Summary
- The Solar Flare technique in Dragon Ball is simple but effective, used to stun enemies and create openings in battle.
- The technique originated from the Crane School, known for its tricky abilities, and has been used by various characters.
- Despite its usefulness, the Solar Flare isn't frequently used due to Saiyan fighters' preference for hand-to-hand combat.
Out of all the Dragon Ball techniques that are used as utility or skill-based abilities, the Solar Flare in particular is not the most used, but the most useful when used correctly. After all, the ability serves as a momentary distraction or as a stunning grenade against the enemy, allowing the heroes to get the upper hand with how long the effects take to dissipate immediately. Everybody, including Goku, Krillin, and even Cell has used this technique on some occasions and to a greater degree of control with the same general purpose. When asked, many will say it is a useful technique in Dragon Ball.
However, why is this ability not used more often, and what about its origins can we learn and consider when understanding this ability? The explanation may be simple, but it never hurts to go into details regarding the ability's origins, and its background.
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Simple Execution, But Surprising Origin
The Truth Behind the Solar Flare
The Solar Flare may seem old-fashioned and not exactly made to deal damage, but the technique itself is brilliant for closing the gap when it comes to weaker users facing stronger opponents. After all, the technique itself is simple in execution and use; placing your hands close to your face, usually with fingers spread out or in a motion to emit light from your face. The ability uses Ki, but it also emits a bright flash of light that affects a majority of opponents without fail. After all, one can't be prepared for a flash of light that suddenly blasts off in front of you and blinds you temporarily.
However, when one asks where the Solar Flare came from, you'd need to go to Tienshinhan and the former school of martial arts he was a part of. The Crane School, a rival school to the Turtle School, created the technique with the usual basis in tricky abilities that allowed for certain victories, even if they needed to fight dirty. This shows in the overall usage of the Solar Flare, although its form reflects its original pronunciation and translation.
Taiyoken, or Sun Fist, as a technique, is not just used by Tienshinhan, but also used by Goku and Krillin whenever they need to get out of harm's way, and when they need to escape. The ability however has been used by Cell during his Imperfect and Semi-Perfect forms as a result of his genetics from the strongest warriors on Earth. This resulted in his earliest encounters becoming a chase to find him before he devoured too many cities. Overall, the ability itself has a good amount of usage, and yet it doesn't seem to be used too often by Goku or Krillin outside situational circumstances.
Why The Ability Hasn't Been Used
And Why It's Impressive
Unfortunately for the ability, it is useful when you look at all the times it has been used, but never really remembered or used more often when the ability could be more creatively used as an ability against the enemy to open up attacks when fighting cooperatively. However, there may be a reason as to why the ability hasn't been used outside of one enemy or a few allies. For one, the majority of the major players are Saiyans or half-Saiyans who fight bare-knuckle-fisted along with their natural prowess; Goku is probably one of the only Saiyans that would willingly fight with the Solar Flare technique, excluding Vegeta, Trunks, or Gohan. However, aside from all the times that it's been used, let's take a moment to appreciate the effect of the ability and the inherent value it has for the warriors that have used it, along with the stories that were being told at the time.
Ever since the introduction from Tienshinhan when he used the ability, the Solar Flare has become quite a staple that many people can't help but feel an immense amount of fondness for the technique that has saved Goku, Krillin, and even, on occasion, a few of the Z-Fighters. This ability, in general, is impressive because it only gets blocked by people who don't have sight or those with sunglasses. And how many fighters can you count besides Master Roshi who have sunglasses or are sight-impaired?
Not many you could count on one hand, but that's to say that it's also impressive how this is one of the few techniques passed on from the Crane School to the rest of the Z-Warriors when its original master and creator has been extinguished, and the school itself subsided. Dragon Ball may still have more use for the Solar Flare, and this is to be a good thing if the manga and Dragon Ball DAIMA were to be released and focus on a smaller adventure. Even so, Dragon Ball has provided an immense contribution with the technique.
- Created by
- Akira Toriyama
- First TV Show
- Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball is a franchise by Akira Toriyama which follows the adventures of Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the earth with his group of friends. A recent title from the series is Dragon Ball: The Breakers, an action style game where 7 players have to survive being hunted by the Raider.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info