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"Goku" redirects here. For other uses, see Goku (disambiguation).
Son Goku
Dragon Ball character
File:Gokukidadult.jpg
Son Goku by Akira Toriyama
First appearanceDragon Ball chapter 1
Dragon Ball episode 1
Last appearanceDragon Ball chapter 519
Dragon Ball GT episode 64
Created byAkira Toriyama
In-universe information
AliasZero (Harmony Gold dub)[1]
GenderMale
RelativesBurdock (father)
Raditz (brother)
Grandpa Son Gohan (adoptive grandfather)
Chichi (wife)
Gyumao (father-in-law)
Son Gohan (son)
Son Goten (son)
Videl (daughter-in-law)
Mr. Satan (daughter-in-law's father)
Pan (granddaughter)
Son Goku Jr. (descendant)

Son Goku (孫 悟空, Son Gokū, addressed only as Goku in most English adaptations) is a fictional character from the Dragon Ball universe created by Akira Toriyama as the main protagonist for the media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, soundtracks, movies, television specials, a trading card game, video games, and other collectibles. Goku is introduced as an odd, monkey-tailed boy who practices martial arts and possesses superhuman strength.[4] As the story unfolds, he is actually revealed to be from a fictional race of extraterrestrials called Saiyans, said to be the strongest warriors within the fictional universe.[5] Goku also starred in Dragon Ball GT and made a cameo in Toriyama's self-parody series Neko Majin Z.

Creation and conception

Toriyama's Goku finds his origins in one of Toriyama's earlier characters named Tanton, a fictional protagonist who appears in a one-shot series called Dragon Boy. In this story, Tanton's odd physical characteristic was wings. When Toriyama decided to create Dragon Ball, he used author Wu Cheng'en's Journey to the West as inspiration for his own series.[6] Toriyama's main character had the same name of the monkey king, Sun Wukong, a central character in Journey to the West; the only alteration being that it was changed to the Japanese variant of the name, "Son Goku".

To be creative with the character, Toriyama stated that he designed Goku not as a monkey like the character Sun Wukong, but as a human-looking boy with a monkey tail.[6] Toriyama later developed the story to where Goku is an extraterrestrial called Saiyan from a fictional planet named "Vegeta".

Plot overview

Originally named Kakarotto (カカロット, Kakarotto, addressed as Kakarrot in English adaptations),[7] Goku is born a member of a fictional race of extraterrestrials called Saiyans, born with a lowly power level of 2.[8] Shortly following his birth, Goku is sent from his home, a fictional planet named Vegeta, to prepare Earth for sale on the intergalactic market by destroying all its life.[9] Due to an injury to his head that caused him severe amnesia, Goku forgets his purpose, and instead focuses on becoming stronger for little more than the pleasure of it.[9] Goku meets a highly intelligent 16-year-old teenage girl named Bulma, the desert bandit Yamcha, and two shapeshifters named Oolong and Pu-erh. As the series continues, most of the characters introduced are basic parodies of characters found in Journey to the West.[10] He also encounters one his closest friends, Krillin, and others during his training. Participating in several Tenkaichi Budokai, Goku also battles foes-turned-allies such as Tenshinhan and Chaozu, as well as Piccolo Daimao's offspring of the same name.

During his early adulthood, Goku meets his older brother, Raditz, an encounter that results in his death. Following the wish for his revival from the Dragon Balls, Goku continues to face other enemies thereafter linked to his heritage, such as Vegeta and even Frieza, who's actions force him to transform into a Super Saiyan. As the series continues, the focus on Goku's past is shifted away from as new enemies are introduced simply as threats to the fictional universe. After his encounter with Frieza, Goku trains his first son, Son Gohan, to be his successor. When the androids appear, Goku comes down with the heart virus that Future Trunks warned him about. Later on Goku sacrifices himself during the battle against the evil android Cell, leaving Gohan to succeed him. Goku returns to Earth seven years later from the afterlife and meets his second son, Son Goten. Shortly after he participates in the 25th Tenkaichi Budokai, however he is drawn into a battle for the universe against an extraterrestrial named Majin Buu. Goku also battles Vegeta after he is taken under control by Babidi, and the match ends in a draw. Goku then later on kills Buu with his Genki Dama after a long hard struggle. During the Tenkaichi Budokai ten years after Buu's defeat, Goku meets Buu's human reincarnation, Uub, and takes off with him in the end of the story, intending to train him as a successor (until Dragon Ball GT) after realizing that his previous successor, Gohan, had prioritized his education over his fighting. In Dragon Ball GT, Goku is transformed back into a child with a wish made by Emperor Pilaf using the Black Star Dragon Balls. Shortly after he, Trunks, and Pan all take a trip around the universe to locate the Black Star balls and return them to Earth. Goku later battles the evil Baby and destroys him after he transforms into a Super Saiyan 4. Shortly after the battle with Baby, Goku defeats Super Android 17 and the evil shadow dragons. His final challenge is against Omega Shenron, who he eventually kills using the Genki Dama. Goku left with the original form of Shenron, only to appear 100 years later at the Tenkaichi Budokai, where he is observing the battle between his decendant and Vegeta's decendant. Goku's granddaughter Pan spots him, but he quickly departs. Goku's true fate is never revealed.

Appearance

Goku is usually recognized by his uniquely styled hair, which never changes its length throughout the series except when in his Super Saiyan forms, in which his hair stands upright and turns blond. This is explained by Vegeta to be a common characteristic of full-blooded Saiyans.[11] Due to his devotion to Earth, Goku prefers dressing in a gi uniform, and has refused offers to adorn the Saiyan battle armor, being that he considers himself an Earthling.[12] However, he is seen donning a Saiyan battle armour designed by Bulma, during the time he trains with Gohan in the Room of Spirit and Time at Kami's Palace, prior to the Cell Games.[13] In Dragon Ball, Goku is first seen wearing a blue uniform with a white belt, red wristbands, and black shoes.[14] However, his most common outfit is an orange uniform with a blue short-sleeved undershirt, a blue belt, blue wristbands, and striped boots. Toriyama explained that Goku's orange gi is modeled after the robes worn by the Shaolin monks of China, being that he wanted Dragon Ball to take on a Chinese feel.[15] Goku is often seen to adorn the kanji of his training masters; the first kanji being Muten Roshi's, "kame" (亀, meaning "turtle"),[16] the second kanji being North Kaio's, "kaio" (界王, lit. "world king")[17] and the third being his own kanji "Go" (悟, meaning "wisdom" or "enlightenment").[18] Eventually he stops wearing a kanji.[19] In Dragon Ball GT his uniform changes to a blue sleeveless shirt and yellow pants.[20]

Abilities

File:Goku's Super Genki Dama.jpg
Goku using his Genki Dama.

Through constant training, Goku has achieved many abilities; aside from his great strength, he also possesses super speed,[21] reflexes, and the power to fly using chi, a semi-fictional energy force in the series. Goku's signature technique is a chi energy blast called the Kamehameha, which he learned from Muten Roshi.[22] Another signature technique of his is an attack that multiplies the user's chi for an instant, called the Kaiô-ken, taught to him by North Kaio.[17] Goku's most powerful attack is the Genki Dama (renamed the Spirit Bomb in most English adaptations), a sphere created by gathering chi energy, which he also learned from North Kaio.[17] Goku also learns a teleportation skill called Shunkan Idô (renamed Instant Transmission in most English adaptations), which he learned from the inhabitants of a fictional planet called Yardrat.[23]

Goku is also the only Saiyan in the series to achieve all the Saiyan transformations seen in the manga. In Dragon Ball, he is able to transform into a gigantic ape called an Oozaru, albeit after his Saiyan tail is removed by Kami, he loses the capacity to achieve this form.[24] However, in Dragon Ball GT, Goku is able to use this transformation again after regrowing his tail using Rou Dai Kaioshin's help.

File:Super Saiyan Gokudbz.JPG
Goku in his Super Saiyan form.

During the events of Dragon Ball Z, Goku is the first Saiyan to achieve the fabled Super Saiyan state in over a millennium.[25] He ascended to Super Saiyan after being overcome with rage by the murder of Krillin by the hand of Freeza.[26] After several years of training with his Super Saiyan form, Goku completely overcomes the negative characteristics of the transformation in order to combat Cell. After his death against Cell, Goku continues his training in the Otherworld for seven years, and achieves both Super Saiyan 2 and Super Saiyan 3 levels.[27] In Dragon Ball GT he achieves the last shown Saiyan transformation, Super Saiyan 4.

Goku can also fuse with Vegeta and create a warrior who has the combined power and skills of both. One method is by using the Potara Earrings presented to Goku by Rou Dai Kaioshin. This resulted in a 'perfect fusion' creating Vegetto. The other method is by performing the Metamorese Fusion Dance, which created Gogeta.

Family tree

Template:Son Goku family

Voice actors

In various dubs of the anime, the voice acting for Goku and many other characters have changed as a result of the series changing dubbing studios and requiring recasting.

Japanese
Toei Animation:

English
Harmony Gold dub:

Ocean Group dub:

Funimation dub:

Blue Water dub:

  • Peter Kelamis (Adult Goku in Dragon Ball Z, the Trunks Saga to the Android Saga)
  • Kirby Morrow (Adult Goku in Dragon Ball Z, the Imperfect Cell Saga to the Kid Buu Saga)
  • Zoe Slusar (Kid Goku in Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT)
  • Jeffrey Watson (Teen Goku in Dragon Ball)
  • Jeremiah Yurk (Adult Goku in Dragon Ball GT)

Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout:

Spanish (Latin American dub):

  • Laura Torres (Kid Goku in Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT)
  • Mario Castañeda (Teen Goku in Dragon Ball, Adult Goku in Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT)

Reception

Other manga artists, such as Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto and One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda, have stated that Goku inspired their series' main protagonists.[28][29] In a survey conducted by Oricon in 2007 between 1,000 people, Goku ranked first place as the "Strongest Manga character of all time."[30]

Trivia

  • In Dragon Ball GT he states that he is afraid of needles and therefore, hospitals.


See also

References

  1. ^ Temple O' Trunks - Media - The Lost 80s Dragonball Dub
  2. ^ http://www.thegrandline.com/dbzinfo/timeline.html
  3. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 8, chapter 91, page 123 — ISBN 1-56931-937-5
  4. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 1, chapter 1 — ISBN 1-56931-920-0
  5. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 1, chapter 3 — ISBN 1-56931-930-8
  6. ^ a b UNRIVALED.INFO - The best original content
  7. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 1, chapters 1-10 — ISBN 978-1-56931-930-7
  8. ^ Dragon Ball Z: Broly The Legendary Super Saiyan
  9. ^ a b Daizenshū #7, [page needed], Dragon Ball, Big Encyclopedia
  10. ^ Anime3000: The Future of Anime in America
  11. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga vol. 16, chapter ?
  12. ^ Dragon Ball Z vol 17. Chapter ?
  13. ^ Dragon Ball Z - Perfect Cell Saga - Episode 139 - Saiyans Emerge
  14. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 1
  15. ^ http://www.kanzentai.com/guide/daizenshuu/01/bonus_cov.php
  16. ^ Turtle
  17. ^ a b c Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 2, chapter ?
  18. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 8, chapter ?
  19. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga vol. 12, chapter ?
  20. ^ Dragon Ball GT anime, episode 1-64
  21. ^ Dragon Ball, vol. 11, chapter 127 — ISBN 1-56931-919-7
  22. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 2, chapter ?
  23. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 12, chapter 142 — ISBN 1-56931-985-5
  24. ^ Dragon Ball manga vol. 14 chapter ?
  25. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 26, chapter ?
  26. ^ Dragon Ball Z manga, vol. 11, chapter ?
  27. ^ Dragon Ball manga, vol. 38, chapter ?
  28. ^ Kishimoto, Masashi (2007). Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto. Viz Media. pp. 138–139. ISBN 1-4215-1407-9.
  29. ^ One Piece Color Walk - Vol.1 - Interview with Eiichiro Oda and Akira Toriyama ((JP) ISBN 978-4088592176)
  30. ^ "1000人が選んだ！漫画史上"最強"キャラクターランキング！" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2007-10-28.
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