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Goku

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Son Goku is the central protagonist of the Dragon Ball manga and anime franchise.

Created by Akira Toriyama, Goku is a legendary warrior known for his immense strength. He serves as the primary driver of the story's action and character development. While he is a hero to many, Toriyama described him as a somewhat selfish person. This is because Goku's main interest is finding strong opponents to fight. He values the thrill of combat over the simple act of protecting the innocent. This unique personality makes him a complex figure in popular culture.

Goku's journey begins as a young boy with a monkey's tail. He meets a teenage girl named Bulma, and they start a quest together. They search for seven Dragon Balls, which are magical spheres that can summon a dragon. If all seven balls are gathered, the dragon, named Shenron, grants a wish.

Three Super Saiyan Stages of Son Goku
Three Super Saiyan Stages of Son Goku

Along his path, Goku learns various martial arts styles. He uses a hybrid of East Asian techniques, including Karate and Wing Chun. He also possesses the ability to teleport to different planets in seconds. This power allows the story to move at a very fast pace.

As the series progresses, Goku undergoes several dramatic physical transformations. These changes allow him to access much higher levels of power. One famous stage is the Super Saiyan form, which is triggered by intense anger. In this state, his hair turns blonde and his eyes become piercing.

NYCC 2016 - Super Saiyan Blue Goku (30227483945)
NYCC 2016 - Super Saiyan Blue Goku (30227483945)

This transformation was designed to be visually striking in black-and-white manga. Another advanced form is Super Saiyan 4, which features red fur and wild black hair. This form is reached while in a Saiyan's Ōzaru, or giant monkey, form. More recently, the concept of Ultra Instinct was introduced as a completely different type of power.

The history of Goku's creation is rooted in several cultural influences. Toriyama based the character on Sun Wukong from the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. In the West, this character is often called the Monkey King. Toriyama also drew inspiration from Hong Kong action cinema. He specifically looked to the work of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. For example, Goku's intense Super Saiyan glare was inspired by Bruce Lee's famous look. Toriyama even imagined a live-action Goku being played by a young Jackie Chan.

Goku's personal history is filled with significant changes and origins. He was born as Kakarot on Planet Vegeta, a world belonging to the Saiyan race. Before the main story begins, his homeworld was destroyed by a character named Frieza. As an infant, he was sent to Earth, where he was found by Son Gohan. Gohan became his adoptive grandfather and gave him the name Goku. Initially, Goku was violent due to his Saiyan nature. However, an accidental head injury changed his personality into someone cheerful and carefree.

The character's impact is seen in the massive scale of the Dragon Ball franchise. Goku appears in manga, television series like Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super, and many video games.

野沢雅子
野沢雅子

In Japan, the voice actress Masako Nozawa has voiced Goku in every single piece of media. She was chosen by Toriyama because her voice perfectly matched the character. In English-speaking regions, many different actors have provided his voice. This is due to various companies producing different versions of the show. Despite these changes, Goku remains one of the most recognizable characters in the world.

Goku's development also reflects the evolution of the manga medium itself. Toriyama originally intended for Goku's son, Gohan, to replace him as the main character. However, Toriyama decided that Gohan was not suitable for the role. He also chose to have Goku grow up physically. This was a decision made to make drawing intense fight scenes easier. By changing the protagonist from a child to an adult, the series could explore much larger battles. This evolution helped the series maintain its popularity across different generations of readers.

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File:野沢雅子.png
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File:Weekly Shōnen Jump No. 51 (Dec. 1984) is the first appearance of Goku. Cover art by Akira Toriyama.jpg
Weekly Shōnen Jump No. 51 (Dec. 1984) is...
File:Three Super Saiyan Stages of Son Goku.PNG
Three Super Saiyan Stages of Son Goku.PNG
File:NYCC 2016 - Super Saiyan Blue Goku (30227483945).jpg
NYCC 2016 - Super Saiyan Blue Goku...
File:Carnalval SP 2013 - 0036 (8478410082).jpg
Carnalval SP 2013 - 0036 (8478410082).jpg
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