1. Overview and History
Time Skip is one of the most formidable and unique techniques in the Dragon Ball Super universe, used by Hit, the legendary assassin from Universe 6. Unlike energy attacks or transformation-based power increases, Time Skip is a temporal manipulation ability that allows Hit to move through a brief frozen moment in time, creating combat opportunities that are impossible to react to through normal means.
Hit developed the Time Skip technique over centuries of work as the most feared assassin in Universe 6. The technique was refined through countless assassinations and battles, evolving from a basic speed enhancement into a sophisticated temporal displacement ability. By the time of the Universe 6 vs Universe 7 tournament, Hit's Time Skip had reached a level of mastery that made him one of the most dangerous fighters in the multiverse.
Time Skip was first demonstrated during the Universe 6 Saga of Dragon Ball Super, where Hit represented Universe 6 in the tournament against Universe 7. His ability to seemingly teleport and land impossible strikes baffled Goku and the other Universe 7 fighters, establishing Hit as a completely different type of threat from the power-based opponents they were accustomed to facing.
For a complete historical account of Hit and his techniques, visit the Hit page on Dragon Ball Wiki. To learn more about Universe 6 fighters, check the Universe 6 entry.
2. Mechanics and Execution
Time Skip works by allowing Hit to briefly move within a pocket of frozen time. The standard duration is 0.1 seconds, though Hit has demonstrated the ability to extend this to a full second and beyond. During the skipped time, Hit can move freely while everything else remains frozen, allowing him to reposition, set up attacks, or land strikes that the target cannot perceive or react to.
The technique is not true time travel but rather temporal self-acceleration. Hit's personal time stream accelerates while the rest of the universe remains at normal speed, creating the perception that time has stopped from Hit's perspective. This distinction means Hit is not altering the timeline or creating paradoxes; he is simply giving himself more time to act within normal temporal flow.
Hit activates Time Skip by focusing his concentration and extending his temporal field. The activation appears nearly instantaneous to observers, with Hit simply seeming to blur or disappear before reappearing in a new position. The technique can be used in rapid succession, allowing Hit to chain multiple skips together for extended temporal advantages or complex multi-position attacks.
3. Types and Classifications
Time Skip belongs to the temporal manipulation category of Dragon Ball techniques, an extremely rare classification that includes only a handful of abilities across the entire franchise. Within this category, it is distinct from time travel techniques like the Time Rings or time machines, as it involves temporal self-acceleration rather than actual time travel.
Hit has demonstrated multiple levels of Time Skip mastery. The standard 0.1-second skip was his baseline during the tournament against Universe 7. After training and adaptation, Hit extended this to a full second, dramatically increasing his tactical options. The most advanced version, demonstrated during the Tournament of Power, allowed Hit to store skipped time for later use, creating a temporal reservoir he could draw upon for extended periods of frozen time.
The stored time version of Time Skip was Hit's most significant evolution of the technique. By accumulating skipped time over the course of a battle, Hit could later unleash extended periods of temporal dominance. The stored time could also be used to trap opponents in pocket dimensions of frozen time, creating an almost prison-like effect that immobilized them completely.
4. Notable Users and Examples
Hit is the sole user of Time Skip in the Dragon Ball multiverse. The technique is uniquely his, developed through centuries of experience as Universe 6's premier assassin. Hit's entire fighting style revolves around Time Skip, and he has integrated it into every aspect of his combat approach, from basic strikes to his most powerful finishing moves.
The most dramatic demonstration of Time Skip occurred during Hit's first battle against Goku in the Universe 6 tournament. Goku, accustomed to reading opponents' movements and predicting attacks, was completely unable to track Hit's movements. Each Time Skip allowed Hit to land strikes that Goku could not see coming, forcing Goku to develop entirely new counter-strategies on the fly.
During the Tournament of Power, Hit's Time Skip reached new heights of effectiveness. He used the technique against multiple opponents simultaneously, including Jiren, the strongest fighter in Universe 11. Hit's stored time variant allowed him to create extended periods of temporal advantage, though even this proved insufficient against Jiren's overwhelming power and the unforeseen ability of some fighters to exceed the Time Skip's limitations through raw speed.
5. Strategic Analysis
Time Skip's primary strategic advantage is its ability to make the user's attacks unreactable. In a universe where most fighters rely on sensing ki, reading movements, and predicting attacks, Time Skip bypasses all these defensive mechanisms. Opponents cannot sense what they cannot perceive, making Hit's attacks effectively invisible to conventional defensive techniques.
The technique creates a profound psychological advantage. Opponents who face Hit for the first time are often completely disoriented by Time Skip, unable to formulate effective counter-strategies. The uncertainty created by Hit's temporal advantage forces opponents into defensive, reactive fighting styles, limiting their offensive options and allowing Hit to control the pace of battle.
However, Time Skip has demonstrated clear strategic limitations. Opponents with overwhelming speed can exceed the technique's temporal advantage, as Jiren demonstrated by moving faster than Hit could track even within the skipped time. Additionally, fighters who can predict Hit's intentions without relying on visual cues can counter the technique, as Goku did by anticipating where Hit would appear after the skip.
6. Training and Mastery
Time Skip is not a technique that can be learned through conventional training. Hit developed it over centuries of assassination work, refining it through countless real combat encounters. The technique appears to be unique to Hit and may be tied to his specific biology or the particular methods of his assassin training in Universe 6.
Mastering Time Skip involves extending the duration of the temporal displacement and maintaining awareness during the skip. Early versions of the technique likely lasted only fractions of a second, requiring extreme precision in timing and positioning. Hit's centuries of refinement extended this duration and allowed him to maintain full combat awareness during the skip.
The highest level of Time Skip mastery is the stored time variant, which represents a fundamental evolution of the technique. By learning to accumulate skipped time rather than using it immediately, Hit created a temporal reserve that could be deployed strategically. This advancement required Hit to develop a completely new understanding of his own technique, demonstrating that even ancient assassins can continue to evolve their abilities.
7. Comparisons with Other Techniques
Time Skip and Instant Transmission are both movement techniques that create advantages in combat, but they operate on completely different principles. Instant Transmission allows the user to teleport to any location with a known ki signature, while Time Skip allows the user to move within frozen time. Instant Transmission is reactive and can be used defensively, while Time Skip is primarily offensive, creating attack opportunities that teleportation alone cannot provide.
Compared to pure speed techniques like Ultra Instinct, Time Skip offers a different type of advantage. Ultra Instinct allows the body to react automatically without conscious thought, making it effective against attacks the user cannot perceive. This makes Ultra Instinct a natural counter to Time Skip, as demonstrated when Goku's Ultra Instinct allowed him to dodge Hit's temporal attacks. The two techniques represent different approaches to surpassing normal combat limitations.
In video game adaptations, Time Skip is typically represented as a special movement or time-stop ability. Games like Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 and Dragon Ball FighterZ depict Hit's Time Skip as a teleport-dash or combo-extender that allows him to bypass normal movement restrictions. Game mechanics often give Time Skip properties like instant transmission, invincibility frames, or combo-starting capabilities that reflect its role as a temporal advantage tool.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Can Time Skip be used indefinitely?
Time Skip requires concentration and energy to maintain. Extended use of the technique is draining, and Hit has limits on how many consecutive skips he can perform. The stored time variant allows for longer temporal advantages but requires building up the reserve over the course of a battle.
Why doesn't Hit use Time Skip to instantly kill all opponents?
Time Skip provides Hit with a powerful advantage but does not guarantee instant victory. Opponents with sufficient durability can survive Hit's attacks even within the skipped time, and fighters with counters like Ultra Instinct or overwhelming speed can turn the technique's advantages against Hit.
Can Time Skip be learned by other characters?
Time Skip appears to be unique to Hit and may be tied to his specific biology, training, or racial characteristics. No other character in Dragon Ball Super has demonstrated the ability to learn or copy the technique, suggesting it is not a teachable ability.
Does Time Skip work on gods or divine beings?
Time Skip has been shown to work on divine beings, as Hit used it effectively against various god-level opponents. However, beings with temporal resistance or the ability to exceed the technique's speed advantage can overcome Time Skip regardless of their divine status.
What happens if two Time Skip users fight each other?
Since Hit is the only Time Skip user in the Dragon Ball multiverse, this scenario has never occurred. The outcome would likely depend on which user could maintain their temporal advantage longer or had developed more advanced variants of the technique.
