Balloon Technique

Krillin takes in a huge breath of air, puffing up his body to several times its normal size. The inflated state dramatically increases his air resistance, slowing his descent when falling. The sudden change in his body shape and falling speed can throw off an opponent's attack timing, causing strikes aimed at his predicted position to miss entirely.

Krillin deploys this technique during his match against Goku at the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. When Goku launches a kick timed to Krillin's fall trajectory, Krillin inflates himself mid-air, changing his speed and position enough that Goku's attack whiffs completely. It is a purely situational trick that relies on surprise value rather than any real combat power, and Krillin never uses it again after this single appearance.

The Balloon Technique is one of many creative, unconventional moves from the original Dragon Ball era that reflect the series' martial arts comedy roots. Alongside techniques like Krillin's shoe throw and Goku's Rock-Paper-Scissors attack, it represents a time when battles relied on clever tricks and improvisation rather than raw power escalation. The technique appears in the Daizenshuu reference guides as an officially cataloged ability.