Summary
- Goku introduced Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken, a powerful combination in Dragon Ball Super.
- Super Kaioken is an anime-only technique with dangerous potential explained in the series.
- Emotional turmoil in regular SSJ transformations restricts Kaioken, but it pairs well with SSJ Blue's calmness.
Kaioken, or Kaio-ken, is one of the first power-up techniques introduced in Dragon Ball Z, and it was used quite a bit before Super Saiyan came along. In the Dragon Ball anime, Kaioken is explored more than in the manga.
While the manga seems to put it aside for a good time, it made a big comeback in Dragon Ball Super when Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken, an advanced form of the technique, is introduced. Not only that, but the manga also managed to explain why the anime didn't handle Kaioken very well and why it was "left behind" for so long.
Dragon Ball: Super Kaioken, Explained
Super Kaioken is an anime-exclusive technique invented by Goku, but what is it about?
What Is Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken?
Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken, also known as Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan: Kaio-ken or simply Blue Kaioken, is when a Saiyan uses Kaioken while in Super Saiyan Blue form. This combination was introduced in Dragon Ball Super.
Kaioken is a technique created by North Kai which allows the user to greatly amplify their powers, but at a great cost. It requires precise ki control to keep the technique active and, because it takes a toll on the body, it can easily lead to exhaustion, especially if used for long periods of time.
In addition to the regular Kaioken, Goku has been able to push the technique to new limits by using Kaioken x2, Kaioken x3, Kaioken x4, Kaioken x10, Kaioken x20, and even Kaioken x100. It is presumed that each advanced form of Kaioken is more dangerous and more costly. Goku has also been able to use Blue Kaioken x10 and Blue Kaioken x20. Other forms of Kaioken are featured in Dragon Ball games, especially in Dragon Ball Fusion s.
Is Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken "Canon"?
Blue Kaioken is actually the only combination of Kaioken and Super Saiyan shown in the manga. Goku actually uses Super Kaioken in the anime, when he uses Kaioken while transformed into SSJ or SSJ2 during the fight against Pikkon (also known as Paikuhan, but Super Kaioken is an anime-only technique.
Goku also uses Super Kaioken in the Dragon Ball Super anime, but this part was cut from the manga, meaning that Toriyama probably never saw Super Kaioken as a possible technique. However, fans are always free to diverge from Toriyama's or anyone else's views, and they can consider Super Kaioken to be canon or legit.
Why Doesn't Super Kaioken Make Sense?
Dragon Ball Super actually suggests why Super Kaioken was never officially included in the manga, and it makes a lot of sense. What happens is that Super Saiyan transformations are generally about emotional turmoil and anger, and that doesn't suit the requirements for performing Kaioken.
At the very least, it would be dangerous to try to use a technique that requires refined ki control while in a state of great emotional stress. Old Kai explicitly states in Dragon Ball Super that Kaioken and Super Saiyan would be a dangerous combination that could easily lead to death because of the emotional stress caused by SSJ.
Super Saiyan Blue, on the other hand, is a divine transformation that works differently than regular SSJ transformations. Blue can only be achieved through a calm mind. Thus, there are no barriers to combining it with Kaioken — quite the opposite, it is possible to take Kaioken to new heights while transforming into SSJ Blue.
Who Can Use Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken?
Unfortunately, Goku is still the only member of the Dragon Team to have learned Kaioken. While we can speculate that human characters like Yamcha or Krillin would have physical limitations to properly perform this technique, it is a shame that neither Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks nor Goten have learned to use it.
Perhaps Pan will learn it at some point, since she was already able to power up as a baby. It is not known if Piccolo (or any other Namekian) could learn Kaioken, but there seems to be no reason not to.
Even though Kaioken became less relevant as the characters achieved more powerful forms, there are probably other transformations that, just like SSJ Blue, would be greatly enhanced when combined with Kaioken.
Dragon Ball Super manga is available to read on MANGA Plus in English and Spanish.
- Release Date
- 2015 - 2018
- Network
- Fuji TV
- Showrunner
- Tatsuya Nagamine
- Directors
- Ryota Nakamura, Masanori Sato, Kenichi Takeshita, Takao Iwai, Hideki Hiroshima, Masato Mitsuka, Kazuya Karasawa, Ayumu Ono, Takahiro Imamura, Tatsuya Nagamine, Kôjiro Kawasaki, Kouji Ogawa
- Writers
- Ryu King, Hiroshi Yamaguchi
- Franchise(s)
- Dragon Ball
Cast
-
Masakazu MoritaWhis (voice) -
Masako NozawaSon Goku/Goku Black/Son Gohan/Son Goten (voices)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Akira Toriyama
- Number of Episodes
- 131
- Streaming Service(s)
- Hulu, Crunchyroll
