He isn't a superhero. Honestly, that’s the first thing people get wrong about Son Goku. If you grew up watching the dubbed version of Dragon Ball Z in the late nineties, you probably think he’s some kind of galactic savior, a "superman" with spiky hair and a moral compass that points due north. But he’s not. He’s a martial artist. That’s it. Akira Toriyama, the legendary creator of the series, actually used to get a little annoyed when fans painted Goku as a pure-hearted hero of justice. Goku fights because he wants to find out how strong he is. If he happens to save the planet while doing it, cool. If not? Well, he’s probably just looking for a Senzu bean and a rematch.
He’s a complicated guy.
Think about the time he gave Cell a Senzu bean. Most "heroes" would have finished the villain off while they had the chance. Instead, Goku healed his enemy just so his son, Gohan, could have a fair fight. It was a move that was equal parts insane, selfish, and deeply rooted in a Saiyan's obsession with peak performance. This wasn't a mistake. It was a character choice that defines who Goku really is. He values the struggle more than the victory.
The Journey from Sun Wukong to Ultra Instinct
Goku didn't just appear out of thin air. Toriyama originally pulled inspiration from the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. In the beginning, Goku was basically a riff on Sun Wukong, the Monkey King. He had the tail, the magical staff (Power Pole), and the flying cloud (Nimbus). He was a wild kid living in the woods. But as Dragon Ball evolved into the powerhouse we know today, that folklore foundation shifted into something much more sci-fi.
The big reveal in the Saiyan Saga—that Goku was actually an alien named Kakarot sent to destroy Earth—changed the stakes forever. It turned a whimsical adventure into a cosmic epic.
By the time we hit the Frieza Saga, the series reached a fever pitch. The transformation into a Super Saiyan on Namek remains one of the most iconic moments in television history. It wasn't just about the hair turning gold. It was the emotional weight of Krillin’s death and the realization that the "low-class warrior" could surpass the elite. It’s a classic underdog story, but with a twist: Goku only wins because he works harder than everyone else. Natural talent matters in the Dragon Ball universe, but Goku’s defining trait is his relentless, almost pathological, need to train.
The Power Creep is Real (But Does it Matter?)
People joke about the power levels. "It's over 9,000!" and all that. It’s a meme for a reason. Throughout Dragon Ball Z and into Dragon Ball Super, the scale of Goku’s strength has become almost nonsensical. We went from blowing up cars to shattering entire universes with the shockwaves of a punch.
Breaking Down the Forms
- Super Saiyan 1 through 3: These were the staples. SSJ3 was famous for the missing eyebrows and the massive drain on energy.
- Super Saiyan God and Blue: The introduction of "divine ki" in the Battle of Gods movie. This was a hard pivot. It wasn't just about getting angrier; it was about refining energy.
- Ultra Instinct: This is the current peak. It’s not even a "transformation" in the traditional sense. It’s a state of being where the body moves without the mind needing to process thoughts.
Is it too much? Maybe. But here’s the thing: we keep watching. We keep watching because the stakes always feel personal. Whether he’s fighting a pink gum-monster like Majin Buu or a multi-dimensional assassin like Hit, the core of the story is still just a guy trying to break his own limits.
The Dad Debate: Is He Actually a Bad Parent?
This is the hill many fans die on. You’ve seen the memes. Piccolo is Gohan’s "real" dad, right? Goku spent years dead or training in space while his family stayed on Earth. He even forgot that his second son, Goten, was born because he was busy in the Afterlife.
But let’s look at it through a different lens.
Goku isn't a human. He’s a Saiyan. Their biology and psychology are fundamentally different. They aren't "nurturers" in the way we understand it. Even so, Goku clearly loves his family. He just expresses it by making sure the planet they live on doesn't get vaporized. When he sacrificed himself against Raditz—and later against Cell—he did it for them. It’s a weird, distant kind of love, sure. But in a world where literal gods can wipe out your existence with a finger flick, having a dad who spends 24/7 getting stronger might actually be the best-case scenario.
The Legacy of Akira Toriyama
We can't talk about Goku without acknowledging the massive hole left by Akira Toriyama’s passing in 2024. Toriyama didn't just create a character; he created a blueprint for an entire genre. Every major shonen protagonist you see today—Luffy from One Piece, Naruto, Ichigo from Bleach—they all owe their DNA to Goku.
That "hungry, slightly dim-witted, but battle-genius" archetype? That's Goku.
The "rival who starts as a villain but becomes a begrudging ally" trope? That’s Vegeta, perfected through his relationship with Goku.
Toriyama’s art style, with its clean lines and incredible sense of kinetic motion, made Dragon Ball easy to read but impossible to master. He had a way of making a fight feel like a dance. Even when the story got dark, there was always a sense of playfulness. Goku reflects that. He’s a character who can go from a goofy smile to a world-ending stare in a fraction of a second.
Why We Still Care in 2026
The franchise hasn't slowed down. With Dragon Ball DAIMA and the continued success of the Dragon Ball Super manga (penned by Toyotarou, Toriyama's hand-picked successor), the lore is still expanding. We’re seeing more about the origins of the Namekians and the history of the Saiyans.
But why does a character from the 80s still dominate the charts?
Because Goku represents the ultimate "grind." In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, there is something deeply comforting about a guy who just wants to do his best. He doesn't complain. He doesn't get bogged down in existential dread. He just finds a bigger weight to lift. He teaches us that failure isn't the end—it's just an excuse to train harder.
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He’s the personification of "Keep Going."
How to Engage with Goku’s Legacy Today
If you want to understand the full scope of Goku's impact beyond just watching the show, there are a few specific things you should check out to get the "real" experience:
- Read the original manga: The pacing is significantly faster than the anime. Toriyama’s original panelling is a masterclass in visual storytelling that often gets lost in the "screaming for five episodes" reputation of the show.
- Play Dragon Ball FighterZ: If you want to feel the weight of these characters, this game captures the aesthetic and "feel" of a Saiyan battle better than any other medium.
- Watch the "Battle of Gods" movie in Japanese: No disrespect to the English dub (Sean Schemmel is a legend), but Masako Nozawa’s performance as Goku offers a different, more mischievous "country boy" vibe that is closer to Toriyama’s original vision.
- Study the "Goku Black" arc: If you think Goku is one-dimensional, this arc in Super explores the consequences of his power and what happens when his body is used for pure evil. It’s the closest the series gets to a deconstruction of the character.
Stop looking at him as a superhero and start looking at him as a student. He is always learning. Even at the level of a god, he still thinks he has room to grow. That’s the real lesson of Son Goku. The moment you think you’re the best, you’ve already lost.