Summary
Around a year after his epic battle against Frieza on the planet Namek inDragon Ball Z,Goku returned to his allies on Earth, armed with a scintillating new technique that would aid him immensely in each subsequent battle he fought. Taught to him by a species known as the Yardrats, the technique was known as Instant Transmission, and it allowed him to teleport towards any location he directed his focus to.
On the surface, this ability was neither a power up nor an energy wave, which may have led some to dismiss its potential by virtue of only being a movement technique. However,Goku has demonstrated Instant Transmission’susefulness in extremely creative ways against immensely strong opponents time and time again, illustrating why its introduction inDragon Ball Zwas a very clever decision on Akira Toriyama’s part.
What Is Instant Transmission?
To put it simply, Instant Transmission permits the user to travel extremely long distances in the blink of an eye by focusing on the ki signature of an individual whose location is the desired destination. Generally, the user generally places their index and middle fingers on their forehead to concentrate and hone in on the target location.A large part of the technique’s successand effective range hinges on the user’s ability to sense ki over long distances with precision, which becomes a problem if they are unable to lock on to a ki signature.
During situations where there is enough time for the user toprepare before executing the technique, this action is not necessary. In case the user wants to transport people other than themselves, they must make physical contact with those accompanying them on the journey. Upon successfully executing the technique, the user and their companions will materialize in the vicinity of the target ki signature.
One of the technique’s greatest benefits is the incredible range of distances at which it is effective. From traveling a few meters in any direction, to coveringlight years over interplanetary journeys, Instant Transmission is an exceptionally versatile technique in the hands of the right user. Beyond travel within a single universe, Instant Transmission can be used to move between the realm of the living and Other World.
In theDragon Ball Zmovies, the technique’s underlying mechanics were elaborated on, through the introduction of a Teleportation Zone which acted as a way point for a user to lock on to their target’s ki signature.As per Goku’s own words, the process involvesmerging one’s energy and demolecularizing one’s atoms to reach and pass through the Teleportation Zone, after which the user reassembles themselves in the target location.
The Yardrats' Signature Technique
Pioneered by the inhabitants of the planet Yardrat, Instant Transmission is one of the most fundamental applications of their Spirit Control ki manipulation technique. Upon learning Spirit Control, a user’s ki sensing abilities and their ki manipulation are enhanced and made more efficient, allowing them to employ a range of other techniques such as Cloning, Gigantification, Healing, and Forced Spirit Fission.
Originally,Goku crash-landed on Planet Yardratafter the destruction of Namek, following his fight against Frieza. Grievously injured at the time, he was nursed back to health and learned the art of Instant Transmission from the planet’s inhabitants after spending a year there before returning to Earth.
The Many Users And Applications Of Instant Transmission
Following its introduction in the Trunks Saga,Goku went on to use Instant Transmissionto travel around Earth, to Other World, the Lookout, and other planets across the universe. While this long-range application of the technique was quite handy when the Dragon Team had to respond to various forces threatening the universe, the more combat-oriented applications of the technique are where its versatility truly shines.
Goku is not the only person to have learned the technique, as Perfect Cell was able to copy it when revived after destroying Other World and killing everyone within the realm. Later on, Majin Buu copied it along with the more powerful Kai Kai teleportation ability used by the Supreme Kais. Goku Black was also able to use the technique during the Future Trunks Saga, and the Yardrat Jimizu from Universe 2 relied on it extensively during the Tournament of Power. In theDragon Ball Supermanga,Vegeta, Granolah, and Gas were also ableto acquire versions of the technique through different means.
One Of Goku’s Most Versatile Techniques
Initially, it took Goku a certain amount of time to charge up and perform the technique, although this duration was significantly reduced with training, as seen in his fight against Top inDragon Ball Super. When fighting against opponents who outclassed him in terms of speed,Goku would often use Instant Transmissionseveral times in quick succession to zip around the battlefield and disorient them by evading their ability to sense ki.
The technique also proved extremely useful whenever he needed to dodge attacks that would have otherwise been unavoidable. Looking at more offensive applications, the most well-knownusage is likely the Instant Kamehamehaused by Goku against Perfect Cell during the Cell Games Saga. On this occasion, the attack succeeded in blowing away Cell’s torso, but his Namekian regenerative abilities and augmented durability allowed him to survive the attack, even though it had enough power to destroy the entire Earth.
The main benefit of this technique is that it catches opponents off guard, especially since the vast majority of characters inDragon Ball Zand theDragon Ballfranchise as a whole, were unaware of Instant Transmission’sexistence until Goku demonstrated it. Hence, Goku has always been able to rely on this technique as an ace in the hole when confronting an exceptionally strong opponent, to harness the element of surprise to his advantage.
Dragon Ball Zcan be streamed onCrunchyroll.
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese anime series produced by Toei Animation and a sequel to the 1986 Dragon Ball series. It continues the adventures of Son Goku as an adult while also paralleling the life of his son Gohan. Son Goku typically defends the Earth from villains like Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. The series is followed by Dragon Ball GT and then Dragon Ball Super.
