last resort.

Solar Flare

During Goku’s battle with Great Ape Vegeta, he needed something to distract his enemy while he gathered energy for the Spirit Bomb. Looking up at Vegeta’s artificial moon, he got the idea to borrow one of Tien’s techniques. He used the Solar Flare to blind the Great Ape long enough to gather energy from every corner of the planet. Unfortunately, Vegeta intercepted him before he could launch the attack.

Instant Transmission

While escaping the dying Planet Namek, Goku crash-landed on the planet Yardrat. Rather than go home immediately, he took time to master his recently acquired Super Saiyan form and one Yardratian technique. Now, he can teleport to an individual’s general vicinity by focusing on their energy signature. This became his primary method of transportation following flight and the Nimbus cloud.

Dragon Fist

Goku’s first original technique in years was the Dragon Fist. As he punches his way through his opponent, his energy takes the form of a flaming dragon vaguely resembling Shenron and coils around them as they’re incinerated. This technique is technically non-canon, as Goku first used it in the last Dragon Ball Z movie. He used it more in Dragon Ball GT, but that series’ canon status has been left up for debate.

Evil Containment Wave

Late in Goku’s martial arts career, he learned Master Roshi’s last resort technique, the Evil Containment Wave. He uses this technique to bind evil opponents and seal them in a container of his choosing (provided it has a lid and the appropriate sealing ofuda). He learned this move as a counter to Zamasu’s immortality; if he couldn’t kill the Kai, he could at least seal him so he couldn’t do any more harm. The technique used to come a the user’s life, but the Dragon Team has since become powerful enough to minimize that risk.

Hakai

While battling Fusion Zamasu in the manga, Goku borrowed one of Beerus’s techniques to finish the fight. Holding his hand out and yelling, “Hakai,” Goku steadily turned his enemy into dust. Unfortunately, since Goku couldn’t master the technique like Beerus, he failed to complete the process. Zamasu got away and used his immortality to recover whatever was lost.

Goku’s Transformations in Dragon Ball

Great Ape

Goku’s Great Ape transformation used to be one of Dragon Ball’s many fantastical elements before it was explained with science. When the moon reflects the sun’s rays, it emits an energy source called a Blutz Wave. During the full moon, 17 million Zenos (the Blutz Wave unit, not the Omni King) can be transmitted into the Saiyan retina, thus resulting in a biochemical reaction in the Saiyan tail, transforming the Saiyans into giant, monstrous monkeys. Goku’s friends could only turn the rampaging Great Ape Goku normal by blowing up the moon or cutting off his tail. Permanently.

Unlock Potential

When Goku first climbed Korin Tower to drink his Sacred Water, unlock his hidden potential, and gain the power to beat Mercenary Tao, it was more complicated than that. He trained to take the water from Korin and grew stronger from that. When he returned for more training to beat King Piccolo, Korin suggested he drink the genuine article, the Ultra Divine Water, but only at the risk of his life. Goku took the risk and gained a new form from it (according to the games). This may be why he never took other chances to unlock his potential.

Agile Style

This “form” is one Goku takes by removing his 100 kilograms of weighted training gear. In doing so, he increases his speed and power considerably. He debuted this form in his battles against Tien and Piccolo in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. He also used it to fight Raditz and to try and catch Bubbles on King Kai’s planet. By the end of his training with King Kai, he was so strong that removing the clothes wouldn’t make a difference. He now keeps them on throughout the fights, though he will sometimes wear outfits without them.

Goku As Captain Ginyu and Zamasu

Every once in a while, Goku comes across an opponent who considers him the stronger of the two and covets his power. Thus, they force Goku to trade bodies with them. On Namek, Captain Ginyu impaled himself, used his inborn changing ability to exchange with Goku, and left him for dead. In an alternate timeline, Zamasu used the Super Dragon Balls to trade bodies with Goku, thus becoming Goku Black (and then he killed Goku in his old body). This is one of Goku’s only transformations that ultimately makes him weaker.

Super Saiyan Forms in Dragon Ball

Pseudo Super Saiyan

Goku first used this form by chance against Lord Slug in the fourth Dragon Ball Z movie. This variation of Super Saiyan came about when Toei Animation could only speculate what a Super Saiyan would look like. All they knew was that it would transform the user and make them supremely powerful. In this sense, it worked just like the canon Super Saiyan form, but it only lasted temporarily rather than as long as Goku wanted. In the Other World Saga, he used a similar in-between Super Saiyan form to fight the Ginyu Force in Hell.

Super Saiyan

Goku’s original Super Saiyan transformation was triggered by the anger of seeing Krillin killed by Frieza. It was also theorized that a Saiyan needed to be pure of heart to attain this transformation, but that has been questioned multiple times. Either way, the form multiplies Goku’s power roughly 50 times over. It’s like the Kaio-Ken without the drawbacks, so it became Goku’s standard means of powering himself up. The form was thought to be invincible until the androids beat it. After this, Goku and the other Saiyans sought higher levels of Super Saiyan to handle their new enemies.

Spirit Bomb Super Saiyan

In the seventh DBZ movie, Super Android 13, Goku found a new power-up by combining two old techniques. First, he would gather energy from around the Earth and form a giant energy ball. Afterward, he would take the Spirit Bomb into himself and use it with his Super Saiyan form. In this state, his aura was powerful enough to cack tundras, create whirlpools, and incinerate his enemies by being close to them. He used the form to deliver one powerful punch to the movie’s villain and destroy him.

Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade

While training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku learned to use higher grades of Super Saiyan without ascending to the next level. Gohan was impressed by how strong these forms made him, but Goku was unsatisfied. He realized that his newly engorged muscles, while overwhelmingly powerful, would only slow him down and drain his energy. The scene where he concludes this was even juxtaposed with Trunks failing to hit Perfect Cell as a Super Saiyan Third Grade. As for Goku, he focused on optimizing the Super Saiyan form rather than ascending.

Super Saiyan Full Power

By the time Goku was done training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, he had mastered Super Saiyan as planned. Ironically, while he gave up on Super Saiyan in Second and Third Grade for their impracticality, this form is considered the Fourth Grade. He could maintain the form indefinitely and use it to fight on par with the androids. Perfect Cell only eked him out by a relatively small margin. Regardless, Goku concluded he couldn’t win and passed the job on to Gohan. He knew fighting Cell would push him to the Super Saiyan level he could never achieve.

Super Kaio-Ken

Goku briefly used this technique during the Other World Tournament. It took his standard Super Saiyan form and stacked his old Kaio-ken technique on top of it. The form temporarily boosted his power as he punched Pikkon. However, it’s not a form he can use regularly. In addition to the Kaio-ken’s standard drawbacks, Super Saiyan’s agitated state makes it difficult to control, thus increasing the risk of injury. While this form is only used in this filler arc, Goku refrained from using it in the series proper for the same reasons, according to Dragon Ball Super.

Super Saiyan 2

Goku eventually doubled his Super Saiyan form’s power, like Gohan. He learned to do it in the seven years between Cell’s defeat and Majin Buu’s revival. He debuted the form in his match with Majin Vegeta. However, this transformation wasn’t Goku’s strongest at the time. He only used it to save the Saiyan Prince’s pride and make him feel like he stood a chance. This eventually backfired when Vegeta learned the truth and refused to Fuse with Goku. Between all of Goku’s mainline Super Saiyan forms, it’s one of his least used. Toriyama infamously forgot it existed.

Super Saiyan 3

The fruit of Goku’s seven years of training in Other World was his Super Saiyan 3 form. In this state, he takes the 50-times multiplier from Super Saiyan and the 2-times multiplier from Super Saiyan 2 and adds a 4-times multiplier. This form might have made him the most powerful character in the series up to that point. He was strong enough to beat Majin Buu one-on-one, but he wanted to see how well the next generation could handle him with Fusion.

Super Saiyan God

After Majin Buu was defeated, Goku was presumed to be the strongest in the universe. However, he was proven wrong when Beerus beat him even in his Super Saiyan 3 form. The God of Destruction was looking for a Super Saiyan God to fight, a transformation Shenron revealed could be triggered by funneling five Super Saiyans’ energy into a sixth. With Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and the unborn Pan’s help, Goku gained control of Divine Energy and became a god. Beerus still won, but Goku gave an impressive showing.

Saiyan Beyond God

While Goku’s first Super Saiyan God transformation was temporary, the power stayed with him. His body remembered what it was like to be a god and raised his power accordingly. This form is technically indistinguishable from his base form, but the increase in power is undeniable. It makes him stronger than he ever was as a Super Saiyan 3, which is why he was able to keep fighting Beerus even after losing his God form.

Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Super Saiyan Blue)

Goku trained with Whis to increase his power and keep his ki from flooding out of his body. The ki he internalized, plus a serene state of mind, helped him achieve a new form. He stacked Super Saiyan on top of Super Saiyan God to become a Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan. This version of Super Saiyan has blue hair instead of the traditional gold, so the form is called Super Saiyan Blue for brevity’s sake.

Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-Ken

During Goku’s battle with Hit in the Tournament of Destroyers, he concluded Super Saiyan Blue wouldn’t be enough to win against Hit’s Time Skip ability, so he decided to take a risk. He combined his Kaio-ken technique with Super Saiyan Blue and multiplied his power by ten. He hadn’t tried this before with Super Saiyan because the agitated state would have caused Kaio-ken to go out of control and ravage his body. However, since Super Saiyan Blue was founded on the principle of a serene state of mind, Goku took less risk by combining the two techniques. It still hurt.

Perfected Super Saiyan Blue

Anime fans may have noticed that while Super Saiyan Blue is supposed to be about preventing Goku from leaking energy, he still has an aura. The manga remedied this by giving Goku Perfected Super Saiyan Blue. By keeping his energy internal as intended, Goku realizes the full potential of Super Saiyan Blue and uses it to fight with greater power. He first used this form to battle Fused Zamasu, but it didn’t last long because it was difficult to control.

Super Saiyan and Super Saiyan Blue (Berserk)

In Super Dragon Ball Heroes’ Prison Planet Saga, Goku comes across an Evil Saiyan named Cumber. He’s exposed to the Evil Saiyan’s Evil Aura, and it causes him to lose his senses. It also strengthens him enough to fight a Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta. However, the power levels of Dragon Ball Heroes have always been questionable. Depending on the medium, the form resembles either Super Saiyan or Super Saiyan 2. The same thing happened to Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta in the Universe Creation Saga, but Fu quickly knocked them out of the form.

Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Universe Tree Power)

Goku gained this unique form during the climax of the New Space-Time War Saga. He attained it by absorbing energy from a tendril of Dark King Fu’s Universe Tree. The energy empowers his Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan form and gives it a brilliant glow. This gave him the boost he needed to fight Fu and beat him. Due to the circumstances that brought about this transformation, it was a one-time thing.

Dragon Ball’s Autonomous Ultra Instinct

Ultra Instinct Sign

During the Tournament of Power, every Saiyan pushed past their limits in different ways. In Goku’s case, he started to tap into his hidden potential through Ultra Instinct. It began when he was exposed to his Spirit Bomb’s explosion, which pushed his body past its limits. He learned to dodge, attack, and move his body without thinking about it. However, this was only a precursor to mastering the technique.

Perfected Ultra Instinct

Goku continued to refine his Ultra Instinct technique throughout the Tournament of Power. After the Spirit Bomb Incident, he was pushed past his limits again by Kefla and one more time by Jiren. The third instance helped him reach his full potential and use the Perfected Ultra Instinct. In this white-haired state, Goku was strong enough to beat Jiren. However, the strain of the technique stopped him from finishing the fight. He needed Frieza and Android 17’s help to settle things.

Perfected Ultra Instinct (Giant Form)

During Goku’s final battle with Moro, he received a boost to his energy reserves courtesy of the Grand Supreme Kai and Uub. The Saiyan used his energy to form a giant avatar of himself. It helped him create an opening in the planet eater’s defenses and allowed Goku to deliver the finishing blow.

True Ultra Instinct

As with Super Saiyan Blue, the goal for Ultra Instinct is to attain a clear mind to get the most out of it. However, Siayans are a naturally aggressive and active species. Because of this, Goku concluded he would be better off using the Ultra Instinct Sign than its Perfected alternative. In doing so, he discovered True Ultra Instinct, which he used in his battle with Gas. He eventually returned to using Perfected Ultra Instinct as his go-to version of the form.

Goku’s Forms in Dragon Ball GT

Little Goku (GT)

At the start of Dragon Ball GT, Emperor Pilaf inadvertently makes a wish on the Black Star Dragon Balls for Goku to be a helpless child again. Goku spent the rest of the series in his child form. This may only be Goku as a child again, but plenty of games and other material count it as an alternate form for the character.

Super Saiyan (Little/GT)

Despite being turned into a child, Goku could still use his first three Super Saiyan forms. However, his new body made handling the forms more draining. Luckily, he had enough power and battle experience to deal with most opponents he met during his adventures in GT. However, he could still use Super Saiyan effectively for the opponents who required it.

Golden Great Ape

After losing to Baby, Goku trained on the World of the Kais to regrow his tail. He fought Baby again on the reformed Planet Vegeta in Earth’s orbit but still lost. However, by looking at the Earth from Planet Vegeta, he was exposed to Blutz Waves and turned into a Great Ape. He also stacked his Super Saiyan transformation of this form, becoming a Golden Great Ape. He still rampaged like he did as a child, but Pan helped bring him back to his senses. This became the precedent for Goku reaching his next Super Saiyan form.

Super Saiyan 4

Goku’s fourth Super Saiyan transformation is one of the things that made Dragon Ball GT worthwhile. He achieved this form after regrowing his tail and gaining control of his Great Ape form. It shrinks the form, mixes it with his Super Saiyan power, and gives him a red, ape-like appearance in his humanoid form. It also turned him into an adult again. However, he still reverted to a child in his base form. Since this form uses Great Ape power, it multiplies Goku’s strength by at least ten.

Super Full Power Saiyan 4

Goku can push his Super Saiyan 4 powers further by taking in the energy of other Saiyans. A version of this technique was initially used against him by Baby as the parasitized Saiyans channeled energy into him instead. During their final battle, the Saiyans, back to their senses, channeled their power into Goku instead to restore his stamina and raise his power higher than he ever could by himself.

Goku’s Change

Near the end of Dragon Ball GT, Goku is left for dead in a deep crater by Omega Shenron. When he rises to fight again, he attains a mysterious, godlike state of being nobody understands; they can’t even tell whether he’s alive or dead. He was immune to Omega Shenron’s attacks and summoned a Super Ultra Spirit Bomb to finish him off. It’s a reference to the Taoist concept of ascension.

Other Transformations in Dragon Ball

Vegeta’s Body

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, there’s a bad timeline where Captain Ginyu switches bodies with Vegeta, then Goku. This version of Goku is killed by the combined powers of the Ginyu Force. It’s up to the Time Patrollers to go to the past and prevent this incident from happening again.

Super Saiyan 4 Kaio-Ken

Although the Kaio0ken is supposed to be used by Goku in his base form or as a Super Saiyan Blue, there are instances of him using it in Super Saiyan 4. However, this is exclusive to games like the Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game, Dragon Ball Heroes, and usages by proxy in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. Xeno Goku can also use it while fused with Vegeta.

Potential Unleashed

Dragon Ball Z Extreme Butoden has an Adventure Mode where Goku had his potential unlocked by Old Kai. In this form, he was strong enough to fight the likes of Majin Buu in his Super Saiyan form. However, since this is a video game, Goku, with his potential unleashed, looks like an ordinary Super Saiyan.

Super Full Power Saiyan 4 Limit Breaker

Like the original Super Full Power Saiyan 4, a Super Saiyan 4 can surpass its limits by transferring other Saiyans’ energy into it. In Xeno Goku and Xeno Vegeta’s case, they had Super Saiyan God Xeno Trunks, Xeno Pan, Goku, and Vegeta during the Universe Creation Saga. The new form gives Goku and Vegeta’s Super Saiyan 4 forms a magenta glow and makes them strong enough to stand up to the likes of Janemba and, when fused, Dark King Fu. After one power transfer, Goku can enter the form by himself at will.

Dragon Ball’s Fusions

Vegito

When Goku needed a fusion partner to battle Super Buu, he was lucky to have Vegeta arrive. It took some convincing, but Goku got Vegeta to wear one of the Potara earrings he got on the Sacred World of the Kai. This form was much stronger than what the two would have been like if they used the Fusion Dance. The drawback was supposed to be that they would be stuck together forever, but that was quickly fixed by Super Buu (and again in Dragon Ball Super, where Gowasu explained the Fusion only lasts an hour for mortals).

Gogeta

Goku learned the Fusion Dance from the Metamorans during his time in the Other World. Unfortunately, since Vegeta was dead, Goku didn’t have a partner to use it with, so he taught it to Goten and Trunks instead. However, Gogeta made his non-canon debut in the 11th Dragon Ball movie, Fusion Reborn. Due to Janemba’s distortion of reality, Vegeta was back, so Goku taught him the Fusion dance so they would be strong enough to beat their new enemy. Gogeta made his canon debut in the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie. He was also in Dragon Ball GT.

Gokule

When Goku first came to Earth to fight Super Buu, he didn’t have a capable partner to share his Potara earrings with. His only allies on the battlefield were Dende and Mr. Satan. If Vegeta hadn’t arrived, Goku would have given his spare earring to the latter. However, this theoretical character made a playable debut in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2.

Den-Goku

If Goku didn’t have Mr. Satan or Vegeta to share his Potara earrings with, he would have fused with Dende into Den-Goku. He was most against this because, of all the options, Dende was the least experienced in the art of battle. It would also mean Shenron would cease to exist. This hypothetical character was named in the Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game.

Fusion of Ki

Goku and Xeno Goku briefly attained this state during their battle against Dark King Fu in the New Space-Time War Saga. The Supreme Kai of Time helped them meld their energies together so that Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Super Saiyan 4 Xeno Goku could launch a combined Kamehameha against their enemy. It broke through Fu’s defenses, but he survived and continued his mission. Meanwhile, the two Gokus fell out of their new state.

God Fusion Goku

In Dragon Ball Z: The Real 4-D at Super Tenkaichi Budokai (2017), Goku gets into a fight with God Broly, but he can’t win. With Shenron’s help, Goku performs a Fusion with the audience to become God Fusion Goku. This person looks like Super Saiyan Blue Goku in the traditional Fusion outfit, plus a black undershirt. In this form, he has more than enough power to destroy God Broly. The story of this ride is presumed to take place shortly after the Tournament of Destroyers. Besides that, it’s only loosely connected to the canon timeline.

EX Fusions

The Dragon Ball Fusions Games introduced EX-Fusion, where any two people using Metamo-Rings could artificially fuse into one person. In Goku’s case, he could use the rings to make fusions with Broly (to become Karoly), Krillin (Gorillin), Zamasu (Gomas), Bardock (Barlot), Beerus (Gorus), Nuova Shenron (Nuova Goku), and Vegeta (EX Gogeta). His kid self can also fuse with Teen Gohan to become Coohan.

Ultra Fusion

Dragon Ball Fusions also introduced a new type of Fusion called Ultra Fusion. It involves performing a five-way dance to create an all-powerful Fusion for a few seconds. Kid Goku can perform this technique with Goten, Trunks, Pan, and the game’s protagonist, Tekka. Their Fusion has a wilder Super Saiyan mane and a hagoromo in addition to the traditional Metamoran Fusion outfit. The team learned the technique from the Ginyu Force in exchange for helping them break a barrier around Frieza’s ship.