Don't Get It Twisted: Dragon Ball Gave Goku Serious Character Growth Whether You Noticed or Not
Goku, Dragon Ball's iconic leading Saiyan, is one of anime and manga's most recognizable characters. From his introduction to the world as a strange, tailed boy in the pages of Shōnen Jump, to being appointed a cultural ambassador of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Son Goku has ushered millions into the global anime community. His lighthearted demeanor and total unwillingness to ever give up has inspired generations of viewers and artists alike, but not everyone is a fan of the Saiyan warrior.
Goku is not the perfect hero, and creator Akira Toriyama never intended for him to be such. He can be selfish and should probably care a little more for those around him, but the most common criticism lobbed towards Dragon Ball's protagonist is that he never displays any meaningful growth. And while his relatively simple attitude remains unchanged throughout the entirety of Dragon Ball, to claim Goku never showcased character growth is to misunderstand him completely.
Goku Is Far From the Mysterious Boy in the Mountains He Once Was
The Series' Leading Saiyan Has Changed Greatly Throughout Dragon Ball
Goku is a member of a bloodthirsty warrior race, who was raised in the mountains on Earth after being found by his Grandpa Gohan. He was unruly and a handful, and on the fateful day that Bulma hit him with her car, Goku was entirely ignorant to the world around him. For quite some time, he couldn't even understand that Bulma was not a boy like him. After extended adventures in which he befriended countless other people, however, Goku became an entirely different character by the finale of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament.
He has always been absolutely obsessed with fighting, and that likely will not ever change, but at the beginning of the Saiyan Saga, the once unruly untamed boy was a father. It's been long debated whether he'd ever actually been a good dad, though the moment Gohan was kidnapped, Goku sacrificed his own life in order to save him. His character growth may not have turned him into a perfect hero, but it cannot be denied that Goku has made quite a bit of positive progress following his introduction.
His handling of the battle with Cell is another matter, and Goku not only realized his mistake of forcing Gohan to fight, but sacrificed his life once again to save his son and the planet. Much later down the line, during Dragon Ball Super's Moro Arc, Goku apologized for making his son fight once again. Goku has always been somewhat dense, though he's proven time and again that he truly cares about his family and friends.
Dragon Ball's Anime Adaptations Haven't Helped His Reputation
Toei Has Struggled to Accurately Depict Goku Across Different Series
In an interview with WIRED just after Dragon Ball's original manga ended, Akira Toriyama spoke about the Dragon Ball Z anime's characterization of Goku. He stated, "Once Dragon Ball got animated, at any rate, I've always been dissatisfied ith the 'righteous-hero' type portrayal they gave him," before adding, "I guess I couldn't quite get them to grasp the elements of poison that slip in and out of sight among the shadows."
Dragon Ball's early adaptations, as Toriyama alluded to, turned Goku into a hero reminiscent of Superman throughout much of the series, fighting to protect others rather than to fulfill his own selfish desires. Later on, Dragon Ball Superseemed to have overcompensated for the series' past mistakes, and turned the Saiyan into a completely thoughtless fighting machine who cared little for anything or anyone else. In reality, he's somewhere in-between those two versions of himself, but the adaptations have left countless fans with twisted perceptions of his character.
Dragon Ball Daima Is Quietly Fixing One of Goku's Worst Qualities, And We're Here for It
Dragon Ball Daima isn't holding back from rewriting even the worst tropes of the franchise's main character.
Goku has never undergone major changes, but to deny his clear character growth is to dismiss nearly the entirety of Akira Toriyama's original Dragon Ball manga series. The boy from the mountains went on to start a family, protect his loved ones, and continued to get stronger with each new opponent he faced. He'll never be the perfect hero or family man, and was never intended to be such, but his kindhearted and whimsical attitude is what has and will continue to attract fans for generations to come.
Source: WIRED Japan (translation by Kanzenshuu)
- Created by
- Akira Toriyama
- First Film
- Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
- Latest Film
- Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
- First TV Show
- Dragon Ball
- First Episode Air Date
- April 26, 1989
- Latest Episode
- 2019-10-05
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku's never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
- Current Series
- Dragon Ball Super
