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Dragon Ball Z: The Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Explained

Highlights

  • Dragon Ball characters train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to quickly gain power.
  • The chamber has specific rules, such as time differences and restrictions on training.
  • Nine characters, including Goku and Vegeta, have used Earth’s Hyperbolic Time Chamber for training.



One of the many mesmerizing aspects of the Dragon Ball franchise is the levels to which many of its characters will go to achieve new power. Following characters like Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Piccolo, the cast of Saiyans and Z-Fighters will stop at nothing to train and become more powerful than their previous form. Whether a new threat is looming or it’s just for the love of the sport, Dragon Ball‘s main cast of fighters will make up any excuse to train their minds and bodies. One could argue that the late Akira Toriyama’s drive to depict larger-than-life training regimens led to many young people entering a life of physical training themselves.



While Dragon Ball‘s heroes get stronger simply by training, doing push-ups, sit-ups, and drinking plenty of juice, there is an alternative way to get stronger in a shorter time. The Hyperbolic Time Chamber is an area found on Kami’s Lookout, and has been used time and time again to quickly power up anyone who is willing to enter its domain. Toriyama needed to find a way to build up his characters’ strength without dragging the story on for too long, and the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was the perfect solution. It comes with a specific set of rules and only a few people have entered it. Here is everything to know about the infamous Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

The Introduction Of The Hyperbolic Time Chamber

How Did It Come Into Existence?

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The first instance of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber occurred during the original Dragon Ball run, albeit the physical representation was not seen on screen. As a way to grow stronger ahead of his fight against Piccolo in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku visited the lookout to find a way to get some much-needed training in. Entering the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku trained with Kami for one month and grew in height and power level, thanks to the atmosphere of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. The evolved Goku then entered the Martial Arts Tournament and soundly defeated Piccolo in the final, with Tien, Hero, and Kami finishing as semi-finalists.

With Dragon Ball Z‘s story, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber would not come into effect until the Cell Saga, when it was evident to the protagonist group that they were not nearly strong enough to compete with Perfect Cell. This time around, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was featured heavily, showing off the ins and outs of the chamber itself while explaining its rules and the effects it may have on the fighters’ bodies. The real-world consequences were something to consider at the time, as the pros and cons were mulled over by those entering the chamber, ultimately resulting in their extended training and amazing results.


Since its introduction, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber has taken a backseat in the series. Considered as a back-up plan for when Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the fighters are in dire need of a significant power boost, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber has become an afterthought. Though it is still considered highly powerful and effective, the fighters that once used it have since ascended to levels beyond their comprehension, thanks in part to the help of Whis and Beerus, an angel and God of destruction, respectively.

Explaining How The Hyperbolic Time Chamber Works

With Great Power Comes Many, Many Rules

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Before anyone who wishes to use the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, they must first be made aware of its complex nature and rules. The Hyperbolic Time Chamber is a dimension outside of Universe 7 that is accessible through various doorways across the universe. Furthermore, there are many variations of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber that can be used, such as the Galactic Patrol’s entry way, the doorway Frieza uses to achieve his new form, and the “Mock” entrance, designed by the Demon Realm Race Realm. It’s worth noting that each entrance to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber comes with its own set of rules and restrictions.

For the entrance on Kami’s Lookout, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber has some rules to consider before entering. One such rule is the time difference between days spent in the chamber compared to time in the outside world. For every day that passes by in the real world, fighters spend one year inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, which helps explain why fighters are so eager to use it. To compare Goku’s first time inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, his month of training inside amounted to just two hours in the outside world. This allowed Goku to grow exponentially in a short amount of time, allowing him to make it to his final fight in the World Martial Arts Tournament against Piccolo.


Another major rule to consider is that fighters must be careful with their training. Destroying anything, including the doorway to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, will result in loss of access to the exit. This means anyone inside at the moment of the destruction will lead to them being trapped inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for an extended period of time, possibly forever. Universe 7’s Hyperbolic Time Chamber is also set at ten times Earth’s gravitational pull, the same as Planet Vegeta’s, and the atmosphere inside the chamber is also a quarter of the Earth’s thickness. The deeper the fighter goes into the chamber, the more the temperature inside fluctuates.

Who Has Used The Hyperbolic Time Chamber

The List Of Dragon Ball Characters That Powered Up


In terms of Earth’s Hyperbolic Time Chamber, nine different characters have entered at different times. As mentioned earlier, Goku was the first to appear inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber during the original Dragon Ball run to prepare for his fight against Piccolo. Goku actually entered the Hyperbolic Time Chamber a total of three times, while visiting the Space Chamber and Mock Chamber once each. Vegeta spent five trips inside Earth’s Chamber and one round inside the Mock Chamber. In the anime adaptation, five of Vegeta’s six trips have been shown, while only three of Goku’s five voyages have been adapted.



Gohan has entered Earth’s Chamber just once alongside his father to train for the fight with Perfect Cell. It was in this setting that Gohan achieved his Super Saiyan form, also learning how to properly control it and live life while remaining powered up. Both Piccolo and Future Trunks have spent two rounds inside Earth’s Chamber, both training for the Imperfect Cell Saga. Piccolo’s second trip to the chamber was spent helping Goten and Trunks train to learn the Fusion Dance. This moment led to Trunks and Goten fusing into the beloved Gotenks, who achieved their new form to counter Super Buu’s terror.

To date, only two villains have entered one of the available chambers. Super Buu managed to infiltrate Earth’s Chamber while Piccolo, Goten, and Trunks were training, and was trapped inside once Piccolo destroyed the entrance, in order to prevent Super Buu from escaping. This was circumvented thanks to Super Buu’s ability to rip open a hole in time, escaping narrowly by transforming his body into a rope. Frieza is the other villain to experience the chamber, training inside the Space Chamber and realizing his Black Frieza form, which was powerful enough to defeat Goku and Vegeta at full power.


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