When exploring the thrilling world of Dragon Ball, one quickly learns that it’s not just about supercharging energy blasts and epic battles. Spanning decades, the Dragon Ball universe, including Dragon Ball Z and its various spinoffs like Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball DAIMA, has introduced fans to a myriad of unique abilities and powers. While characters like Goku and Vegeta dominate the conversation with their well-known transformations and fights, many lesser-known techniques deserve their moment in the spotlight.
Today, we’ll uncover the ten most underrated powers in the Dragon Ball series, showcasing their significance and sometimes surprising strength. The Cultural Significance of Dragon Ball’s Powers Setting the Stage Since its inception, Dragon Ball has captivated audiences not only with its action-packed storylines but likewise with its inventive powers and techniques. With great storytelling and rich character development, it offers fans a vibrant world filled with creativity….
The Dragon Ball franchise, created by Akira Toriyama, began as a manga serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995 and has since evolved into a global multimedia phenomenon encompassing anime adaptations, films, video games, and merchandise. At its core, the series follows Goku, a martial artist with superhuman strength, on his quest to gather the seven Dragon Balls—magical orbs that summon a wish-granting dragon. Along this journey, he forms alliances, hones his skills through rigorous training, and confronts formidable adversaries ranging from extraterrestrial warriors to powerful monsters.
Among the vast array of techniques displayed throughout the series, certain abilities have flown under the radar despite their tactical brilliance or narrative importance. These underrated powers often reflect the series’ depth, emphasizing strategy, discipline, and creativity over sheer destructive force. Revisiting them offers insight into why Dragon Ball remains influential in shaping modern shonen anime and its approach to power systems.
Master Roshi’s Mafuba: The Sealing Wave That Changed Battles
One of the most cleverly designed techniques in Dragon Ball is the Mafuba, also known as the Evil Containment Wave. First introduced by Master Roshi during the King Piccolo saga, this ability allows the user to trap a target’s spirit inside a sealed container, such as a jar or bottle, effectively neutralizing even god-level threats without destroying them. The Mafuba requires precise hand gestures, intense focus, and a significant expenditure of life energy, making it a high-risk, high-reward maneuver.
Despite its dramatic debut—where Roshi nearly sacrifices himself to imprison King Piccolo—the Mafuba has seen limited apply in later arcs, partly due to its demanding nature and the rise of overwhelming offensive power levels. However, its potential was revisited in Dragon Ball Super during the Future Trunks saga, where Goku and Vegeta attempted (and initially failed) to use it against the fused entity Zamasu. Though imperfectly executed, the attempt highlighted the technique’s enduring relevance against otherwise invincible foes.
What makes the Mafuba truly underrated is its conceptual innovation: it shifts the paradigm from “destroy the enemy” to “contain the threat,” introducing a non-lethal solution to conflicts that often seem resolved only through annihilation. In a franchise increasingly defined by escalating destruction, the Mafuba stands as a reminder that wisdom and restraint can be as powerful as raw strength.
Tien’s Tri-Beam: Precision Over Power
Another frequently overlooked ability is Tien Shinhan’s Tri-Beam (Kikoho), a concentrated energy blast fired from between his palms that demands extraordinary mental and physical discipline. Unlike standard ki blasts that draw from ambient energy, the Tri-Beam consumes the user’s life force directly, meaning each use shortens their lifespan. This trade-off underscores Tien’s commitment to pushing beyond his limits, even at personal cost.
The Tri-Beam first gained attention during the Saiyan arc, where Tien used it repeatedly to sluggish down Nappa despite suffering severe strain. Later, in the Cell Games, he employed it to hold back Semi-Perfect Cell, creating an opening for Android 16 to assist. Though ultimately unable to stop the enemy alone, his efforts bought critical time for Z Fighters to regroup—a testament to the technique’s utility in desperate situations.
What distinguishes the Tri-Beam is its emphasis on willpower and control. It reflects Tien’s martial arts ethos: perfection through relentless effort. While flashier transformations dominate discussions, the Tri-Beam exemplifies how discipline and sacrifice can yield meaningful contributions even when facing opponents far stronger than oneself. Its rarity in later series makes it a poignant symbol of the human (or near-human) spirit’s resilience in a world of gods and monsters.
Fusion Techniques: The Power of Unity
Fusion represents one of Dragon Ball’s most imaginative concepts—a method by which two individuals combine their bodies, minds, and powers to create a single, vastly stronger entity. Two primary forms exist: the Fusion Dance, a precise, rhythm-dependent maneuver taught by Metamorans, and Potara Fusion, which uses magical earrings granted by the Supreme Kais and requires no dance but is typically permanent unless specific conditions apply.
The Fusion Dance debuted during the Buu saga when Goku taught it to Goten and Trunks, resulting in the creation of Gotenks—a playful yet formidable fighter who briefly held his own against Majin Buu. Later, Goku and Vegeta used it to grow Gogeta, first seen in Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn and later canonized in Dragon Ball Super: Broly. Potara Fusion, meanwhile, produced Vegito during the Buu arc and was reused in Super for the battle against fused Zamasu.
Despite their obvious strength, fusion techniques are sometimes dismissed as gimmicks or narrative shortcuts. Yet they embody a deeper theme: that cooperation and harmony can transcend individual limitations. The precision required for the Fusion Dance—mirroring movements, synchronizing breath, and matching power levels—mirrors real-world principles of teamwork and mutual respect. Even the temporary nature of most fusions adds narrative weight, emphasizing that such power is earned, not inherent.
In competitive gaming circles, particularly in titles like Dragon Ball FighterZ, fusion characters have sparked debate over balance and viability, further proving their lasting impact. Their ability to redefine matchups and strategies shows that these techniques are far more than spectacle—they are integral to the franchise’s evolving understanding of strength.
Other Underrated Abilities Worth Noting
Beyond these highlights, several other techniques warrant recognition for their ingenuity or contextual importance. The Afterimage Technique, used by characters like Krillin and Tien, creates optical illusions to confuse opponents, showcasing the value of speed and misdirection. Solar Flare (Taiyoken), a blinding flash of light, demonstrates how non-damaging moves can alter battle outcomes by impairing an enemy’s senses.
Meanwhile, abilities such as Instant Transmission—learned by Goku from the Yardrats—revolutionize mobility and tactical positioning, allowing near-instantaneous travel across vast distances. Though often associated with Goku’s signature style, its origins lie in quiet observation and adaptation, reinforcing the series’ message that growth comes from learning, not just fighting.
Even seemingly minor skills like Master Roshi’s Drunken Fist or Yajirobe’s swordsmanship reflect the diversity of martial arts philosophies within the Dragon Ball world. Each technique, no matter how obscure, contributes to a tapestry of combat styles that prioritize creativity, adaptability, and respect for discipline.
As the franchise continues to expand with new series like Dragon Ball DAIMA and ongoing entries in the gaming sphere, revisiting these underrated powers reminds fans that Dragon Ball’s enduring appeal lies not only in its explosive battles but also in the thoughtful, varied ways its characters confront challenges. In a universe where power levels often dominate discourse, these techniques offer a counterbalance—one where intelligence, unity, and perseverance shine just as brightly.