Goku
Race: Saiyan
Height: 5'9" (175.3 cm)
Weight: 187 lbs (85.4 kg)
Birth year: 737 Age
Hobby: Fighting strong opponents
Favorite food: Everything
Favorite vehicle: Kintoun (Nimbus)
Originally named Kakarot, Goku arrived on Earth as an infant—sent by the Saiyans to conquer the planet and sell it on the intergalactic market, though his parents also wanted him away from Frieza's genocide of their race. A head injury early on gave him amnesia, which ironically calmed his natural Saiyan aggression and transformed him into the innocent kid who'd meet Bulma, Yamucha, and eventually his best friend Krillin. Along the way, he collected allies who'd later become equals or rivals: Tien, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo Jr., whom he battled across multiple World Martial Arts Tournaments.
By Dragon Ball Z, Goku had grown into a fighter obsessed with testing himself against the strongest opponents in the universe. He's best known for his easygoing nature, his appetite for literally anything, and his uncanny talent for turning enemies into friends—a habit that's sometimes backfired spectacularly. He thinks simply and direct, unbothered by social convention; he'll bluntly question his friends' choices without hesitation. What really defines him is pure tenacity: his will to improve and survive is almost supernatural.
But there's a catch. Goku's hunger for a good fight often eclipses everything else—including the safety of Earth and the people he loves. He's studied opponents while friends were being attacked, delayed destroying an android lab out of curiosity, and spared Vegeta for a rematch despite the threat to humanity. He chose not to return from death after Cell specifically to keep dangerous people from gravitating toward Earth, though fans suspect he was also hoping for stronger opponents in the afterlife. This tunnel vision has made some question whether he's really the hero everyone thinks he is.
He's not great at building things, admits to being a poor party guest, and prefers straightforward combat to social situations. But he's shown real skill teaching younger fighters—Gohan, Goten, Trunks, and Uub all benefited from his training. When he learned his Saiyan heritage from Raditz, it shook him more than he expected, a crisis that followed him through the Namek saga as he grappled with what he actually was.
In Dragon Ball GT (anime-only, not based on creator Toriyama's manga), a de-aged Goku travels space collecting the Black Star Dragon Balls with his granddaughter Pan and Trunks, battling Baby, Super 17, and the Shadow Dragons along the way. The series ends with him leaving Earth with Shenron, returning a century later to watch his great-great-grandson fight Vegeta's descendant.
Dragon Ball Online, set 216 years after Z with Toriyama heavily involved, introduces Mira, a villain after Goku's DNA. He also appeared in Cross Epoch, a Dragon Ball and One Piece crossover where he attended Shenron's party alongside Luffy.
Dragon Ball Minus revealed that Goku's biological parents, Bardock and Gine, sent him away in a pod to escape Frieza's purge—a bittersweet moment that grounded his origin story.
Content compiled by AnimeList.moe from publicly available sources.
