Top 20 Greatest Dragon Ball Attacks
Top 20 Greatest Dragon Ball Attacks
Top 10 Greatest Dragon Ball Attacks
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the coolest, most powerful, or overall iconic attacks from the “Dragon Ball” franchise.
#20: Final Explosion
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When Majin Buu threatened the fate of humanity, Vegeta pooled all of his power into one, uber-powerful final strike. It’s so powerful, in fact, that it takes the Saiyan down, too. That’s a high price to pay, but Vegeta’s sacrifice made it one of his greatest moments in the original series. Plus, it isn’t quite as “final” as its name implies. Thanks to the Dragon Balls, Vegeta lived through his first heroic goodbye. Then, when “Super” rolled around, he’d grown strong enough to survive the explosion all on his own. Blowing yourself up isn’t always a good tactic in battle, but clearly, it’s damn effective.
#19: Energy Weapons
It’s common sense to never bring a sword to a beam fight. The only exception is, of course, when that sword is made of ki, too. Over the years, “Dragon Ball” has spiced up its hand-to-hand combat with the introduction of all sorts of psionic weapons. There’s blades, shields, knives, and at one point, a scythe. You have Goku Black and Zamasu to thank for most of them. While they weren’t the first to try out ki-based accouterments, they definitely take the crown where style is concerned. Villainy has never looked so cool.
#18: Death Beam
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Leave it to Frieza to cut right to the chase. Instead of an over-the-top name, his Death Beam does exactly what it sounds like. It kills people. Usually, with a single, standard ki attack. But, what it lacks in flair it makes up for in sheer effectiveness. There’s not many people, Saiyan or not, who have seen a Death Beam and lived to tell the tale. Given Frieza’s propensity towards sadism, this technique might have the highest main-character death toll in all of “Dragon Ball.” Although, considering its straightforward name, that’s hardly surprising.
#17: Candy Beam
There’s no need to sugar-coat this one, it’s already sweet enough. With the Candy Beam, Majin Buu turns people into dessert, and then eats them whole. In a franchise full of iconic moves and high-stakes battles, this sugary attack stands out on creativity alone. It sounds juvenile, but the Candy Beam is surprisingly powerful, too. Not even the Demon King Dabura could resist becoming a chocolate bar. And, unless you feel like fighting your way through Buu’s digestive system, it’s completely lethal. Really, the only way to truly avoid the Candy Beam is to make sure Buu isn’t hungry.
#16: Tri-Beam
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Tien’s attacks may not seem all that impressive compared to Namekians, Androids, and Super Saiyans. But, no matter how big the gap in power levels gets, his Tri-Beam is the great equalizer. Fittingly, there’s three main reasons why: it’s cool, it’s overpowered, and it’s got one hell of a track record. Particularly in “Z.” When Semi-Perfect Cell mopped the floor with everyone, Tien’s Tri-Beam single handedly pinned him down long enough for the others to escape. Unfortunately, using it that much has a massive toll on Tien’s body. But, as long as it gets the job done, it’s a trade worth making every single time.
#15: Big Bang Attack
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You’ve gotta give the Prince of Saiyans credit for one thing, he sure knows how to come up with a sick name. But, don’t worry, the Big Bang Attack has the punch to back it up. The first time Vegeta showed it off, he unleashed a blast so powerful, it proved that androids do feel fear, after all. And he only needed one hand to do it. Since then, the concentrated burst has become one of Vegeta’s go-to finishing blows. Turns out, it’s just as effective against gods, monsters, and multiversal robots. At this rate, Vegeta may never retire the Big Bang Attack.
#14: Solar Flare
Granted, this attack isn’t what you would call lethal, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t damn effective. First used by Tien, this attack has been implemented by multiple other fighters, including Goku, Krillin and even the villainous Cell. By unleashing a fierce burst of light, the user essentially blinds their opponent and everyone else in the immediate vicinity, and as such potentially turns the tide of the battle. Hey, if it can put a stop to Vegeta in his Great Ape form, who are you to judge?
#13: Masenko
Originally created by his tutor Piccolo, the masenko was taken Gohan and he certainly made it his own. A double-palmed ki-blast, this stinger has worked surprisingly well against those pesky filler villains, the Spice Boys. But that’s not to discount its worth, as this multi-generational technique was good enough to be handed down to both Gohan’s pupil, Trunks and his daughter, Pan.
#12: Evil Containment Wave
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Is a nasty demon ruining your day? Not got the physical chops to take him down by traditional means? Don’t mind throwing away your life in the process? Well how about putting the bugger in a Rice cooker or jar, or something? Yes, despite its varying results the Mafuba, this technique has a lot more impact than a lot of the go-to’s of the series. Originally brought in to seal away demon king Piccolo, it disappeared for a good few years, but made a glorious return in super as Trunks attempted to seal away the immortal bastard, Zamasu.
#11: Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack
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Yeah, it’s weird, but then again this move was used on a creature that turned people into candy. After perfecting their fusion, it turned out that Goten and Trunks had more than a few special moves under their belts to use on the likes of Majin Buu. The most awkward yet effective was when they coughed up a sentient, ghost version of themselves…who exploded on contact. This took us all for a loop, but it still managed to do its job by blowing Buu to tiny, pink pieces. And this attack must have impressed Buu, since he uses it himself later on.
#10: Final Kamehameha
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Goku has the Kamehameha. Vegeta has the Final Flash. So, it only makes sense that their fusion, Vegito, would use a combination of them both. Introducing the Final Kamehameha! It’s twice the firepower for half the beams. As if seeing Goku and Vegeta fuse wasn’t exhilarating enough, having them combine their iconic techniques is a whole other level of awesome. The fact that it’s been used so sparingly thus far just makes it feel all the more special. It ensures that, when Vegito does whip out the Final Kamehameha, you know you’re in for a good time.
#9: Stardust Breaker
Gogeta’s trademark finishing blow has a tendency to leave enemies in the dust. Literally. Janemba was seemingly unbeatable, but after one run-in with the Stardust Breaker, he melted quicker than you can say “Kamehameha.” He even turned into sparkles, afterwards, just to really rub it in. Broly fared a bit better, but either, you can always count on Gogeta’s flashy finisher to put on a dazzling show. Still, what makes this attack so memorable is that it’s not a ripoff of something that came before. No, this is a Gogeta original, and it’s all the better for it.
#8: Dragon Fist
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Who needs a beam struggle? All Goku needs to win is his fists, and a running start. His determination takes care of the rest. On the surface, this just looks like an average punch with a bit of wind-up. But, as soon as Goku takes to the sky, the dragon imagery makes it clear this is something special. Suffice it to say, the Dragon Fist has definitely earned its place in the franchise’s history books. King Piccolo and Super 17 certainly think so. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the Dragon Fist never starts fights. It just ends them.
#7: Destructo Disc
Oh Krillin. You’re the universe’s favourite punching bag, but against all odds you keep on moving forward. And hey, you’ve got a hot android wife and a signature move all your own, so things can’t be all that awful. Forming a circular disk out of pure ki, this attack may have been replicated by several DBZ villains (to greater effect we might add) but we’ll always associate this technique with Krillin over anyone else…even if the best thing he’s ever done with it is cut of Frieza’s tail.
#6: Galick Gun
Back when Vegeta was a destroyer of worlds, this was the deadliest attack in his arsenal. Considering it managed to bring the Kamehameha to a stalemate, that’s saying a lot. We certainly don’t see much of it in Z outside a singular beam struggle against Goku, but given just how iconic that scene is (not to mention the fact it nearly blew up the planet) we have to give this technique props. This signature move would later become a mainstay in Super, even added to the arsenal of Trunks.
#5: Hakai
There may be a lot of powerful techniques out there, but this is the only real one-hit-KO in all of “Dragon Ball.” Hakai is the manifestation of a Destroyer God’s energy, and as such, it can obliterate quite literally anything it touches. Even deities themselves. If they aren’t safe, then there really is no limit to what Hakai can do. So, maybe it’s for the best that only Destroyers like Beerus are capable of harnessing its strength. If Top’s time in the Tournament of Power proves anything, it’s that there’s no real way to beat Hakai. All you can do is cross your fingers and delay the inevitable.
#4: Special Beam Cannon
Hey, it killed Goku, that’s special enough for us. While Piccolo certainly has no shortage of unique ki-based attacks at his disposal, it’s this energy wave that has stuck with him most throughout the series, and served him rather well in the process. While it may not look as impressive as some of the wider ki blasts, it was strong enough to cut through both Goku and Raditz, and has managed to at least wound several foes afterwards. It was also one of Imperfect Cell’s preferred copied moves, so that must count for something!
#3: Spirit Bomb
Once upon a time, if you were Goku’s opponent and you ended up facing this technique, then you were history. Most notably used to defeat a good number of DBZ movie villains, this collection of the planet’s energy resulted in the creation of a colossal sphere that decimated everything that it touched. Sure, the waiting time can be a real bitch, and particularly strong foes like Frieza have managed to withstand its force, but that still doesn’t take away the fact that with enough borrowed energy this sphere can crush anything. Just ask Kid Buu.
#2: Final Flash
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The most powerful attack that Vegeta has at his disposal, this golden explosion of energy became just as synonymous with him as the Kamehameha is to Goku and boy is it a spectacle. Its greatest moment was of course when Vegeta unleashed this beauty against the newly formed Perfect Cell…and it practically blew half of his body to hell. The fact that Cell regenerated right after doesn’t take away just how devastating attack it is, one worthy of the Prince of Saiyans.
#1: Kamehameha
Which one of you thought anything else would top the list? It’s the freakin’ Kamehameha! Since the early days of Dragon Ball, this attack has stuck with Goku through thick and thin (probably more so than ChiChi) bringing down the likes of alien tyrants, killer androids and whatever the hell Majin Buu was. The stronger that Goku gets, you can bet that this icon of Japanese culture will only grow in size and scope with him. Don’t pretend that you haven’t practised it in your own time as well!
