I of the most common criticisms lobbed against Dragon Ball is that Goku doesn't grow as a character when this couldn't be farther from the truth. Goku grows considerably throughout Dragon Ball, going from a naive child to a legitimate martial arts principal ready to pass on his legacy by the end of the original series. In more ways than ane, Goku doesn't come into his own until Dragon Ball turns him into an adult.

While Dragon Brawl Super has taken Goku's character dorsum in more ways than 1, Dragon Brawl Z's delineation of the character was ofttimes nuanced and had him actively developing from arc to arc. Son Goku is the heart of the Dragon Brawl franchise and his grapheme only got improve when he finally became an adult.

10 Goku Learns The Value Of Life

Goku vs Tao Pai Pai

Goku doesn't shy away from killing during early Dragon Ball – something prominently on display during the Red Ribbon Army arc – simply he also learns the value of life relatively quickly. Afterwards watching Bora dice in the Sacred Land of Karin, Goku vows to utilize the Dragon Balls to revive him: in turn, sacrificing his unabridged quest for another person.

As the story continues, Goku only begins to care more than and more well-nigh life (admitting in the sense that he simply prefers not to kill). While his motivations are selfish, Goku starts seeing the value in sparing the lives of people like Piccolo or Vegeta – a motion that earns him a reliable group of allies.

9 Goku Matures After Training With God

Kami

The Demon Male monarch Piccolo arc sees Goku going through some rapid development as it ends. After killing Piccolo himself, Goku attaches Nyoibo to the top of Karin's Tower and scales his way to God'southward Palace. There, he meets Mr. Popo and Piccolo's double: Kami. Training with God helps Goku piece of work through the impulsive rage he shows throughout the Piccolo arc.

By the time Goku shows up at the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, he's a considerably more than martial artist. He's still his jovial cocky, simply Goku is brighter than he lets on and makes use of several sophisticated strategies throughout the tournament. Training with God also helps Goku find a new passion for martial arts, one that ultimately spurs him to spare Piccolo Jr.

8 Goku Becomes A Smarter Martial Artist

Goku vs Piccolo

On that same token, Goku becomes a much smarter martial artist afterward his 3 years with Kami and Mr. Popo. As mentioned, the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai has some of his most strategic moments in Dragon Brawl. Goku saves his stamina for the final fight (never fifty-fifty hitting Chichi), tries to hibernate his true speed with nether armour during his fight with Tenshinhan, and Outsmarts Piccolo time and time again.

During the terminal fight of the tournament, Goku pulls off a Kamehameha with his feet, lets himself get swallowed by a giant Piccolo to salve Kami, and hides the fact he tin can fly until all of his limbs are cleaved and so Piccolo never sees him coming in for the finisher. This is a tendency that continues throughout the rest of Dragon Ball, with Goku's fights confronting Vegeta and Frieza showing like levels of combat genius on his part.

7 Goku Becomes A Family Homo

Goku and Gohan Dragon Ball Z Kakarot

Following the cease of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, Goku really settles down with Chichi and starts a family. For five years, Goku puts training on the backburner and seemingly lives a peaceful life with Chichi and their son, Gohan. While Goku mentons that he'd similar to railroad train Gohan in the Saiyan arc, all signs point to Goku enjoying this peaceful life.

This does end upwards having consequences in the Saiyan arc, however. Goku genuinely believes himself the strongest man alive after winning the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, a fact that ultimately results in his decease when his brother Raditz arrives from Planet Vegeta. Beyond this, Dragon Ball Super shows that Goku maintains a salubrious relationship with his family unit and tends to spend a lot of time with his other son, Goten.

vi Goku's Saiyan Heritage

Kaioken Goku vs Vegeta

Raditz'due south arrival also heralds an important plot twist for Dragon Ball: Goku is an alien from outer space. While this could have been handled poorly, the revelation that Goku is a Saiyan completely recontextualizes his character for the improve. Goku goes from being the strongest man on Earth to a universal underdog: he may be a barbarian Saiyan, only he's the lowest of the depression.

Goku's human relationship with his Saiyan heritage ends up driving his grapheme arc throughout the Saiyan and Frieza sagas. Goku notably refrains from killing when in the presence of Vegeta, as if to disconnect himself from his Saiyan tendencies, while actively presenting himself every bit an Earthing until he turns Super Saiyan.

5 Goku Came To Terms With Who He Is

Goku Super Saiyan manga

Goku's character arc during the Frieza saga centers heavily on who he is – a Saiyan who was raised on Earth. For most of his time on Namek, Goku asserts his Earthling self. He refuses to kill the Ginyu Force, doesn't fight at full power (albeit to also salvage stamina for Frieza), and outright claims to hate Vegeta.

After watching Frieza reduce Vegeta to tears before killing him, however, Goku takes on Vegeta's pride every bit a Saiyan for himself. When Frieza kills Krillin earlier his optics and Goku transforms into the legendary Super Saiyan, he asserts to Frieza that he's a Saiyan who was raised on Earth. But through his Earthling empathy was Goku able to trigger his total potential as a Saiyan.

4 Goku Gave Into His Saiyan Tendencies

Super Saiyan Goku vs Majin Vegeta

Embracing his heritage on Namek ends up setting a precedent for Goku to showtime giving into his Saiyan tendencies. This is seen primeval during the Cell arc, where Goku outright refuses to stop Dr. Gero before he can assail the World with his Artificial Humans. While Bulma rightfully calls Goku out for this, he makes it clear that Gero hasn't done anything incorrect notwithstanding and that he wants a off-white fight.

Goku's love of martial arts was rooted in his grapheme long earlier Raditz revealed his Saiyan heritage, just Dragon Ball takes Goku'due south behavior to new levels in the Prison cell and Buu arcs. Goku gives Prison cell a Senzu Bean and even threatens to kill Kaioshin so he can fight Majin Vegeta.

three Goku Realized He Needed To Laissez passer The Torch

Super Saiyan Goku and Gohan

One of the core themes in Dragon Ball is the passing of the torch to the next generation. This idea is what drives Master Roshi's character arc in the 21st and 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, with Goku best representing the "adjacent generation" in early Dragon Brawl. By Dragon Ball Z, that role is being fulfilled past Gohan.

Come the halfway point of the Cell arc, Goku realizes he won't be able to defeat Cell himself. He chooses to train Gohan to his full potential, planning to formally laissez passer the torch to his son during the Jail cell Games. While the Buu arc does disengage Goku's actions, he gets some other chance at passing the torch with Uub at the very end of the series – finally taking on a student in the same fashion Roshi took on him.

2 Goku Learns The Value Of Responsibility

dbz kakarot header

Responsibleness is an important theme throughout the Majin Buu arc, with Goku – at present expressionless – preferring that the living save the Globe. Goku outright refuses to defeat Majin Buu when he has the chance so either Gotenks or Gohan can save the day. Both fail, just this ends up playing into the finale in a clever mode.

Ultimately, Goku and Vegeta are responsible for Buu's awakening. Their final boxing on the Kaioshin's planet sees both characters finally realizing this and fighting on behalf of the mess they fabricated. Pushing this theme further is Vegeta forcing the Earthlings to have responsibleness for their planet, so Goku isn't the simply one saving the solar day like usual.

1 Goku Becomes More Nuanced In General

Goku and Uub

At that place'due south a lot more than to Goku'south grapheme than meets the eye. He actively develops from arc to arc and the notion that he's static lacks in-text evidence. Goku matures and becomes a more nuanced character over the course of Dragon Ball. He begins as a child ignorant to the earth and ends a worldly granddaddy gear up to pass on his martial arts cognition.

Goku learns the value of life, becomes a more than responsible person, and exposits some 18-carat wisdom in the Cell and Buu arcs that highlight how much he's grown since the offset of the series. Dragon Ball Super does backpedal on nearly of Goku'south maturity, but Dragon Ball Z refined Goku into a well rounded protagonist by the saga's stop.

Next: Dragon Ball: Every Character Who's Won A Tournament In The Franchise

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