Summary
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Kaioken, or Kaio-ken, is one of the first power-up techniques introduced inDragon Ball Z, and it was used quite a bit before Super Saiyan came along. In theDragon Ballanime, 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 inDragon Ball Superwhen 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.
What Is Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken?
Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken, also known as Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan: Kaio-ken or simply Blue Kaioken, iswhen a Saiyan uses Kaioken while in Super Saiyan Blueform. This combination was introduced inDragon Ball Super.
Kaioken is atechnique created by North Kaiwhich allows the user to greatly amplify their powers, but at a great cost. It requires precisekicontrol 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 inDragon Ballgames, especially inDragon Ball Fusions.
Is Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken “Canon”?
Blue Kaiokenis actually theonly combination of Kaioken and Super Saiyan shown in the manga. Goku actuallyuses Super Kaioken in the anime, when he uses Kaioken while transformed into SSJ or SSJ2 during the fight against Pikkon (also known as Paikuhan, butSuper Kaioken is an anime-only technique.
Goku alsouses Super Kaioken in theDragon Ball Superanime, 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 Superactually 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 bedangerous to try to usea technique that requires refinedkicontrol while in a state of great emotional stress. Old Kaiexplicitly states inDragon Ball Superthat Kaioken and Super Saiyan would be a dangerous combinationthat could easily lead to death because of the emotional stress caused by SSJ.
Super Saiyan Blue, on the other hand,is a divine transformationthat 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 Supermanga is available to readon MANGA Plus in English and Spanish.
