Shounen is by far the most popular genre of anime. Ever since Fist of the North Star, it’s been manga’s #1 cash cow. As such, it’s also the most competitive and densely packed genres.
Which means we’ve got a lot of characters to look at. And more importantly: rank. Starting with everyone’s favorite martial artist from space: Son Goku.
Who else would we start with? I mean, really. Can’t have the tree without the roots.
Goku is more or less the standard template for shounen heroes. Good fighter? Cartoonishly large appetite? Head as empty as the void of space? Heart of gold? Check, check, check, and check.
We’re with Goku for just about his entire life. From Dragon Ball to Z to Super, we literally see him grow from a child into a man, into a father and a grandfather. That could very well be why so many people, myself included, are so emotionally attached to him. He’s the anime equivalent of a close friend you grew up with.
Also Goku is a good dad, y’all just took a joke too far.
Unlike most shounen heroes, who fight because they have to, Goku fights because he wants to. He’s a martial artist, and a Saiyan. Fighting is his number one pass time. In the original Dragon Ball, his main goal was to win the biggest martial arts tournament in the world.
However, he still had morals. Dumb as he was, Goku knew the difference between friendly competition and life-or-death battle. Whenever his opponent went too far into villainy, Goku dropped the happy-go-lucky attitude and went all-out. Man knew when not to mess around.
There are several times when a villain has actually pushed him over the edge. The first Super Saiyan transformation is the most obvious example; Freeza made him so angry he went and fulfilled an ancient legend.
But even at his angriest, Goku could be kind and forgiving. He never enjoyed killing villains. If he could, he always gave them a chance to redeem themselves. Sometimes it worked, like with Piccolo and Vegeta. Others… not so much. That’s why he looked so sad after defeating Freeza; he gave the tyrant a chance, and he threw it away.
One thing people complain about in regards to Goku is his character arc. More accurately, the lack thereof. Episode one Goku is just about the same as finale Goku. What people don’t understand is that he has a different kind of arc: the Flat character arc. Essentially, he never changes, but through his actions, he inspires others to change for the better. Just look at the earlier examples of redeemed villains.
So that’s Goku. A simple but great character. It’s no wonder he became the template for shounen heroes. He’s fun, he’s cool, and he’s just so damn lovable!
At least he used to be.
In more modern versions of Dragon Ball, a lot of Goku’s character has been simplified and stripped down. The morality at the heart of his character is all but gone now; all he cares about is the fight, consequences be damned. Dude is so stupid that it’s a miracle he hasn’t forgotten how to breath. Instead of great character moments, we just get new transformations shoved in one after the other in an effort to distract the audience.
Unfortunately, the last time Goku was written like… well, Goku, was back in Super: Broly. In Super Hero, he’s back to insufferable Super Goku and the manga certainly isn’t fixing any of that. It’s gotten to the point where Goku’s presence in the story actively hurts the narrative, so much so that many fans want him to be written out!
Hey, Toriyma tried to do that at the end of the Cell arc and y’all threw a fit. Don’t blame the man for giving you what you wanted.
Now there is some hope for Goku and Dragon Ball. With a whole new series on the horizon, promising to take the IP in a… new direction, we might finally see Goku return to his former self. Or maybe he’ll finally evolve into a whole new and likable version of himself. Only time will tell.
Despite his lackluster recent appearances, I still can’t help but love Son Goku. It’s no exaggeration to say I wouldn’t be an anime fan without him. No matter how the series goes, I’ll always have a soft place in my heart for my little monkey friend.
Now, who to cover next… Maybe I’ll return to a certain village hidden in the leaves and check up on a beloved knucklehead.
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