Essential Guide to Goku &…

By August Tales

Dragon Ball, rooted in decades of rich lore, spins narratives that revolve around characters transcending their boundaries. Where self-discovery and soul-searching drive the narrative, unexpected partnerships, such as that of Goku and Shin, also yield rewarding subplots. As the protagonist, Goku often steals the show. However, the late entry of Shin, Universe 7’s East Supreme Kai, ushers in an important phase of the series.

Shin’s appearance is tied to the possible revival of Buu. Despite Buu’s defeat, Shin remains a pivotal character. Although Goku and Shin’s interactions are sporadic, they develop a dynamic relationship. Now, Dragon Ball DAIMA delves deeper into this unique duet as they embark on a perilous voyage into the Demon Realm.

The Shin-Goku Collision: A Rocky Start

Colorful introductions define many team-ups. Goku and Shin’s was nearly disastrous. When they meet at Dragon Ball Z’s 25th World Tournament, Shin nearly succumbs to a darkly tempted Vegeta’s wrath. Determined to battle Goku, Vegeta threatens to take more innocent lives unless his demands are met. Goku, wanting to pacify Vegeta and prevent casualties, threatens Shin, who attempts to stop the fight. It’s a rare sight to see Goku losing his temper this way. Although his threats succeed, and Shin backs down, they later have to take down an awakened Buu. Their initial hiccup veers into an alliance that eventually saves the world.

Shin’s Daizenshuu 7 Guidebook: The First Lesson in Fusion

We’re introduced to fusion—heroes’ ultimate weapon against Majin Buu—rather late in the series. Goku learns the initial steps for fusion dance after spending seven years in Other World, meeting a member of the Metamoran race. While the dance seems useful, it has flaws. That’s when the Potara Earrings come in, offering a superior and flawless fusion method. For Goku’s understanding and acquisition of this alternate approach, he has Shin to thank.

Earth’s Doomsday: Shin’s Safeguarding Skills

The Dragon Ball universe has always been under constant threat. Amid such peril, Shin steps up as Earth’s shield when Kid Buu, an old yet potent antagonist, launches his Planet Burst technique that annihilates Earth. Goku’s desperate attempts to unite with Vegeta and their children fall short. However, Shin’s teleportation ability, the Kai Kai, transports them all off the planet to safety, thereby ensuring the Dragon Balls’ survival.

Pushing Strength Boundaries: From Goku to Shin

Dragon Ball’s power scaling gets increasingly complicated as characters ascend to daunting strength tiers. Shin, Universe 7’s weakest Supreme Kai, finds himself in a prominent position after the others perished millions of years ago. Shin’s power matches that of Goku during the Cell Games. After attaining Super Saiyan 2 and 3 strength during his Other World training, a shocked Shin realizes that Earth houses individuals, like Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan, who wield immense power.

The Conclusive Duel: Goku and Shin Against Fused Zamasu

Fused Zamasu meets his end when Goku, Shin, and Universe 10’s Gowasu join forces in the final showdown. Shin creates a powerful ki barrier to shield Goku, Vegeta, Future Trunks, Bulma, and Future Mai from toxic energy that Infinite Zamasu radiates.

Advanced Teleportation: Advantage- Shin

While Goku uses Instant Transmission for teleportation, Shin possesses a superior method, the Kai Kai. Unlike Goku’s technique, which requires an energy signature to lock onto, Shin’s ability works on abandoned areas too. In fact, King Kai’s demise during Cell’s self-destruct attack could have been avoided by Shin’s method.

Goku’s Unconventional Persuasion Irks Shin

Goku’s quest for Gohan’s potential power unlock results in a slightly inappropriate gifting move that leaves Shin in utter shock and disgust. Goku’s casual attitude, which overlooks the gravitas of Shin and Old Kai’s noble positions, reveals the stark contrast in how they perceive their duties.

Shin’s Role in Goku’s Battle With Future Zamasu

Shin unintentionally alerts Zamasu about Goku’s godlike power, which leads to chaos. On learning about Goku’s strength from Shin, the insulted Zamasu schemes to use this ‘mere mortal’s’ strength against him for his destructive plans. Shin’s inadvertent tip-off catalyzes a tumultuous course of events.

The Popular Fandom: Shin-Goku Fusion

The Dragon Ball fandom is drawn toward fusion. Fans have taken a liking to the fusion between Goku and Shin, termed “Shinku”. Fan art for Shinku continues to fuel enthusiasts’ creativity across different platforms. Their eagerness has led to game mods in Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 introducing Shinku as a playable character with a unique attack arsenal that complements Goku and Shin’s diverse abilities.

Shin’s Impact: A Fond Memory in Goku’s Farewell Montage

As Goku bids his world farewell in Dragon Ball GT’s finale, he shares an emotional goodbye to all significant characters including Shin. His impact on Goku’s life makes him appear in Goku’s flashback. During Goku’s fight with Baby Vegeta, Shin helps him regrow his tail, crucial for his Super Saiyan 4 ascension.

Dragon Ball continues to explore the extraordinary potential of unlikely partnerships. Goku — the young warrior — and Shin — a late entry – are an interesting duet, revealing an unanticipated depth in their cordial, yet complex relationship.