"Gathering Ki"

[Clearin]

What does it mean to "gather Ki"? It isn't talking about charging up a Ki blast since when Goku is gathering Ki he kinda just stands there. It doesn't mean "powering up to max" because Vegeta seems to know Goku has enough power in Super Saiyan 3 to kill Boo, but it seems like Goku can't actually USE all of that power without "gathering" it.

Vegeta: “Don’t hesitate for my sake, and finish him off! With that Super Saiyan 3, you should be able to completely wipe out Boo with your ki once you gather it with all your might…!”
Goku: “Ye…yeah…I’ve been thinking of doing that as well since awhile back, but…I haven’t gotten the chance.”
Vegeta: “Eh?”
Goku: “If I want to wipe him out, I gotta gather ki for about one minute.”
Vegeta: “One minute?!”
Goku: “Dammnit~~~If it was with the Potara, I could have done it in one blast. …..Cheh~~~I guess I went and showed off too much. But I thought things would go a little better than this…!”
Vegeta: “…S …So you weren’t thinking of me…”

Goku: “Sh-shit…! It-it’s already over 1 minute, but…N-not yet! I still can’t wipe out Boo with this much…! [ ] …Da...Damn it……..!! …I haven’t gathered all the ki!! What’s going on? He…he’ll be killed…..!!!”

Vegeta: “Ka…Kakarot…!! …Cut it out…! How long will it take? Do…do it now…N…not yet? Have you still not gathered the ki...!?”
Goku: “Da…Damn it…Damn it…!! …It shouldn’t be…It shouldn’t be like this…!! My…my power…my power is…Fa…falling off…”
*he reverts from Super Saiyan 3 back into his regular state*

There's this other instance:

Context: after Goten and Trunks turn into Super Saiyans
Goku: “Alright! Now then, gather your ki up to your utmost limits. All the way full!”

That was just Goten and Trunks powering to full though. What's so special about gathering Ki? And does this mean Goku wasn't actually at "full power" when fighting Kid Boo? I'm kinda confused on this whole thing.

 

[Papasmurf]

I don't think Toriyama cared enough about specific wording to draw a line between Goten/Trunks' power up and Goku trying to regain ki. Goku said from the start that he's going all-out or the universe will go poof, so he's definitely not holding back.

That being said, I think even at "full power" Goku probably needs time to gather up the ki he needs to kill Boo, in the same vein as Piccolo needing a while to charge his Makankosappo. Cell was also already at full power (albeit hurt) when he spent a few seconds making his aura look like this before using his KHH, for instance:

http://comic.dragonballcn.com/list/gain_1.php?did=0-1-34&fpp=10&fid=31

 

[kriss-]

Goku Ssj3 is burden by his inexperience of using Super Saiyan 3, that's why he is so adamant about using it throughout the entire Boo Arc; therefore when he tries to expel all his Chi in a blast, he's unable too, he doesn't have full control of his Chi. Whereas with controlled states of Super Saiyan, such as Super Saiyan 2 and 1, people can control their abilities more freely and effortlessly power up to full power.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

He was at full-power, but after complaining about Kid Boo's power never dropping, it's safe to assume his power was declining throughout. The very nature of Super Saiyan 3 would sorta indicate he wouldn't remain at full-power.

Pretty sure it's about gaining enough Chi to do a huge KMH, though. Gohan charged and unleashed a bigger KHH than Cell's full-power one just by standing there while uttering the words. That example, as well as Kaio-Ken x20 Goku, tell us you don't need to position yourself a certain way to gain enough power to do it.

 

[kriss-]

In one scenario, Goku already charged his energy up with the Kaio-Ken and simply used the Kamehameha to channel it through.
In the other scenario, Gohan was just that much more powerful than Cell that it didn't require time.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

If his energy was already charged, why did he need to say the KHH from beginning to end to release it? Because it obviously wasn't ready.

Gohan did the same as well. It wasn't a quick KHH. Goku was gathering Chi to wipe out Kid Boo, so I'm not sure what the issue is.

 

[kriss-]

He channels his KK through his Kaio-Ken.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

They're entirely separate. He had to power-up to Kaio-Ken x3 before taking the time to charge his KHH to stop Vegeta. One has nothing to do with the other.