The Kamehameha is one of the most powerful techniques in the Dragon Ball franchise and easily one of the most iconic attacks in anime history.
But how powerful is it, really?
To answer this, we will rely strictly on information presented in the Dragon Ball manga, using reasonable physical estimates that do not contradict the story’s narrative.
A common source of contradiction comes from power levels. Many fans add or multiply them to define how many times stronger one character is than another. A clear example appears in the Legend of Manga guide, which claims that a power level of 10,000 is enough to destroy an Earth-sized planet. This statement is non-canon, and it also conflicts with the manga itself.
In canon, the first explicit claim about destroying Earth occurs during the Saiyan Saga, when Vegeta states that his Galick Gun would destroy the planet. At that time, Vegeta’s power level was around 18,000 according to scouters and official guides. The issue becomes obvious when we compare this with Master Roshi, who destroyed the Moon with a power level of 180.
Destroying the Moon requires about 1.2 × 10²⁹ joules, while destroying Earth requires roughly 2.4 × 10³² joules, or 2,000 times more energy. If power levels scaled linearly, destroying Earth would require a power level close to 360,000, a value only reached during the Frieza Saga. This shows that power levels should only be used to compare characters relative to each other, not as direct energy measurements.
For this reason, we will focus only on the most relevant feats. The Kamehameha is used countless times throughout the series, and analyzing every single instance would make this post unnecessarily long.
Finally, keep in mind that this analysis is only an estimation, based on available information. It should not be taken as absolute canon. You are welcome to form your own interpretations and share your estimates in the comments.
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 14 |
The first time the Kamehameha is used is in Episode 14, when Master Roshi destroys Mount Frypan. We already covered this feat in a previous post and estimated an energy output of ~17 megatons of TNT to destroy the mountain.
This is an impressive first demonstration of power, and more efficient than a conventional bomb, since all the energy is concentrated on a single point, forcing the target to fully absorb the attack.
21st Tenkaichi Budokai Saga
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 51 |
During the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, Master Roshi, disguised as Jackie Chun, fires a Kamehameha at the Moon, causing its complete destruction. This is later confirmed, where it is mentioned that Kami-sama created a new Moon, although the method used is not specified.
To estimate how much energy is required to destroy the Moon, we use the gravitational binding energy formula:
Where:
- G = gravitational constant = 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg²
- M = mass of the Moon = 7.349 × 10²² kg
- R = radius of the Moon = 1,740,000 m
Using these values, the energy required is approximately 1.2 × 10²⁹ joules, or about
29,636,711,281,070 megatons of TNT (~29 trillion megatons).
Although the Kamehameha is used many times throughout the series, there is not enough solid data to make reliable estimates until Vegeta and Nappa arrive on Earth. The key moment occurs during the clash of beams between Goku using Kaioken ×3 and Vegeta’s Galick Gun, where Vegeta explicitly states that the attack has enough power to destroy the Earth.
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 231 |
While the planet is not actually destroyed on screen, this claim is credible when compared to earlier feats, such as Piccolo destroying the Moon shortly after the Raditz saga, or Nappa causing a massive explosion upon arriving on Earth. These events support the idea that planet-level power was already present at this stage.
As with the Moon, we can estimate this using gravitational binding energy. Earth has a mass of 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg and a radius of 6,371,000 m, resulting in a destruction energy of approximately 2.4 × 10³² joules, about 2,000 times more energy than what is required to destroy the Moon.
Since Goku’s Kaioken ×3 Kamehameha directly matches Vegeta’s planet-busting attack, we can scale the Kamehameha as follows:
- Base: 8 × 10³¹ joules (enough to destroy Mercury ~44 times, GBE ≈ 1.8 × 10³⁰ J)
- Kaioken ×2: 1.6 × 10³² joules (enough to destroy Venus, GBE ≈ 1.55 × 10³² J)
- Kaioken ×3: 2.4 × 10³² joules (enough to destroy Earth or about 2,000 Moons)
- Kaioken ×4: 3.2 × 10³² joules At this point in the story, the Kamehameha clearly reaches full planetary-scale power.
Frieza Saga
In this stage of the story, we have two key moments to analyze: Goku’s arrival on Namek, and his power after recovering before fighting Frieza
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 270 |
By the time Goku reaches Namek, he has trained under 100× gravity, which is ten times higher than the 10× gravity training with King Kai. This implies that Goku is roughly 10 times stronger than he was during his fight with Vegeta, and his Kamehameha scales accordingly:
- Base: 8 × 10³² joules (enough to destroy Earth ~3 times)
- Kaioken ×2: 1.6 × 10³³ joules (enough to destroy 6 Earth-like planets)
- Kaioken ×3: 2.4 × 10³³ joules (enough to destroy 10 Earth-like planets)
- Kaioken ×10: 8 × 10³³ joules (enough to destroy ~30 Earth-like planets)
After his recovery, as discussed in previous posts (Goku Speed), Goku’s power increases by roughly a factor of two, especially since he is now capable of using Kaioken ×20.
- Base: 1.6 × 10³³ joules
- Kaioken ×2: 3.2 × 10³³ joules
- Kaioken ×10: 1.6 × 10³⁴ joules (enough to destroy a gas giant like Neptune, GBE ≈ 1.7 × 10³⁴ J)
- Kaioken ×20: 3.2 × 10³⁴ joules
- Super Saiyan: 8 × 10³⁴ joules (enough to destroy over 300 Earths, but still far below massive gas giants like Saturn ≈ 2.2 × 10³⁵ J and Jupiter ≈ 2 × 10³⁶ J)
At this point, the Kamehameha reaches multi-planetary levels, marking a massive leap from its early Dragon Ball origins.
Frieza’s Power
From statements in the manga and later material, we know that Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta using his Supernova technique. The only concrete data we have is related to the planet’s gravity. According to King Kai, Planet Vegeta had a gravity 10 times greater than Earth’s.
Destroying a planet under those conditions would require roughly 2.4 × 10³⁴ joules, equivalent to the energy needed to destroy at least 100 Earth-like planets—and this was done by Frieza in his first form. This suggests that the destruction was heavily influenced by the specific technique used, rather than raw power alone.
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 319 |
In Chapter 319, during his battle against Super Saiyan Goku, Frieza launches an attack intended to destroy Planet Namek. The blast hits the planet directly, producing a massive flash that engulfs it. However, it is later revealed that the planet was not instantly destroyed. Instead, the attack created a huge crater reaching the planet’s core, causing Namek to destabilize and eventually explode five minutes later.
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 320 |
The full destruction of Namek occurs in Chapter 328. At this point, Frieza is in his final form, using more than 50% of his power. Despite being astronomically stronger than in his first form, he still does not destroy the planet in a single, instantaneous blast, unlike the depiction of Planet Vegeta’s destruction in later media. Once again, the attack forms a core-reaching crater that leads to delayed planetary collapse.
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 328 |
Since there are no official measurements for Planet Namek’s size, the safest assumption is that it is similar to Earth. This is supported by environmental conditions: characters like Bulma can stand normally and breathe the atmosphere, implying comparable gravity and scale.
Under this assumption, the energy involved remains within the same power range previously estimated, without contradiction. This further reinforces the idea that the destruction of Planet Vegeta was primarily the result of the Supernova technique itself, rather than a narrative inconsistency
From this point onward, obtaining precise data for direct estimates becomes more difficult, as discussed in our post about Goku’s speed. Therefore, we will continue using relative scaling based on implied power growth.
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 336 |
We know that Vegeta trained under 300× gravity, which is three times higher than Goku’s 100× gravity training during his trip to Namek. While the growth margin in this arc is smaller than in earlier sagas—where power jumps of ×10 or more were common—the story consistently implies that Goku and Vegeta have comparable potential. It is reasonable to assume their overall stats remained close during this period.
Using this logic, Goku’s Kamehameha during the three-year training period can be estimated as:
- Base: 4.8 × 10³³ joules (enough to destroy Earth ~20 times)
- Super Saiyan: 2.4 × 10³⁵ joules (within the range needed to destroy Saturn)
Next comes the Room of Spirit and Time, where Goku and Gohan train for a full year. The power increase here is significant. Gohan not only achieves Super Saiyan, but is able to maintain it permanently without fatigue, a clear indicator of massive growth.
But how much did Goku improve?
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 375 |
Goku admits he could not defeat Semi-Perfect Cell, yet after the training he is capable of fighting Perfect Cell, something even Super Vegeta failed to do. Trunks also states that within the first few months of training, he had already surpassed the normal Super Saiyan level, suggesting that the largest gains occurred early on.
This supports the idea that Goku’s power increased by roughly a factor of ×4.
Post–Room of Spirit and Time, Goku’s Kamehameha scales to:
- Base: 1.92 × 10³⁴ joules
- Super Saiyan (Full Power): 9.6 × 10³⁵ joules (enough to destroy Saturn ~4 times)
Cell’s Solar System Claim
During this saga, Cell claims that he has gathered enough ki to destroy the Solar System. However, this statement lacks support from the feats shown in the manga.
To release 1 FOE (10⁴⁴ joules)—the energy of a typical supernova—Cell would need to be over 100 million times stronger than Goku’s Super Saiyan full power. This is clearly unrealistic. Additionally, completely erasing a solar system would require more than a single FOE.
For these reasons, Cell’s statement is best interpreted as intimidation, rather than a literal, physics-based claim
Buu Saga
At this point in the story, there are no clear statements, feats, or guidebook notes indicating a major increase in Goku’s base power. Because of this, the most reliable scaling method is to use the Super Saiyan multipliers (SSJ1, SSJ2, SSJ3), as these are the only well-defined values that provide a consistent and non-speculative progression.
It is also important to note that during this saga, Goku openly states that he has reached his limit; further training would not significantly improve his Super Saiyan form. This strongly suggests that his time in the Other World was focused on mastering higher transformations, much like Vegeta. As a result, Goku’s base power remains unchanged or only slightly increased, making the multipliers the dominant factor in determining the combat power of his Kamehameha.
Using the previously established base values, Goku’s Kamehameha power in this arc is:
- Base: 1.92 × 10³⁴ joules (enough to destroy Earth ~80 times)
- Super Saiyan: 9.6 × 10³⁵ joules (enough to destroy Saturn ~4 times)
- Super Saiyan 2: 1.92 × 10³⁶ joules (within the range to destroy a gas giant like Jupiter)
- Super Saiyan 3: 7.68 × 10³⁶ joules (enough to devastate ~4 Jupiter-class planets)
Buu’s Power
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| Dragon Ball Chapter 508 |
This saga clearly showcases the power of Kid Buu, who is able to destroy Earth with ease, a feat he demonstrates directly. The scale of the destruction far exceeds the minimum energy required to destroy the planet, fitting perfectly within the estimates presented in this analysis and reinforcing the overall power scaling.
Conclusion
Throughout Dragon Ball, the Kamehameha evolves from a mountain-level technique into a multi-planetary and gas-giant–level attack, driven not by arbitrary numbers, but by clear narrative feats and scaling. By grounding the analysis in gravitational binding energy and consistent story logic, we can trace this growth without contradicting canon.
While exact values will always remain estimates, the overall conclusion is clear: the Kamehameha is not just iconic—it represents one of the most dramatic and coherent power progressions in anime, reflecting Goku’s growth from a martial artist to a fighter capable of threatening entire worlds.
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