Things I've noticed about ki blasts

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ayakuweb
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Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by ayakuweb » Fri Jun 11, 2021 7:32 pm

So I wrote about this on my blog but thought I'd share it here. I'm having trouble uploading images so if you want to read it on my blog here it is:

https://ayakuweb.com/?p=91

I think we’ve all tried to do a ki blast attack from Dragon Ball like Goku’s signature move the kamehameha. But in what ways does it hurt people? If you were to be hit by a blast and somehow walk away from it, how would you describe the pain? A sharp pain? Or does it feel like getting hit by a bulldozer?

What is ki?

It’s a type of intrinsic energy that is in everyone. Practitioners of martial arts will have greater ki than those who don’t practice. It’s a life force. I can keep going on about defining the word, but to put it simply: ki is energy.

In the world of Dragon Ball, almost every main character has ki that is bigger than an average mortal. I use this word instead of human because there are characters in the series who are animals. The bigger their ki reserve is, the stronger they are. In fact, they’re so strong that they can draw energy from their bodies and conjure a shape they can hold, and use it to physically hit someone as if it were a beam when they choose to release that power.

Most of the ki blast moves in Dragon Ball are used to physically hurt someone upon contact with their opponent. However, there are many ways in how each person is affected by these energy attacks.

Heat and Physical Force

There are a few examples throughout the series where someone who is hit by a ki blast has steam emitting from parts of their body in the aftermath. One of the best examples of this is when Piccolo shields Gohan from Nappa’s attack during the Saiyan Saga. There are some noticeable scorches throughout Piccolo’s body in addition to his clothes being torn… which I’m assuming was burned off.

In addition to that, there’s a physical force with intense weight behind that energy beam. The ground underneath Gohan and Piccolo is paved, meaning Nappa’s attack was so big and wide, it affected the field they were fighting on. Since the Namekian stood his ground, we can assume that the damage was similar to being hit by a moving truck. Only worse because not only did Piccolo have to get hit by it, he had to stand his ground and use every ounce of his body just to hold it back.

Lastly, both the anime and manga depicted some kind of explosion of energy, but not of a fire property. Which I think was a sign of Piccolo containing the force onto himself; since energy just doesn’t disappear (I say this with no actual knowledge of science in my mind), it collapsed onto itself and exploded.

Therefore, I think Piccolo died for the following reasons:

-he exhausted himself holding back a beam of intense physical force
-he used all of his ki trying to hold back that force and stand his ground
-energy hot

Pushes People Away

As mentioned earlier, there are ki blasts that hit you with a physical force. Although they may not be hot enough to disintegrate you, they are strong enough to push you far away. A good example of this is when Goku used his Kamehameha blast to stop Vegeta’s Galick Gun from destroying the Earth.

We can see that Vegeta easily escapes from Goku’s blast by just flying out of the way and avoided being sent to the vacuum of space. I’m sure it still hurt upon impact though.

Disintegrate

Cell is one of the toughest opponents villains throughout the series. He can regenerate himself as long as one bit of himself remains. Therefore, Gohan had to use a Kamehameha strong enough to disintegrate his opponent.

This is one of those rare cases where we get to see a beam attack completely obliterate an opponent, leaving no trace of them behind. Good job on your first kill, Gohan.

Also I think the only time the Spirit Bomb actually ever killed someone was against Kid Buu by disintegrating him completely. Movies don’t count.

I’m guessing that, like other ki blasts, the Kamehameha wave is just an energy beam with physical force and heat. Let’s take a look at other interesting techniques throughout the series.

Implode

Remember when Vegeta killed Nappa? I do. It was pretty graphic and it demonstrated one of the most interesting ki blasts in the series. I have no idea what the name of this attack is in the Prince of Saiyan’s arsenal, but it looks like an invisible force trapped his bald partner in a ball and literally crushed him. You can see his eyes popping out and his limbs contorting in a grotesque way. The attack doesn’t stop there, because it looks like he is blown to Kingdom Come with no traces of him left.

You know who else did this? Freeza… when he blew up Krillin.

This tells us that ki can be controlled in a way where one can manipulate what the attack does. Kind of like customizing your own weapon.

Piercing Attacks

Now that we know ki can be controlled and customized to fit a person’s arsenal, let’s look at piercing blasts. These particular attacks are thinner and look more like a small concentrated beam than a large blast like the kamehameha.

Freeza uses them to pierce holes into people. RIP Vegeta.

Piccolo also has a piercing attack called makankosappo (or Special Beam Cannon for the English Dub folks). In fact, he spent years developing this technique that looks like a medium sized beam with a swirl outside that makes his ki blast look like a drill. I have no idea what the point of its appearance is, but it’s pretty cool that he can shape his own attack. I guess that’s what makes it special.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by Polyphase Avatron » Fri Jun 11, 2021 7:53 pm

You forgot electrocution - like effects, which some techniques can do.
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by theherodjl » Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:15 pm

Ki can also be used to completely cancel out energy attacks as well as any accompanying force that it may possess. Goku did this in an anime scene against Majin Vegeta's ki blast, having made it simply fade away in his hands. Beerus can also do this except it may or may not have something to do with destruction as he said he can only do it when he uses his full power.
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by ayakuweb » Sat Jun 12, 2021 1:55 am

Polyphase Avatron wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 7:53 pm You forgot electrocution - like effects, which some techniques can do.
Oh you're right. I'll try to find a panel as a good example. Thanks.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by ayakuweb » Sat Jun 12, 2021 1:56 am

theherodjl wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:15 pm Ki can also be used to completely cancel out energy attacks as well as any accompanying force that it may possess. Goku did this in an anime scene against Majin Vegeta's ki blast, having made it simply fade away in his hands. Beerus can also do this except it may or may not have something to do with destruction as he said he can only do it when he uses his full power.
I'm glad I started this thread. People add info that I never even thought about. Thanks.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by baconisbacc » Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:58 am

Ki seems to be a very flexible power in the series, which is probably what makes it more long term as compared to something like Hamon in JoJo. That power quickly got replaced because of its limited nature. In the anime(I'm not sure if this happens in the manga, I haven't read it in a while), in the Majin Vegeta vs Goku fight, Vegeta creates these weird Binding Rings of Ki which hold Goku's hands a legs chained to a wall, or when Goku uses a paralyzing type attack in the Recent Broly Movie, when he is in his Super Saiyan God form. This attack seems to also calm Broly down temporarily, so Ki can also Bind, or Paralyze I suppose

Cool Post Btw!
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by saunasolmu » Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:29 am

baconisbacc wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:58 am Ki seems to be a very flexible power in the series, which is probably what makes it more long term as compared to something like Hamon in JoJo. That power quickly got replaced because of its limited nature. In the anime(I'm not sure if this happens in the manga, I haven't read it in a while), in the Majin Vegeta vs Goku fight, Vegeta creates these weird Binding Rings of Ki which hold Goku's hands a legs chained to a wall, or when Goku uses a paralyzing type attack in the Recent Broly Movie, when he is in his Super Saiyan God form. This attack seems to also calm Broly down temporarily, so Ki can also Bind, or Paralyze I suppose

Cool Post Btw!
I'm not sure if those specific examples happen in manga, but Gotenks certainly traps Super Buu using that technique.

Another thing Ki can be used for is cutting attacks. Freeza uses a whip-like technique to cut Namek in half. Vegetto also uses a ki sword against Buu, and Krillin's Kienzan fits here as well. Although this may fall under the piercing attacks category.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by BWri » Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:07 pm

I love this thread!

There's also slashing/slicing attacks like Kienzan and the various ki blades (not keyblades you filthy KH fans). I also wonder if mystical abilities such as Mafuba and Clothes Beam use ki. They are depicted as beams. Magic Materialization in general is a strange one because its unknown if magic is an infinite resource or if it uses ki or some other type of energy.

There's also ki techniques like Sokidan that come off as purely physical attacks until the user decides to detonate them.
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by ayakuweb » Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:13 pm

baconisbacc wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:58 am Ki seems to be a very flexible power in the series, which is probably what makes it more long term as compared to something like Hamon in JoJo. That power quickly got replaced because of its limited nature. In the anime(I'm not sure if this happens in the manga, I haven't read it in a while), in the Majin Vegeta vs Goku fight, Vegeta creates these weird Binding Rings of Ki which hold Goku's hands a legs chained to a wall, or when Goku uses a paralyzing type attack in the Recent Broly Movie, when he is in his Super Saiyan God form. This attack seems to also calm Broly down temporarily, so Ki can also Bind, or Paralyze I suppose

Cool Post Btw!
I'll take a look at the manga to see if those binding rings were in the manga. If it is, then I guess Vegeta may have gotten more creative with his ki techniques.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by ayakuweb » Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:14 pm

saunasolmu wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:29 am
baconisbacc wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:58 am Ki seems to be a very flexible power in the series, which is probably what makes it more long term as compared to something like Hamon in JoJo. That power quickly got replaced because of its limited nature. In the anime(I'm not sure if this happens in the manga, I haven't read it in a while), in the Majin Vegeta vs Goku fight, Vegeta creates these weird Binding Rings of Ki which hold Goku's hands a legs chained to a wall, or when Goku uses a paralyzing type attack in the Recent Broly Movie, when he is in his Super Saiyan God form. This attack seems to also calm Broly down temporarily, so Ki can also Bind, or Paralyze I suppose

Cool Post Btw!
I'm not sure if those specific examples happen in manga, but Gotenks certainly traps Super Buu using that technique.

Another thing Ki can be used for is cutting attacks. Freeza uses a whip-like technique to cut Namek in half. Vegetto also uses a ki sword against Buu, and Krillin's Kienzan fits here as well. Although this may fall under the piercing attacks category.
Forming ki to look like weapons is a pretty cool thing. I remember when Goku Black did it and create a scythe. I'll be sure to create a Weapon Category later.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by ayakuweb » Sat Jun 12, 2021 8:29 pm

BWri wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:07 pm I love this thread!

There's also slashing/slicing attacks like Kienzan and the various ki blades (not keyblades you filthy KH fans). I also wonder if mystical abilities such as Mafuba and Clothes Beam use ki. They are depicted as beams. Magic Materialization in general is a strange one because its unknown if magic is an infinite resource or if it uses ki or some other type of energy.

There's also ki techniques like Sokidan that come off as purely physical attacks until the user decides to detonate them.
You bring up a good point. Maybe I'll take a look at how magic works in the series.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by baconisbacc » Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:56 am

saunasolmu wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:29 am
baconisbacc wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:58 am Ki seems to be a very flexible power in the series, which is probably what makes it more long term as compared to something like Hamon in JoJo. That power quickly got replaced because of its limited nature. In the anime(I'm not sure if this happens in the manga, I haven't read it in a while), in the Majin Vegeta vs Goku fight, Vegeta creates these weird Binding Rings of Ki which hold Goku's hands a legs chained to a wall, or when Goku uses a paralyzing type attack in the Recent Broly Movie, when he is in his Super Saiyan God form. This attack seems to also calm Broly down temporarily, so Ki can also Bind, or Paralyze I suppose

Cool Post Btw!
I'm not sure if those specific examples happen in manga, but Gotenks certainly traps Super Buu using that technique.

Another thing Ki can be used for is cutting attacks. Freeza uses a whip-like technique to cut Namek in half. Vegetto also uses a ki sword against Buu, and Krillin's Kienzan fits here as well. Although this may fall under the piercing attacks category.
On the topic of Gotenks, this bugger does some of the most creative shit with Ki
He creates mini Ghosts that follow his orders(The implications of those are immense), and he creates a Ball of ki that traps Buu long enough to play Volleyball.

Also Gogeta in GT kinda just manifests a party popper out of what I assume to be nothing. So yeah Ki is weird
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by theherodjl » Sun Jun 13, 2021 4:30 am

baconisbacc wrote: Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:56 amOn the topic of Gotenks, this bugger does some of the most creative shit with Ki
He creates mini Ghosts that follow his orders(The implications of those are immense), and he creates a Ball of ki that traps Buu long enough to play Volleyball.

Also Gogeta in GT kinda just manifests a party popper out of what I assume to be nothing. So yeah Ki is weird
That may have more to do with the magic of fusion than Ki itself. Other examples like Vegetto somehow having gained the ability to remain sentient and still have access to his full strength as a tiny ball of chocolate is just more evidence that fusion is it's own kind of bonkers in the superpowers department.
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by Mac » Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:04 pm

baconisbacc wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 10:58 am Ki seems to be a very flexible power in the series, which is probably what makes it more long term as compared to something like Hamon in JoJo. That power quickly got replaced because of its limited nature. In the anime(I'm not sure if this happens in the manga, I haven't read it in a while), in the Majin Vegeta vs Goku fight, Vegeta creates these weird Binding Rings of Ki which hold Goku's hands a legs chained to a wall, or when Goku uses a paralyzing type attack in the Recent Broly Movie, when he is in his Super Saiyan God form. This attack seems to also calm Broly down temporarily, so Ki can also Bind, or Paralyze I suppose

Cool Post Btw!
You can also make sentient ghosts with it somehow as well, no idea how one accomplishes that thoiugh.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by Lionel » Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:24 pm

It's got what appears to be nigh universal applications with physics being circumventive to the point that characters are capable of rending holes in the fabric of reality (Super Buu, Goku Black) and accelerating, bypassing or decelerating time (Guldo, Hit, Jiren). So far the most glaring shortcoming of ki is that it doesn't allow a biological entity to overcome their survival based necessities like food and oxygen. No, somehow the typology of god ki is what enables the overcoming of the need for the latter though the former may or may not still be required for survival. I'm not sure if we're ever told of Beerus' need for food or if he eats simply for the pleasure of it.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by Koitsukai » Thu Jun 17, 2021 6:49 am

Ki can also restart a heart, as seen in the non-Toriyama scripted episode of Goku vs Hit Round 2.
Lionel wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:24 pmSo far the most glaring shortcoming of ki is that it doesn't allow a biological entity to overcome their survival based necessities like food and oxygen.
The only entities shown being able to consume ki are Moro and Yakon.

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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by Hulk10 » Mon Jul 19, 2021 9:20 pm

Ki certainly is a marvelous energy form.
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Re: Things I've noticed about ki blasts

Post by Krillin1994 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:50 pm

Koitsukai wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 6:49 am Ki can also restart a heart, as seen in the non-Toriyama scripted episode of Goku vs Hit Round 2.
Lionel wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 11:24 pmSo far the most glaring shortcoming of ki is that it doesn't allow a biological entity to overcome their survival based necessities like food and oxygen.
The only entities shown being able to consume ki are Moro and Yakon.
The androids say hello. Guess 19 & 20 are artificial. But I presume Gero could’ve applied it to a living model.

Guess with Piccolo’s cells in him Cell only needs water. But his tail absorption presumably takes in their ki reserves as well as the life force?

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