Goku

Son Goku is the central character of *Dragon Ball*, the manga Akira Toriyama began publishing in 1984. He first appears as a boy living alone in the mountains, where Bulma meets him while searching for the seven Dragon Balls. Goku believes the four-star ball left by his adoptive grandfather, Gohan, contains Gohan’s spirit. He joins Bulma’s journey carrying a staff called the Power Pole and riding a cloud called the Flying Nimbus. His unusual strength and tail eventually acquire an explanation: he is a Saiyan sent to Earth as an infant under the name Kakarot.

Goku studies martial arts under Master Roshi alongside Krillin, who becomes one of his closest friends. He competes in the World Martial Arts Tournament, defeats the villain King Piccolo, and later wins the tournament by defeating Piccolo’s son. At that event, he also marries Chi-Chi, fulfilling a promise he made as a child without then understanding what marriage meant. Their son Gohan is named after Goku’s grandfather. Years later, Goku learns that the giant ape he once became during a full moon caused his grandfather’s death.

The arrival of Goku’s brother Raditz reveals his Saiyan ancestry. Goku holds Raditz in place so Piccolo can kill him with a single attack, sacrificing himself in the process. While dead, Goku trains with King Kai and learns the Kaioken technique and Spirit Bomb. After returning to life, he fights the Saiyan prince Vegeta. On the planet Namek, Goku confronts Frieza, who destroyed the Saiyan homeworld. Krillin’s murder by Frieza triggers Goku’s first transformation into a Super Saiyan, one of the series’ defining moments.

Goku later sacrifices himself again during the Cell Games, teleporting the self-destructing Cell away from Earth. Cell survives, but Gohan ultimately defeats him. In the conflict with Majin Buu, Goku reveals Super Saiyan 3 and helps defeat Buu’s final form with a Spirit Bomb powered by energy gathered from Earth’s people. He subsequently trains Uub, the human reincarnation of Buu. In *Dragon Ball Super*, Goku gains the Super Saiyan God form, trains under Whis, and develops Ultra Instinct during the Tournament of Power. Despite his immense abilities, Goku remains drawn to stronger opponents: his decision to spare Vegeta after their first battle reflects his desire to fight him again. That appetite for competition repeatedly shapes the story, from his early tournament entries to his encounters with gods and fighters from other universes.