Goku – Popular Chinese Fictional Character of Manga Series

November 21, 2021

Last Updated date: November 21, 2021

Goku is a fictional character that appears in Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga series as the main protagonist. He was inspired by Sun Wukong, a significant character in the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. In Dragon Ball chapter #1, which was first published in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine on December 3, 1984, Goku is presented as a funny, monkey-tailed youth who masters martial arts and possesses superhuman power. He meets Bulma and embarks on a mission with her to find the Dragon Balls, which grant wishes.

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He is revealed to be a member of the Saiyans, an alien warrior race with the birth name. He was formerly considered to be an Earthling. As the monkey-tailed boy grows older, he matures into the universe’s most powerful warrior, defending his chosen home planet, Earth, from threats.

Goku appears joyful and happy when he is relaxed. When he’s fighting, however, he becomes serious and strategic. He has the ability to concentrate his Ki and use it to unleash devastatingly powerful energy-based techniques, the most famous of which is his signature, in which Goku unleashes a blue energy blast from his palms. Goku is resistant to evil waves like the Devil Beam since he has a pure heart. He is one of the few individuals capable of riding the mystical cloud known as.

As the protagonist of the manga’s anime adaptations (Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super), as well as several of the franchise’s video games, the fictitious character appears in most episodes, films, television specials, and OVAs. As a result of the series’ international success, Goku has become one of the most famous and iconic anime characters in the world.

He has appeared in Toriyama’s self-parody series Neko Majin Z, has been the subject of various parodies, and has taken part in special events not related to the Dragon Ball franchise. Most Western audiences were exposed to the adult version of Goku featured in the Dragon Ball Z anime due to the original series’ poor sales outside of Japan. It was based on the Dragon Ball manga volumes 17 to 42. Goku has had mostly positive reviews and is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest manga and anime characters of all time.

Concept and development

In the Dragon Ball prototype Dragon Boy, Tangtong was Goku’s initial incarnation. The plot was originally inspired by Hong Kong martial arts films such as Bruce Lee’s entering the Dragon (1973) and Jackie Chan’s Drunken Master (1978); Toriyama subsequently revealed that he had a young Jackie Chan in mind for a live-action Goku, stating that “nobody could portray Goku but him.”

The Dragon Ball universe began as a loose adaptation of Sun Wukong’s famed Chinese novel Journey to the West, with Goku playing the role of Sun Wukong’s alternative form. Their cheeky demeanor and ownership of the Power-Pole and Flying Nimbus are two characteristics they share (which, in Japanese, have the same name as the source material).

Goku’s initial design by Akira Toriyama

Toriyama originally intended to make Goku a whole monkey in his first draught of Dragon Ball to make the plot more genuine to Journey to the West. In Toriyama’s second draught, the figure was a full human dressed in sailor clothing who rode a flight mecha instead of the Flying Nimbus. Toriyama’s third drawing was used to create the final design.

Sun Wukong is also the source of Goku’s complete name. The name “Son Goku” is just the Japanese on’yomi translation of Sun Wukong, because Chinese and Japanese employ the same letters but pronounce them differently. “Sun/Son” is a common Chinese surname that means “grandchild,” whereas “Wukong/Goku” is a Buddhist name that means “perceiving air/awakened to emptiness.” Reading “Sun Wukong” using the Japanese kun’yomi rendering style with only the first and last characters resulted in “Mago Gosora,” which was employed as a prank in the original manga’s run by the World Tournament Announcer at some point.

A month before the Dragon Ball manga debuted, Goku was unveiled in postcards distributed to members of the Akira Toriyama Preservation Society.

Goku made his initial appearance on the last page of “Grand Finale,” the final chapter of the Dr. Slump manga, announcing Dragon Balls’ upcoming arrival.

Goku

What’s the birth name of Goku?

Goku’s Saiyan birth name, Kakarot, is a play on the word “carrot.” Goku’s family is called after root vegetables (burdock, leek, radish, and carrot), or even the word “vegetable,” as are most Saiyans.

While Goku is a nice person in general, Akira Toriyama designed him as a fighter who enjoys fighting tough opponents. Goku’s heroic attributes are exaggerated in the anime, and his original manga depiction of Goku has certain “poisonous” tendencies.

Akira Toriyama designed his Super Saiyan condition with blond hair in order for his assistant to spend less time coloring Goku’s hair black and so save time. Due to the effect of making Goku appear stronger, it killed two birds with one stone.

Martial artist Bruce Lee had a significant influence on Goku’s Super Saiyan form. According to Toriyama, Lee’s paralyzing glare influenced his piercing eyes. According to Dragon Ball Z anime character designer Tadayoshi Yamamuro, his Super Saiyan form was also influenced by Lee. According to Tadayoshi, Goku’s “slanting attitude with that scowling look in his eyes is all Bruce Lee” when he first becomes a Super Saiyan.

What Is “Goku Day”?

Goku Day has been recognized and certified as an official anniversary by the Japanese Anniversary Association. What does May 9th have to do with anything? The numerals combine to produce Goku’s Japanese kanji since the date is written in Japanese in the order 5/9, and 5 and 9 can be read as “Go” and “Ku,” respectively. As a result, Goku Day was established on May 9th!

KEY STORYLINES

DRAGON BALL

Goku, now 11 years old, encounters a new individual for the first time in his life, a woman named Bulma. He joins her in her quest for the seven Dragon Balls, and the two travel on a series of adventures, encountering new people along the way, including Master Roshi, who polishes his martial arts and teaches him many important moves that he will use in the future. They manage to collect six of the seven Dragon Balls together, but they are kidnapped and lose them. He helps his comrades escape incarceration by transforming into Great Apes. Following that, he decides to leave his friends and return to Master Roshi for instruction.

During this time, he meets Krillin, another student with whom he becomes friends. Goku competes in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament, where he puts forth a strong performance but falls short in the final round. Following the tournament, Goku embarks on a journey throughout the world in pursuit of the Dragon Balls that his grandfather had left for him. He is constantly in conflict with the mysterious Red Ribbon Army and their various agents sent to kill him during his mission.

Goku destroys the army on his alone and collects six Dragon Balls in the process. He enlists the help of a fortuneteller named Baba to find the last Ball, and after defeating five of her warriors, she reveals where it is. Goku uses the Balls to summon the dragon Shenron and desires to resuscitate a friend. He continues to practice and competes in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, but loses in the finals to Tien Shinhan.

Saiyan Saga

When Raditz, Goku’s long-lost brother, comes, his life is turned upside down. The arrival of Raditz, Goku’s long-lost brother, causes Goku’s life to be upset. Now living with his wife and young son, Gohan, Goku’s life is disrupted by the entry of Raditz, his long-lost brother. Raditz tells him about his Saiyan ancestry and how he was destined to dominate the Earth. Raditz kidnaps Gohan and orders him to kill a hundred humans or have his son killed if Goku refuses to do the job.

Goku joins forces with Piccolo, and the two-beat Raditz with Gohan’s assistance, but Gohan perishes in the process. While traveling through the Other World, Goku continues to train for the coming arrival of more Saiyans. By the time he arrives, many of his friends have been slaughtered by the Saiyans, Vegeta, and Nappa, and many of his friends have been slaughtered by the Saiyans, Vegeta, and Nappa. Nappa is easily defeated by Goku, and Vegeta is defeated after a hard struggle. He chooses to spare the injured Vegeta’s life after the battle.

Majin Buu Saga

He returns to Earth for a brief visit seven years later to compete in the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament. He meets his youngest son, Goten, and becomes embroiled in a battle with Babidi, the wicked magician behind Gohan’s Super Saiyan energy theft. Babidi kidnaps Vegeta and pits Vegeta and Goku against each other when they attack Babidi’s spacecraft.

Following a brief skirmish, Goku attempts to bring the conflict to a standstill so that the two can work together to defeat Babidi’s monster, Majin Buu. Vegeta throws him around and then abandons him. He teleports all of his buddies to himself in order to seek Dende’s healing. He also instructs Trunks and Goten on how to do the Fusion Dance, which combines them into a considerably more powerful monster. After that, Goku fights Majin Buu in his powerful Super Saiyan 3 form. He can hold his own against the monster, but he is not able to defeat it.

Due to the difficulty of maintaining his shape, he is compelled to return to the Other World. He sees the struggle between Majin Buu and the newly born Gotenks through a crystal globe. Gotenks does an excellent job, but he is powerless against the monster and, like Gohan, is dragged in. Thanks to the sacrifice of a friend, Goku is able to return to Earth. He and Vegeta team together to form Vegito, which defeats the monster with ease.

Vegito allows himself to be consumed by the monster in order to save his friends and family. After a brief battle, it succeeds, and Vegeta and Goku revert to their previous selves. Majin Buu is forced to revert to Kid Buu, his previous form. Kid Buu devastates the world, killing the majority of the inhabitants for a short time before being reborn. Kid Buu utilizes the Genki Dama Technique to take energy from the majority of sentient beings around him in order to beat him.

DRAGON BALL: KING PICCOLO SAGA

One of King Piccolo’s sons, Tambourine, murders Goku’s buddy Krillin. Because he is still weak from his struggle with Tien, he is defeated by Tambourine in an attempt to exact revenge on his friend. A fully recovered Goku, on the other hand, effortlessly defeats him in a later confrontation. After recovering from his defeat, an enraged King Piccolo sets off in search of the Ultra Divine Water, which has the potential to either unlock or kill him. He travels to King Furry’s castle after surviving the Water and murders another of Piccolo’s sons before challenging the King to a fight.

They had a long and contentious fight in which both of them are severely damaged. Piccolo is killed when Goku strikes him in the chest. With his dying breath, Piccolo spits out an egg holding his reincarnation, Piccolo Jr. Unaware of this, Goku sets out to find a means to bring Shenron back to life.

This leads him to Kami, Earth’s Guardian, and the eventual resurrection of Piccolo’s companions. He begins training with Kami and Mr. Popo in order to prepare for the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Goku defeats Piccolo in the final round despite being seriously injured and is named the tournament’s winner. Goku marries Chi-chi, a young woman he met on his journey.

DRAGON BALL: SAYIAN SAGA

When Raditz, Goku’s long-lost brother, comes, his life is turned upside down. The arrival of Raditz, his long-lost brother, disrupts his life, which he now shares with his wife and young son, Gohan. Raditz tells him about his Saiyan ancestry and how he was destined to dominate the Earth. Raditz kidnaps Gohan and orders him to kill a hundred humans or have his son killed if Goku refuses to do the job.

Goku and Piccolo team up to beat Raditz with the help of Gohan, but the monkey-tailed child perishes in the process. While traveling through the Other World, Goku continues to train for the coming arrival of more Saiyans. By the time he arrives, many of his friends have been slaughtered by the Saiyans, Vegeta, and Nappa, and many of his friends have been slaughtered by the Saiyans, Vegeta, and Nappa. Nappa is easily defeated by Goku, and Vegeta is defeated after a hard struggle. He chooses to spare the injured Vegeta’s life after the battle.

DRAGON BALL: ANDROID SAGA

When Goku returns to Earth after two years, he meets Trunks, Bulma and Vegeta’s future son. The boy warns him about impending events and prescribes a treatment for a virus he is likely to contract. Around this period, a new adversary named Cell appears. Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Trunks travel to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber for intensive training, where Gohan is discovered to be potentially stronger than Goku.

They leave the chamber, and Goku begins preparing to confront Cell, as well as seeking the assistance of a new Guardian of Earth, Dende, to manufacture new Dragon Balls to fix what Cell has done incorrectly. At the Cell Games, he fights Cell in full force, but he is unable to defeat him. He hands over the match to Gohan, confident in his ability to defeat Cell. As a sort of retribution for Gohan’s deeds, Cell aims to self-destruct and destroy the Earth.

He intervenes and sends them both to King Kai’s universe, where Goku and Cell, as well as King Kai, perish. After resurrecting, Goku, who is locked in the Other World, inspires Gohan to attack Cell. After Cell is destroyed, the character demands that he be allowed to die. He believes he is to blame for all of the world’s troubles.

EQUIPMENTS USED BY GOKU

Senzu Bean:

Senzu Beans live at Korin Tower. All injuries are repaired when eaten, and it may keep a person satisfied for up to 10 days. However, consuming too many of them can be dangerous. The outcomes are immediately apparent. Senzu beans have a fishy flavor, according to Yajirobe. Senzu Beans may treat deadly wounds, such as Yamcha’s perforated torso.

Training Gi:

Goku fights in a training gi and sometimes exercises in weighted gear. Orange martial arts gis (and, on rare occasions, Battle Suits like Vegeta’s) make up the majority of his training clothes. These clothing are all incredibly durable and lightweight (except for the weighted clothes).

Flying Nimbus:

When Goku was a tiny child, Master Roshi gifted him a flying cloud named Nimbus, which only the pure heart may ride.

Goku wields a magical pole that can be extended or retracted to any length. Throughout the Dragon Ball series, he uses it regularly.

Every Version Of Goku From Weakest To Strongest

Kid Goku
Oozaru Goku
Ultra Divine Water Goku
Teen Goku
Adult Goku
Ginyu-Goku
Goku (Kaioken)
Pseudo Super Saiyan Goku
Super Saiyan Goku
10. Full Power Super Saiyan Goku
Super Kaioken Goku
Super Saiyan 2 Goku
GT Kid Goku
Super Saiyan 3 Goku
GT Goku
Super Saiyan Gogeta
Super Vegetto
Super Saiyan God Goku
Golden Oozaru Goku
Super Saiyan 4 Goku
Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta
Goku Black
Super Saiyan Goku Black
Xeno Goku
Super Saiyan Blue Goku
Super Saiyan Rosé Goku Black
Super Saiyan Blue Kaioken Goku
Mastered Super Saiyan Blue Goku
Ultra Instinct -Sign- Goku

Mastered Ultra Instinct Goku
Vegetto Blue

But why do we like Goku so much?

He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he has served as humanity’s last hope countless times. Son Goku is the classic warrior who, at the end of a Greek tragedy, always triumphs, a powerful and pure creature with a decent heart who will always fight for his fellow man. Despite the manga’s bland, almost Manichean representation, Toriyama epitomized the utmost best, everything that man has to offer.

Aside from his pleasant demeanor, the famed Super Saiyan manages to transmit his sense of humor and innocence in each situation without losing the epicness that certain occasions demand. This archetypal main character is fairly common in manga and anime; just look at Pirate Luffy in One Piece or Naruto in the same-named series.

With Son Goku, Toriyama took a direct hit at people’s most sentimental and emotional side. We are presented with a well-balanced and entertaining figure that appeals to our inner child and is easy to love, in addition to having watched him grow through his adventures, which always leads to a stronger bond. Dragon Ball fans are still waiting to see the animation, whether in his magical cloud or flying solo, on Earth or in Namek, blond or dark, for a little longer.

Other forms of media

Animation

Goku is the protagonist of several anime adaptations of the original manga, both in Japanese and in English. Dragonball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Doctor Slump, and Dragon Ball Z: Abridged are all featured prominently. He has been voiced by Masako Nozawa, Kirby Morrow, Sean Schemmel, and Lawrence Simpson, among others.

Film

Goku is the main character in many manga and anime film adaptations, both live-action and animated. He’s also appeared in several made-for-TV and direct-to-video movies. He is played by Masako Nozawa, Justin Chatwin, and Lawrence Simpson, among others.

Video and computer games

Goku is a playable character in over eighty Dragon Ball-related video games.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Goku

In Dragon Ball, how old is Goku?

When we first see Goku in Dragon Ball, he is an 11-year-old boy. The boy matures during the series, competing in the 21st World Martial Art Tournament before taking a three-year break until the tournament’s 22nd edition. Given the three-year gap between these tournaments, it’s reasonable to assume Goku is 18 when he competes in the 23rd tournament, defeating Piccolo and marrying Chi-Chi, after training with Kami and Mister Popo.

In Dragon Ball Z, how old is Goku?

In Dragon Ball Z, Goku’s kid, Gohan, is five years old, and the story takes up several years after the events of Dragon Ball. During the Saiyan Saga, he dies as a 23-year-old man when he donates his life so Picollo can slay his brother Raditz. This is when the timeline can become a little confusing. While he is brought back a year later, at the age of 24, his physique is unchanged from when he died at the age of 23.

After the completion of the next major arc, the Frieza Saga, Goku spends three years training with Vegeta, Gohan, and the other Z fighters until the arrival of the Androids. In preparation for the Cell Games, Gohan and Goku enter the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, where time behaves strangely. They’ve been in training for a year, so their bodies look to be one year older; yet, a year hasn’t passed chronologically, so Goku’s age syncs back up to 27 years old.

What is the real name of Vegeta?

Their family’s last name must be Brief. Bluma’s professional title is revealed to be “Dr. Bluma” in Dragon Ball Super, and the term Brief is never used to refer to anyone else in the family. By the way, Videl’s full name isn’t “Videl Satan.”

What is the total number of times Goku has died?

For those hoping for a quick answer, Goku has died a total of two times. He fought Cell twice, once when he was fighting Raditz and once when he was fighting Raditz.

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