Kaiōken

* Kaiōken Attack (Movie only)
* Kaiōken Finish
* Kaiōken Kamehameha
* Super Kaiōken (Anime only)
* Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Kaiōken (Anime only)
* Two-Fold Kaiōken
* Three-Fold Kaiōken
* Ten-Fold Kaiōken (Anime only)
* Twenty-Fold Kaiōken
* Kaiō of the North (Inventor)
* Son Gokū

The **Kaiōken** is a fighting technique created by the Kaiō of the North, despite the fact that he himself has not mastered the technique.

## History

North Kaiō taught the technique to Son Gokū, who became the first and only person to master the technique to its full capacity. For a majority of the early second half of the *Dragon Ball* series, Kaiōken was one of Gokū's signature moves, which he used to increase his power; it eventually became overshadowed and outclassed by the superior Super Saiyan transformation.

However, upon learning Super Saiyan Blue, Goku discovered he could combine both the Kaioken and it to create a stronger form called Super Saiyan Blue Kaiōken, which he planned to use as a trump card against Beerus.

## Usage

Through the unique fighting style of North Kaiō, it becomes possible for one to multiply their *ki* output which results in a drastic enhancement of one's physical capabilities. When the technique is used, the user is engulfed in a powerful red aura which illuminates their being as their skin tone tints a significant reddish color, presumably due to an increased blood flow. When initially executed, the Kaiōken doubles one's base ki output and subsequently doubles their strength, speed, and agility. However, for one that has trained themselves to handle greater degrees, it is possible to increase the multiplier of Kaiōken to higher levels; such as tripling one's capabilities, quadrupling, and beyond. On record, the highest multiplier that the Kaiōken has ever reached — which was done so by Son Gokū — is a degree of twenty times that of his base state. When the Kaiōken manages to enhance one's ki, so too are their ki techniques strengthened by the proportional amount. In particular, Gokū's Kamehameha becomes drastically stronger whenever utilized in conjunction with Kaiōken, as it served as the necessary means of overwhelming Vegeta's Garlic Cannon when taken up to fourfold.

## Drawbacks

The drawbacks behind the Kaiōken lie in the fact that it puts an intense strain on the user's body and also that it can only remain activated for a brief moment; which has been described as the length of a "heart beat". The strain it puts on the body is directly proportional to the multiplier degree that the Kaiōken is taken up to, as a higher level of ki multiplication results in a greater burden placed upon the body. However, not only does it pressure the body, but it also dramatically reduces one's stamina as well in a directly proportional relationship with the degree one's ki is multiplied as well. Often times, the Kaiōken aftermath is shown as leaving Gokū in an exhausted state.

## In Other Media

In *Dragon Ball Z Kakarot,* Whis is capable of giving the Kaiōken to Son Gokū, implying, at least in this video game, that the technique is not unique to the North Kaiō.

## Trivia

* In the AB Groupe dub, Gokū refers to the Kaiōken as the "Kamehameha".
* Tenshinhan, Yamcha, and Chaozu were aware of the Kaiōken, despite none of them having been alive to see Gokū use it. Whether or not this meant that the Kaiō of the North taught them the technique, or merely mentioned it, remains to be seen.

## References

1. ↑ *Daizenshū 2*, page 212
2. ↑ *Daizenshū 4*, page 113
3. ↑ *Daizenshū 6*, pages 52, 60
4. ↑ *Daizenshū 7*, page 129
5. ↑ *Chōzenshū 4*, page 129
6. ↑ *AB Groupe dub*
7. ↑ *Crunchyroll*
8. ↑ *Dragon Ball* chapter 211, page 12
9. ↑ *Dragon Ball Z: Return My Gohan!!*, AB Groupe dub