Solar Flare

Directory: Techniques → Supportive Techniques

Solar Flare (太陽拳, Taiyōken, lit. "Sun Fist" or "Solar Fist") is a technique of the Crane School used by Tien Shinhan and is later learned by Goku, Krillin, and Cell.^[2]

Overview[]

The Solar Flare is performed by the user placing their hands close to the center of their face with the fingers spread toward their eyes. The user then calls out the name of the technique, which provokes a white light to fire out and blind everything watching except the user, since they are projecting the light. 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, or to set up for a more complicated attack without fear of interruption.

Despite the simplicity of the attack and its "old" nature, the technique is still deemed extremely effective against some of the most powerful foes ever encountered by the Dragon Team. Due to it being simply a flash of light, it works regardless of any gap in power between the user and the target. This technique is rendered useless if the opponent is wearing sunglasses, as evident in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament when Tien Shinhan uses the technique against Jackie Chun, affecting him while Master Shen and the World Tournament Announcer are unaffected by the flash.^[9] In the finals of the same tournament, Goku borrows Master Roshi's sunglasses to prevent Tien's Solar Flare and he is even capable of hitting Tien during the execution of the technique.^[10] This is also proven in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament when Goku uses the technique during his fight with Tien, which affects everyone but Master Roshi and the announcer.^[11] Also, if the opponent is naturally blind it has no effect on them.

Usage[]

The technique is used by Tien Shinhan during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.^[9][10]

During the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku uses the Solar Flare on Tien himself, who is using the Multi-Form technique.^[11]

Goku uses it again during his fight with Vegeta in the latter's Great Ape form, so Goku could have extra time to prepare his Spirit Bomb.^[12] During the battles on Namek, Krillin used the Solar Flare to blind Dodoria who is chasing him, after he and Gohan rescued Dende. Krillin performs this a little differently when he uses it on Dodoria. However, it still produced the desired result. Krillin later uses it again against Second Form Frieza.

It is used several times by Cell: to escape the Z Fighters,^[13] to help him in his mission to absorb Android 17 and Android 18,^[14] and even in Hell;^[15] up to the end of his life, Cell performs a Solar Flare using the Sun as the background, possibly to increase its effect. Krillin uses the Solar Flare on Cell in an attempt to slow him down in order for an airplane containing two survivors of Cell's attack at a town to escape, although Cell manages to catch up to Krillin upon liftoff and subsequently plow him through the plane, almost absorbing him had it not been for the Z Fighters arriving at the general vicinity.

It is used by Goku when he fights Arqua in the Other World Tournament.^[16]

In Dragon Ball Super, Krillin uses it on Goku as a distraction for Beerus to put on a Monaka outfit to fight Goku. In the manga, Future Trunks uses it so he, Goku, and Future Mai can escape from Goku Black and Future Zamasu. Future Trunks reveals that Future Gohan taught it to him indicating Future Gohan likely used the technique at some point to escape the Androids during his many battles with them and taught it to his student as it is useful for covering one's escape.^[4] In the Tournament of Power, Tien uses it on Botamo, Lavender, Comfrey, Shosa and Dercori in order to distract them. Krillin later uses on the blind warrior Majora, but since Majora is blind, the attack does absolutely nothing to him. For a third time during the tournament, Goku uses it against Caulifla.

In Dragon Ball GT, Super Saiyan 4 Goku uses the Solar Flare to temporarily blind Golden Great Ape Baby so he could gather energy from Gohan, Trunks and Goten.^[17] The Solar Flare normally does not do any damage, but Nuova Shenron has a special lens that can amplify sunlight to lethal levels. When Goku shot a Solar Flare through this lens, it did a considerable amount of damage to Nuova.

Variations[]

• Solar Flare x100 - An enhanced version of the Solar Flare that not only blinds the opponent despite their eyes being closed but prevents them from sensing the user's ki. Named and developed by Krillin in Dragon Ball Super.
• Neo Solar Flare - A more advanced version of the Solar Flare used by Tien Shinhan and several other fighters as a Special Move in Dragon Ball Fusions.
  • Ultra Solar Flare - A stronger version of Solar Flare that is even stronger than Neo Solar Flare. Appears as a Special Move in Dragon Ball Fusions.
• Heavenly Sunlight - A team attack used by Tien Shinhan and Krillin in Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans where both combine their Solar Flares into an even more powerful flash of light.
• Final Solar Flare - Tien's Ultimate Attack in Attack of the Saiyans where he blinds his opponents with the Solar Flare then fires his Mystery Ray from his third eye at the opponent.
• S. Sun Flare Destructo-Disc - Krillin's Final Ultimate Combo in Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden where he uses the Solar Flare to conceal his movements than attacks the opponent with a powerful Destructo Disc.

Video Game Appearances[]

The Solar Flare can be used to daze or stun enemies and opponents in various Dragon Ball Z video games, such as Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku where it temporarily stuns all the nearby enemies.

Master Roshi uses the Solar Flare in Dragon Ball Z: Atsumare! Gokū Wārudo.

It is a special technique used by Goku, Krillin, Tien, and Cell in the Butōden series. It is a Blast 1 technique that causes an opponent to lose their lock-on in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. The screen turns white for a short second. In Budokai Tenkaichi 3 and the Raging Blast series, after the Solar Flare has been used on any character wearing a scouter, they will use their scouter to locate their opponent.

Both Krillin and Tien have the Solar Flare as a stun technique in the Budokai series.

Krillin uses the Solar Flare in Super Dragon Ball Z.

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: Shin Budokai.

Tien, Krillin and Imperfect Cell also have the Solar Flare as one of their attacks in Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit.

This technique can be used in team attacks in Dragon Ball Z: W Bakuretsu Impact.

In Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans, there are two versions of the standard Solar Flare. Tien's version (the original version) afflicts darkness condition (which decreases an enemies accuracy). Krillin's version allows the party to escape from battle (similar to the tactic Krillin used to escape Dodoria). There is also a S-Combo called Heavenly Sunlight that is a combo attack where Tien and Krillin both unleash a Solar Flare at the same time damaging and blinding enemies. Tien also has an ultimate skill called Final Solar Flare which blinds and damages enemies (this technique is also part of the Demon-Wolf-Crane S-Combo). There are a few enemies who use an "imitation Solar Flare" which works like Tien's standard Solar Flare. Those enemies are Betrayer, Expelled Pupil, and Pupil.

The Solar Flare is a skill learned by Fighters at level 42 in Dragon Ball Online. It blinds all enemies within a certain radius, reducing their hit accuracy.

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse, the Solar Flare appears as a Super Skill used by Tien Shinhan, Goku, Krillin, and Cell. It can also be obtained by the Future Warrior as a reward in Parallel Quest 01: "World Tournament Tag Team". In Xenoverse, it briefly blinds the opponent, though it will not work if performed behind the opponent. Interestingly, wearing sunglasses accessories will NOT grant immunity to the Solar Flare.

In Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butōden, uses the Solar Flare as part of his S. Sun Flare Destructo-Disc Final Ultimate Combo.

In Dragon Ball Fusions, the Solar Flare is a Special Move that blinds an opponent and can be learned by several characters. There is also an advanced version called Neo Solar Flare.

In Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, the Solar Flare returns as a Super Skill used by Tien, Goku, Krillin, Imperfect Cell, and by Perfect Cell in his Perfect 2 skillset. It can also be obtained by the Future Warrior as a reward in Parallel Quest 03: "World Tournament Tag Team". There is also an equippable Super Soul called Hee Hee Sunglasses which protects the user and all of their allies from blindness caused by Solar Flare and other skills. After the 1.09.00 Update, it can be equipped to Android 18 and Yamcha's custom skillset after it has been purchased in Partner Customization. As part of the 1.21.00 Update DLC, Captain Ginyu (Goku's Body) can utilize Solar Flare as one of his Super Skills in Raid Quest: "The Dreaded Ginyu Force".

In Dragon Ball FighterZ, it appears as one of Krillin's Special Moves though can only be used on the ground. Android 21 and her fissions can acquire it by performing Connoisseur Cut on characters related to Goku. It is functionally identical to Krillin's version but can be used in the air. Perfect Cell also utilize Solar Flare in cutscenes in game's story mode.

In Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, Solar Flare is a Support Super Attack which can be utilized by Tien and Krillin if it is set to one of their Support Super Attack slots. The technique stuns most enemies making it perfect when confronting large groups of enemies. It has its own entry in the Z Encyclopedia's Terms section in its Skills index. According to its entry, the user gathers Ki in their upper body, which enables the user to unleash a flash of light that can blind any opponent (this is likely a reference the technique's in-game mechanics as enemy characters and the Z-Fighters are unable to shield their eyes from the effects of the Solar Flare) and that it was originally Tien's technique, but was simple enough for Krillin and the others to learn.

Additionally, it is also utilized by Cell as one of his attacks when fought as a boss, in a cutscene to escape from Piccolo (True Namekian Fusion) after their first encounter, and in a cutscene before he absorbs Android 18. According to the Z Encyclopedia story notes for Cell Saga Episode 5, the Solar Flare is said to have originally been developed by the Crane School (the Solar Flare's Terms - Skills entry states it was originally Tien's technique indicating its status as a Crane School technique in Kakarot is due to him developing it during his time as a student of the Crane School under Master Shen) and compares it with Flight, another Crane School technique that was eventually used by practically all major characters.

Trivia[]

• The technique's English name, Solar Flare, ties in with the Japanese name's original meaning, "Fist of the Sun", and hints to its disruptive nature (radiation emitted by real-life Solar Flares is known to affect Earth's ionosphere and disrupt long-range radio communications) as a flash of light that blinds the opponent.
• In the original manga, each person who uses Solar Flare uses it only twice:
  • In the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, Tien uses it once against Master Roshi (as Jackie Chun) in the semifinals, and then on Goku in the finals.
  • In the next Tournament, Goku uses it on Tien in the semifinals and then on Great Ape Vegeta in the Saiyan Saga while collecting energy for the Spirit Bomb.
  • Krillin uses it on Dodoria on Namek to escape with Gohan and Dende, and on Frieza's second form.
  • Finally, Cell uses it simultaneously on Piccolo, Future Trunks, and Krillin. In his Semi-Perfect form, he uses it on Trunks and Krillin again, also affecting Android 16 and Android 18.
• In the US version of Budokai Tenkaichi 3, when using the technique, Goku (GT) calls it by its original name, Taiyōken, instead of its "English dub" name, "Solar Flare", even though he is being voiced by Funimation dub voice actor Stephanie Nadolny in the game. Goku (GT) is the only character to say taiyōken when using the attack in the game's "English dub", while all other characters who use it shout "Solar Flare" when using the technique with the game's English voices. Krillin uses its Japanese name in the Funimation dub of Dragon Ball Z Kai when he uses it on both Dodoria and Frieza, though neither Goku nor Cell do when they use it.
• In Xenoverse 2, there is voice data for this technique for Goku Black indicating that at some point in development it may have been one of his Super Skills.^[7]

Gallery[]

Tien uses the Solar Flare on Goku Tien using the Solar Flare Goku uses a Solar Flare on Tien and his clones Krillin uses the Solar Flare Future Trunks blinded by Cell's Solar Flare in Dragon Ball Z Kai Goku performs a Solar Flare underwater against Arqua Super Saiyan 4 Goku uses a Solar Flare Great Ape Baby blinded by Super Saiyan 4 Goku's Solar Flare Tien's Solar Flare blinds Lakasei and Rasin in The Tree of Might Lakasei and Rasin blinded by Tien's Solar Flare in The Tree of Might Solar Flare in the Bandai CCG Goku's Solar Flare in Ultimate Battle 22 Goku uses a Solar Flare in W Bakuretsu Impact Ginyu blinded by Krillin's Solar Flare in W Bakuretsu Impact Imperfect Cell's Solar Flare in Budokai Tenkaichi 3 Krillin performs a Solar Flare in Infinite World Semi-Perfect Cell prepares a Solar Flare in Budokai Tenkaichi 3 Goku uses a Solar Flare in Raging Blast 2 Krillin's Solar Flare in Battle of Z Goku performing Solar Flare in Xenoverse

References[]