Zanku Fist

The Zanku Fist, literally "Air-Slashing Fist," is a rush attack that follows a specific pattern: the user sends the opponent skyward, pursues them into the air, delivers a rapid series of punches and kicks, then finishes by slamming them back to the ground. In the Budokai 2 version, the combo concludes with the user flying down and delivering a powerful kick to the opponent's back as they fall. It is a pure aerial combo designed to keep the opponent helpless from launch to landing.

The technique is used by Goku, Gohan, Goten, and Krillin, suggesting it is a common fighting school technique rather than a unique invention. It may represent a standardized martial arts combo taught at some point during their training, adapted to each fighter's personal style.

The Zanku Fist originates from the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai video game series, where it serves as the standard rush attack for several characters. Goku and Krillin can perform it in both Budokai and Budokai 2, while Adult Gohan and Goten gain access to it in Budokai 2. Each of the game's playable characters has their own equivalent combo attack under a different name. Yamcha has the Wolf Slice Fist, Tien has the Jackhammer Fist Flash, Raditz has the Exciting Year, and even Mr. Satan gets his own version called the Hercule Critical Attack.

The Zanku Fist is interesting as an artifact of Dragon Ball's video game tradition. Fighting games need standardized combo structures that work across multiple characters, and the Zanku Fist is essentially the "generic rush attack" given a proper Japanese name and incorporated into the broader technique catalog. Its inclusion in wiki databases alongside techniques like the Kamehameha and Spirit Bomb is a testament to how thoroughly the Dragon Ball franchise has documented every named move, whether it originated in the manga, the anime, or a PlayStation 2 game.