Super Explosive Wave

The Super Explosive Wave is about as straightforward as techniques get: the user charges energy throughout their entire body, then detonates it outward in a massive spherical burst. Anyone caught within the blast radius takes enormous damage. The technique doubles as both offense and defense, pushing away attackers while dealing punishment simultaneously. The size and power of the explosion scale directly with the user's ki reserves, meaning the same technique looks very different when performed by Piccolo versus Golden Great Ape Baby.

Piccolo's Hyper Explosive Demon Wave is recognized as the first Super Explosive Wave seen in the series, and it set the template for every version that followed. Unlike targeted attacks that require aim and timing, the Super Explosive Wave is pure brute force projected in every direction at once.

Vegeta is perhaps the technique's most prolific user. During the Saiyan Saga, he unleashes it twice: first as a show of his elite power against Goku, then again when cornered by Goku, Krillin, Gohan, and Yajirobe all at once. He later uses it against Frieza on Namek. Future Trunks fires one off in pure rage after Cell tells him about the Cell Games.

Across Every Series

Frost uses the technique against Piccolo during the Tournament of Destroyers in Dragon Ball Super. In the manga, Goku Black uses it to level Parsley City's general hospital out of frustration at being unable to figure out Vegeta's Super Saiyan God-to-Blue switching technique. Dragon Ball GT sees frequent use from Goku, the Sigma Force, General Rilldo, Goten, Vegeta, and Golden Great Ape Baby.

The Super Explosive Wave occupies an interesting niche in the Dragon Ball technique arsenal. It is not flashy, it has no special properties, and nobody claims ownership of it. It simply exists as a universal option available to any fighter with sufficient ki reserves. That universality is precisely what makes it notable. When you see a fighter resort to the Super Explosive Wave, it usually means they are either overwhelmed, enraged, or making a deliberate statement about their power. It is the technique of last resort and first resort simultaneously.