Son Goku (Dragon Ball)

. ["Dragon Ball Z" manga, vol. 8, chapter ?] Eventually he stops wearing a kanji. ["Dragon Ball Z" manga vol. 12, chapter ?]

Abilities

Through constant training, Goku has achieved many abilities; aside from his great strength, he also possesses super speed, ["Dragon Ball", vol. 11, chapter 127 — ISBN 1-56931-919-7] reflexes, and the power to fly by using "chi", a fictional energy force in the series. Goku's signature technique is a vast "chi" energy blast called the nihongo|"Kamehameha"|かめはめ波|Turtle Striking Wave, which he learned from Master Roshi. ["Dragon Ball" manga, vol. 2, chapter ?] Another signature technique of his is an attack that multiplies the user's "chi" for an instant, called the nihongo|"Kaiô-ken"|界王拳|World Fist, taught to him by King Kai. skill called nihongo|"Shunkan Idô"|瞬間移動|Instant Movement, renamed "Instant Transmission" in the English dub, which he learned from the inhabitants of a fictional planet called Yardrat. ["Dragon Ball Z" manga, vol. 12, chapter 142 — ISBN 1-56931-985-5]

Goku is also the only Saiyan in the series to achieve all the Saiyan transformations seen in the manga. In "Dragon Ball", he is able to transform into a gigantic ape called an "Oozaru", albeit after his Saiyan tail is removed by Kami, he loses the capacity to achieve this form. ["Dragon Ball" manga vol. 14 chapter ?] However, in "Dragon Ball GT", Goku is able to use this transformation again after regrowing his tail using the Elder Kai's help.

During the events of "Dragon Ball Z", Goku becomes the first Saiyan in a millenium to transform into a Super Saiyan after being overcome with rage by the murder of Krillin by the hand of Frieza and as the series progresses he achieves every single advanced level of Super Saiyan. Each transformation changes Goku's appearance and enhances his abilities. Goku can also fuse with Vegeta and create a warrior who has the combined power and skills of both. One method is by using the "Potara Earrings" presented to Goku by the Elder Kai, which results in a 'perfect fusion' creating Vegetto. The other method is by performing the "Metamorese Fusion Dance", which creates Gogeta.

Plot overview

Originally named nihongo|Kakarotto|カカロット|Kakarotto|addressed as Kakarot in the English anime and spelled Kakarrot in the English manga, ["Dragon Ball Z" manga, vol. 1, chapters 1-10 — ISBN 978-1-56931-930-7] Goku is born a member of a fictional race of extraterrestrials called Saiyans. Shortly following his birth, Goku is sent from his home, a fictional planet named Vegeta, to prepare Earth for sale on the intergalactic market by destroying all its life."Daizenshū" #7, Page number, "Dragon Ball, Big Encyclopedia"] Due to an injury to his head that caused him severe amnesia, Goku forgets his purpose, and instead focuses on becoming stronger for little more than the pleasure of it. In the beginning of the series, Goku meets a highly intelligent 16-year-old teenage girl named Bulma, the desert bandit Yamcha, and two shapeshifters named Oolong and Puar. He also encounters one of his closest friends, Krillin, and others during his training. Participating in various martial arts tournaments, Goku also battles foes-turned-allies such as Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu, as well as Piccolo Daimao's offspring of the same name.

During his early adulthood, Goku meets his older brother, Raditz, an encounter that results in his death. Following the wish for his revival from the Dragon Balls, Goku continues to face other enemies thereafter linked to his heritage, such as Vegeta and even Frieza, who's actions force him to transform into a Super Saiyan. As the series continues, the focus on Goku's past is shifted away from as new enemies are introduced simply as threats to the fictional universe. After his encounter with Frieza, Goku trains his first child, Gohan, to be his successor. When the androids appear, Goku comes down with the heart virus that Future Trunks warned him about. Later on Goku sacrifices himself during the battle against the evil android Cell, leaving Gohan to succeed him. Goku returns to Earth seven years later from the afterlife and meets his second child, Son Goten. Shortly after he participates in the next martial arts tournament, however he is drawn into a battle for the universe against an extraterrestrial named Majin Buu. Goku also battles Vegeta after he is taken under control by Babidi, and the match ends in a draw. Goku then later on kills Buu with his "Genki Dama" technique. During the martial arts tournament held ten years after Buu's defeat, Goku meets Buu's human reincarnation, Uub, and takes off with him in the end of the story, intending to train him as a successor after realizing that his previous successor, Gohan, had prioritized his education over his fighting.

Ten more years later, Goku is transformed back into a child with a wish made by Emperor Pilaf using the Black Star Dragon Balls. Shortly after he, Trunks, and Pan all take a trip around the universe to locate the Black Star Dragon Balls and return them to Earth. Goku later battles the evil Baby, Super Android 17 and the evil shadow dragons. His final challenge is against Omega Shenron, who he eventually kills using the "Genki Dama". Goku leaves with the original form of Shenron, only to appear 100 years later at the next martial arts tournament, where he is observing the battle between his decendant (Son Goku Jr.) and Vegeta's descendant (Vegeta Jr.). Goku's granddaughter Pan spots him, but he quickly departs.

Voice actors

In the Japanese anime developed by Toei Animation, Goku is voiced by Masako Nozawa. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0637586/ Masako Nozawa's IMDB profile.] ] In various dubs of the anime, the voice acting for Goku and many other characters have changed as a result of the series changing dubbing studios and requiring recasting.

In the Harmony Gold dub, Goku was voiced by Barbara Goodson, and he was named Zero. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0329361/ Barbara Goodson's IMDB profile.] ] In the BLT Productions dub, Saffron Henderson [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376588/ Saffron Henderson's IMDB profile.] ] voiced Goku in the Saga of Goku and the movie "".

In the Ocean Group dub, Ian James Corlett voiced Goku in the Saiyan Saga and an edited TV version of the movie ', [http://voicechasers.com/database/showprod.php?prodid=320 Voice Chasers Dragon Ball Z page.] ] while Peter Kelamis voiced Goku in the Namek Saga as well as in the uncut VHS/DVD editions of the movies ', "" and "The Tree of Might".

In the Funimation dub, Ceyli Delgadillo voiced Goku in the movies ' and ', [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0216881/ Ceyli Delgadillo's IMDB profile.] ] while Stephanie Nadolny voiced the child version of Goku in all episodes of "Dragon Ball" and "Dragon Ball GT", [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0618955/ Stephanie Nadolny's IMDB profile.] ] and Sean Schemmel voiced the adult version of Goku in all episodes and movies of "Dragon Ball Z".

In the Blue Water dub, Peter Kelamis voiced Goku in the Trunks Saga through the Androids Saga, while Kirby Morrow voiced him in the Imperfect Cell Saga through the Kid Buu Saga. [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0607516/ Kirby Morrow's IMDB profile.] ] Zoe Slusar voiced him in his childhood appearances, [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1253273/ Zoe Slusar's IMDB profile.] ] Jeffrey Watson voiced him as an adult in "Dragon Ball" [ [http://www.crystalacids.com/database/person/4723/jeffrey-watson/ Jeffrey Watson's CrystalAcids.com profile] ] and Jeremiah Yurk provided his adult voice in "Dragon Ball GT". [ [http://www.tv.com/jeremiah-yurk/person/249813/summary.html Jeremiah Yurk's TV.com profile] ] In the English edition of the video game "", Goku is voiced by Brianne Siddall [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178645/fullcredits#cast IMDB Dragon Ball Final Bout Cast page.] ] as a child and Steven Jay Blum as an adult.

Appearances in other media

Goku has made several appearances in other media including, but not limited to, an based on "". The movie was produced by Tai Seng video entertainment and the main character, Monkey Boy, is based on Goku. Goku is also slated to appear in the 2009 20th Century Fox feature "Dragonball". He will be portrayed by actor Justin Chatwin.cite web | author = Tatiana Siegel | title = "Dragonball" comes to bigscreen | publisher = "Variety" | date = 2007-11-13 | url = http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975946.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 | accessdate=2007-11-14]

In video games, Goku has appeared in virtually every "Dragon Ball" licensed electronic game to date. He has also been featured in various crossover games. He appeared the Famicom games ' and ', including the DS games Jump Super Stars and Jump Ultimate Stars. In 2006, he is featured in the "Dragon Ball Z"/"One Piece"/"Naruto" crossover game "Battle Stadium D.O.N". In December 2007, Goku, along with Naruto Uzumaki and Monkey D. Luffy, would make guest appearances in avatar form in the MMORPG "Second Life" to promote "Jump Festa". [ [http://www.daizex.com/old_updates/updates-2007_12.shtml Daizenshuu's old updates from December 2007.] ]

Goku has often been deemed a positive role model for children throughout Japan. In June 1988, Goku and other "Dragon Ball" characters were featured in two PSA shorts. The first short was entitled nihongo|"The Goku Traffic Safety"|悟空の交通安全|Gokū no Kōtsū Anzen where Goku is taught the importance of obeying traffic safety by others. [ [http://www.kanzentai.com/guide/misc_db/sp1_traffic/index.html A more endepth summary on "The Goku Trafic Safety".] ] The second was called nihongo|"The Goku Fire Fighting Regiment"|悟空の消防隊|Gokū no Shōbō-tai where he teaches two children the importants of fire safety. [ [http://www.kanzentai.com/guide/misc_db/sp2_fire/index.html A more endepth summary on "The Goku Fire Fighting Regiment".] ]
accessdate=2008-09-13]

Goku has often been the suject of various parodies over the years. In the episode "Family Day" of "Takeshi's Castle", known in the United States as "MXC", the hosts Beat Takeshi and Sonomanma Higashi were dressed as popular anime characters one was Kid Goku and the other was Doraemon. In the "MXC" dub of that episode, when asked who about his Goku costume, the host replied "Who me, I'm dressed as a crackhead". The "Shonen Jump"'s "Gag Special 2005" issue released on December 1, 2004, featured a "Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo" one-shot "Dragon Ball" parody manga. The manga was a humorous retelling of the battle between Goku and Vegeta in the Saiyan Saga. Jelly Jiggler was Goku and Don Patch was Vegeta. [ [http://www.daizex.com/multimedia/manga/ Information on Bobobô parody manga at Daizenshuu manga section.] ] In the episode "Fire It Up! Abenobashi Hong Kong Combat Shopping Arcade" of the "Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi" anime, character Sasshi Imamiya goes Super Saiyan much like Goku and fires a "Kamehameha". [ [http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w303/sarujo/Dragon%20Ball%20Pics/Abenobashi_DBZspoof.jpgSasshi from Abenobashi goes Super Saiyan.] ]

Goku can also be considered a regular commodity for Fuji TV. In 2003 Goku would appear in the interactive feature entitled nihongo|Kyutai Panic Adventure!|球体パニックアドベンチャー!|Kyūtai Panikku Adobenchā!|Orb Panic Adventure! which was featured exclusively at the Fuji TV headquarters. Here Frieza attacks tourist by blasting the orb section free it from the rest of the Fuji TV building followed by a canon attack Arlong and his gang. It features teamups of Goku, Luffy, and Astro Boy. [ [http://www.fujitv.co.jp/safe/red_mpl/search/srchFrame.cgi?URL=%8B%85%91%CC%83p%83j%83b%83N%83A%83h%83x%83%93%83%60%83%83%81%5B%21&MD=f&image.x=10&image.y=12 Fuji TV News from 2003.] ] [ [http://www.fujitv.co.jp/safe/red_mpl/search/srchFrame.cgi?URL=%8B%85%91%CC%83p%83j%83b%83N%83A%83h%83x%83%93%83%60%83%83%81%5B%21&MD=f&image.x=10&image.y=12 A listing Fuji TV's website.] ] This would be followed up with the 2004 nihongo|Kyūtai Panic Adventure Returns!|球体パニックアドベンチャーリターンズ!|Kyūtai Panikku Adobenchā Ritānzu!|Orb Panic Adventure Returns!. Here the evil Enel appears and attack the headquarter's location the aqua city of Odaiba. It features team-ups with Goku, Luffy, and "Kochikame"'s Ryotsu Kankichi. The feature is also known for Goku and Luffy's tag-team attack on Enel which fans have dubbed as the "Gom Gom Kamehameha". [ [http://www.startech.jp/history/history.html Star*Tech event listings.] ] Dragon Ball DVDs. Since his appearance in the United States in 1996, Goku has also struck a cord in American pop culture. He was featured in an issue of "Wizard" magazine which he was matched up in a hypothetical battle against Superman; Goku defeated Superman by transforming into a Super Saiyan and overpowering him with the "Kamehameha". ["Wizard" magazine, Sept. 2002 issue, page 64] The episode "Chicken Ball Z" from "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" is a "parody" of "Dragon Ball Z". Billy shares a striking resemblance to Super Saiyan Goku in this episode. [ [http://www.tv.com/the-grim-adventures-of-billy-and-mandy/grim-for-a-day---chicken-ball-z/episode/264306/summary.html?tag=ep_list;ep_title;8 Chicken Ball Z] ] In the "" episode "Operation: R.E.P.O.R.T", Numbuh Four's version of the story is a spoof of the Goku and Frieza battle from "Dragon Ball Z". Goku's Super Saiyan 3 form is also parodied. [ [http://www.tv.com/codename-kids-next-door/operation-r.e.p.o.r.t.---operation-b.r.i.e.f./episode/284253/summary.html Kids Next Door Spoof] ] Goku made a spoof appearance in Seth Green's Emmy Award winning stop motion series "Robot Chicken". In the sketch entitled "A Very Dragon Ball Z Christmas", Goku and Gohan fight an evil Mrs. Claus alongside Santa's reindeer, in an attempt to save Christmas. [ [http://www.robotchicken.org/index.php?title=A_Very_Dragon_Ball_Z_Christmas A Very Dragon Ball Z Christmas - ADD TV: The Robot Chicken Wiki ] ]

Reception

Anime News Network noted Goku to be a good part of the comedy of the series and remarked that after all events that happen to him he is still the same naive character. [cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/dragon-ball-gn-5|title= Dragon Ball (manga) Graphic Novel vol 5|publisher= Anime News Network |date= 2001-11-18 |author= Divers, Allen|accessdate= 2008-09-27] THEM Anime Reviews noted him to be Goku is not the omnipowerful one in the first series unlike "Dragon Ball Z", nor does he randomly disappear for long stretches of time between sagas. They also liked how the series tell all his adventures making him a good main character. [cite web|url= http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=565|title= Dragon Ball anime review|publisher=themanime.org |author= Jones, Tim|accessdate= 2008-10-03] Rationalmagic.com praised Goku's innocence as one of the funniest parts of the series. [cite web|url= http://www.rationalmagic.com/Comics/DragonBall1.html|title= Dragon Ball Volume 1 review|publisher= Rationalmagic.com|accessdate= 2008-10-03]

Goku has been noted as "compassionate" and his character has been used to acknowledge that there are "emotional as well as physical consequences to violence". [http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/35076/71249564.pdf?sequence=1] His journey and ever growing strength resulted in the character winning "the admiration of young boys everywhere". [Wiedemann, Julius (2004-09-25). "Akira Toriyama", in Amano Masanao (ed.): Manga Design. Taschen, p. 372. ISBN 3822825913] Several pieces of merchandising based on Goku has also been released including action figures, [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Dragonball-BanDai-Hybrid-Action-Articulated/dp/B000GTLP04/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1221330779&sr=1-1|title=Dragonball Z BanDai Hybrid Action Mega Articulated 4 Inch Action Figure Goku|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/super-saiyan-dragon-ultimate-collction/dp/B001CSCSI6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1221331053&sr=1-3|title="super saiyan goku dragon ball z 4"" ultimate collction f"|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] plushes, [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Z-GOKU-Plush/dp/B0017DR2YG/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1221330871&sr=1-41|title=Dragon Ball Z DBZ GOKU 13" Plush Toy|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Son-Goku-Plush/dp/B001EBTD2U/ref=sr_1_66?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1221331144&sr=1-66|title=Dragon Ball 5" Son Goku Plush|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] and keychains. [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Goku-Tenkaichi-Budokai-Dragonball-Keychain/dp/B000YP7H52/ref=sr_1_82?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1221331234&sr=1-82|title=Goku & Tenkaichi Budokai - Dragonball Twin Figure Keychain (Japanese Imported)|publisher=Amazon.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] In 2005, "The Daily Reader" printed an article entitled "The Greatest Geek Movie Heroes Of All Time". Goku is the only animated character on the list, coming in nine places after the winner. [cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2001-02-25/goku-wins-a-place-with-the-best|title=Goku wins a place with the best|date=2001-02-25|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2008-09-26]

Other manga artists, such as "Naruto" creator Masashi Kishimoto and "One Piece" creator Eiichiro Oda, have stated that Goku inspired their series' main protagonists. [cite book |last=Kishimoto|first=Masashi |title=Uzumaki: the Art of Naruto|year=2007 |publisher=Viz Media |pages=138-139 |isbn=1-4215-1407-9] ["One Piece Color Walk" - Vol.1 - Interview with Eiichiro Oda and Akira Toriyama ((JP) ISBN 978-4088592176)] In a survey conducted by Oricon in 2007 between 1,000 people, Goku ranked first place as the "Strongest Manga character of all time."cite web|url=http://rn-cdn.oricon.co.jp/news/ranking/45750/#rk|title=1000人が選んだ！漫画史上“最強”キャラクターランキング！|language=Japanese|accessdate=2007-10-28] Nozawa, the Japanese voice actor of Goku, has commented she liked when he lost his tail beacuse that made him more normal but liked that the character was still the same in the end of the series. [cite book |last=Toriyama|first=Akira|title=ドラゴンボールGTパーフェクトファイル (Vol.2) (ジャンプ・コミックス) |year=2006 |publisher=Shueisha |isbn=978-4088740904 ]

See also

* Son Goku (disambiguation)

References

External links

* [http://www.absoluteanime.com/dragon_ball/goku.htm Profile] at absoluteanime