It took five minutes to charge with one arm. This drawback no longer exists in later uses of the technique, when Piccolo is able to fire it with two hands.
The Genki-Dama takes forever to charge too and nobody's accusing it of being shitty and worthless.
edited 27th Dec '17 2:58:27 PM by TobiasDrake
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.We've already gotten my thoughts on Gohan and Goku's abridged relationship. I hate it.
But yeah, the Special Beam Cannon is cool.
My various fanfics.I'm not sure if it's ever officially clarified in the manga whether Goku or Frieza started heading to Earth first, or if the one had anything to do with the other.
It makes sense that Goku would head home just 'cause he finished his training. It also makes sense that Kaio-sama might have tipped Goku off. "Hey, Frieza's alive and headed to your planet. Maybe do something about that."
Honestly, either is plausible.
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.Firstly, the Special Beam Cannon looks very unique and badass. Secondly, it seems to really punch above its weight, which is hugely impressive for a Dragonball Ki attack. Sure, timing is a problem, but Piccolo does have other attacks if he's roughly on par with the guy he's fighting (Hellzone Grenade, Light Grenade).
Actually, I'd love for Gohan to learn the hellzone grenade. Does he ever use it? I think it would really fit him.
What doesn't make sense is why Goku doesn't IT back if friggin Freeza is on the way.
edited 27th Dec '17 3:02:11 PM by Sigilbreaker26
"And when the last law was down and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being flat?"Although, Piccolo has gone back to the long charge one-handed version in Super, apparently deeming it the superior version. Given that he was able to impale two opponents between SSG and SSB in strength with one beam, he seems to be correct in that assessment.
He was going to, until he sensed Trunks.
edited 27th Dec '17 3:05:02 PM by PushoverMediaCritic
Hellzone Grenade is only ever used once, by Piccolo against Android 17. Unless Super brings it back, it never comes up again.
Which is a shame because it's a pretty f*cking cool move and easily one of my favorite in the series for the way it weaponizes missing. It's a strictly superior upgrade to ki volleys that actually takes the fact that your opponent will dodge most of your shots into account and uses that fact to lure them into a fantastic trap.
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.Yeah, Goku's logic for holding off on just teleporting to Earth/Frieza when he senses Frieza coming doesn't really work no matter how you slice it. He says he was going to but then sensed someone else strong and just decided to hold off. Which is, like, I'm not really sure why do that, but whatever.
On Piccolo's relationship with Gohan seeming more fleshed out than Goku's with Gohan, that is kind of true but you also have to look at the reasons in story. Like, Gohan is the main factor behind Piccolo stopping being evil. In order for something like that to work you need to play things a certain way. Piccolo's relationship with Gohan is very likely the single most important relationship he has or will ever have.
In comparison Goku and Gohan's relationship was...already good. Goku and Gohan have never not been on good terms, and Gohan has never not loved or respected his dad, and Goku has never not cared out or been interested in Gohan. There's no angst to be had there. So people take what I said about Gohan being Piccolo's greatest connection and act like it must also go the other way around when it really doesn't have to, and I don't think ever has. Gohan has always had a lot of people he cared about, Piccolo just happens to be one of them.
It currently has no symbol on it. During the Resurrect F and Universe 6 tournament, he wore his updated gi with the symbol that Whis drew on it, but since then he's gone back to wear the turtle orange gi.
That makes me happy.
I mean, I know Super's basically just Fanservice: The Series which is why characters like Piccolo and Android 17 are suddenly relevant fighters capable of defeating foes that dwarf Majin Buu in ability and, like, Krillin can beat up Gohan and shit. Super doesn't give a single solitary shit about battle powers, as demonstrated when an ordinary snake nearly killed both Goten and Trunks.
But it's still nice when some of that fanservice is angled towards me. ^.^
edited 27th Dec '17 3:16:49 PM by TobiasDrake
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.I wouldn't say it's impractical. It's not the be all end all attack but it's pretty good, especially if used in conjunction with other, stronger attacks or if your opponent has been caught off guard.
"And when the last law was down and the Devil turned round on you, where would you hide, the laws all being flat?"You can't block in every direction at once.
Unless you happen to have an impenetrable barrier fueled by an infinite energy generator. The Hellzone Grenade's failure against 17 is as much a mark of failure as the Kienzan's inability to kill Majin Buu.
My Tumblr. Currently side-by-side liveblogging Digimon Adventure, sub vs dub.Piccolo has used it twice. Once to one-shot Rubalt, who had him on the defensive and once as The Worf Barrage to establish the overwhelming power of Pirina.
My favorites are when Goku openly acknowledges that he's foisting his parenting duties off on Piccolo.
- Chi-Chi: That's why you're not his role model.
- Goku: Of course not. Piccolo is.
- Chi-Chi: And that is a conversation we desperately need to have.
And yet, he's still able to see right through the "play two parents against each other" trick.
- Gohan: Mr. Piccolo would let me go!
- Goku: No, he wouldn't, and he's smarter than me.
- Gohan: ...wow. That's actually a good point.
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That was a well-done one. Better than the "step away from..." joke in the same movie, which was still funny, but even more unnecessary.
I think both Piccolo and Goku are becoming better fathers, and Gohan is working out his issues a little, in part because of 4 years of time together (3, for Piccolo) and because they have the Vegeta/Trunks "relationship" as a cautionary tale.
It's a bit odd that Vegeta's hate/jealousy to his son hadn't lessened a lot since their year together, at least until Cell showed Vegeta just how useless and overblown his ego is. Right now, it's what, indifference on Vegeta's part? And Trunks' image of Vegeta is at most "frustrated tolerance", instead of seeking more of a healthy relationship, probably because Vegeta's a bit of a constant disappointment of a father to him.
edited 27th Dec '17 5:50:22 PM by wanderlustwarrior
- Gohan: How did you get here?
- Piccolo: I came when I heard you call!
- Gohan: ...how?!
- Krillin: Thanks for the ship, Piccolo!
Dem's fightin' words son.
I've missed most of the discussion again, but I'll add some stuff:
1) Piccolo never uses the Special Beam Canon again in the manga (although there is a two handed attack he uses against Nappa when he and Krillin launch that surprise attack that resembles it). I'm not sure why it was tossed out, considering it's one of the few times a technique from a weaker character killed somebody stronger (although that's only because Gohan injured him enough for Goku to be able to hold him). I'm surprised Piccolo just stopped using it in universe, even though it being forgotten is probably because Toriyama didn't care to bring it back (and the Power Creep likely made it useless anyway, at least on his end, Toei seems to think it's still capable of taking out stronger dudes).
2) The Hellzone grenade is more or less in the same boat: it should still be useful, but will probably fail because the other dude just has more ki. It doesn't matter if multiple explosions are going off in your face if you're so powerful they barely phase you, guarding or not. The fact that it was invented purely to fail due to 17's barrier doesn't help.
3) Has nothing to do with the conversation: I just wish Piccolo had taught Gohan the Special Beam Canon...and then Gohan combined it with the Kamehameha. Imagine the power of the latter with the piercing ability of the former.
It'd be godlike.
One Strip! One Strip!

It took five minutes to charge. That's way too long.