Throughout Dragon Ball Z and GT we see an ability known as "Absorption". What it does, is allow a person to either consume a adversary, or draw energy from there Ki blast, or even from the person themselves, allowing the user to increase his Power and Strength. Now this ability slightly varies depending on the person using the ability and the type of techniqe it is. This ability being somewhat rare can only be used by Android 19, Android 20, Cell, Majin Buu, and Super Android 17. Sometimes the actual process can be changed by the user to allow for different circumstances that may occur in battle. This process although very useful takes different amounts of time depending on the technique used to do it, such as either Magic or physically engulfing someone, or waiting for someone to blast a attack, so the user can absorb the energy of the attack making them stronger.

Now we have 2 different types of "Absorbees" if you will. The first of these is Ki, which through the use of Red Circles in the palms of a users hands will allow them to either capture a Ki energy blast from an opponent, trap it, them mix it with their Ki energy, allowing them to become a stronger being, physically and Ki wise, by either replenishing there depleted Ki, or even raising it to a higher level then it was before the battle. The second type is Organic Absorption in which the body is either converted to a edible substance in which the persons energy is inside and can be consumed, or their entire body be probed by the user, in which the insides are absorbed, thus making the user more powerful, physically and Ki energy wise. Cell and Buu are the only villains in the series that use this type of Absorbing to gain strength.

In Dragon Ball Z, we see 4 beings with the abilities of either Ki or Organic Absorption (2 are Ki Absorptionist only and the other 2 are Organic Absorptionist). Android 19 and 20, both have a device in the palm of there hands which allow them to absorb Ki energy from a being, directly by placing there hands on there enemies body's and drawing the Ki from them. Or capturing a Ki blast by an opponent and actually leeching the blast into their body's allowing them to regenerate or even increase their amount of total Ki. Cell and Majin Buu on the other hand are Organic Absorbtionish in which they use different techniques to absorb bodies. Majin Buu uses some sort of Magic Attack, in which he turns people into various foods - donuts, candy, chocolate, etc. Which when he eats them makes him stronger, and (Satisfies his hunger). Cell on the other hand uses his stinger in which he, either stabs his opponent and drains there insides out, in which goes into his own body allowing him to grain strength, or uses his stinger to open up and engulf the entire person, in which he gains strength also, and may cause a transformation if with the right beings such as 17, and 18. In Dragon Ball GT, we see that one of the new fused Androids, Super 17 uses the ability of absorbing Ki through the Red Circles in his palms, as Android 19 and 20 were able to do in Dragon Ball Z series.