Summary

• Goku's iconic status comes from his design, attacks, and personality that have resonated with fans for generations.
• Dragon Ball Super
  Goku's changes to Goku's character were controversial and were not well received by fans.
• Dragon Ball Daima
  has the potential to bring back the beloved version of Goku, returning to the essence of his character.

Goku is iconic and beloved because of his design, his attacks, and his fights, but more than all of that, Goku's attitude and personality have resonated with fans of all ages for generations. Goku's characterization throughout Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z is strong and consistent, and viewers really get to know him as he grows from boy to grandfather.

In Dragon Ball SuperGoku acts differently than before, and the reactions to these changes in his personality have not been well received by fans. Dragon Ball Super made controversial choices with Goku's character, but Dragon Ball Daima has the potential to get everyone's favorite Super Saiyan back on track.

The core elements of Goku's character have made him an icon

When first introduced during the Pilaf Arc as an eleven-year-old boy living alone in the forest, Goku is defined by his supernatural strength, his pure heart and selflessness, his independence, his lack of intelligence and awareness of civilization, and his love of food. These characteristics are demonstrated through acts such as defeating dinosaurs and the desert bandit Yamcha in combat, helping Sea Turtle out of a difficult situation and saving a city from the terror of Monster Carrot, and agreeing to marry Chi-Chi because he thinks "marriage" is a type of food; all of these behaviors are highlighted by contrasting them with Bulma, who is everything Goku is not.

The 21st Arc of the World Martial Arts Tournament showcases two of Goku's most defining characteristics: his love of fighting and his passion for pushing his limits and becoming stronger. These new traits perfectly align with his previous ones, transforming Goku into a capable and inspiring action hero who loves a good fight but doesn't hesitate to kill the true villain. His ignorance of most matters continues to provide a comedic balance to his character, while also contrasting his sharp intelligence in combat. In the 23rd Arc of the World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku enters adulthood and gains a new sense of maturity and leadership, while still retaining all his previous traits. However, at the end of this arc, Goku adopts one of his worst habits: he allows Piccolo Jr. to live after defeating him so that one day they can fight again.

In Dragon Ball ZGoku becomes a father, but this doesn't change him significantly. He's loving and protective of Gohan and wants to see his son grow stronger, but he's essentially the same man he was during the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. He continues to spare villains like Vegeta and Frieza so he can fight them again; he gives Cell a Senzu Bean after the fight so he can show off Gohan's strength against him; but he also reaches greater heights as a hero. Goku surpasses his limits more than ever and becomes the strongest man in the universe, and repeatedly uses his incredible power to protect his friends, family, and the Earth. As much as he loves getting stronger, he always puts protecting the things that truly matter first, even choosing to remain dead at the end of the Cell Saga to avoid attracting more villains who would endanger them.

Dragon Ball Super changed Goku for the worse

When Dragon Ball Super began, there were few complaints about Goku's character. With the first two arcs being adaptations of the films Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F', any discrepancies in Goku's behavior could easily be attributed to the new writers. It wasn't until the Universe 6 Arc that the cracks began to appear, allowing fans to see that this wasn't the Goku they knew.

In the Universe 6 Arc, and the subsequent Future Trunks Arc, Goku's simplicity becomes his most defining characteristic. Goku was never a genius, and his lack of intelligence has always been a source of comedy, but this comedy usually stems from his ignorance of anything not taught to him by Grandpa Gohan since he was raised alone in the forest. He has repeatedly demonstrated that he is generally perceptive when he has the full context of a situation and a genius when it comes to martial arts. In the Universe 6 and Future Trunks arcs, Goku is simply an idiot. He forgets to bring the Senzu Beans, he forgets to bring the materials needed to use the Mafuba on Zamasu, he can't keep secrets, he can't tell when Chiaotzu is using his psychic powers on him, and, most infamously, he can't... know what kissing is.

Worse still, Goku in Dragon Ball Super is not a good person, much less a hero like he once was. He's careless when dealing with villains, which peaks when he seemingly doesn't care that Frieza tortured his son. He's callous about killing King Kai. He incites the Tournament of Power. All of these actions give the impression that Goku has endangered the entire multiverse through his selfish desire to fight strong opponents. His forgetfulness in the Future Trunks Arc also results in Future Trunks' timeline being erased, and he never apologizes for anything.

Dragon Ball Daiima Can Restore What Makes Goku Great

Scheduled to premiere in 2024, Dragon Ball Daima is the fifth anime series in the series Dragon Ball franchiseWith heavy involvement from Akira Toriyama, the series will follow Goku and his friends being reduced by an unknown evil, requiring the characters to find new ways to fight back, including Goku regaining his Power Pole. While little is known about the series at this time, it has the potential to repair the damage done to Goku's character by Dragon Ball Super.

By its very nature, it is easy to assume that Always will harken back to the days of the original Dragon Ball, where comedy was the main focus of the series. Goku's "small" design makes him look like his childhood self, the entire premise of the series is inherently silly, and Goku is even welding his old signature weapon. By eliminating Goku's god-like power level and placing him in situations where the fate of the universe isn't at stake, the series can return to the essence of Goku's character and show why people loved him when he was just a young monkey. Despite any negative traits, he proves more forgiving given the lower stakes and more humorous tone. Goku's pure heart, naiveté, and goofy nature can be what defines him, without having to fit within the confines of a more dramatic narrative.

Fans have seen Goku revert to a child before, in the non-canon Dragon Ball GT. For the first part of this series, it was also a return to a more comedic approach to the series, and Goku maintained his older, more mature personality despite the change in his body. Even more so than Super, GT is incredibly controversial and is the most hated episode of the anime franchise. However, what most fans will agree on when it comes to Dragon Ball GT is that although its execution is poor, its concepts are brilliant. It is doubtful that Dragon Ball Daima will diverge from its initial cheerful premise as GT did, giving it the ability to succeed where the 1996 edition failed.

Regardless of the unfortunate changes made to Goku in Dragon Ball Super, he remains one of the most popular fictional characters of all time, and his fan base maintains an endless appetite for his adventures. While Dragon Ball Daima may not be of interest to all fans, especially those who come primarily to Dragon Ball for intense action and explosive battles, you can do whatever Super couldn't, and make Goku feel like Goku.

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  Dragon Ball DAIMA

  Due to a conspiracy, Goku and his friends are transformed into children. They plan to travel to a mysterious new world to undo this transformation.

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  Dragon Ball Super

  With Majin Buu defeated half a year earlier, peace returns to Earth, where Son Goku (now a radish farmer) and his friends now live peaceful lives.