Techniques and special abilities
Main article: List of Dragon Ball special abilities
Bukujutsu
This is the ability to fly using one's ki. Goku simply controls his energy and pushes out from underneath him allowing him to fly. The name 'Bukujutsu' means 'Air Dance'.
Energy Barrier
With this technique Goku can create a shield around himself which can withstand many attacks as long as he has enough ki to supply.
Fusion Dance
Main article: Fusion (Dragon Ball)
A character can temporarily fuse with someone else provided that they also know the fusion dance and are within the same power range. The effects last for about half an hour and require a resting period of one hour before it can be done again.
In Canon, Goku never performs this technique, he only teaches it to Trunks and Goten. In Movie 12 and in DBGT (which is outside canon) he fuses with Vegeta to create Gogeta.
Genki Dama
Main article: Genki Dama
Perhaps Goku's most powerful attack, the Genki Dama draws energy from all life and places it in a deadly ki ball. Goku uses this against many of his more powerful opponents. The downside is that he is quite vulnerable during its lengthy creation time. It is called the Spirit Bomb in the English anime. Despite its power, it has only succeeded in destroying its target once in the entire manga.
Hasshuken
(Dubbed 'Eight Fists'😉 When Goku fights Tien during the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budôkai (22nd World Martial Arts Tournament), Tenshinhan (Tien) uses his Four Supernatural Fists on Goku. In defense, Goku decides to use an eight-arm attack, which works even better. Because of the extra arms Goku is able to fight much faster and attack/block more often as each arm moves so fast as it seems to appear in four places at once. Those arms were nothing more then illusions, as Goku was moving his arms up and down extremely fast, making this technique have much in common with zanzoken.
Jan Ken
('Rock Scissors Paper Fist' in English) This is Goku's special attack in early Dragonball, but is soon replaced by the Kamehameha. The user shouts "Jan Ken", then a name corresponding to the attack. "Jan Ken Gu", equals rock and will be a strong punch. "Jan Ken Chyoki", equals scissors and will be a poke in the eyes. "Jan Ken Pa", equals paper and will be an open palm strike. In the English dub of Dragon Ball, the scissor part was cut.
Kaiô-ken
This ability allows Goku to multiply his speed and power by turning potential energy from the body into pure physical energy, often letting him work on an equal level against an initially more powerful foe. Because of the extreme increase of energy flowing through Goku and the increased stress on his body, this form is potentially fatal. Goku no longer uses Kaiô-ken once he is able to access the more potent Super Saiyan state. One exception to this was during the filler saga of the Other World Tournament final against Pikkon, where he used Kaiô-ken while a Super Saiyan; he called it Super Kaiô-ken. The kaio-ken is normally represented as a red aura surrounding the user.
Kamehameha
Goku using the KamehamehaMain article: Kamehameha (Dragon Ball)
Goku's signature technique, the Kamehameha attack, is a powerful, constant stream of energy hurled at an opponent through the hands (or sometimes the feet). Goku has several other variations of this attack as well. In some instances, Goku has launched the Kamehameha with one hand.
Feet Kamehameha - (Ashi kara Kamehameha in Japan) This attack was first used by Goku against Piccolo at the 23rd Tenka'ichi Budôkai (World Martial Arts Tournament). He fired a Kamehameha from his feet to propel himself at Piccolo and leave his hands free at the same time.
Double Kamehameha- This attack was used only once in Movie #3 "Tree of Might". This is when he shoots a kamehameha out of both hands in different directions.
Super Kamehameha - (Chou Kamehameha in Japan) An even more powerful version of the Kamehameha developed by Goku.
Continuous Kamehameha - (Renzoku Kamehameha in Japan) Goku fires more than one Kamehameha.
Warp Kamehameha - (Shunkan Idou Kamehameha in Japan) Goku charges up the attack; then, right before he releases, he teleports in front of the target and releases the blast directly into it. This is also known as Instant Transmission Kamehameha, probably due to the Japanese translation.
Parent & Child Kamehameha - (Oyako Kamehameha in Japan, Father-Son Kamehameha in the Budokai video games) A dead person assists someone who is alive with a Kamehameha. Goku helps Gohan against Cell, and helps out Gohan and Goten against Broly in DBZ Movie #10 (non-canon, and the Movie 10.
10x Kamehameha - This name is given to the red-colored Chou Kamehameha used by Goku while in his Super Saiyajin 4 form, in the Budokai videogames, but the name is never used in the actual series. Some fans are confused by the fact that SSJ4 Gogeta used something called the "Kamehameha x10" ("Juubei Kamehameha" in the Japanese version) against Ii Shenron, but this was an illusionary technique that didn't do any damage.
Kiai
This is a technique in which the user uses their voice and their Ki to deflect incoming Ki attacks, or to knock away opponents. Goku pushes Jheese and Baata around with a Kiai. A variation of this technique allows shockwaves of energy to be launched from the hands.
Kienzan
Goku can use a disk-shaped Ki attack that is similar to Krillin's Kienzan (also known as Destructo Disk). It is used only once, to cut Super Buu in half. It is shaped differently than the Kienzan, being thicker, rather than a flat disk with the rotating edge of sharp Ki that Krillin's technique has.
Kyoken
('Mad Dog fist' in English) This attack is used by Goku who acts like a dog, barking and jumping around to scare his opponent. He then jumps behind and kicks his surprised opponent.
Renzoku Kikou Dan
A machine gun ki attack, used by pretty much anyone who knows how to form balls or beams of energy. It is fairly powerful, especially if the defender is caught off guard, as many beams can be fired and the ones that hit have more power than the last. It is good as a distraction tactic too, firing a few of them before charging up a really big attack to finish it off. The disadvantage is that this attack can take its toll on the attacker, due to the large energy drain. He used this against Perfect Cell in the Cell Games in a desperate attempt to incinerate him, which upon doing this severely drained his ki.
Dragon Fist is a technique where Goku charges his energy into his fist and it creates a Shenlong-like dragon which drives through the opponent. It is often referred to as Super Dragon Fist.
Saruken
('Monkey fist' in English) This is a distraction move designed to confuse and taunt the opponent. Goku uses this in reaction to Jackie Chun's (Muten-Rôshi's alter-ego) use of the Suiken (Drunken fist).
Shunkan Idô
Main article: Shunkan Ido
An ability Goku learned on his way back to Earth from Namek on a remote planet called Yardrat. It allows him to teleport nearly anywhere instantly so long as he focuses on a specific ki signal at the desired location or can see where he wants to go. He places two fingers on his forehead to focus on a power signal.
This ability is called Shunkan Idou, but it is also referred to as Instant Transmission in the English anime translation. Evidence points to the technique transporting the user instantly, rather than at a certain speed.
Spinning Cyclone
A technique used by Goku at the Tenka'ichi Budôkai (World Martial Arts Tournament). He spins quickly like the motion of a cyclone and then knocks into his opponents. It did not work as planned because he got dizzy when using it, so he only used it once. He used it as well in Dragon Ball GT in order to defeat Ryu Shinron, the 6-star Black Dragon.
Taiyoken
Also known as the Solar Flare (in the English anime translation) or Fist of the Sun. A technique learned from Tenshinhan, it creates an extremely bright light which can temporarily blind and stun those in close proximity.
Zanzôken
The user of this technique is able to move extremely fast over small distances, leaving an after-image behind. It can be considered a very short-range teleportation. In the English dub it's called "The Afterimage Technique".