In addition to his extraordinary power levels and natural aptitude for fighting, Goku has a magical arsenal at his disposal to help him defend the Dragon Ball Universe from escalating evil threats. From Senzu Beans capable of completely healing even the most grievous injury to the virtually unbreakable and instantly extendible Power Pole, Goku's iconic set of weapons and gadgets have given him an edge on numerous occasions. However, one of the last mystical weapons that Goku acquires in the original Dragon Ball series has since fallen by the wayside into complete obscurity as the franchise has continued: the Bansho Fan.
After defeating Piccolo, Goku prepares to marry Chi-Chi but finds that her father's castle has been completely engulfed in flames, with the Ox King and Chi-Chi's wedding dress trapped inside. To put out the fire, Goku and Chi-Chi decide to use the legendary Bansho Fan. Initially believing they need to obtain a feather from the rare Hikui Bird to construct it, the couple instead learns that a complete fan is in the possession of an old woman named Granda Hakkake living near the Hikui Bird's nest. After Hakkake gives Chi-Chi the fan, Goku uses it to prove his worthiness to the goddess Annin, who instructs him on how to use the fan and some special honey to patch a fissure in Furnace of Eight Divisions responsible for causing the fire at the Ox King's castle.
The first user of the Bansho Fan in Dragon Ball is actually Master Roshi at the start of the series, with Roshi revealing that the fan can not only generate enormous gusts of wind but also control the weather. Roshi is seen unceremoniously using his fan at home as a potholder, but by the end of Dragon Ball, he sheepishly admits that he accidentally spilled some wonton soup on it and threw away the ruined fan. This prompts Goku to travel to the Hikui Bird nest to construct his own -- only to learn that Roshi's instructions on how to build a Bansho Fan were written while the venerable martial arts master was drunk, making Grandma Hakkake's assistance all the more invaluable.
Although Goku is seen still armed with the Bansho Fan at the end of Dragon Ball, along with his signature Power Pole and Flying Nimbus, the fan is never seen again in canonical Dragon Ball stories. The fan has been used by characters in various video game adaptations, perhaps most notably by Chi-Chi in Super Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Legends. The non-canonical OVA Dragon Ball Z: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans also has Piccolo use the Bansho Fan to put out fires in a volcanic area, marking a rare acknowledgment of the weapon's existence.
One major factor behind the Bansho Fan's inclusion in DBZ and Dragon Ball Super is that the backstory behind the fan and Goku and Chi-Chi's quest to obtain one are exclusive to the anime instead of the original manga source material. The Dragon Ball manga ended with Goku and Chi-Chi happily flying off together after Goku triumphed over Piccolo, with the wedding preparation epilogue serving as anime filler. Most Dragon Ball filler material tends to be ignored in subsequent stories, including the Bansho Fan.
Although the Bansho Fan gives its wielder the ability to control the weather with a single wave, such a powerful weapon appears to have been shelved for good. Unlike something like the Flying Nimbus, which can only be ridden and commanded by those of a pure heart, even a creepy old man like Roshi can tap into the Bansho Fan's power. The Dragon Ball franchise has veered more into science fiction than the fantasy elements of the original series, but the Bansho Fan is Goku's one weapon that's far overdue for a comeback.
