Goku’s journey throughout Dragon Ball has seen him training with a multiple of martial arts masters, all of which teach Goku valuable lessons, philosophies, and techniques. From as early as the first story arc, Goku was picking up new skills on sight. Master Roshi’s epic Kamehameha is immediately followed by Goku pulling off his own, setting a precedent for his prodigy that’s gone on to define Dragon Ball.
Goku proves that a martial artist is only as good as their training, picking up the best techniques he can to better himself. Goku is arguably the most skilled martial artist in Dragon Ball, but he doesn’t always use everything at his disposal. Dragon Ball Super has done a better job at varying up Goku’s abilities, but the Saiyan is still missing some staples.
Updated on April 27, 2022 by Ritwik Mitra: Dragon Ball is one of the greatest shonen anime of all time, with its protagonist being one of the most recognizable fictional characters of all time. Goku has played a major role in almost every arc of this series, with his powerups and transformations being the stuff of legends. However, given the sheer number of abilities he's learned over the course of Dragon Ball, some of them have become obsolete in favor of more powerful attacks. The most notable ones of the bunch are mentioned below.
15 Crazy Fist
Goku has an uncanny ability to copy the attacks of most people and use them to a slightly effective degree almost instantly. This has allowed him to alter his martial arts techniques in slight yet meaningful ways.
The Crazy Fist is one such attack that he learned after trying to copy the Drunken Fist from his opponent, Jackie Chun. It's a pretty unique move, but Goku hasn't really used it at all for the longest time.
14 Eight-Arm Fist
The idea of moving one's arms so quickly that they appear to multiply seems like a pretty advanced technique indeed. Goku's opponents have used this move to catch him off-guard time and time again.
However, Goku also managed to use this technique in a short period of time. Given how rapid his punches have become anyway, it's understandable to see why having to simulate eight arms every single fight can be a cumbersome affair.
13 Finger Beam
The Finger Beam is a pretty iconic technique that has been featured in Dragon Ball time and time again. For the most part, this attack is used by evil characters who use a nonchalant technique to inflict deadly damage on their opponents.
However, most people aren't aware of the fact that Goku has also used the Finger Beam occasionally in Dragon Ball. However, these instances are so brief and infrequent that it almost feels like an afterthought.
12 Explosive Wave
The Explosive Wave is another recognizable technique from Dragon Ball, where the user essentially turns themselves into a central point for a damaging explosion. The fact that this is carried out through the application of ki makes it even more impressive.
Goku has actually used this move at times early on in Dragon Ball but has forgotten about it ever since. This is probably for the best since this technique really doesn't suit a fighter like Goku.
11 Feet Kamehameha
One of the most unique Kamehamehas in the entire series was executed during Goku's fight against Piccolo Jr. After being struck downward by a blow from Piccolo, Goku thought of an ingenious move to counter this blow.
Before making contact with the ground, Goku fired off a Kamehameha with his feet that allowed him to shoot up and punch Piccolo in the face. It was a unique moment in the series that hasn't been repeated ever since.
10 Jan Ken Punch
Alongside the Kamehameha, the Jan Ken Punch is one of Goku’s earliest techniques in Dragon Ball. It’s primarily used during the first three-story arcs (the first Hunt for the Dragon Balls up to the end of the Red Ribbon Army arc) and one of Goku’s few melee oriented skills. The Jan Ken Punch was taught to him by Grandpa Gohan prior to the start of the series.
The technique itself can strike in three different ways, all based on Rock Paper Scissors: Goku can punch his opponent, smack them in the face with his palm, or poke them in the eyes with his fingers. It’s an incredibly endearing technique that speaks to Goku’s creativity in martial arts, but it’s also unrefined enough where he grows out of his as the story progresses.
9 Bojutsu
Bojutsu refers to the martial art of stick fighting, where artists use staffs and poles in combat. Goku notably uses Bojutsu whenever wielding the Nyoibo – also known as the Power Pole in Funimation’s English dub. While the Nyoibo is an iconic part of kid Goku’s design, he actually doesn’t use the staff all that much.
The most Goku uses Bojutsu is during the Red Ribbon Army arc, particularly when he storms their headquarters and uses the Nyoibo to wipe out waves of soldiers at once. From there, Goku retires the Nyoibo as a weapon, connecting it to God’s Palace at the end of the King Piccolo arc and then holding onto it as a keepsake (as seen in the 23d Tenkaichi Budokai.)
8 Telepathy
Goku has an odd habit of picking up techniques out of nowhere during Dragon Ball Z. Near the end of the fight with Vegeta, Goku begins using telepathy to communicate with Krillin. Considering the sheer amount of damage Goku took fighting Vegeta, it’s not unreasonable he wouldn’t be able to speak, thus requiring telepathy.
Interestingly, other characters such as Piccolo have shown a knack for telepathy in the past, and it’s arguably Kaio’s signature techniques (other than the literal Kaioken and Genki Dama, neither of which he can actually use.) That said, the opportunity hasn’t presented itself for Goku to use telepathy again.
7 Mind Reading
Upon landing on Namek, Goku puts his hand on Krillin’s head and manages to read his mind. All on a whim, at that! While the act was clearly done on Toriyama’s part so that Krillin didn’t have to spill exposition for Goku, the mind-reading still comes off as bizarre. It’s not without precedent, however.
The 21st Tenkaichi Budokai establishes that martial arts masters can simply read minds as an inherent ability when Jackie Chun dives into Namu in order to see his backstory. Considering Goku dons his own kanji for the first time during the Frieza arc, it lines up nicely that he’d pull off Mind Reading here.
6 Taiyoken
The Taiyoken – also known as the Solar Flare – is one of the most useful techniques in all of Dragon Ball. A Crane School staple, the Taiyoken completely blinds the opponent by triggering a bright flash. The technique is used multiple times throughout Dragon Ball by quite a number of characters, Goku included.
Goku’s most notable use of the Taiyoken is during his fight against Vegeta when he briefly blinds the Oozaru. It’s only enough to create a brief opening, but it arguably saves Goku’s life. Given that it’s a Crane School technique and generally non-combative, it does make sense Goku avoids the Taiyoken.