Goku always using the same fighting stance

[emperior]

Am I the only one who's annoyed by the fact Goku always uses the same stance in Super? Can't storyboarders/animators get more creative, or at least re-use some fighting stance Goku used in the past?

[MainJPW]

And it's not just Goku; everyone does it now:

[precita]

That's said to be the best fighting stance that leaves no openings.

[Lionel]

What do you expect from a franchise that puts its weight in power levels, transformations and flashy projectile based attacks? The combat system is greatly homogenised. Punch and kick flurries are the rule of thumb for hand-to-hand exchanges nowadays. The few exceptions like with Jackie Chun's Zui Quan stance, Hit's Kyushojutsu, and Zamasu's defencive parry martial arts (not sure what it's called) are exactly that, exceptions. They often don't impart the kind of effect that's to be expected from them. For example, Hit striking Vegeta in the temple region or his trachea should have very likely induced unconsciousness or respiratory difficulty. But it's physically interpreted by the animators as just being an uncomfortable sensation. Vegeta doesn't note anything really significant until Hit alters his tactics and attacks him with a hard hitting punch to the abdomen. It's all largely the same. You'll find more distinction in things like Piccolo or Tenshinhan's racially exclusive techniques

[Bullza]

Nowadays? There hasn't been an emphasis on actual martial arts skill since the original Dragon Ball.

Actually Super has done more to showcase their actual martial arts skill than Dragon Ball Z. Even then it was only shown in two fights.

[Lionel]

The original Dragon Ball neglected to really distinguish the fighting styles also. It just happened to pay better attention to the hand-to-hand choreography instead of compromising it with accelerated shock-wave collisions and appendage flurries. Next to the characters already mentioned, there's Napapa being an obvious reference to Sumo wrestlers and perhaps a few other mismatched faces in this tournament. I can't say there's been all too many examples of raw skill on display, though.

[BWri]

And it's not just Goku; everyone does it now:

turtle hermit style???

[Doctor.]

That's said to be the best fighting stance that leaves no openings.

I don't see why, honestly. The fingers in that claw-like shape would be right open to getting grabbed and twisted.

[emperior]

That's said to be the best fighting stance that leaves no openings.

I don't see why, honestly. The fingers in that claw-like shape would be right open to getting grabbed and twisted.

Those fingers like that make no sense, though the position of the body should avoid getting hit in vital parts as much as possible, while providing a good opportunity of quickly switch to a more offensive stance to strike from the right.
Although that stance from Goku makes no sense considering he flies and rushes to attack 90% of the times. If they had Goku quickly moving with his feet towards his enemy it would look a lot better.

[BlueBasilisk]

Didn't Nappa also use a stance similar to that once?

[aravinthan]

Guys it can be simply explained from the PoV of the person who draws the Genga. It may be just easy for them........

[Acetona]

The original Dragon Ball neglected to really distinguish the fighting styles also. It just happened to pay better attention to the hand-to-hand choreography instead of compromising it with accelerated shock-wave collisions and appendage flurries. Next to the characters already mentioned, there's Napapa being an obvious reference to Sumo wrestlers and perhaps a few other mismatched faces in this tournament. I can't say there's been all too many examples of raw skill on display, though.

I agree 100% with you. DB never had any of that martial arts people try to shove on our throats. As much as Z never lost the "adventure" people say the original had. Half of the original was just tournaments, how is this any more adventure-like than protecting Earth from aliens, demons and androids? Wow, wait... we had a demon back then, remember Piccolo Daimaoh? I don't know when such trend started, but it's really untrue. I have seen people say Yamcha was a badass back than but got shafted on Z, and that's not true either. He never won an on-screen fight in the manga without receiving any help, except for the Saibaiman one (and even then he died afterwards).

On topic, though, I think they're trying to relate this stance with Turtle Hermit Style students. Notice that in that screenshot someone posted above, Piccolo does not use the same stance as all others. As for Gohan, while he hasn't trained under Roshi, I think we can say he got it from Goku, perhaps...

[DragonBallFoodie]

The action in DB can be considered as basic, but exciting. Lots of speed and power, but not too much of varied powers (it's generally energy blasts) or strategic thinking.

A lot of current shonen (let's say from the 90s and onwards) has people using different powers and so needing to think strategically (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Certain Magical Index, etc). DB doesn't really go into that, because of Toriyama keeping it simple and because it's a martial arts story and not a superhero story; the techniques are basic hand-to-hand combat.

At times it can perhaps feel limited, but it can also be seen as part of DB's charm.

[lunaticthegame]

Didn't he use it when he was a kid?