Solar Flare

The Solar Flare is one of Dragon Ball's most enduring and versatile techniques. The user places their hands near their face with fingers spread, then projects an intensely bright flash of light that blinds anyone looking at them. The user is unaffected since they are projecting the light outward. It is categorized as a support technique because it deals no damage on its own, but the tactical advantage it provides is enormous: a blinded opponent cannot dodge, counterattack, or pursue.

What makes the Solar Flare remarkable is that its effectiveness is completely independent of power levels. It blinds Frieza as easily as it blinds a random tournament fighter. The only known counters are wearing sunglasses, being naturally blind, or closing your eyes before the flash occurs.

Tien Shinhan introduces the technique during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, where it blinds Jackie Chun (Master Roshi) while the tournament announcer and Master Shen are protected by their sunglasses. Goku steals the move and uses it back on Tien during the 23rd Tournament. Later, Goku deploys it against Great Ape Vegeta to buy time for the Spirit Bomb, and Krillin uses it to escape Dodoria on Namek.

Cell becomes the technique's most prolific villain user, employing it repeatedly throughout the Android and Cell sagas. He uses it to escape the Z Fighters after absorbing energy in Gingertown, to facilitate Android 17's absorption, and even in Hell during Dragon Ball GT. Cell's usage proves that the Solar Flare is effective regardless of alignment; any fighter with sufficient ki can learn it simply by observing it once.

The sunglasses weakness is one of Dragon Ball's most consistent and charming pieces of lore. It gets established early and never changes. Master Roshi's ever-present sunglasses protect him throughout the entire series, and Goku borrows a pair from Roshi during the 22nd Tournament specifically to counter Tien's Solar Flare. Even in Dragon Ball Super, Krillin's enhanced Solar Flare x100 can be defeated by a pair of shades.

In Dragon Ball GT, Goku gets creative by firing a Solar Flare through Nuova Shenron's light-amplifying lens, which converts the normally harmless flash into an attack that actually deals damage. This is the only instance of the Solar Flare being weaponized for direct harm rather than used as a purely tactical tool.