The Ultimate Training Moment: Unleashing Goku's Full Potential in Dragon Ball

Goku's training scene in Dragon Ball is often associated with King Kai's planet or the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. However, the standout moment can be found in chapters 87 to 90 of the original Dragon Ball manga. After losing to the assassin Taopaipai, Goku is believed to be dead and Taopaipai leaves. Realizing he left behind one of the Dragon Balls, Taopaipai decides to retrieve it after getting a new outfit tailored for him. Meanwhile, Goku attempts to drink Korin's Holy Water to increase his strength but learns that it is not special. Instead, Korin challenges Goku to climb his tower to obtain the Holy Water, which ultimately boosts Goku's power.

Korin's Training Isn't a Rip-Off

There are two reasons why this situation is effective. Firstly, Goku is fortunate to have had the opportunity to train. If Taopaipai had not wasted time getting his outfit tailored, the assassin would have realized that he hadn't actually defeated Goku, making it impossible for Goku to recover. Additionally, Goku's training with Korin is a more captivating variation of Master Roshi's sessions with Goku and Krillin. Roshi's training involves Goku and Krillin engaging in more extreme versions of everyday tasks, similar to Mr. Miyagi's "wax on, wax off" technique in Karate Kid. On the other hand, Korin's regimen is presented as a challenge to overcome rather than merely pointless chores.

Both Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super incorporate these elements, but fail to enhance them. In DBZ, it is replaced by Goku having to exert himself more due to the thin air at the top of Korin's Tower. In comparison, King Kai's tasks with Bubbles the Monkey and Gregory the Cricket are just more exaggerated versions of Master Roshi's tasks. Additionally, King Kai never misleads Goku like Korin does. The Hyperbolic Time Chamber, on the other hand, eliminates the captivating nature of misdirection and solely relies on time warps to justify significant increases in strength.

Moro Has Nothing On Taopaipai

There are very few instances where villains parallel Taopaipai's actions towards Goku. One notable example occurs in Dragon Ball Super's Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, where Moro permits Goku and Vegeta to train, resulting in them producing more energy for him to absorb later on. Both Taopaipai and Moro are victims of their own arrogance. However, the disparity lies in the fact that the consequences are much lower in Dragon Ball Super as Moro chooses not to disrupt their training, even if it compromises his own well-being. The circumstances only change when Moro launches an attack on Earth. Nevertheless, readers anticipate Goku and Vegeta to stay away from the conflict so that other heroes on Earth have a chance to fight.

In Dragon Ball, Taopaipai remains clueless about Goku's training and would have certainly put a stop to it if he had been aware. Despite the need for caution, Taopaipai adheres to his own absurd standards, which adds an element of suspense with the three-day time limit. On the other hand, in the franchise, every other villain either cannot reach Goku during his training or remains unaware due to external factors rather than personal shortcomings. This comparison highlights the lack of effort in DBZ and Dragon Ball Super when it comes to events like the introduction of Super Saiyan and the Kaio-ken.

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