Is the Fusion Dance Stronger in ‘Dragon Ball Super: Broly’?

Dragon Ball Super: Broly brought the fan favorite non-canon characters Broly and Gogeta into the series canon officially, but series creator Akira Toriyama also expanded much of the already existing lore of the series, such as the Fusion Dance technique.

While it’s been previously confirmed to last 30 minutes, the transformations in the film don’t require the hour-long wait in between attempts nor does Gogeta defuse in the fight with Broly even while using a ton Super Saiyan Blue power. So could it be that the Fusion Dance is a stronger technique now?

When the Fusion Dance was first introduced to the series during the Majin Buu saga, it was confirmed to be a technique that takes two individuals of roughly the same size and power and combines them into a stronger warrior with multiplied power. Unlike the Potara Fusion, however, this technique only fused the two warriors for 30 minutes and depended on the amount of ki exerted (or if the fighters get out of sync). For example, Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks burned through the technique faster than base or Super Saiyan Gotenks would. For a Gogeta example, Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta in Dragon Ball GT only lasted about 15 minutes or so.

But in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, these rules have been fudged just a bit. Sure they could have been altered for a more fulfilling climax, but it definitely raises some questions. When Goku and Vegeta practice the Fusion Dance technique with Piccolo, there are two failed attempts before the final successful fusion. The implication is that they had to wait the 30 mins for each transformation while Freeza is getting pummeled by Broly for an hour. It’s played for laughs, but this removes the hour wait needed before another fusion attempt. Otherwise Freeza would have been fighting Broly for three hours in total while Goku and Vegeta practiced.

Not only is the hour wait seemingly removed, Gogeta’s fusion lasts until the end of the fight with Broly. Most fans suspected that Gogeta fighting in base form, then Super Saiyan form, and finally Super Saiyan Blue form, would make the two defuse and lead to a different finish to the fight than we got. But that’s not the case. Super Saiyan Blue Gogeta exerted an incredible amount of energy, and was even able to change back into his base form following the fight.

This is a much different outlook on the fusion technique than seen in the series prior, which a character like Vegito burned through his hour time limit due to that same power-up without exerting nowhere near the same amount of energy in the fight with Zamasu. So while this could be just to make a more dramatic, and awesome looking, fight with the Full Power Broly, there’s also a hidden implication that the Fusion Dance may have been strengthened.

It makes a ton of sense if this is the case, given that characters like Broly have been strengthened as well in order to better match with Goku and Vegeta’s current power levels. They have essentially become gods in terms of their power when at full force, so the franchise as a whole just might have to adjust some of its older ideas to fit their new strengths.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly is now open in theaters worldwide, and has already gone on to have a bigger lifetime gross than Dragonball: Evolution. Funimation brought the film to the United States on January 16, and tickets for the film are now on sale. You can read ComicBook.com’s spoiler-free review of the film here. The film is described as such:

“A planet destroyed, a powerful race reduced to nothing. After the devastation of Planet Vegeta, three Saiyans were scattered among the stars, destined for different fates. While two found a home on Earth, the third was raised with a burning desire for vengeance and developed an unbelievable power. And the time for revenge has come. Destinies collide in a battle that will shake the universe to its very core! Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force. Locked into battle with the formidable Broly, Goku and Vegeta face their most dangerous opponent yet!”