Goku’s Super Kaioken: The Forbidden Technique Explained

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Summary

  • Super Kaioken combines Kaioken with Super Saiyan, amplifying powers but is not considered canon in the manga.
  • Only Goku has managed to use Super Kaioken, making it a unique combination of techniques.
  • The deadly combination of Kaioken and Super Saiyan is excluded from the Dragon Ball Super manga, making it unlikely to be included.

In the world of Dragon Ball, Kaioken was one of the earliest power enhancement methods introduced. However, with the rise of the Super Saiyan form, the use of Kaioken has diminished in significance due to its potentially hazardous nature.

In the series “Dragon Ball Z”, Goku uniquely merges Kaioken and Super Saiyan abilities to form a non-canonical move called Super Kaioken. To clarify, this technique is not officially recognized in the manga as part of the main storyline events. The term “canon” here refers to elements that are considered authentic or official within the narrative of the original work. In simpler terms, Super Kaioken is a powerful move Goku uses in the anime that isn’t acknowledged in the Dragon Ball Z manga.

How Does Super Kaioken Work?

Kaioken, also known as Kaio-Ken, is a skill that amplifies one’s energy or life force (ki), significantly boosting their abilities. Yet, this enhancement comes with a heavy price tag. It demands exceptional control over one’s energy and induces substantial stress, which can quickly result in fatigue if the technique is sustained for an extended period.

In the series, a Saiyan’s power is increased exponentially when they merge the Kaioken technique with their Super Saiyan form. This enhanced state, known as Super Kaioken, already boasts immense power in its Super Saiyan form. In the show, Goku employs it while in both regular and supercharged Super Saiyan states (SSJ and SSJ2).

Who Has Managed to Use Super Kaioken?

Kaioken was developed by the North Kai, and so far only Goku has mastered its use. Despite other characters training with Kai in the Other World, none have managed to learn this skill. It’s intriguing that only humans seem to struggle with this technique; it would be great if the series provided a clear explanation for why this is the case.

Is Super Kaioken Canon in Dragon Ball?

In the Dragon Ball Z series, the Super Kaioken technique doesn’t appear in the manga. It was first employed when Goku combined Super Saiyan (SSJ) and Kaio-ken during the Other World Tournament, as he faced off against Pikkon (or Paikuhan). Therefore, it is considered canonical for those who accept anime events as valid, but unfortunately, the anime has yet to elucidate how Goku manages to employ Super Kaioken; at present, the specifics of that ability remain unexplained.

In the “Dragon Ball Super” anime, we see Goku employing Super Kaioken once more, yet this technique wasn’t part of the manga. This might imply that Toriyama didn’t plan for Super Saiyan and Kaioken to be blended together as they were in the anime. In the “Dragon Ball” manga series, the fusion of Kaioken and Super Saiyan only occurs when Goku uses Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken (which is a combination of Kaioken and Super Saiyan Blue).

I know it’s risky, but there’s a big payoff, too!

— Goku in Dragon Ball Super

It turns out that Kaioken and Super Saiyan (SSJ) can’t be used together because Old Kai warns that it’s deadly. The reason is that SSJ relies on intense emotions like stress and anger, which makes it challenging to manage one’s energy (ki) with the precision demanded by Kaioken. On the other hand, Super Saiyan Blue requires a tranquil mind, making it possible to safely combine it with Kaioken.

In simpler terms, Kaioken isn’t a change in form but rather a technique. Thus, theoretically, it could be used alongside Super Saiyan (SSJ). However, SSJ makes ki control less stable, which suggests that attempting to use both together might result in fatal consequences.

Are There Any Chances It Will Be Included in the Manga?

In the manga version of Dragon Ball Super, neither Kaioken nor Super Saiyan have been utilized. As a result, it appears that Super Kaioken may not be considered canonical within the manga series. This implies that it might be improbable for this technique to appear in future Dragon Ball Super arcs.

In essence, the official account merely suggests that Kaioken and Super Saiyan can be a lethal mix. This means, technically, one could envision using Super Kaioken, albeit it’s not advisable due to its high risk. It would certainly be intriguing to observe Goku or another Saiyan employ this combination in an emergency scenario, just as a point of interest, since theoretically, others could master it too.

Dragon Ball Super is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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2025-04-10 19:54