Dragon Ball 10 Times A Saiyans Tail Actually Mattered

Goku’s unusual tail defined many of his younger adventures, but it’s actually an important appendage that’s played a major factor in the series.

It’s not easy for an anime series to stick around for multiple decades and keep its audience both engaged and hungry for more, but Dragon Ball is just as popular now as it was back when it debuted in the 1980s. The core tenets of Dragon Ball haven’t changed, but the series has broadened its horizons and found interesting ways to push its characters and stories to fresh places.

One of the biggest reveals to come early on in Dragon Ball Z is that Goku is actually a member of the alien Saiyan race. Goku’s unusual tail defined many of his younger adventures, but it’s actually an important appendage that’s played a major factor in some of the series’ biggest moments.

10 The Saiyan Race’s Subjugation Of The Tuffles

Dragon Ball's approach to the history of the Saiyan race is quite interesting. It's incomplete but still tells enough to get a broader idea of the Saiyan race's past. The Saiyan were a people that were obsessed with conquest. This characteristic gets extrapolated through their Great Ape states.

The race would collectively transform with their tails to take over entire planets. It's exactly what the Saiyans do with the Tuffles, which leads to drastic consequences much later in Dragon Ball GT. Without this ability to transform, it's unclear if the Saiyans would have dominated the Tuffles in the same manner.

9 Raditz’s Tail Becomes His Primary Vulnerability

Dragon Ball Z kicks off in an explosive manner with the arrival of Raditz and the news that Goku is a member of an alien species known as the Saiyans. Raditz presents Goku with an ultimatum that pushes the two of them, as well as Piccolo, into combat over the Earth’s future.

Raditz is stronger than anyone that Goku and Piccolo have encountered and it initially seems as if he doesn’t have any weaknesses. The pair learns that Raditz’s tail is a major spot of vulnerability, which allows them to temporarily get the upper hand and pull off their volatile plan.

8 It’s Essential To Become Super Saiyan 4

Each Dragon Ball series is full of new transformations that push Saiyan power to dangerous new places. Dragon Ball Z eliminates the Saiyan tail from the occasion and acts as if it’s actually a restriction to turn into a Super Saiyan.

Dragon Ball GT introduces Super Saiyan 4, which has ties to the Saiyan race’s ancestral roots and brings back the tail in a big way. Vegeta has to resort to artificial Blutz Waves to trigger this and become a Golden Great Ape, whereas Goku also needs to regenerate his tail in order to access this new stage of power.

7 Goku Uses Knowledge Of It To Teach Universe 6’s Saiyans To Become Super Saiyans

Dragon Ball Super opens up its universe in a major way with the reveal of a multiverse full of powerful fighters. Universe 6 complements the series’ prime universe, Universe 7, and it brings with it several new Saiyans: Caulifla, Cabba, and Kale.

These Saiyans still have their tails, but they have zero knowledge of the Super Saiyan phenomenon. Goku is able to coach Caulifla and company through this process by referring to the Saiyan tail and the buildup of energy that it concentrates on the base of the Saiyan body. This is the breakthrough necessary to help them transcend.

6 The Removal Of Great Ape Gohan’s Tail Crushes Vegeta

The Saiyan Saga during Dragon Ball Z’s earliest episodes features some of the most important and creative uses of the Saiyan tail. The tail is essential for Vegeta’s transformation into a Great Ape, but Gohan benefits from the same transformation. Vegeta is able to effectively avoid Gohan’s rampaging behemoth, but he does falter when Gohan is taken out of his transformation.

The metamorphosis back from Great Ape to human doesn’t happen quickly enough and the sequence of events results in Gohan’s gigantic body crushing Vegeta. The manipulation of Gohan’s tail at the right time makes this possible.

5 Kid Goku Uses It To Fly Around For Transportation

The mechanics around a Saiyan’s tail don’t get fully explored until Dragon Ball Z and the unusual appendage usually functions as an entertaining visual gag for Goku back in the original Dragon Ball.

One of the stranger uses of Goku’s tail is that he’s able to control it confidently enough to make it a makeshift propeller that can float him around. Goku eventually learns how to fly and gains the Flying Nimbus for transport, but this natural method of transportation also helps Goku out when he’s left to his own devices.

4 Gohan’s Tail Forces Piccolo To Destroy The Moon

Not long after Gohan loses his father, he's thrown into intense wilderness training under Piccolo's guidance. This turns into a fundamental experience where they learn a lot about each other.

Piccolo remains in control through most of this training, but temporary panic sets in when Gohan sees the moon and transforms into his Great Ape form because of his tail. Piccolo doesn't go for the source in this case and instead destroys Earth's moon to resolve the issue. The full ramifications of this are never fully realized, but it's still an important event.

3 Goku Uses It As A Fishing Lure To Stay Alive During Childhood Training

Dragon Ball becomes a very suspenseful action series, but it begins in a fairly comedic place and Goku's tail is a fine source of both comedy and survival back in the original series.

Goku has to live on his own for much of his youth, which is a tall task many wouldn't be able to handle. Apparently, young Goku uses his tail as a very effective fishing lure to catch his meals. It's even a habit that's repeated by adult Goku in the recent video game, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

2 Turles & Vegeta’s Tails Take Advantage Of An Artificial Moon To Grow Stronger

The way in which a Saiyan's tail is supposed to function is that it helps the warrior transform into a Great Ape after they're affected by the rays of the moon.

Several Saiyans learn how to exploit this system by creating their own artificial moons to control the transformation. This ability allows Saiyans to become Great Apes at will. In this case, the tail is an effective trigger that the artificial moon lights the spark on. Those that aren't suspecting it often succumb and falter to this spontaneous transformation.

1 Kid Goku Uses It For Balance & Dexterity Against Giran

Some of the earliest battles in Dragon Ball are incredibly creative because they’re forced to think outside of the box and rely on grounded martial arts rather than elaborate transformations and energy attacks. The World Martial Arts Tournament is a big deal for a young Goku and he’s excited to face off against many new competitors.

Giran is a strange foe that intimidates some humans but doesn’t make Goku worry. This battle makes extensive use of the prehensile skills of Goku’s tail, whether it’s to maintain his balance or manipulate his restrained body away from Giran’s clutches.