Energy Absorption

This article is about the absorption of ki. For absorption through osmosis, see Absorption.

Energy Absorption

パワードレイン
エネルギー吸収^[1]

Pawā Dorein
Enerugī Kyūshū^[1]

Alternate names

Absorbing Attack
Energy Drain^[2]^[3]
Drain Charge^[4]
Drain Field^[4]
Drain Life
Drain Life 20
Drain Life 19
Drain Life Cell
Drain Power
Hyper Drain^[4]
Ki Blast Absorption
Ki Absorption
Life Absorb^[5]
Life Drain
Power Drain
Absorb Energy
Super Drain^[4]
Tail Energy Absorb
Energy Drain^[6]
Energy Wave Absorption^[6]

Debut

Manga: "Slaughter in South City"
Anime: "Goku Hangs On"

Inventor

Dr. Gero (for his Androids)
Towa (for Mira)

Users

Piccolo
TPP - EX^[7]
Android 20 (Dr. Gero)
Android 19
Cell
Android 17^[4]
Android 18^[4]
Medas
Metal Cooler (nucleus)
Goku
Arbee
Jiku
Frieza^[8]
Vegeta^[8]
Janemba^[8]
Super Buu^[4]^[9]
Mira^[10]
Akami^[11]
Mutchy
Super 17
Future Warrior^[4]
Future Warrior 2^[12]
Android 33^[6]
Android 44^[6]
Android 55^[6]
Android 76^[6]

Class

Support

Similar Techniques

Absorption
Energy Absorber
Give Me Energy!
Ki Transfer
Light Eating
Majin Buu Resurrection

Directory: Techniques → Supportive Techniques

Energy Absorption (パワードレイン) is a technique introduced in the Android Saga by Android 19 and Android 20. Energy Absorption is also used by non-androids with the style being much different, as shown in Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug and Dragon Ball GT.

Androids' Energy Absorption

Androids 19 and 20

YamchaOwnedByDr — Android 20 absorbs Yamcha's energy

Due to them having mechanical components, Dr. Gero (Android 20) invented a way for him and Android 19 to absorb energy from an outside source in order to power up their own energy reserves. This is accomplished through the use of a mechanism on each hand that absorbs energy blasts, or drains energy from a person through physical contact. Dr. Gero grabs his victims almost every time around the mouth, preventing them from calling for help.

Unlike the fully organic characters in the series, Energy Absorption is the only way for Android 20 and Android 19 to power up their reserves of energy when they are away from Dr. Gero's Lab. Consequentially, because of the Androids lacking a ki-signature for detecting them via Ki Sense or Scouter, Energy Absorption allows indirect means of detecting them via rapidly decreasing the ki-signature of their opponent.

Android19EnergyAbsorbing.Ep — Android 19 absorbs Goku's energy

This ability later reappears in Dragon Ball GT, where it is used by Super 17 during the Super 17 Saga.

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse, Android 17, Android 18, Cell, and the Future Warrior can use this method of absorption. In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the Future Warrior (Xenoverse 2) can also use this method of absorption.

In Dragon Ball Fusions, Android 33, Android 44, Android 55, and Android 76 can all use this method of Energy Absorption.

Cell

Cell is able to absorb energy or even entire beings through his tail, gaining all of the strength of the person he has absorbed. To absorb somebody's energy, he stabs his target with the sharp end of his tail, the tail will then extract all of the organic matter of the victim, leaving only the clothing behind (the process appears quite agonizing for the victim). According to Cell, this is how he feeds, as he often licks his lips before consuming a large population or an android.

He also states that the more he eats the hungrier and stronger he becomes. This form of absorption is unusable on mechanical beings like Android 16. During his first confrontation with Piccolo, acid dripped from his stinger, indicating that absorption happens by injecting a digestive enzyme into the victim and absorbing the dissolving genetic extract. This technique appears under the name Life Absorption in Xenoverse 2.

Super 17

In Dragon Ball GT, Super 17 gains a more advanced version of this ability, allowing him to absorb energy directly into his body and use it to increase his strength, speed and other abilities. This absorption is powerful enough to drain Goku's 10x Kamehameha, after which he was able to dominate even Goku's Super Saiyan 4 form. This ability works by creating a personal barrier around his body, causing him to absorb any form of energy that comes in contact with him. However, Super 17 is immobile while using it, and the barrier does not protect the android from physical attacks. These weaknesses would lead to his destruction; Android 18 forced Super 17 to maintain his barrier by bombarding him with a barrage of energy blasts, allowing Goku to critically damage him with a Dragon Fist.

In Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, the Future Warrior is also capable of using this form of Energy Absorption via the Drain Field Super Skill which can be obtained via a wish to Shenron.

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the Future Warrior (Xenoverse 2) can also use this form of Energy Absorption via the Drain Field Super Skill.

Mira

In the video games Dragon Ball Online and Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, Demonic Android Mira possesses the ability to absorb ki through his palm like Android's 19 and 20, in order to grow stronger and add their power to his own. Should his body be destroyed, while his core remains intact, he can be restored by absorbing more energy though he apparently requires the assistance of someone like his creator Towa, due to his core's immobility. Also if he discovers his power is inferior to another, he will simply seek to absorb more energy to increase his power. One of his goals is to absorb the energy of legendary Z-Fighter, Goku. Mira's ability is called Drain Charge in Dragon Ball: Xenoverse and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2. In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, Mira can also absorb Kili that has been collect using an Energy Absorber.

Video game appearances

File:Dr. Gero stealing energy from Goku Zenkai Royale.png

Dr. Gero absorbs Goku's energy in Zenkai Battle Royale

Energy Absorption is one of Android 20's techniques, named Absorbing Attack, and one of Imperfect Cell's techniques, named Tail Energy Absorb, in Dragon Ball Z: Super Butōden; Android 20 uses this as a defensive technique against super attacks.

Both Android 20 and Android 19 use it as part of their ultimate attacks in Dragon Ball Z: The Legend. In the Budokai series, the two versions Ki Blast Absorption and Life Drain are commonly used by Androids 19 and 20. The androids also use this technique in Dragon Ball Z: W Bakuretsu Impact, and 19 and 20 can also combine the attack in the game.

File:Dragon-Ball-Z-Ultimate-Tenkaichi-004.jpg

Drain Life Cell in Ultimate Tenkaichi

In the Budokai Tenkaichi series, absorption allows the androids to absorb enemy ki blasts and some energy-based Blast 1 and 2 attacks. The energy of the attack is then added to the player's own ki reserves for their own use. However, these select characters cannot power up on their own, relying on absorption as a means to gather energy. In the Raging Blast series, the energy absorption is relatively the same as in the Budokai Tenkaichi series, only the amount of energy absorbed is drastically reduced and it takes energy to use the energy absorption (since it is a signature skill).

Dr. Gero can also use this technique in Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2, he notably uses it during his team attack with Semi-Perfect Cell, Twin Drain. Cell can also use the technique in Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu, Super Dragon Ball Z (called Drain Life), and Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai and Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road (called Tail Shoot).

Dragon Ball Xenoverse

File:DBXV Android 18 Hyper Drain (Super Skill) Screen-Shot-2015-03-04-at-12 55 17-PM.png

Android 18 using Hyper Drain on Raditz in Dragon Ball: Xenoverse

In Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, Energy Absorption appears in the form of three Super Skills along with Super 17's unique version:

Drain Charge - The basic ki absorption skill used by Android 18, Cell, and the Future Warrior. Mira can also uses this skill in his 2nd skillset as part of the GT Pack 2 DLC. The Future Warrior can obtain this skill as a reward in Parallel Quest 22: "Earth in Danger!".
Super Drain - An absorption skill that drains an opponent's stamina instead of ki. Used by Android 17, Android 18, and the Future Warrior. The Future Warrior can obtain this skill as a reward in Parallel Quest 28: "Take Back the Dragon Ball!".
Hyper Drain - An absorption skill that drains both ki and Stamina. Used by Android 18, Super 17, Cell, Super Buu, and the Future Warrior. The Future Warrior can obtain this skill as a reward in Parallel Quest 48: "Gathering of the Great Evil Alliance".
Drain Field - A vortex that absorbs weak ki blasts and even powerful energy waves (Super and Ultimate Skills), then adds them to the user's ki supply. Used by Super 17 and available to the Future Warrior by making a wish of more Super Skills to Shenron.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, four Energy Absorption Super Skills from Xenoverse return. Additionally, Imperfect Cell's version also appears.

Drain Charge - The basic ki absorption skill. While slow to launch and requiring close range, it cannot be escaped by an Evasive Skill and restores a massive 500 ki even if the victim had no ki to absorb.
Super Drain - An absorption skill that drains an opponent's stamina instead of ki.
Hyper Drain - An absorption skill that drains both ki and Stamina. Used by Android 18, Super 17, Cell, Super Buu, and the Future Warrior.
Drain Field - A vortex that absorbs weak ki blasts and even powerful energy waves (Super and Ultimate Skills), then adds them to the user's ki supply.
Life Absorption - An absorption skill where Cell grabs the opponent to restrain them and then uses his tail to drain them of energy.

Dragon Ball Fusions

In Dragon Ball Fusions, Energy Absorption is separated into two forms, Energy Wave Absorption and Energy Drain. Energy Wave Absorption acts as a counter to ki-based attacks allowing the user to absorb the opponent's ki blasts and ki blast attacks. Energy Drain allows the user to grab onto the opponent and drain their victim's health to restore their own. The game also features stronger versions of these two techniques. There is also a special move called Spirit Bomb Absorption which allows the user to absorb a Spirit Bomb they created to power-up granting them "Spirit" status however it functions independent of the Super Saiyan form as it can be used by none Super Saiyans such as the Earthling Quiche and Tekka's EX-Fusion with a Spirit Bomb Absorption user (regardless of Tekka's selected race or form). Goku however can only user it in his Super Saiyan form (DBZ, Super, & GT).

File:DB Fusions Android 33 Super EW Absorption (Special Move - Pic 2).png

Android 33 using Super EW Absorption in Dragon Ball Fusions

Energy Wave Absorption - The most basic form of Energy Wave Absorption Special Move acts as a counter that absorbs Ki Blast moves.
- Super EW Absorption - A stronger version of Energy Wave Absorption.
  - Ultra EW Absorption - A stronger version of Energy Wave Absorption that is more powerful than Super EW Absorption.
Energy Drain - The most basic form of Energy Drain where the user grabs the opponent from behind and places their hand over the victim's mouth to drain health.
- Super Energy Drain - A stronger version of Energy Drain.
  - Hyper Energy Drain - A stronger version of Energy Drain that is more powerful than Super Energy Drain.
Spirit Bomb Absorption - A special move where the user creates a Spirit Bomb and absorbs it into themself to power-up granting them the "Spirit" status to increase melee, ki blast, defense, and speed.

Other Forms of Energy Absorption

Piccolo's Energy Absorption

In the original Dragon Ball series, when preparing the Hyper Explosive Demon Wave, Piccolo would somehow forcefully absorb some of the energy of those around him to make himself stronger in preparation for the attack.

As Majin Piccolo, Piccolo absorbs Super Buu's energy in the video game Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors 2 in order to get enough power to defeat Gohan, Vegeta, Goten, and Trunks.

Medamatcha's Energy Absorption

In the movie Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug, Medamatcha drains energy through his Medas, a quartet of small, childlike versions of himself that emerge from his back. The Medas attack by leaping onto a person, draining them of their energy by direct contact. They then return to Medamatcha and re-enter his body, giving him the stolen energy. Alternately, Medamatcha can drain energy by piercing his target's skin with his large fangs.

Medamatcha successfully uses this attack on Gohan, taking the young Saiyan out of the fight. He later tries to use the same move on Goku, but Goku proves too strong to be restrained, even with the combined effort of himself and all four Medas.

Metal Cooler nucleus' Energy Absorption

Coolers absorption — Goku's energy is absorbed by Meta Cooler (nucleus) in *Ultimate Tenkaichi*

In the movie Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler, what remains of Cooler inside the Big Gete Star, Metal Cooler (nucleus), wraps his enemy in his wires in order to drain their energy. If he takes too much, he will overload and damage himself. Metal Cooler (nucleus) is also able to use this technique in the video game Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi and Dragon Ball Heroes.

Goku's Energy Absorption

Baby Put to Rest - RDBF Absorb — Goku absorbs the Revenge Death Ball Final

In the movie Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13!, Super Saiyan Goku absorbs the energy from the Spirit Bomb he formed, enabling him to defeat Super Android 13. During his fight on New Planet Plant, Super Saiyan 4 Goku absorbs the energy of Great Ape Baby's Revenge Death Ball Final and uses it to power a 10x Kamehameha. In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, Super Saiyan God Goku is able to absorb the godly Ki of God of Destruction Beerus' Sphere of Destruction, dispelling the technique though the process leaves him exhausted causing him to concede the fight though Beerus is impressed by Goku's potential and chooses to spare most of Earth save for a small rock formation.

Future Trunks' Energy Absorbtion

Trunks Spirit Bomb — Future Trunks absorbs the Spirit Bomb.

In the anime, Super Saiyan Anger Future Trunks absorbs energy from the Spirit Bomb that he and the Future Earthlings formed. This gave him enough power to defeat Fused Zamasu once and for all, however he evolved into Infinite Zamasu soon after.

Arbee and Jiku's Energy Absorption

In Dragon Ball Z Gaiden: Saiyajin Zetsumetsu Keikaku, Dr. Raichi's minions Arbee and Jiku have the ability to drain power from their opponents.

Majin's Energy Absorption

Main articles: Energy Absorber and Majin Buu Resurrection Yamu uses an Energy Absorber to drain and collect pure energy for the resurrection of Majin Buu. Yamu's technique was named Energy Drain (エネルギードレイン) in the arcade game Dragon Ball Heroes. It also appears in Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle.

Super Buu's Energy Absorption

Main article: Dangerous Liquid Bomb When in control of Vegito's body. Super Buu states that if Vegito tries to power up, Buu's power will increase due to having possessed him. In Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, Super Buu can grab opponents to absorb ki and Stamina via his Hyper Drain Super Skill.

Frieza's Evil Energy Absorption

In the story mode of the PSP game Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai, Frieza absorbs large quantities of Janemba's evil energy in order to power himself up.

Vegeta's Energy Absorption

Spirit Bomb Vegeta — Super Saiyan 2 Vegeta with Spirit Bomb energy absorbed in *Shin Budokai*

In Shin Budokai as well, while not absorbing it willingly, the Spirit Bomb incorporates itself into Vegeta and gives him a power boost to defeat Janemba.

Janemba's Evil Energy Absorption

Also in Shin Budokai, Super Janemba has the ability to absorb the evil energy produced by life forms to become stronger. After Gohan fought and defeated Majin Vegeta, Super Janemba goes in and starts to absorb Vegeta (who is generating large quantities of evil energy at this point, as part of Janemba's plan). The absorption seems to be a very painful one, as Vegeta is screaming at the top of his lungs the entire time. Super Janemba later absorbs the evil energy from a fake Vegito and Majin Buu.

Later, in Shin Budokai - Another Road, Future Janemba attempts to absorb Future Broly's evil energy in order to get stronger, but fails and is defeated.

Akami's Energy Absorption

Akami5(D9) — Akami takes energy from Gohan, Usopp and Mr. Satan

In the Dream 9 Toriko & One Piece & Dragon Ball Z Super Collaboration Special, the sea monster Akami is capable of absorbing the energies of fighters using long pink tendrils, growing as it absorbed more energy. With a single touch, Akami is able to take the energy of Gohan, Piccolo, Gotenks and others. It is even able to consume energy from Goku's Spirit Bomb.

Mutchy's Energy Absorption

In Dragon Ball GT, Mutchy absorbs energy by lassoing his magical whip around an opponent and the whip will then absorb their energy and transfer it to him.

Trivia

Piccolo Hit By Bionic Punisher — Piccolo absorbs the shock of Dr. Gero's Bionic Punisher

There are "Energy Absorption" Energy Combat cards in the Dragon Ball Z Collectible Card Game: one is called "Goku's Energy Absorption", and it allows the player to stop an energy attack. Another card is called "Black Power Absorption", and prevents all damage from an attack. Another card is called "Namekian Energy Absorbtion", and it depicts Piccolo getting impaled by Dr. Gero's Bionic Punisher; this may be named that way because Piccolo simply absorbed the shock of the attack and pretended to be knocked out.
In Xenoverse and Xenoverse 2, Android 17 and Android 18 can use Energy Absorption despite not being an Energy Absorption-model Android like Android 19 and Dr. Gero, the Bio-Android Cell, Android/Machine Mutant Super 17, or the Demon/Android Mira. In fact, Android 18 can use the 3 main Energy Absorption skills (Drain Charge, Super Drain, and Hyper Drain). Super Buu can also use Energy Absorption via his Hyper Drain skill.
- Additionally despite not capable being an Android (or Machine Mutant) the Future Warrior can use all four Energy Absorption skills (Drain Charge, Super Drain, Hyper Drain, and Drain Field). This was likely added due to the game's lack of an Android race option.
- In the GT Pack 2 DLC, the hand clothing option of Super 17's Clothes features the same circular energy absorption mechanism in the palm that appears on the palms of Super 17 and the Energy Absorption-model Androids (Androids 19 & 20), though it purely cosmetic as an Energy Absorption skill must be equipped to absorb energy.