All of Goku's Zenkai Boosts, in chronological order

Akira Toriyama introduced the wonder of Zenkai Boosts Dragon Ball Zs Frieza Saga as a way to help Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan become stronger in an environment where they wouldn't be able to train long enough for natural power-ups. When Krillin learns that Saiyans experience Zenkai Boosts after surviving life-or-death battleshe comments that Goku always got stronger after his fiercest battles during the original Dragon Ball.

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While a retcon that was introduced by DBZthere are several moments in the original Dragon Ball where Goku gets stronger in a way that feels eerily similar to Zenkai Boosts. Akira Toriyama didn't know it at the time, but by having Goku grow stronger after surviving battles, Dragon Ball sewed the seed of what would eventually become an important part of Saiyan biology and a key factor in allowing the Z-Fighters to defeat Frieza on Namek.

1

Goku gets his first Zenkai boost after his fight with Tao Pai Pai

Goku's very first Zenkai Boost in Dragon Ball would have occurred after his fight with Tao Pai Pai. Goku had lost battles before the Red Ribbon Army arc, but never one as bad as fighting mercenary Tao. Goku is completely outclassed during their first fight and only survives Tao Pai Pai's Dodonpa because he hid the four-star Dragon Ball in front of his heart under his gi.

After barely surviving, Goku climbs Korin Tower, trains with Korin for a few days, and replenishes his health enough to feel refreshed for his rematch with Tao Pai Pai. During his training, Goku refines his speed and reflexes, while also gaining a natural Zenkai boost from surviving his life-or-death battle with Tao, allowing him to easily win his revenge with the mercenary Red Ribbon.

2

Eating Yajirobe's fish gives Goku a small boost after the tambourine nearly kills him

After finding Krillin dead, Goku rushes off to chase down Tambourine, but ultimately loses the fight as he is still exhausted from beating Tien during the final match of the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. In the mushroom jungle where Goku lands, he finds a cooked fish which he then eats to fully restore his health. Then eat early Dragon Ball often used as a way to help Goku regain his strength, this would have given Goku a small Zenkai Boost.

In Goku's subsequent battle with Tambourine, he very easily kills the demon who effortlessly took out Krillin and then defeated himself. Unfortunately for Goku, killing the Tambourine Demon King signals Piccolo to his place. Goku is then mercilessly beaten to a pulp by Piccolo and is extremely close to death.

3

Goku eats a Senzu Bean after King Piccolo almost kills him – but the boost isn't enough

After fighting the Demon King Piccolo for the first time, Piccolo immediately stops Goku's heart, which starts beating randomly after Piccolo leaves the scene. Yajirobe then spends several chapters climbing Korin Tower to get Goku a Senzu Bean. Eating a Senzu fully restores Goku's health, but he's still nowhere near strong enough to fight the Demon King Piccolo, especially in his prime.

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Of course, Akira Toriyama hadn't come up with Zenkai Boosts at this point, but Goku getting stronger after surviving life-or-death battles had already been established by this point in Dragon Ball. However, in order for Goku to become strong enough to defeat Piccolo, he must drink Korin's Ultra Divine Water.

4

Surviving the Ultra Divine Water brings out Goku's great ape power level

After Demon King Piccolo nearly kills Goku, Goku realizes that the only way he will be able to defeat him is by training with Korin. Unfortunately for Goku, Korin has nothing left to teach him… but he does have the Ultra Divine Water. Ultra Divine Water is a poison that brings out the latent power of the drinker, for as long as they survive. No one ever survived drinking the water until Goku drank it.

In the Demon King Piccolo Saga, Goku surviving the water pulls out his great ape power level to his base form, boosting him to a power level of 260: exactly the same as King Piccolo himself. Retroactively, Goku getting a boost from Ultra Divine Water is due to his Saiyan biology giving him a power boost, not so much the water's effects.

5

Goku receives his final Zenkai boost in the original Dragon Ball after battling Piccolo Junior

Goku's final Zenkai Boost during the original Dragon Ball would have happened at the end of the series. During the final battle of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, Piccolo learns from his father's mistake and breaks all of Goku's limbs so that there cannot be a repeat of the Demon King's death. Unfortunately for Piccolo, Goku hid the fact that he knew how to fly all along and throws his body at Piccolo, knocking him out once and for all.

Yajirobe arrives shortly after and gives Goku a Senzu Bean, which heals him completely. Goku then gives Piccolo a bean so he can have a rival who will continue to push him. Goku's power level when he performed the Super Kamehameha in Piccolo Jr. Saga was 910 and his usual Kamehameha fight Raditz was 924, so Goku's final Zenkai Boost in Dragon Ball didn't actually bump him up too much.

6

Goku gets a little boost after Vegeta breaks every bone in his body

If Goku ate a Senzu Bean right after his fight with Vegeta, he might realistically have gotten a bigger Zenkai Boost, but the Senzu Plant was dried up at the time, so he was stuck in the hospital for a while before Yajirobe showed up to heal him. Nor Dragon Ball Anime or manga comment on how much stronger Goku gets after healing in the hospital (largely because Akira Toriyama didn't come up with the Zenkai Boost plan until Vegeta came to Namek), but it makes sense that Goku would get a little boost.

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After recovering, Goku goes to Dr. Brief and asks him to build him a gravity chamber, so he can train on the way to Namek. It is during his journey to Namek that Goku receives the bulk of the Zenkai Boosts that allow him to fight on equal footing with Frieza's army once he arrives on Namek. Without his reinforcements before Namek, Goku would have been completely useless against the Ginyu Force and later Frieza himself.

7

Goku gets several massive Zenkai Boosts training on his way to Namek

Although Goku realistically gets a Zenkai Boost after being fully healed from his fight with Vegeta, his biggest gains between the Saiyan and Frieza sagas come from training in the Gravity Chamber non-stop on the way to Namek. Goku takes six Senzu beans with him on his way to Namek and trains himself to death several times. Every time Goku almost dies and eats a Senzu Bean, he experiences a large Senzu Bean.

In just six days, Goku goes from weaker than Vegeta to stronger than every single member of the Frieza Force, except Frieza himself. The Dragon Ball the manga notes that Goku may not be fully aware of what he's doing—pushing himself to the brink of death to get Zenkai Boosts—but that his innate Saiyan nature has come out through training, so Goku has a subconscious understanding of what he's doing.

8

Goku gets his final and biggest Zenkai boost right before the battle with Frieza

Without Goku's final Zenkai Boost on Namek, turning Super Saiyan wouldn't have been enough to defeat Frieza. Super Saiyan Goku's power level just surpassed Frieza Final Form at 100% power during their final battle. Goku's body takes such a beating during the fight with Ginyu (actually Vegeta) that his subsequent time in the healing tank ends up skyrocketing his power level from 90,000 to an insane 3,000,000.

Goku's final Zenkai Boost is the biggest power boost in the entire series. Since Goku unlocks Super Saiyan shortly thereafter, he no longer experiences any notable Zenkai Boosts for the rest of Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball Super. That's not to say that Goku doesn't get stronger – far from it – but after fighting Frieza, all of Goku's gains come from raw training and mastering his forms, not surviving life-or-death battles.

Created by

Akira Toriyama

First TV show

Dragon Ball

Latest TV show

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Upcoming TV Shows

Dragon Ball DAIMA

Air date of first episode

February 26, 1986

TV program

Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, Dragon Ball DAIMA