Ki Manipulation

“	You know, it's the energy... The latent power... In your body.	„
	~ Son Gohan explaining ki to Videl

Background

Ki Manipulation is the manipulation of Ki, also known as chi/qi, or simply energy, is the life force energy used by Dragon Ball characters. Ki is also known as "latent energy" or "fighting power," which directly translates as "life force." This force is a tangible energy inside every living being, with its major focus being in the center of the body. By drawing it out, an individual is able to manipulate it and use it outside the body. Ki can be used for many different techniques. Because there are physical limits to the strength of the body itself, it is necessary to increase one's ki to overcome this barrier and become stronger. Usually, the more concentrated the masses are, the more time the user requires to draw it out by powering up. When fighters gather ki, they are able to gain enhanced strength, speed, endurance, and can increase the power of their attacks to inflict greater damage to opponents. Normally, the more the ki is increased, the harder it is to control, so ki control is also important. Energy can be lost when the user sustains injuries, as exclaimed by Gohan when he loses over half of his maximum energy supply when hit by Cell's Time to Die. Maintaining proper balance between the body and spirit is important in utilizing energy, and the more properly balanced they are, the more energy you can project.

Types of Ki

• Regular Ki: Ki that is used by anyone that holds no evil intentions. It is also called Genki (the same as the component listed before). Some techniques need Good ki to work, as the Spirit Bomb. The appearance of this type of ki is usually a white aura around the user. Some techniques and transformations such as Super Saiyan or Kaio-ken can change the appearance of this type of ki. According to Grand Supreme Kai in Dokkan Battle, this specific type of ki is required to revive Majin Buu and free him from the Sealed Ball.

• Evil Ki: A particular type of ki that is manifested by beings with evil hearts. Usually, the villains have this type of ki. This nature of ki can be changed if the user holds no evil intentions, as the case of Vegeta who eventually became a good person. The appearance of this type of ki is usually a purple or pink aura around the user, like Vegeta (during the Vegeta, Namek, and Frieza Sagas) and Frieza. However, users like Cumber who have such a dark and intense, evil ki can corrupt other beings into becoming evil as well. The demon Janemba is the physical manifestation of this type of energy.

• Godly Ki: A special type of ki used by godly beings. Godly ki is far superior to regular ki, however, a regular ki user can still outmatch a Godly ki user as in the case of Jiren and Golden Frieza. The appearance is different depending on the user.
  • God of Destruction Ki: Gods of Destruction have a special type of Godly ki fueled by their own Energy of Destruction. The appearance is that of purple aura outlining the user.
  • Evil Godly Ki: A type of ki that combines the properties of Evil and Godly ki. The only known users of this type of ki are Goku Black, Merged Zamasu, and Infinite Zamasu. The appearance of this type of ki is a black aura around the user in Goku Black's case.

Usage

• Ki Attacks: Ki can be used to enhance the combat abilities of the user. Usually to increase their strength. Advanced ki users can also emit plasma from their bodies in the form of beams, blades, discs, rings, spheres, or explosions. In World Mission, the ki used to form the golden dragon for EX Dragon Fist is called Dragon Ki which the user must charge up before performing EX Dragon Fist (this applies to all EX Dragon Fist variants), thus ki can also be used to create more elaborate constructs.

• Transformation: Depending on their genetic inheritance, some beings are able to transform. However, not all beings are able to transform at will; in some instances, there must be certain environmental conditions required for their transformation (i.e. moonlight for Great Ape transformation, or emotional upheaval for first time Super Saiyans). By transforming, a person can change the limits of their regular body. Effects of transformations usually include alterations in strength and ki capacity. Some other effects may include differences in speed and durability. The most common transformation is the Super Saiyan transformation, which is only accessible to certain Saiyans and Saiyan/Human hybrids. The negative aspect of most transformations is that the process itself consumes energy. The effect of energy loss when dealing with Super Saiyan transformations can be limited or even nullified through training. Transformation is not always intended for increasing abilities. Some beings are known to transform in order to limit their abilities rather than increasing them. An example of this is Frieza, who was first seen in a suppressed state, being that his fourth form was his original state, and the form that he is first seen in was actually a transformed one. Cell demonstrated a similar ability when he reverted to a larval state in order to fit in Future Trunks' Time Machine and save energy during the time that he had to wait for the Androids.

• Ki Control: Most beings cannot freely control their ki, but many who can manipulate it also learn to control the flow of ki within their bodies, allowing them to channel larger or smaller amounts of their ki reserves. In essence, they can adjust their strength to match the situation, and generate attacks which contain larger concentrations of ki than they are normally capable of. This ability is noted by Raditz when fighting Son Goku and Piccolo; whilst they had power levels of 416 and 408 respectively, their special attacks channeled such high levels of ki that they measured at 924 and 1,480. Despite being common amongst Earth's martial artists, this ability seems to be exceedingly rare in general, as the Frieza Force are continually surprised by the ability of Son Gohan, Krillin and the others to raise and suppress their power levels at will. By gaining perfect control over their ki as it is channeled, and thus stopping any of it from leaking out of their body, a fighter is shown to be able to become exponentially more powerful. When Vegeta attained perfect ki control by training with Whis he caught up to Goku's power - who had merged with the power of Super Saiyan God - and managed to move when inside a field of godly ki when he was unable to when not perfectly controlling his ki. Through training in the Forest of Terror, Krillin also managed to attain ki control and "rose above himself", gaining greater strength.

• Ki Sense: A user with enough ki control eventually learns how to sense it, being able to sense the location, amount and type, the stronger and closer the enemy, the more powerful the sensation. Also, if a ki is very powerful, it can be sensed from afar by people who are trained to sense energy. With enough training the user can also hide their ki so others cannot sense it.

• Guard: Ki, once mastered at a basic level, carries more than just offensive and tactical power. While the durability of one's flesh and bones carry an obvious limit (even for races such as Saiyans, Namekians and deities) the extent of a fighter's ki does not carry these limits. As a result, fighters can increase their endurance by raising their guard to deflect ki attacks, although this obviously does drain energy. Lowering one's guard can result in much higher damage taken from attacks, even comparatively weak attacks such as scrapes, cuts, and bullets. Raising one's guard can be used to block attacks even more powerful than the user, although this can be extremely dangerous and often fatal.

• Ki Absorption Ki can be absorbed from others to strengthen a user. Normally this can only be done with the other users consent, however some characters have the ability to forcibly take one's ki from them. Notably Android 19 and Dr. Gero have this ability.