Masenko

The Masenko holds a special place in Dragon Ball because of what it represents: the bond between Piccolo and Gohan. Piccolo developed the technique as part of the Demon Clan's energy wave tradition, and during the year he spent training Gohan in preparation for the Saiyan invasion, he taught the young boy this attack. To perform it, the user places both hands above their head, one palm on top of the other, and charges a yellow-orange energy wave before thrusting both hands forward to release it.

For Gohan, the Masenko became his primary offensive technique throughout the Saiyan and Namek Sagas, a period when the Kamehameha had not yet entered his repertoire. Every time Gohan fired a Masenko, it was a reminder that Piccolo's influence shaped him as a warrior.

Against the Saiyans

Gohan's very first Masenko came during the battle against Nappa, when the four-year-old unleashed the technique in a burst of rage. The attack was powerful enough to get Nappa's attention and demonstrated that Gohan possessed real fighting potential despite his young age. Piccolo had trained him well.

On Namek and Beyond

During the Frieza Saga, Gohan used the Masenko repeatedly. He fired it at Frieza's second form during the desperate struggle on Namek, buying time for his allies. Future Trunks also demonstrated the Masenko in The History of Trunks special, having learned it from Future Gohan during their training together in the apocalyptic timeline. This detail emphasized that the technique was passed from Piccolo to Gohan to Trunks across generations of warriors.

Pan inherited the Masenko as well, using it in Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super, making it a three-generation lineage technique. From Piccolo's demonic origins through Gohan's hybrid Saiyan fury to Pan's youthful determination, the Masenko traveled further through the cast than almost any other non-Kamehameha move.

The Masenko gradually took a backseat as Gohan grew older and added the Kamehameha to his arsenal. By the Cell Saga, Gohan was using Kamehameha variants for his biggest moments, and the Father-Son Kamehameha against Cell cemented that as his ultimate finisher. The Masenko became more of an opening salvo or quick-draw attack, used when Gohan needed to fire fast rather than charge up a full Kamehameha.

Despite being overshadowed, the Masenko has maintained a strong presence in video games. It is one of Gohan's core techniques across the Budokai, Tenkaichi, Xenoverse, and FighterZ series. The Xenoverse games make it a learnable skill for custom characters, and its quick execution speed makes it a popular choice for players who want a fast, reliable energy wave without the charge time of bigger attacks.