Goku's Ability to Read Minds

[omaro34]

On Namek, when Goku first arrived in the battlefield against the Ginyu goons, Goku was able to read Krillin's mind. He grabbed Krillin's head, and after a moment knew everything that's transpired prior to his arrival.

It can be a handy technique. For example, he could have done it for Future Trunks when he first arrived to tell them about the upcoming Android threat. That could have avoided the awkward situation where he had to separate him and Trunks from the group making them suspicious about the young warrior. Would have been more efficient, and a great way to hide secrets.

Supreme Kai was able to do it when he read Vegeta's mind. Why didn't Goku use this technique again?

[Lord Beerus]

In universe = Goku just forgot he could read minds and never used the technique

Out of universe = Toriyama arbitrarily gave Goku the ability to read minds so he wouldn't have to waste time to retell the events of Namek up until the point Goku arrived on the battle scene. It was a technique that Goku was given for the sake of convince and not to used for any further reference.

[Captain Strawberry]

Does Goku specifically need to make physical contact to read their minds?

[Cetra]

Goku is not the only one. Piccolo can also read minds. He did so in vol. 15 or 16 and then never did it again. Whenever I mention it someone tries to have an excuse that it was because of Kami but a) Piccolo had no idea it was Kami and b) Piccolo also was not surprised about the mind reading so it was a conscious decision of his to read the mind. And this mind reading given to Cell would have been as much of a problem as a Kaiouken Cell.

[emperior]

Muten Roshi too could read minds, as he did with Namu, and Korin too could as he read Goku's mind. It was said that every expert martial artist could read minds, though when Kaioshin did so in Buu arc Vegeta was really surprised (I don't remember about the others). Maybe Saiyans never showed such a thing, and like with ki manipulation it got Vegeta by surprise. Out of universe I'm sure it was just Toriyama forgetting about it.

[KBABZ]

On Namek, I felt that it was also used to give Goku a sort of "ohmaikaio he's SO STRONG he's spiritually on another level!" sort of feel. And yeah, storytelling convenience.

On the Trunks moment, as a reader I vastly prefer hearing about Trunks' story and why he's there "manually" as it's more interesting to see Goku's reaction blow-by-blow.

[Tectorman]

He's sparingly used it besides the time with Krillin when he arrived on Namek. He also intercepted the telepathic conversation between Kami (lightyears away) and King Kai (in another dimension entirely) while he was fighting Frieza. Arguably, he also used it when he was talking to Dende in the Buu Saga after Bulma had summoned Shenron to restore everyone killed after Majin Vegeta had attacked the tournament.

And it's not just him. Wouldn't the image training Gohan and Krillin did on the way to Namek count, too?

[Miracles]

Ah, Namek.

Good times.

[sintzu]

A lot f techniques only made one showing and we never saw them again. The final flash for example is a classic yet we only got it once.

[Kanassa]

A lot f techniques only made one showing and we never saw them again. The final flash for example is a classic yet we only got it once.

Technically, the Final Flash was used before then on Namek, but the attack wasn't given a name and in the anime it was blue.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Muten Roshi too could read minds, as he did with Namu

Everyone always seems to forget this. Goku reading minds is not anything significantly unusual or unprecedented. Roshi said anyone with good enough ki training could do it.

[emperior]

Muten Roshi too could read minds, as he did with Namu

Everyone always seems to forget this. Goku reading minds is not anything significantly unusual or unprecedented. Roshi said anyone with good enough ki training could do it.

Exactly, and neither Roshi nor Korin had to touch a person to read their mind. I think the reading mind thing had to be dropped as it could have been OP in battle, and it would have also been quite difficult to write some drama. For example, Future Trunks would have never been mysteryous if everyone could read his mind. Also, Goku wouldn't have been tricked by Raditz if he could read his mind. And it was always a plot-tool which never had any importance except for speeding things up.