Kienzan
From Dragon Ball Encyclopedia, the ''Dragon Ball'' wiki
Directory: Techniques → Offensive techniques → Ki → Energy discs
The Kienzan (気円斬, Kienzan; FUNimation "Destructo Disk"; Literally meaning "Spirit Circle Cut") is Kuririn's signature move and one of his most powerful attacks.
Contents
Usage and power
The Destructo Disk is a razor-sharp disk of energy that can slice through nearly anything; its main weaknesses being that it is generally slow to create, it lacks accuracy, and it cannot be guided once it is thrown.
History
Manga
In the manga, the Kienzan cannot be stopped at all (it can only be dodged) and, unlike energy blasts, can actually injure enemies many times the wielder's power level, such as being able to cut off Freeza's tail when energy blasts from the likes of Vegeta and Gohan proved ineffective. In the anime, Kuririn used the Kienzan against Perfect Cell, but the Kienzan shattered against Perfect Cell's neck as it was too tough for even Kuririn's Kienzan's "edge" to cut.
Anime
Dragon Ball Z
Vegeta Saga
Kuririn first used this attack against Nappa, but the Saiyan dodged it (only thanks to Vegeta's advice), resulting in only a gash on his cheek. He tried again against Great Ape Vegeta in an attempt to cut off his tail, but Vegeta managed to dodge it.
Vegeta used a similar technique during the Vegeta Saga to cut off Great Ape Gohan's tail.
Namek Saga
Kuririn used this attack in his fight against the giant on Fake Planet Namek, causing considerable damage. This giant was one of only four characters (the others being Freeza, Cell, and Boo) to be hit directly by Kuririn's Kienzan, but he might not count because he was actually an illusion.
Frieza Saga
Kuririn was able to slice off Freeza's tail while he was in his second form as well as let loose several Kienzan at once. Later, he was able to throw a version that split apart and attacked his target from multiple angles (anime only).
Garlic Jr. Saga
During the Garlic Jr. Saga, Kuririn used the Kienzan against Vinegar, who was able to catch it in his bare hand and throw it away. Kuririn cut Kid Boo in half with the Kienzan when the Majin arrived on Grand Kaio's World in the Next World (though Kid Boo was able to use his unique powers and immediately pull himself back together, not to anyone's surprise).
Cell Games Saga
Perfect Cell used the Kienzan against Gohan in his Super Saiyan 2 form as one of his last-ditch attacks to defeat him, only for Gohan to catch them mid-air and use his aura to extinguish them.
Babidi Saga
Artificial Human No. 18 used a similar technique in her match against Mighty Mask at the Tenkaichi Tournament and revealed him to actually be Trunks Brief and Son Goten in costume.
Fusion Saga
Goku later used this attack to cut off Super Boo (Gotenks absorbed)'s antenna and body when he came to Earth during the Fusion Saga (this was Goku's first use of the move in the manga canon) in order to stop Super Boo from killing the survivors.
Super Boo used a similar attack except his variation was red. He used this once against Goku and Vegeta before they fused in an anime filler scene: both Saiyans fired Energy Beams at Super Boo, but he countered with a volley of red Kienzan-like attacks that cut through his two assailants' Ki beams and created hundreds of miniature blasts in the process.
Dragon Ball GT
Baby Saga
Baby appeared to prepare a Kienzan attack against Oob, but he was interrupted by a Ki Blast from the hero. Baby and his possessed followers were capable of performing Ki Blasts that could cut people's skin easily (as shown by Baby Goten managing to cut Vegeta's face with a deflected Ki Blast).
Films
Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might
Goku used this attack to cut off Great Ape Gohan's tail, thus saving him from Tullece's Kill Driver attack, in Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might
Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound
Tenshinhan used a similar technique in his match against Future Trunks Brief at the Intergalactic Tenkaichi Tournament in Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound. Unlike the Kienzan, however, Tienshinhan's technique was blue.
Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!!
Kuririn used this attack in Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!!
Character meaning
- 気 (ki) = spirit
- 円 (en) = circle
- 斬 (zan) = slice/behead/kill
Variations
Homing Kienzan
There is an improved version of this attack called Homing Kienzan (called Death Saucer in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3). It was created by Freeza, and has the ability to follow a certain target around. Krillin (as well as everyone else), were shocked when Cell unveiled this technique. Krillin even questioned whether Cell improved his attack. Cell can use both versions. Cell also used this attack in Budokai Tenkaichi.
The attack is supposed to be different from Krillin's Destructo Disk, but during the Super 17 Saga, Freeza uses the Destructo Disk attack against Goku in Hell, which he probably would not have used in favor of his superior Death Saucer technique (however, it should be noted that he was able to control it a little better, but he still shouted "Destructo Disk!" when throwing it, hinting that he merely controlled the disk with his telekinesis).
Amond's Destructo Disk
Amond used an unnamed disk-launching technique where he spinned onto himself before launching a razor-sharp disk of energy. He used this technique to deflect Kuririn's Kienzan in The Tree of Might.
Trivia
- It is interesting to note that (aside from the giant on Fake Planet Namek who was merely an illusion) the only characters in Dragon Ball Z whom Kuririns has directly hit with a Destructo Disk are Freeza, Cell, and Kid Boo, the three main villains of the show. Kuririn chops off Freeza's tail, hits Cell in the neck (which does not affect him), and chops Kid Boo in half. Nappa does not count because he merely has his face scratched.
- Vegeta, Son Goku, Tenshinhan, and Android 18 have similar attacks to the Destructo Disk which they use one time each.
- Kuririn's Destructo Disk is moderately more potent than the other versions and very rarely explodes if it hits a target too tough to pierce, so it can be assumed, that the other fighters copied it from Kuririn,, but did not learn to use it as effectively as he is able to.
- In the Bridge Entertainment version of The Tree of Might, Krillin refers to this attack as his Magnetic Disks.
- In the FUNimation dub of Dragon Ball Kai, Krillin refers to the attack as the Kienzan rather than the Destructo Disk.
- In the Super 17 Saga, Goku is in Hell fighting against Frieza and Cell. Frieza attempts to launch a Kienzan at him, and Goku is seen riding it. Frieza throws another one at him, and he balances it on the tip of a spike so that it cannot touch him.
