Lightspeed in the DBZverse

So, I've been hearing some info from some people that DBZ characters cannot move at lightspeed. On the other hand, there are people saying that even Raditz could move at lightspeed. It's very annoying how extreme the difference in opinions are.

So, what I want to know is this: Can a DBZ character move at the speed of light or not?

No.

Absolutely not.

Raditz being FTL was a dub fabrication, it is not present in the original manga.

To date, the best speed feat in the DBZ manga is Gotenks circling the world a few times in 20+ minutes.

Originally posted by NemeBro
No.

Absolutely not.

Raditz being FTL was a dub fabrication, it is not present in the original manga.

To date, the best speed feat in the DBZ manga is Gotenks circling the world a few times in 20+ minutes.

Piccolo was able to fire a beam to the moon and destroy it in about a second and a half when Gohan had transformed into an ape. I don't know the math, but I assume that's a pretty significant amount of speed on that shot. Raditz was able to dodge something like this, so a better explanation than "dub fabrication" is needed to debunk that fully. Still, it may not be close to light speed at all...

As for Gotenks, he took a nap in that amount time as well. In the anime, it took him about 6 seconds to circle the world 9 times, and he took a nap afterwards.

Also, I heard something about the Instant Transmission not being a speed feat because you cant be tagged out of it. Basically, it was said to be teleportation. Is this true as well?

Piccolo was able to fire a beam to the moon and destroy it in about a second and a half when Gohan had transformed into an ape. I don't know the math, but I assume that's a pretty significant amount of speed on that shot. Raditz was able to dodge something like this, so a better explanation than "dub fabrication" is needed to debunk that fully.

Whoa, one doesn't have to be as fast as something to dodge it.

If the beam is fired from, let's say 40 feet, then Raditz needs to move out of it's path, maybe 2 feet, Raditz needs to move 40/2 = 20 = one twentieth as fast as the beam to get out of the way. Assuming he didn't anticipate it at all and start moving when the finger was pointed as opposed to when the beam was launched.

Originally posted by LLLLLink
Piccolo was able to fire a beam to the moon and destroy it in about a second and a half when Gohan had transformed into an ape. I don't know the math, but I assume that's a pretty significant amount of speed on that shot. Raditz was able to dodge something like this, so a better explanation than "dub fabrication" is needed to debunk that fully. Still, it may not be close to light speed at all...

No, you're correct.

Radditz never said he could move lightspeed, but he could move far faster than a bullet. Radditz said that Pic's aim was a little off.

And, yeah, the blast didn't travel faster than light beacuse it takes about the same time in the show as it does in real life: a little over 1 second.

Originally posted by LLLLLink
As for Gotenks, he took a nap in that amount time as well. In the anime, it took him about 6 seconds to circle the world 9 times, and he took a nap afterwards.

Yeah, that's not even a percent of lightspeed. That doesn't really mean anything.

Originally posted by LLLLLink
Also, I heard something about the Instant Transmission not being a speed feat because you cant be tagged out of it. Basically, it was said to be teleportation. Is this true as well?

Well, it's MUCH faster than light by many many times. But, they idiotically stated that it was light speed travel. Stupid, really.

Now, Kabito Kai does teleportation.

Originally posted by NemeBro
To date, the best speed feat in the DBZ manga is Gotenks circling the world a few times in 20+ minutes.

Originally posted by dadudemon

Well, it's MUCH faster than light by many many times. But, they idiotically stated that it was light speed travel. Stupid, really.

Now, Kabito Kai does teleportation.

YouTube video

Yeah, I watched Cooler's Revenge and Cooler was able to tag Goku out of Instant Transmission, which destroys the idea that it's teleportation.

Also, about Sayains in space, wasn't Bardock able to breathe in space when he confronted Frieza when he destroyed the planet Vegeta?

Originally posted by LLLLLink
YouTube video

Yeah, I watched Cooler's Revenge and Cooler was able to tag Goku out of Instant Transmission, which destroys the idea that it's teleportation.

Also, about Sayains in space, wasn't Bardock able to breathe in space when he confronted Frieza when he destroyed the planet Vegeta?

Actually no it doesn't destroy it because its a non canon movie.

I thought Endless Mike would post here by now. The main issue with DBZ feats is that ki beams can be either slow as hell or fast as hell. Their too hard to judge on since lightyears don't exist in DBZ IIRC.

Originally posted by LLLLLink
So, I've been hearing some info from some people that DBZ characters cannot move at lightspeed. On the other hand, there are people saying that even Raditz could move at lightspeed. It's very annoying how extreme the difference in opinions are.

So, what I want to know is this: Can a DBZ character move at the speed of light or not?

Well I believe what ever the anime says, so yes. When it comes to anime version of the characters. Now manga versions, prolly not. Goku could though, due to IT.

But as far as I know, there's no set speed limits so the whole speed thing in both the manga and anime are inconclusive.

Their traveling speed is obviously not lightspeed. Not sure about their battle speed.

Originally posted by LLLLLink

Yeah, I watched Cooler's Revenge and Cooler was able to tag Goku out of Instant Transmission, which destroys the idea that it's teleportation.

Non-canon. Cooler doesn't even exist in canon, so it doesn't count.

Originally posted by LLLLLink
YouTube video

Yeah, I watched Cooler's Revenge and Cooler was able to tag Goku out of Instant Transmission, which destroys the idea that it's teleportation.

I wouldn't say so. It simply seems to be teleportation via passing through whatever little dimension/space thing we see there, and then emerging at a completely unrelated point massive distances away.

also, the cooler movie is not canon

For the record, I was talking about battle speed and by believin' the anime, I mean the other instances in the anime where Goku and the gang were mentioned or inferred to be going faster than light, in battle. Not the Raditz thing.

Originally posted by LLLLLink

Also, about Sayains in space, wasn't Bardock able to breathe in space when he confronted Frieza when he destroyed the planet Vegeta? [/B]

Big plot hole there and so is with Gotenks flying around the Earth since saiyans supposedly suffer the same effect a human without a breathing apparatus in space would. Storing oxygen internally for a certain period of time? Just an idea but most likely not true.

According to the anime it's nine laps in 7 seconds. Each lap being approximately 3/2 times the circumference of the earth.

The circumference of the earth is : Vertical circumference: 40,000 km, horizontal circumference 40,076 km.

Given:
S = 7 × ³/₂ × E
E = (E_h + E_v)/2
E_h = 40,076,000 m
E_v = 40,000,000 m
t = 7 s

Solution:
Since the orbits were spread spread out symmetrically the average circumference of the Earth, E, is the constant we're using.

v = s/t = 7 × ³/₂ × (40,076,000 +40,000,000)/2 = 420 × 10^6

Answer: 420 × 10^6 or 1.4c (1.4 × lightspeed)

I'd like to remind everyone that it isn't anime filler.

Originally posted by Astner
According to the anime it's nine laps in 7 seconds. Each lap being approximately 3/2 times the circumference of the earth.

The circumference of the earth is : Vertical circumference: 40,000 km, horizontal circumference 40,076 km.

Given:
S = 7 × ³/₂ × E
E = (E_h + E_v)/2
E_h = 40,076,000 m
E_v = 40,000,000 m
t = 7 s

Solution:
Since the orbits were spread spread out symmetrically the average circumference of the Earth, E, is the constant we're using.

v = s/t = 7 × ³/₂ × (40,076,000 +40,000,000)/2 = 420 × 10^6

Answer: 420 × 10^6 or 1.4c (1.4 × lightspeed)

I'd like to remind everyone that it isn't anime filler.

You're incorrect on several points.

Let's start it from the top:

I'll go with you 3/2 E_c (where E_c is the distance Gotenks traveled IF the orbit was symmetrical.) Since the orbit is NOT symmetric, but, rather, a slightly irregular circle in the shape of a flattened spiral, you have to figure out the distance between equal points on subsequent revolutions, then account for the increased distance, then use THAT distance as your distance traveled, per unit time.

From that, I think there's some sort of formula out there for the increased distance based on the "angle" the subsequent "circles" are from each other.

*watches video*

Shit.

It's even faster than you're estimating because he is NOT going in a spiral, like I said above. he is stopping completely on the other side, changing directions, and making another complete circle. That's faster than just going at it straight.

Hmmmm...

K, we'll stick with 3/2

So, to figure out the speed, per second, traveled, first, you'd have to find out the distance traveled per second...which just happens to be what "speed/velocity" is.

We know that he's traveling (((3/2)*40041)*9)/7. Remember, speed is distance traveled divided by time. Find the total distance traveled, first.

40041Km * 3/2 = 60061.5 Km per revolution.

So, now find the total distance traveled:

60061.5 Km * 9 revolutions = 540553.5 Km

We found total distance traveled. Now, we have to find speed which is distance per unit time. 7 Second is the total time to travel that distance, so we want to find how many Km he traveled in 1 second.

Divide our total number by 7 to find that:

77222 Km/s

Now, we have to compare those to the speed of light.

That's 299,972 Km/s

So, divide 77222 by the speed of light to find what percentage he traveled of the speed of light: .2574 C or 25.74%

So, he was traveling just a tad over a quarter of the speed of light.

BTW, the average circumference that I used was the mean circumference.

Originally posted by LLLLLink
Piccolo was able to fire a beam to the moon and destroy it in about a second and a half when Gohan had transformed into an ape. I don't know the math, but I assume that's a pretty significant amount of speed on that shot. Raditz was able to dodge something like this, so a better explanation than "dub fabrication" is needed to debunk that fully. Still, it may not be close to light speed at all...

As for Gotenks, he took a nap in that amount time as well. In the anime, it took him about 6 seconds to circle the world 9 times, and he took a nap afterwards.

Also, I heard something about the Instant Transmission not being a speed feat because you cant be tagged out of it. Basically, it was said to be teleportation. Is this true as well?

2. I was being generous. And... We do not actually see him taking a nap, according to Astner's scans we actually seem to see him land. So... where was the nap?

3. It is essentially teleportation, Cooler movie is noncanon, he has never shown to move while "Transmitting."

Originally posted by Astner
No time frame was given. Stop treating speculation as fact.

Piccolo said he onlyhas a minute left before it ends.

Thereforce, it took over twenty minutes.