In the anime community, many people see Dragon Ball's protagonist, Son Goku, as one of the greatest martial artists of all time. From the early days of the franchise, Goku has shown an unparalleled aptitude for fighting and pretty much anything combat-related, and over the years, his strength has only grown to make him an equal to the Gods of Destruction.
Throughout his many journeys, Goku has picked up numerous powerful and useful techniques, each of which has gone on to give him one of the greatest arsenals in all of Dragon Ball. However, despite the strength of his many skills, there are some that Goku has used very sparingly over the years despite their usefulness, so let's see what these are.
7 Solar Flare Is Used by Many Incredible Fighters
One thing that some Dragon Ball fans tend to overlook about the franchise is the fact that techniques don't always have to be destructive or cause damage. Sometimes, they can be supportive measures, providing healing, causing distractions, or disadvantaging the enemy. The Solar Flare is perhaps the best example.
Over the years, Solar Flare has been differentiated as one of the most ubiquitous techniques in the series, with users like Krillin, Tien, and Cell all coming to mind. As such, Goku himself is one of the original users of this move, though he hasn't used it much after the original Dragon Ball series, where it was a standard part of his arsenal.
6 The Destructo Disc Cuts Through Anything
When thinking of the Destructo Disc, the creator of this technique obviously comes to mind. Despite being far below the Saiyans in terms of overall power, Krillin was able to create one of the deadliest techniques in all of Dragon Ball, which has the power to cut anything that it is used against, regardless of how strong or sturdy it might be.
Krillin's usage of this legendary attack is well documented, but many tend to forget that Goku has also shown the ability to use it over the years. However, he does so very sparingly, such as when he used it against Great Ape Gohan, Super Buu, and, most recently, against Jiren in the Tournament of Power. If used more frequently, this could be one of his strongest techniques.
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5 The Evil Containment Wave Is Quite Useful
Just like the Solar Flare, the Evil Containment Wave is an incredibly useful technique that doesn't necessarily inflict the opponent with any substantial damage. Instead, it seeks to trap their essence within a container that is almost impossible for them to break out of from the inside, regardless of how strong they might be.
The best example of how deceptively useful this technique is comes from the Tournament of Power, where Master Roshi accidentally trapped Vegeta in the container despite their immense gap in power. Similarly, Goku was shown to use the Evil Containment Wave, or Mafuba, on Zamasu, but due to him forgetting to bring the proper sealing amulet, it didn't work.
4 God Bind Can Stop an Opponent in Their Tracks
From one useful supportive technique to another, Goku's God Bind is one of the best examples of his tactical mind and Martial Arts genius. By using the God Ki that makes up his aura in his Super Saiyan God state, Goku releases this upon his foe, trapping them in place completely and leaving them completely open for a counterattack.
The only way to supersede the God Bind is through completely overpowering it, just as Broly did when it was used against him in their fight. With Broly's aura overpowering the God Ki, he was able to reverse the technique back onto Goku to freeze him in place, which may be the reason why the Saiyan has never used this technique again since.
3 Telekinesis Is a Very Rare Technique
The martial arts used in Dragon Ball are about more than just powerful Ki attacks that can destroy entire planets. Sometimes, the uses for Ki are much more subtle and useful in other areas, such as telekinesis, which allows the user to move and control things without needing to outwardly touch them directly.
In the early days of Dragon Ball Z, Goku showed the ability to use telekinesis, particularly on King Kai's planet by moving massive blocks. However, unlike some of the other techniques, Goku hasn't outright abandoned this one, as he was shown to use it against both Moro and Granolah while in his Ultra Instinct state, though he doesn't use it as much as he should.
2 Hakai Is the Greatest Offensive Technique There Is
Image via Toei Animation
Image via Toei Animation
Dragon Ball is filled to the brim with immensely powerful techniques that can cause untold devastation. However, none come close to Hakai, which is the signature technique of the Destroyer Gods and is destruction in its purest form. With a simple gesture, the Destroyers are able to completely erase anything from existence, whether it's as small as a pebble or even as large as a planet.
Goku, using his unparalleled talent for martial arts and ability to copy techniques merely by observing them, was able to use an incomplete version of Hakai on Zamasu, which worked, albeit very slowly. Though he has strayed from the path to master this power in favor of Ultra Instinct, Goku has shown the ability to use the greatest offensive technique in the entire series.
1 Super Saiyan 4 Still Exists In Goku's Arsenal
Though not traditionally a technique like the others on this list, Super Saiyan 4 is a state that is one of the most beloved and powerful in the franchise. Originally introduced in Dragon Ball GT, this form eventually found its way back to canon in Dragon Ball Daima, and in this limited series, Goku showed how monstrous its power actually is.
However, since the events on Daima concluded before the canon start of Super, Super Saiyan 4 has never been called forth by the Saiyan even once since then. Its power is truly legendary, and the design is often considered to be the greatest of all Saiyan transformations, so fans are now sitting and waiting for when it makes its return to Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball Super can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
