goku

Son Goku (Japanese: 孫 悟空 Hepburn: Son Gokū^?) is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama. He is based on Sun Wukong, a main character in the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. Goku is introduced in chapter #1 Bulma and Son Goku (ブルマと孫悟空 Buruma to Son Gokū^?), originally published in Japan'sWeekly Shōnen Jump magazine on December 3, 1984,^[1] as an eccentric, monkey-tailed boy who practices martial arts and possesses superhuman strength. He meets Bulma and joins her on a journey to find the wish-granting Dragon Balls.

Initially believed to be an Earthling, he is later revealed to be a member of an extraterrestrial warrior race called the Saiyans with the birth name Kakarrot (カカロット Kakarotto^?). As Goku matures, he becomes the universe's mightiest warrior and protects his adopted home planet, Earth, from villains who wish to harm it. Goku is depicted as carefree and cheerful when at ease but quickly serious and strategic-minded when fighting. He is able to concentrate his ki and use it for devastatingly powerful energy-based attacks, the most prominent being his signature Kamehameha wave technique, in which Goku launches a blue energy blast from his palms.

As the protagonist, Goku appears in most of the episodes, films, television specials, and OVAs of the manga's anime adaptationsDragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super, as well as many of the franchise's video games. Due to the series' international popularity, Goku has become one of the most recognizable and iconic anime characters in the world. Outside the Dragon Ball franchise, Goku has made cameo appearances in Toriyama's self-parody series Neko Majin Z, has been the subject of other parodies, and has appeared in special events. Most Western audiences were introduced to the adult version of Goku appearing in the Dragon Ball Z anime, itself an adaptation of Dragon Ball manga volumes 17-42, as opposed to his initial child form, due to the limited success of the first series overseas.^[2] Goku's critical reception has been largely positive and he has been recognized as one of the greatest manga and anime characters of all time.

Appearances[edit]

Goku first appears as a monkey-tailed child adopted by the hermit Gohan. Before the series' narrative begins, he accidentally and unknowingly kills Gohan on a full-moon night when he temporarily transforms into the mighty Great Ape (a giant ape-like creature, which members of the saiyan race become as a result of blux waves given off by the full-moon). Living alone, Goku befriends teenage girl Bulma and joins her to find the seven Dragon Balls, which, when gathered, summon the wish-granting dragon Shenlong. They encounter the desert bandit Yamcha and two shapeshifters named Oolong and Puar, who also join their quest. Goku is later trained by the martial artist Kame-Sen'nin, alongside a Shaolin monk named Kuririn, who becomes his best friend. While participating in the Tenkaichi Budōkai (天下一武道会^?, "Strongest Under the Heavens Martial Arts Tournament") that attracts the most powerful fighters in the world, Goku battles foes, later turned allies, such as Tenshinhan and Chaozu, as well as the Namekian Piccolo. After becoming the runner-up champion of the 21st and 22nd Tenkaichi Budōkais, Goku finally wins in the 23rd tournament with Piccolo's defeat, and marries Chi-Chi soon after.

Five years later, Goku meets his evil older brother Raditz and sacrifices himself to defeat Raditz after he learns about his heritage.^[3][4] Goku comes from a race of extraterrestrials called Saiyans (サイヤ人 Saiya-jin^?), himself having been sent from their home planet to prepare Earth for sale on the intergalactic market by destroying all its life.^[5] While Gohan was taking care of him, Goku suffered a severe head injury and forgets his mission to conquer Earth.^[5] Goku faces enemies linked to his heritage, such as the Saiyan prince Vegeta, who eventually becomes an ally; and the galactic tyrant Freeza, who destroyed the Saiyans' home planet and nearly the entire race. This is the great battle where Goku becomes a Super Saiyan. After his battle with Freeza, Goku contracts a heart virus whereof the time-traveler Trunks warns him, but recovers after taking medicine provided by Trunks. Later, Goku trains his first son Gohan to be his successor and sacrifices himself again during the battle against the evil life-form Cell. Goku is temporarily resurrected on Earth seven years later and meets his second son Goten. Shortly after, he is drawn into a battle for the universe against the monster Majin Boo. Goku also battles Vegeta again after Vegeta falls under the control of the wizard Bobbidi. Eventually, Goku destroys Boo with a Genki-Dama attack. Ten years later, during another Tenkaichi Budōkai with fighters from all over the world, Goku meets Oob, Boo's human reincarnation, and leaves with him, intending to train him as the new protector of Earth.

Abilities[edit]

Goku in his regular state, and in his original three Super Saiyan forms (from left to right).

Through vigorous training, Goku has achieved many extraordinary abilities, like incredible super strength and durability. He also possessessuper speed^[36] and reflexes. He can harness/manipulate Lifeforce energy known as Ki and exert powerful and devastating concussive beams of said energy.

As a child, Goku wields the Nyoi-bō (如意棒, lit. "Mind Stick", renamed "Power Pole" in Funimation's English anime dub), a magic staff that extends and retracts on command, given to him by his grandfather;^[37] but as he grows older and stronger, Goku eventually stops using the staff. Goku's first means of conveyance is a magic cloud called Kinto'un (筋斗雲, lit. "Somersault Cloud", renamed "Nimbus" in Funimation's dub), given to him by Kame-Sen'nin in return for saving his pet sea turtle.^[38] After training with Kami, he learns to fly by virtue of the techniqueBukū-jutsu (舞空術, lit. "Air Dance Technique") and uses the cloud less frequently.

Goku's first shown attack as a child is Jan ken (ジャン拳), three physical blows modeled after the hand signs in rock-paper-scissors.^[39]However, his signature move is the Kamehameha (かめはめ波, lit. "Turtle Destruction Wave"), a technique learned from Kame-Sen'nin.^[40]The Kamehameha is a concentration of ki, released as a concussive beam. Kame-Sen'nin spent about 50 years developing and perfecting the technique, but, as a child, Goku is able to understand and copy the technique immediately after only one demonstration.

Another notable technique of Goku's, taught to him by Kaiō-sama, is the Kaiō-ken (界王拳, lit. "World King Fist"), which multiplies his ki and strength for an instant, but with possible strain to the body.^[41] Goku's most powerful attack is the Genki-Dama (元気玉, "Spirit Bomb" in Funimation's dub), an energy sphere created by gathering Ki from surrounding animals, nature and humans, which he also learned from Kaiō-sama.^[23] Goku also learns a teleportation skill called Shunkan Idō (瞬間移動, lit. "Instant Teleport", renamed "Instant Transmission" in Funimation's dub), which he learned from the inhabitants of the planet Yardrat.^[42]

Transformations[edit]

Goku is the only Saiyan in the series to achieve all known Saiyan transformations. When he possessed his tail, Goku was capable of transforming into a gigantic monkey-like creature called an Ōzaru (大猿, lit. "Great Ape") after staring at a full moon. However, Goku loses the ability when his friends cut off his tail.^[43] Although it grows back, Goku's tail is later permanently removed by Kami. During his battle with Freeza, Goku becomes the first Saiyan in a thousand years to become a Super Saiyan (超サイヤ人 Sūpā Saiya-jin).^[44] Each metamorphosis changes Goku's appearance and enormously enhances his abilities. After training to better control the first and second levels of Super Saiyan, the third Super Saiyan form causes Goku to act in a much more serious manner.

An alternative, more innately powerful form called Super Saiyan God (超サイヤ人ゴッド Sūpā Saiya-jin Goddo) is reached by Goku in the canonical film Battle of Gods. Though the temporary transformation wears off, Goku manages to harness its godly powers in his base form. In its sequel film Resurrection 'F', Goku manages to achieve a blue-haired evolution of Super Saiyan God under Whis's tutelage, known as the Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (超サイヤ人ゴッドSS（スーパーサイヤ人ゴッドスーパーサイヤ人） Sūpā Saiya-jin Goddo Sūpā Saiya-jin).^[45]

Another ability Goku has is to fuse with others, so long as their power levels are equalized. Later, he uses the Potara (ポタラ) earrings presented to him by the Old Kaiō-shin, which results in a "perfect fusion", but it is a permanent fusion. Goku first attempts to fuse with Gohan, but this fails when the latter is absorbed by Boo, and so he persuades the newly arrived Vegeta to fuse with him, creating Vegito (ベジット Bejitto, "Vegerot" in Viz Media's manga translation).^[46] In the film Fusion Reborn, the two use the Metamorese Fusion Dance, which creates Gogeta (ゴジータ Gojīta), who sports slight visual differences from their previous merger.^[47]