Don't pretend you haven't practised these techniques. Join Ashley as we count down our picks for the best attacks to come from the Dragon Ball franchise
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00:00 Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the coolest, most powerful,
00:12 or overall iconic attacks from the Dragon Ball franchise.
00:25 When Majin Buu threatened the fate of humanity, Vegeta pulled all his power into one uber-powerful
00:30 final strike.
00:32 It's so powerful, in fact, that it takes the Saiyan down, too.
00:35 That's a high price to pay, but Vegeta's sacrifice made it one of his greatest moments
00:41 in the original series.
00:44 Plus, it isn't quite as final as its name implies.
00:58 Thanks to the Dragon Balls, Vegeta lived through his first heroic goodbye.
01:02 Then, when Super rolled around, he'd grown strong enough to survive the explosion all
01:07 on his own.
01:15 Blowing yourself up isn't always a good tactic in battle, but clearly, it's damn
01:19 effective.
01:20 It's common sense to never bring a sword to a beam fight.
01:39 The only exception is, of course, when that sword is made of ki, too.
01:44 Over the years, Dragon Ball has spiced up its hand-to-hand combat with the introduction
01:48 of all sorts of psionic weapons.
01:50 There's blades, shields, knives, and at one point, a scythe.
01:55 You have Goku Black and Zamasu to thank for most of them.
02:04 While they weren't the first to try out ki-based encounterments, they definitely take
02:08 the crown where style is concerned.
02:10 Villainy has never looked so cool.
02:16 Give it to Freeza to cut right to the chase.
02:19 Instead of an over-the-top name, his Death Beam does exactly what it sounds like.
02:24 It kills people, usually with a single standard ki attack.
02:28 But what it lacks in flair, it makes up for in sheer effectiveness.
02:32 There's not many people, Saiyan or not, who have seen a Death Beam and lived to tell
02:37 the tale.
02:45 Given Freeza's propensity towards sadism, this technique might have the highest main
02:50 character death toll in all of Dragon Ball.
02:53 Though, considering its straightforward name, that's hardly surprising.
03:01 There's no need to sugarcoat this one; it's already sweet enough.
03:08 With a Candy Beam, Majin Buu turns people into dessert, and then eats them whole.
03:22 In a franchise full of iconic moves and high-stakes battles, this sugary attack stands out on
03:28 creativity alone.
03:30 It sounds juvenile, but the Candy Beam is surprisingly effective, too.
03:34 Not even the Demon King, Dabura, could resist becoming a chocolate bar.
03:44 And unless you feel like fighting your way through Buu's digestive system, it's completely
03:48 lethal.
03:49 Really, the only way to truly avoid the Candy Beam is to make sure Buu isn't hungry.
04:04 Tien's attacks may not seem all that impressive compared to Namekian's, Android's or Super
04:09 Saiyan's, but no matter how big the gap in power levels gets, his Tri-Beam Cannon
04:14 is the greatest equaliser.
04:16 Fittingly, there's three main reasons why.
04:19 It's cool, it's overpowered, and it's got one hell of a track record.
04:24 Particularly in Z.
04:26 When Semi-Perfect Cell mopped the floor with everyone, Tien's Tri-Beam single-handedly
04:31 pinned him down long enough for the others to escape.
04:41 Unfortunately, using it that much has a massive toll on Tien's body.
04:49 But as long as he gets the job done, it's a trade worth making every single time.
04:54 You've got to give the Prince of Saiyans credit for one thing.
05:00 He sure knows how to come up with a sick name.
05:03 But don't worry, the Big Bang Attack has the punch to back it up.
05:07 The first time Vegeta showed it off, he unleashed a blast so powerful, it proved that androids
05:13 do feel fear after all.
05:21 And he only needed one hand to do it.
05:24 Since then, the concentrated burst has become one of Vegeta's go-to finishing blows.
05:29 Turns out it's just as effective against gods, monsters, and multiversal robots.
05:41 At this rate, Vegeta may never retire the Big Bang Attack.
05:58 Granted, this attack isn't what you would call lethal, but it doesn't mean it isn't
06:02 damn effective.
06:07 First used by Tien, this attack has been implemented by multiple other fighters, including Goku,
06:12 Krillin, and even the villainous Cell.
06:19 By unleashing a fierce burst of light, the user essentially blinds their opponents and
06:23 everyone else in the immediate vicinity.
06:26 And as such, potentially turns the tide of battle.
06:29 Hey, if it can put a stop to Vegeta in his Great Ape form, who are you to judge?
06:52 Originally created by his tutor Piccolo, the Masenko was taken by Gohan, and he certainly
06:57 made it his own.
07:08 A double-palmed ki blast, this stinger has worked surprisingly well against those pesky
07:14 filler villains, the Spice Boys.
07:26 But that's not to discount its worth, as this multi-generational technique was good
07:31 enough to be handed down to both Gohan's pupil Trunks and his daughter Pern.
07:56 Is a nasty demon ruining your day?
07:58 You've got the physical chops to take him down by traditional means?
08:02 Don't mind throwing away your life in the process?
08:04 Well, how about putting the bugger into a rice cooker or jar or something like that?
08:12 Yes, despite its varying results, the Mafuba has a lot more impact than a lot of the "go-tos"
08:21 of the series.
08:23 Originally brought in to seal away Demon King Piccolo, it disappeared for a good few years,
08:28 but made a glorious return in Super, as Trunks attempted to seal away the immortal jerk Zamasu.
08:45 Yeah, it's weird, but then again, this move was used on a creature that turned people
08:59 into candy.
09:09 After perfecting their fusion, it turned out that Goten and Trunks had more than a few
09:14 special moves under their belts to use on the likes of Majin Buu.
09:18 The most awkward yet effective was when he coughed up a sentient ghost version of themselves,
09:23 who exploded on contact.
09:26 This took us all for a loop, but it still managed to do its job by blowing Buu to tiny,
09:31 pink pieces.
09:41 And this attack must have impressed Buu, since he uses it himself later on.
09:59 Goku has the Kamehameha, Vegeta has the Final Flash, so it only makes sense that their fusion,
10:06 Vegito, would use a combination of them both.
10:08 Introducing the Final Kamehameha – it's twice the firepower, for half the beams.
10:15 As if seeing Goku and Vegeta fuse wasn't exhilarating enough, having them combine their
10:20 iconic techniques is a whole other level of awesome.
10:30 The fact that it's been used so sparingly thus far, just makes it feel all the more
10:34 special.
10:35 It ensures that, when Vegito does whip out the Final Kamehameha, you know you're in
10:40 for a good time.
10:45 Gojira's trademark finishing blow has a tendency to leave enemies in the dust.
10:54 Literally.
10:55 Jun Ember was seemingly unbeatable, but after one run-in with the Stardust Breaker, he melted
11:01 quicker than you could say Kamehameha.
11:10 He even turned into sparkles afterwards, just to really rub it in.
11:14 Brawly fared a bit better, but either way, you can always count on Gojira's flashy
11:19 finisher to put on a dazzling show.
11:28 Still, what makes this attack so memorable is that it isn't a rip-off of something
11:35 that came before.
11:36 No, this is a Gojira original, and it's all the better for it.
11:41 8.
11:42 Dragon Fist
11:43 Who needs a beam struggle?
11:45 All Goku needs to win is his fists and a running start.
11:49 His determination takes care of the rest.
11:57 On the surface, this looks just like your average punch with a bit of a wind-up.
12:01 But as soon as Goku takes to the sky, the dragon imagery makes it clear this is something
12:07 special.
12:08 Suffice it to say, the Dragon Fist has definitely earned its place in the franchise's history
12:13 books.
12:14 I think Piccolo and Super 17 certainly think so.
12:22 Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Dragon Fist never starts a fight – it just ends
12:27 them.
12:28 7.
12:29 Destructo Disc
12:30 Oh, Krillin.
12:33 You're the universe's favourite punching bag, but against all odds, you keep on moving
12:44 forward.
12:45 And hey, you've got a hot android wife and a signature move all your own, so things can't
12:50 be all that awful.
12:59 Forming a circular disc out of pure ki, this attack may have been replicated by several
13:04 DBZ villains – to greater effect, we might add – but we'll always associate this
13:09 technique with Krillin over anyone else.
13:12 Even if the best thing he's ever done with it is cut off Freeza's tail.
13:21 6.
13:24 Galick Gun
13:35 Back when Vegeta was a destroyer of worlds, this was the deadliest attack in his arsenal.
13:41 Considering it managed to bring the Kamehameha to a stalemate, that is saying a lot.
13:54 We certainly don't see much of it in Z outside a singular beam struggle against Goku, but
13:59 given just how iconic that scene is – not to mention the fact it nearly blew up the
14:04 planet – we have to give this technique props.
14:07 This signature move would later become a mainstay in Super, even added to the arsenal of Trunks.
14:18 5.
14:22 Hakai
14:23 There may have been a lot of powerful techniques out there, but this is the only real one-hit
14:28 KO in all of Dragon Ball.
14:30 Hakai is the manifestation of a destroyer god's energy, and as such, it can obliterate
14:36 quite literally anything it touches – even deities themselves.
14:46 If they aren't safe, then there really is no limit to what Hakai can do.
14:51 So maybe it's for the best that only destroyers like Beerus are capable of harnessing its
14:56 strength.
14:57 If Top's time in the Tournament of Power proves anything, it's that there's no
15:01 real way to beat Hakai.
15:03 All you can do is cross your fingers and delay the inevitable.
15:11 4.
15:14 Special Beam Cannon
15:26 It killed Goku, a special enough for us.
15:29 While Piccolo certainly has no shortage of unique ki-based blasts at his disposal, it's
15:34 this energy weapon that has stuck with him the most throughout the entire series, and
15:39 served him rather well in the process.
15:51 While it may not look as impressive as some of the wider ki-blasts, it was strong enough
15:56 to cut through both Goku and Raditz, and has managed to at least wound several foes afterwards.
16:02 It was also one of Imperfect Cell's preferred copied moves, so that must count for something.
16:15 3.
16:19 Spirit Bomb
16:27 Once upon a time, if you were Goku's opponent and you ended up facing this technique, then
16:32 you were history.
16:34 Most notably used to defeat a good number of DBZ movie villains, this collection of
16:39 the planet's energy resulted in the creation of a colossal sphere that decimated everything
16:45 it touched.
16:58 All the waiting time can be a real pain, and particularly strong foes like Freeza have
17:03 managed to withstand its force, but that doesn't take away the fact that with enough borrowed
17:08 energy, this sphere can crush anything, just ask Kid Buu.
17:16 2.
17:20 Final Flash
17:30 The most powerful attack that Vegeta has at his disposal, this golden explosion of energy
17:35 became just as synonymous with him as the Kamehameha is to Goku, and boy is it a spectacle.
17:46 It's greatest moment was, of course, when Vegeta unleashed this beauty against the newly
17:58 formed Perfect Cell, and it practically blew half his body to hell.
18:09 The fact that Cell regenerated right after doesn't take away just how devastating an
18:14 attack it is, and it's one truly worthy of the Prince of Saiyans.
18:44 1.
18:45 Kamehameha
18:53 Which one of you thought anything else would top this list?
18:56 It's the freaking Kamehameha.
18:59 Since the early days of Dragon Ball, this attack has stuck with Goku through thick and
19:04 thin – probably more than Chi-Chi – bringing down the likes of alien tyrants, killer androids,
19:10 and whatever the hell Majin Buu was.
19:24 The stronger that Goku gets, you can bet that this icon of Japanese culture will only grow
19:29 in size and scope with him.
19:32 And don't pretend that you haven't practiced it in your own time as well.
19:53 Did we miss any of your favorite Dragon Ball attacks?
20:12 [music]
20:22 (drum roll)