Goku’s Kaioken Secret: Why He NEVER Uses It With Super Saiyan!

by

Summary

  • Kaioken increases power but poses risks like exhaustion due to intense ki control.
  • Only Goku has mastered Kaioken, using up to x20 but never combining it with Super Saiyan.
  • Combining Kaioken with SSJ is risky due to the emotional stress of SSJ affecting ki control.

Among the initial (and undeniably impressive) power boosts presented in Dragon Ball, Kaioken stands out. Despite being seemingly “weaker” than many transformations such as Super Saiyan, it’s actually one of the more complex power-ups due to its disadvantages and the risk of overexertion that comes with using it.

Among the primary characters, it’s only Goku who mastered the use of Kaioken (in the anime series Dragon Ball Z). After Super Saiyan (SSJ) was introduced in the storyline, some fans speculated that eventually, he might fuse both SSJ and Kaioken to amplify his power. Yet, in the manga version, Goku never integrates these two techniques. The reason behind this choice remains unclear as neither the author nor the series explicitly explain why he doesn’t merge them for increased strength.

What Is Kaioken in Dragon Ball?

The Kaioken, also called King Kai Fist or simply Kaio-ken, is a skill developed by King Kai/North Kai. This technique amplifies the power, strength, and speed of its users, but comes at a price. It demands intricate control over one’s energy, or ki.

When Kaioken is activated, the user’s energy field turns crimson and must persist in this state continuously. Not surprisingly, it imposes immense strain, sometimes producing heat, which could potentially endanger the user’s life and lead to fatigue. However, it empowers them to confront stronger adversaries.

How Did Goku Learn Kaioken?

In the animated series Dragon Ball Z, Goku mastered the Kaioken skill as he waited for the Saiyans to arrive. Since this ability was devised by King Kai from the North, it’s no surprise that he picked it up during his training sessions in the Other World.

King Kai instructed Goku on techniques like Kaioken and Spirit Bomb; these moves were significant aspects of his fighting style for some time. The technique known as Kaioken was thoroughly delved into in the series DBZ prior to Goku’s transformation into a Super Saiyan. After the introduction of Super Saiyan, Kaioken took a backseat in prominence.

In the series, it’s initially when Goku encounters Nappa that he employs Kaioken for the first time. Notably, there are multiple tiers of Kaioken, and we observe Goku utilizing up to Kaioken x20 in the storyline. These represent all the levels of Kaioken that Goku exhibits during the series.

  • Kaioken
  • Kaioken x2
  • Kaioken x3
  • Kaioken x4
  • Kaioken x10
  • Kaioken x20

It seems that as you increase your power level, it becomes increasingly challenging to manage your “ki,” and using such a technique carries a higher degree of risk.

As an onlooker, I’d like to clarify that Kaioken isn’t a metamorphosis, but rather a skill. Therefore, in theory, it could be combined with Super Saiyan (SSJ) or any other transformation.

The Challenges of Combining Kaioken and Super Saiyan

In simpler terms, Kaioken isn’t a transformation but rather an augmentation technique. This means it can be used even when in Super Saiyan form, although Goku doesn’t do this in the original manga. However, he does combine Kaioken with Super Saiyan in the anime, which is called Super Kaioken. He also employs Super Kaioken in the Dragon Ball Super anime, and later combines it with Super Saiyan Blue, known as Blue Kaioken.

In the manga, Goku primarily employs the Blue Kaioken. Given Toriyama’s role in the creation of Super, some fans hypothesize that he intended for Goku not to combine Kaioken with Super Saiyan, except for Super Saiyan Blue. This leads many fans to believe that Super Kaioken is non-canonical.

In the manga, since the fusion of Kaioken and Super Saiyan (SSJ) could be lethal due to their conflicting energy requirements, Goku doesn’t combine them. The reasoning behind this is that SSJ is a form tied to emotional stress, which makes it challenging for Goku to manage his ki effectively enough to use Kaioken. This explanation is provided in Dragon Ball Super.

It might be daring, yet the potential rewards are substantial! The essence of Super Saiyan Blue revolves around harnessing immense power through precise control. By incorporating the tranquil concentration of Kaioken, who knows just how far I could ascend?

— Goku in DBS

With this clarification, it seems reasonable that Goku primarily employs the Super Saiyan Blue form because it necessitates a tranquil mind and concentration. This “composed energy” enables the user to blend it with Kaioken while minimizing potential hazards.

Why Haven’t Others Learned Kaioken?

Some people think that the reason other Z Warriors who trained with King Kai haven’t learned Kaioken is because the human body may not be able to handle the technique, and Goku was unique as a Saiyan and able to learn it.

Regarding why other Saiyans haven’t attempted to master Kaioken, it might be due to the potential dangers and the advantage of transforming into Super Saiyan instead. Within the storyline, this could be a reasonable explanation. However, it’s more likely that Toriyama opted to explore new concepts and abandoned Kaioken. If Kaioken can’t be used in conjunction with Super Saiyan, there wouldn’t be much incentive for them to study it further.

Dragon Ball is available to stream on Crunchyroll and other services.

Read More

2025-03-30 21:30