Son Goku's lack of originality

[Pedro The Hutt]

While throughout the series most characters developed an attack to call their own and they'd use every so often, such as Yamucha's Rouga Fufuken and Kuririn's Kienzan.... except the main character, Goku has, except for a few one timers such as spinning on his tail and the rabid dog technique, always used and adapted other people's techniques such as the Kamehameha and Kaioken. Quite curious ne?

[lost in thought]

I could imagine that there was no need. You could chalk Kuririn's, and Yamcha's techniques up to skill, and arrogance in the beginning... and we know Goku isn't all about arrogance, until he reaches Super Saiya-jin 4.

[tealsmith]

I always found that kind of odd too. I guess other characters got more 'special' techniques because Goku always got the most screen/page time, so when the other characters were in there they had to be memorable.

[Porco Rosso]

He used Janken quite a few times earlier in the series.

That move was badass.

[Phred]

And there's his Dragon Fist attack

[Trunks Master Swordsman03]

Well he does create the Super Dragon Fist.........& he is bassically the start for every Saiyan Form (Except ASSJ, USSJ, & SSJ2).

[Pedro The Hutt]

Well... ignoring the non-manga stuff...
But eh.. wasn't the Janken series taught to him by Son Gohan? Although the variations can be called his own indeed. XD

[*PINHEAD*]

If by Jankan you mean the Rock Paper Scissors thing...then yes, his grandpa taught him that "technique." Son Goku does seem unoriginal, but it's not like he's the brightest character anyway. And he certainly does adapt those techniques to his own liking (I think the Kamehameha through the feet...). Possibly his not using his own techniques goes along with his immaturity.

Now, about those other characters and their special techniques...who's to say they didn't learn those from others?

[lost in thought]

Now, about those other characters and their special techniques...who's to say they didn't learn those from others?

Like (as Roshi put in in DragonBall) the "Crane Hover" technique... (I forget the original name, but Ten and Chaozu did seemingly teach Kuririn and Yamcha it, but it would seem that Kuririn perfected it on his own time.)

And he certainly does adapt those techniques to his own liking (I think the Kamehameha through the feet...).

As far as the Kamehameha is concerned, Goku wasn't taught it- for all intents and purposes, he learned it himself, and with his own adaptation of creating the energy with his feet, you could pretty much give him the attack outright, no?

One could argue that the Kamehameha that Goku learned is a slight variation of the one used by his master, who (if I am remembering correctly) seems to be forced to bulk up his body before expelling the blast, where as Goku does not.

Dragon Fist

I would imagine that this is the only technique Goku officially develops on his own.

[tealsmith]

So who taught Goku the After-Image technique? It seems many characters in the story know about it, and a few of them can even preform it, but we never see who Goku actually learned it from. He just seems to learn in when training with Roshi, even though as far as I was aware, Roshi never taught Goku or Krillin any techniques. He just made them run around with turtle shells and deliver milk

[Xyex]

I think the after image was something he just picked up by watching. Sort of like the Kamehameha. I'm actually suprised Goku didn't pick up other people's skills more often as it seemed like he only needed to see it once to do it.

[spikemcruffy]

j

[Gamingdevil]

What's the after-image technique? (I haven't seen the original DB)

[ruffriles19]

What's the after-image technique? (I haven't seen the original DB)

The Zanzouken, where a character quickly moves from one position, but they moved so fast, they leave an image of themselves where they used to be. Those who are really skilled at it can leave multiple images all over the place, and confuse the opponent.

[Gamingdevil]

Like Goku used against Frieza's Kienzon Discs?

[askani son]

I only remember seing that technique once In GT when SSJ4 Gogeta is fighting Omega shenron. He takes the ultimate piss. That bit was awsome

[ruffriles19]

Like Goku used against Freeza's Kienzon Discs?

Yes, but the technique is much MUCH more prominent in original DB. By the time DBZ came around, the characters were so fast anyway, they didn't have much need for it.

[tealsmith]

Like Goku used against Freeza's Kienzon Discs?

Yes, but the technique is much MUCH more prominent in original DB. By the time DBZ came around, the characters were so fast anyway, they didn't have much need for it.

Yeah, I was a bit dissapointed it wasn't really in Z. In fact, a lot of moves never really got their due in Z. Yamcha's 'Spirit ball' attack was a simply awesome technique, yet in Z he only uses it once in a filler segment - and it's next to useless. As for his Wolf Fang Fist.... does he even use that AT ALL in Z? Tien's 'Spirit Cannon' (as it's called in the DB dub, though it's been referred to by so many other names I really have no clue what the real one is) was used once when he tried to stop Cell from getting the androids. Chautzu's telepathic powers never came into play (but I didn't really miss that, Chautzu was a pretty lame character ). Piccolo's ability to grow in size was never used again, and as far as I can remember his stretching limb ability is only used once in the Garlic Jr. Saga.

Anyways, I went on a little bit of a rant but.... yeah

[ruffriles19]

Yeah, it would have been nice to see more of those techniques out of the minor characters. Tenshinhan's "Spirit cannon" (Kikoho) is used against Cell and against Nappa right before Ten dies, I believe. You're right the "Spirit Ball" (Sokidan) is not really used in Z, nor the Wolf Fang (Roga-fufu-ken). But that's a product of underutilizing these characters in general. Though they still could have let Yamucha do a Sokidan or Rogafufu-ken against a Saibaiman. Piccolo's stretching arm too, that's not really used, even though Piccolo does have some good fights in Z, (such as vs. #17) and they at least tried to keep some side characters involved, such as Kuririn.
I won't even go into the use of "minor" characters in GT (ack)

[*PINHEAD*]

Well, if I'm not mistaken, Tenshinhan used that Spirit Cannon/Ki-Ko-Ho (or whatever else you might call it) to neutralize Majin Buu's blast to help Son Gohan.

As for that "after-image" thing, I wouldn't say it's so much as an image left behind because of speed, because in that case there would be tons of after-images left the way the characters move in Z. It could be a sort of manipulation of ki that leaves an image.

Piccolo might have used his stretchy thing in the Freeza and Cell sagas, but that may just be filler or my fuzzy memory.