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OtapediaSon Goku - Dragon Ball

Son Goku is the protagonist (and at times arguably an antagonist) of the Dragon Ball series and appears in all iterations of the franchise. He is based on Sun Wukong, the main character of the Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West’. The character has been consistently voiced by Masako Nozawa in all Japanese animated and video game representations.

Son Goku, frequently called ‘Goku’ is a member of the Saiyan warrior race who, as a baby, was sent alone to conquer Earth. First introduced in Dragon Ball during his encounter with a young Bulma Briefs. Goku is a small, but very strong 11 year-old boy capable of performing martial arts. He is shown with his iconic spiky black hair, a blue martial arts gi, and a brown prehensile tail.Throughout the series, Goku’s main ambitions are to become stronger and protect his friends, family and the planet Earth from the various villains that appear in each saga. He also encounters and befriends many characters during the course of the series. This includes rivals such as Krillin and Tien, and enemies-turned-allies like Piccolo and Vegeta.

Appearances in Dragon Ball

Goku first appears in the Dragon Ball series as a child with a tail found and adopted by the hermit Gohan (whom he kills accidentally while in Great Ape form). Goku lives alone in the forest with the four-star Dragon Ball as a reminder of his adoptive grandfather Gohan. One day, he encounters a young girl named Bulma and the two begin an adventure to find the seven Dragon Balls. While traversing a desert, Goku and Bulma come across a bandit called Yamcha who falls wildly in love with Bulma at first sight and joins their quest. Some time later, Goku is trained by the martial artist Master Roshi alongside a young Krillin, with whom he becomes best friends. Master Roshi gives Goku the Nimbus cloud for saving his friend Turtle. This becomes Goku's main method of traveling due to its ability to fly at high speeds. Goku's main attack as a child is ‘Jan ken’, which is an attack based on the game ‘Rock, paper, scissors’. He also uses a red staff called the ‘Power Pole’ that can extend on command. His signature attack however, is the Kamehameha, which he copies from Master Roshi. The Kamehameha is an energy beam attack fired from the palms of both hands put together in front of the user. He also learns to fly after training with Kami. Through a number of tournaments, Goku fights against various strong enemies such as Tien, Chiaozu, Piccolo, many of whom eventually end up becoming allies and close friends. After the final tournament in which Goku defeats ‘Demon Junior’ (Piccolo), he goes on to marry Chi-Chi and starts a family.

Appearance in Dragon Ball Z

Having defeated the Evil King Piccolo and his “son” Piccolo Jr., Dragon Ball Z starts with Goku and his family living peacefully until his brother Saiyan Raditz arrives on earth. After forging an unlikely alliance with Piccolo, the two manage to defeat Raditz at the cost of Goku’s life. They then hear that two stronger Saiyans are already headed for Earth (Nappa and Vegeta).

Goku continues his training in the afterlife with King Kai, where he learns the Kaioken and Spirit Bomb techniques. As the fight on Earth continues, Nappa makes quick work of the Z Fighters and almost kills Son Gohan, but has his back broken by Goku. A tough battle ensues between the newly returned Goku and the terrifyingly strong Vegeta. Eventually, the fight ends with Vegeta barely escaping and Goku injured and unable to move.

With Piccolo gone, the Z Fighters travel to Namek to find the Namekian Dragon Balls. This way they can resurrect everyone who was killed during the fight with Nappa and Vegeta. Unbeknownst to them, Frieza is also on Namek and is searching for the Dragon Balls. Goku travels to Namek after he is healed from his fight with Vegeta and manages to arrive just in time to save Gohan and Krillin from the Ginyu Force. He makes short work of the Ginyu Force, but has his body stolen by Captain Ginyu. After being trapped in Captain Ginyu’s body, Goku returns to his own body and is placed in a healing chamber by Vegeta.

As Frieza reaches his final form Goku’s treatment is complete. He defeats Frieza after becoming a Super Saiyan and leaves the planet in a Saiyan space pod. On the way back to Earth, he stops at planet Yardrat and learns the instant transmission technique. When he finally returns, he is greeted by Trunks. The two discuss future events and the ability to become Super Saiyan. Goku contracts a heart disease, as predicted by Future Trunks, and is unable to support everyone during the fight with the Androids while taking medication and resting at Master Roshi’s house.

After recovering from his heart disease, Goku trains with Gohan in the hyperbolic time chamber to prepare for the battle with Cell. Goku achieves the ‘ascended Super Saiyan’ form in this time, but considers it too bulky and impractical to use. Instead, they discover that remaining in the standard Super Saiyan form and getting used to the power drain is the best way to train. Cell fights Goku to a draw, forcing him to surrender and call on Gohan to continue the fight. Gohan damages Cell enough to force him to self-destruct. To save Earth, Goku teleports Cell to King Kai’s planet and is killed in the resulting blast.

For most of the Majin Buu saga, Goku remains dead, sporting a golden halo. He is granted permission to take part in the annual martial arts competition and receives 24 hours leave from the afterlife. In this time, Vegeta becomes possessed by Babidi and the two battle using their recently acquired Super Saiyan 2 forms. Vegeta is the victor and Goku is rendered unconscious. Goku fights Majin Buu to a standstill with the Super Saiyan 3 form, but uses the last of his energy and time on Earth. Finally, he and Vegeta fight Kid Buu on the sacred world of the Kai and ultimately defeat him with a spirit bomb. The Z Fighters wish Earth and all of its inhabitants back and peace is restored.

Appearances in Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball Super starts with the God of Destruction Beerus and his angel retainer Whis coming in search of the Super Saiyan God. Goku is found training on King Kai’s planet when he is questioned by Beerus. The two have a sparring match and quickly discover that Goku is completely outclassed and is left unconscious. The Z Fighters use the Dragon Balls to ask Shenron about the Super Saiyan God. Goku undergoes a special ritual that involves a number of Saiyans and acquires the Super Saiyan God form. After the match, Beerus is satisfied and decides not to destroy Earth. Goku continues training on Beerus’ planet with Whis and Vegeta.

Frieza is revived and comes to Earth seeking revenge on Goku. They fight and after defeating Frieza, Goku is surprised by Frieza's henchmen and shot through the heart. Vegeta quickly steps in to dispose of Frieza but the Earth is destroyed before he can finish the job. Whis, however, turns back Earth time by two minutes, giving Goku a chance to quickly end the fight with a kamehameha, killing Frieza again.

Beerus and his brother Champa decide to hold a tournament with five fighters from each of their universes. The prize of the competition being Universe 7’s Earth, Goku participates in the contest at the behest of Beerus. He first wins a fight against Botamo but soon loses to Frost. Finally Goku battles the Universe 6 assassin, Hit. Even after using Super Saiyan Blue in conjunction with Kaioken, Goku loses the match and is knocked out.

Future Trunks travels to the present once again and brings news of a new terrible threat. A man heavily resembling Goku called ‘Black’ Goku is responsible for almost completely exterminating the human race. Goku travels with Trunks and Vegeta to the future to do battle with Goku Black only to find that his power is totally overwhelming. They return to the present where Goku learns the Evil Containment Wave technique while Vegeta trains in the hyperbolic time chamber. Goku, Vegeta and Bulma return to the future to face Goku Black and Zamasu. Goku and Vegeta are forced to fuse into Super Saiyan Blue Vegetto to make any kind of progress against the now Fused Zamasu. In the end, Goku calls on the future version of Zeno, who erases Universe 7 and Fused Zamasu. He and the others escape in their time machine. Later, they also use the time machine again to bring Future Zeno to the present.

Goku persuades the two Zeno to hold a Universal tournament where the losing universes are erased while the winning Universe can make a wish with the Super Dragon Balls. With the need for one more member of the team, he resorts to enlisting Frieza through a deal with Uranai Baba. Throughout the tournament, Goku faces many strong opponents during the tournament including Kale, Caulifla and their fused form, Kefla. In the end, there are only four fighters left, Goku, Frieza, Android 17 and Jiren. Jiren proves too powerful for him even in his mastered Ultra Instinct form and has to rely on Frieza and Android 17 to knock him out.

Appearance in Dragon Ball GT

Dragon Ball GT starts with Goku being transformed into a kid by a wish made by Pilaf using the Black Star Dragon Balls. Goku, Trunks, and his granddaughter Pan set off into space in search of the Black Star Dragon Balls to bring them back to Earth. Goku eventually unlocks the powerful Super Saiyan 4 transformation which he uses to battle Baby, Super Android 17, and the Shadow Dragons. The manifestation of the Black Star Dragon Balls, Omega Shenron, almost defeats Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Vegeta before being defeated by a giant Spirit Bomb. After saying goodbye to his friends and family, Goku leaves on the back of the original Shenron. He reappears momentarily as an adult to watch Pan’s grandson Goku Jr.’s fight with Vegeta Jr. at the World Martial Arts tournament.

Powers and Abilities

As a Saiyan, Goku has many advantages over humans and other alien races. Some of these advantages include super speed, super strength, slower aging and a monkey-like tail that gives them the ability to transform into a Giant Ape.

His main techniques are;

  • Kamehameha – Goku's most often used attack. There are many variations of the Kamehameha; Super Kamehameha, God Kamehameha, 10x Kamehameha, etc. Goku learned this technique from Master Roshi during the events of the original Dragon Ball series.
  • Instant Kamehameha – A combination Instant Transmission and Kamehameha.
  • Solar Flare – A technique used to temporarily blind opponents.
  • Spirit Bomb – Gathers huge amounts of energy into a ball. The size of the ball depends on the amount of energy gathered. Used famously against Frieza and Majin Buu.
  • Instant transmission - Goku learned this technique from the Yardratians on his way back from planet Namek. This allows him to sense very distant ki and teleport instantly.

Power Ups and Transformations

Goku also uses a number of power up techniques and transformations to gain the upper hand in battle.

  • Kaio-ken - A technique that multiplies the user's ki increasing strength and speed for a short time. Kaio-ken places great stress on the body.
  • Zenkai boost - Due to his Saiyan biology, Goku receives an increase in power after healing from any near death experience. (Zenkai boosts became mostly irrelevant later in the series.)
  • Fusion Dance - Goku is able to perform the fusion dance.
  • Great Ape –When he has a tail, Goku is able to transform into a Great Ape.
  • Super Saiyan – Achieved in the fight against Frieza on Namek. Frieza kills Goku’s best friend Krillin, leading him to transform in a moment of rage.
  • Super Saiyan 2 – Achieved between Cell and Buu saga.
  • Super Saiyan 3 – Used famously against Majin Buu and Beerus.
  • Super Saiyan God – Achieved when Beerus arrived on Earth searching for the Super Saiyan God.
  • Super Saiyan Blue - Achieved by training with Whis on Beerus’ planet.
  • Super Saiyan Blue Kaio-ken - Used against Hit during the tournament against Universe 6.
  • Ultra Instinct - Achieved during the Tournament of Power when facing Jiren. Goku is exhausted and at the brink of defeat when he accidentally absorbs a reflected spirit bomb, unlocking the basic version of this form. The mastered version appears later in the battle.
  • Golden Great Ape – A stronger version of the Great Ape form (GT only).
  • Super Saiyan 4 – The final and strongest Super Saiyan transformation (GT only).

Family

Goku’s family consists of;

Links

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