Dragon Ball: All Forms of Gotenks, Explained

Highlights

Gotenks showcases the power of fusions in Dragon Ball, combining the strengths of two characters for an impressive boost in abilities.
The various forms of Gotenks, from Fat and Skinny to Super Saiyan 3, demonstrate the evolution and power of this fan-favorite character.
Despite his silliness, Gotenks proves to be a formidable fighter, taking on powerful adversaries like Buu with unique and powerful moves.

As a long-time fan of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super, I can’t help but be in awe of the incredible power and determination displayed by Gotenks. Growing up, I remember watching in awe as Goten and Trunks fused for the first time to take on the menacing Majin Buu. Their transformation into a Super Saiyan was a game-changer, giving them the strength they needed to stand a chance against such an overwhelming enemy.

Characters formed through fusion in the Dragon Ball series are exceptionally strong. Their power isn’t just the combined strength of two individuals, but they also receive an extra enhancement, making the resulting fusion significantly more potent than its individual components. While Goku and Vegeta have gained fame for their impressive fusions, the popular choice among fans is Goten and Trunks’ fusion, known as Gotenks.

In the “Dragon Ball” series, specifically during the Buu Saga, Gotenks made his first appearance and introduced the idea of fusion among Saiyans. Although he’s had minor roles since then, it was in this storyline that we saw all of his transformations for the first time. Let’s explore each form and discuss what makes Gotenks an impressive, if not a bit absurd, character.

Fat and Skinny Gotenks

The failed fusions

Dragon Ball: All Forms of Gotenks, Explained

First Appearance	Dragon Ball Z, Episode 251, “Gotenks Is Born”
Debut Date	December 21, 1994

As Buu’s danger intensified each second, the heroes recognized the necessity of an extraordinary force to confront him. Thus, Goten and Trunks had to merge using the Fusion Dance method. Regrettably, their first attempts resulted in flawed fusions – they produced Fat Gotenks and Skinny Gotenks instead of a successful combination.

He’s certainly well-equipped, isn’t he?

An imperfectly executed Fusion Dance between Gotenks brings out the major flaw – any misaligned movements can spoil the entire fusion. Unfortunately, both versions struggled significantly. Fat Gotenks was quickly winded after a short run, while Skinny Gotenks barely managed to stay upright without losing his breath.

Gotenks Base Form

The fusion as it is supposed to be

First Appearance	Dragon Ball Z, Episode 251, “Gotenks Is Born”
Debut Date	December 21, 1994

After two unsuccessful attempts at fusion, Goten and Trunks successfully performed the Fusion Dance, resulting in a brilliant flash of light heralding the arrival of Gotenks. This formidable being is a fusion of the two boys’ personalities, creating a powerful and arrogant warrior who delightfully taunts his adversaries whenever possible.

Wow! Feel that? What power. He’s the one alright!

In their initial encounter, Gotenks’ first battle served as a trial to assess the power of the fusion. Overestimating his abilities, Gotenks stepped into combat against Buu without delay. However, this confidence proved misplaced as he was quickly defeated by Buu. Fortunately, the other Z-Fighters intervened and rescued Gotenks, allowing him to withdraw before the fusion dissipated. Despite this setback, Gotenks later engaged Super Buu once more in his normal form.

Super Saiyan Gotenks

The strength of a Super Saiyan on top of fusion

First Appearance	Dragon Ball Z, Episode 258, “Super Moves Of Gotenks”
Debut Date	March 1, 1995

As I narrowly avoided being obliterated by Majin Buu, Goten and I quickly fused again, and with newfound confidence in our abilities, we transformed into a Super Saiyan. Our strength had dramatically increased from earlier, giving us the belief that we could finally triumph over Majin Buu. Unfortunately for us, during this very moment, Majin Buu was absorbed by his wicked counterpart, resulting in the emergence of Super Buu – an adversary even more powerful than before.

Hey, Majin Butt! How’s that headache feeling?!

In the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Super Buu encountered and defeated the initial form of Gotenks. However, Gotenks then fused and transformed into his Super Saiyan state, offering a worthy challenge to the powerful adversary. It was during this battle that Gotenks employed his renowned Galactic Donut and Super Ghost Kamikaze Technique, inflicting substantial damage upon Super Buu, who had previously surpassed all previous villains in strength.

Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks

The strongest form of Gotenks

First Appearance	Dragon Ball Z, Episode 260, “Feeding Frenzy”
Debut Date	March 15, 1995

After Piccolo breaks down the entrance to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Super Buu gets infuriated and releases a scream that rips open a passage, enabling his escape from the dimension. With no hope left for the others to follow, Gotenks alerts Piccolo about having one last powerful move up his sleeve. He then transforms into a Super Saiyan 3, stunning Piccolo, and creates an identical portal through his scream to save the heroes from the Time Chamber.

You’re not taking this seriously… Bad idea!

As a gamer, I can tell you that Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks is an unbeatable foe I’ve encountered in the game. His strength surpasses that of Super Buu, leaving him humiliated in our fight. This powerful being showcases some mind-blowing and eccentric moves during our battle, with the most noteworthy one being the Charging Ultra Buu Buu Volleyball. In this move, Gotenks and I (Piccolo) encapsulate Super Buu within an energy ball, which we then play volleyball with. The impact of this volleyball causes massive damage to our villainous opponent. However, using this form drains a significant amount of energy from Gotenks. Consequently, it can only last for about 5 minutes before he defuses back into Goten and Trunks.

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

2024-07-23 22:03