Rock, Scissors 'N' Paper

The Rock, Scissors 'N' Paper technique, known in Japanese as Jan Ken, is the first named fighting move Goku ever uses. Taught to him by his adoptive grandfather Gohan, it transforms the children's game of rock-paper-scissors into a three-part melee attack. "Rock" delivers a hard punch. "Scissors" jabs two fingers into the opponent's eyes. "Paper" strikes with an open palm. The user shouts the game's call before each strike, keeping opponents guessing which attack is coming next.

Goku first uses Jan Ken against the Bear Thief threatening Turtle on the beach, then employs it again against Yamcha in the Diablo Desert. During the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament finals, Goku gets creative by calling "Paper" and then throwing "Rock," confusing Jackie Chun with the deliberate mismatch between announcement and attack.

The technique's most tactically brilliant use comes during Goku's fight with General Blue. After being paralyzed by Blue's Psychic Eyes, a passing mouse breaks Blue's concentration and frees Goku. When Blue attempts the psychic technique again, Goku immediately hits him with the "Scissors" eye poke at a speed Blue cannot react to, blinding him and shutting down the psychic ability entirely. He follows up with a "Rock" punch that slams Blue into the cave wall and knocks him out.

Jan Ken disappears from Goku's repertoire as the series progresses and ki-based techniques become dominant. By the time of the Saiyan Saga, Goku has moved far beyond physical gimmick attacks. But the technique lives on in games: Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot features individual Rock, Paper, and Scissors variants as separate Super Attacks for Kid Goku, plus an Ultimate version that chains all three together. In Dragon Ball Fusions, Goten and Gotenks carry on the tradition with powered-up variants like Scissors Paper Rock Rush EX and SP.

There is something endearing about a technique this simple existing in a universe where fighters can destroy galaxies. It is a reminder that Goku started as a wild mountain boy whose grandfather taught him to fight using a children's game.