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Solar Flare

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The Taiyō-ken (Fist of the Sun), known as the Solar Flare in the English dub, is a fighting technique in Dragon Ball series.

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[edit] History and usage

A good few people had shown the ability to use this technique during the series, but not as many as were able to use the Kamehameha. The technique is performed by the user flying in front of the sun and placing their hands close to the center of their face with the fingers spread toward their eyes. The user then calls out the name and a blinding blue light fires out that blinds everything watching except the user, since they are projecting the light. Because this is simply a flash of light, it will work despite any gap in power between the user and the target. This technique is defensive rather than offensive, and is mainly used as way to gain the upper hand or in order to make hasty retreat. Because of the nature of the attack, it has almost always been extremely effective. The technique is rendered useless if opponent is wearing sunglasses or if they close their eyes. The technique was first used by Tien (the Solar Flare is Tien's signature move) and later on by Goku, Krillin, and Cell.

Goku used it on Great Ape Vegeta in order to buy time to collect energy for the Spirit Bomb. During the fight on Namek, Krillin used it to blind Dodoria who was chasing him, after he and Gohan had rescued Dende. Krillin performed his a little differently when he used it on Dodoria; however it still produced the desired result. Krillin later used it again against 2nd Form Frieza.

After the Frieza Saga, it is used several times by Cell to escape the Z Fighters and helps him in his mission to absorb #17 and #18.

All the forms of Buu (with the exception of the reincarnated Uub) after the fat one may be immune to this, because of their eyes, which is supported by Kid Buu being the only one to blink, which only happened when he was about to die.

[edit] Video games

In the various DBZ video games this attack is used to daze/stun enemies/opponents.

In Budokai Tenkaichi series it is a useful Blast 1 technique that causes an opponent to lose their lock-on. It is more useful in Budokai Tenkaichi 3 than in Budokai Tenkaichi 2. In BT3 it produces a temporary flash white-light (the screen whites-out briefly), however both fighters can still move and fight while the Solar Flare's light flash (or temporary light effect) is in affect (though one on the receiving end of the technique will lose their lock-on if they are too close to the user). In BT2 it it just causes the opponent to lose their lock-on (it lacks the temporary light effect). In Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai, Krillin can use an offensive version of the attack called "Sun Spot" which causes damage to the opponent instead of blinding them. In Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World, both Krillin and Tien have the Solar Flare as a stun technique. In Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, Tien, Krillin and Imperfect Cell had Solar flare as one of their attacks.

[edit] Trivia

  • The technique's English name, Solar Flare, ties in with the Japanese name's (Taiyōken which means Fist of the Sun) original meaning and hints to its disruptive nature (radiation emitted by "Real" Solar Flare's is known to affect Earth's ionosphere and disrupt long-range radio communications) as a flash of light that blinds the opponent.
  • In the US version of Budokai Tenkaichi 3, "Goku (GT)" (when using the technique) calls the techniques by its original name, Taiyōken instead of its "English Dub" name, Solar Flare, even though he is being voiced by Funimation voice actor Stephanie Nadolny (who voices Goku as a child). "Goku (GT)" is the only character (in the game's "English Dub"), to say Taiyōken when using the attack, while all other characters who use it shout, Solar Flare when using the technique. (Note: This only applies to the game's english dialogue.)

[edit] Known users

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