Son Goku is the main character in the Dragon Ball series who’s also one of the most iconic anime characters. There are some interesting facts about Son Goku from Dragon Ball that you probably didn’t know about.

On this occasion, Dunia Games would like to give you a list of several fascinating facts about the main character that you probably didn’t know. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

1. Based on the Monkey King from “Journey to the West”

This one is probably a widely-known fact that most fans might already be aware of. Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, has also acknowledged that he was inspired by Journey to the West. That’s why we can see that Saiyans share some physical traits with primates. It’s because Goku is based on the Monkey King from Journey to the West.

Some of the other characters were also inspired by Journey to the West, such as Bulma, Oolong, and Krillin. However, as the series progresses, these elements are gradually detached from the series.

2. A Goku Day in Japan!

Japan does have numerous special days dedicated to certain anime or manga, and one of the characters is Goku. May 9 is celebrated as Goku Day in Japan. This is because the numbers 5 and 9 are pronounced as “Go” and “Ku”. Therefore, people in Japan celebrate May 9 as Goku Day.

3. Is Yet to Defeat Vegeta in a Fight

Throughout the Dragon Ball series, the rivalry between Goku and Vegeta never stops. However, we are yet to see Goku defeat Vegeta in a fight. As a matter of fact, Vegeta has always managed to get the upper hand on numerous occasions.

This is mainly because of Goku’s compassion towards his opponents, which also backfires on him -- for example, Goku saves Frieza and gives Senzu Bean to Cell. 

So, Vegeta is yet to lose a fight against Goku. Although Vegeta is virtually weaker than Goku, he often surpassed Goku in many things, one of which is when Vegeta reaches Super Saiyan Blue Evolved at the Tournament of Power.

4. Has a Strong Fear of Needles

Any powerful anime character has weaknesses that sometimes make them look puny. As for Goku, it’s his irrational fear of needles. As someone who never gets intimidated by anything, having such a phobia surely makes him look humane.

It initially started as a gimmick, but this could make his fight against Cell into a living nightmare as Cell could use his tail to attack his opponents.

5. Has 9 Different Transformations

Goku actually has numerous transformations, but only 9 of them are considered canon by fans:

1. Great Ape;
2. Kaio Ken;
3. Super Saiyan;
4. Super Saiyan 2;
5. Super Saiyan 3;
6. Super Saiyan 4;
7. Super Saiyan God;
8. Super Saiyan Blue;
9. Ultra Instinct.

6. The First “Human” to Ever Achieve Ultra Instinct

Ultra Instinct is an incredibly difficult technique to master for most characters in the series, but it’s still possible. Even the God of Destruction Beerus is yet to master the perfect use of this technique. So he’s understandably surprised to see Goku using it in the Tournament of Power. 

Goku is currently the first and only mortal being to ever achieve the perfect form of Ultra Instinct, which he used to beat Jiren in the Tournament of Power.

7. Mentored by Many Teachers

One of the reasons why Goku was able to achieve Ultra Instinct is that he learned from several teachers who taught him the basics of Ultra Instinct. King Kai helped him to hone his physical and mental strength. Whereas Kami and Mr. Popo worked on Goku’s composure in fights, and Korin was the one who help him focus on eliminating any of his unnecessary movements. 

On top of that, Goku also learned other techniques from various teachers like Kamehameha from Master Roshi, Instant Transmission from the Yardratians, and many more.

8. Only Killed Two Antagonists in Dragon Ball Z

Goku is a kind and gregarious person who has no joy from hurting anyone he meets -- let alone from killing an opponent. Throughout the series, Goku always tries to give villains their second chances. Earlier in the story, Goku would often end his opponents. Yet as time went on, in Dragon Ball Z, Goku had become more mature.

In Dragon Ball Z, Goku only killed two villains: Yakkon, who died from taking too much of Goku’s energy, and Kid Buu.

Read Also:

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9. Involved in a Seemingly Never-Ending Battle Against Frieza

The fight between Goku and Frieza in Planet Namek took a long time to finish. It took Goku about 4 hours or 12 episodes to defeat Frieza. 

However, Goku vs. Frieza has become an iconic moment of the Dragon Ball series. Not to mention that Frieza remains one of Goku’s arch-nemesis.

10. Has Died Numerous Times

Death in the Dragon Ball series has become a common thing as the deceased can still be brought back to life using the Dragon Ball. Throughout the series, Goku has died about five times.

The first one happens in the Saiyan Saga. When Raditz attacked planet Earth, Goku was willing to sacrifice himself to stop Raditz from destroying the planet.

The second one occurs in the future, where Goku dies of a heart attack.

The third one occurs in the main timeline. Goku almost suffered another heart attack. But thankfully, Trunks brought medicine from the future to stop it. However, that only led to Goku’s death, along with Kaio, when he’s trying to save his friends from Cell.

Goku’s fourth and fifth deaths occur in Dragon Ball Super, where he’s killed by Zamasu and Hit.

11. Has More than One Form of Kamehameha

Kamehameha has become Goku’s signature technique throughout the series. Goku always hones this technique to come up with various forms of Kamehameha. Currently, his strongest is the Divine Kamehameha, which can only be performed once he reaches Ultra Instinct.

12. Can Perform Fusions with Vegeta, to Turn into Vegito or Gogeta

So far, we’ve seen Goku and Vegeta perform fusions to turn into Gogeta or Vegito. Gogeta is the resulting fusion from performing the Fusion Dance, whereas Vegito can be achieved from the Potara Fusion.

13. His Japanese Seiyuu is a Woman

This fact may not be so shocking for some people, especially those who have watched tons of anime series. Although Goku’s voiced by a female seiyuu, he still sounds like a man with a high-pitched voice. At first, you may not be aware that the voice actor behind the muscular MC is a woman.

14. His Super Saiyan Hair Was Made Blonde to Cut Down Production Time

In the anime, Goku’s hair color changes from blonde, red, to blue, to signify the new power he acquired. But there’s also a specific reason for these hair color changes, which is to save time in drawing the manga. His blonde (and other) hair colors are predominantly white in the manga, so the creator doesn’t have to spend more time coloring it black.

15. Starred in Several Ads (Including One for KFC)

In Japan, Goku has made appearances in several ads. One of the most iconic ads is the one where Goku promotes KFC to advertise Dragon Ball: Battle of Gods. With Goku’s huge appetite, it makes sense to see him star in an ad for KFC.

So, those were some fascinating facts about Son Goku from Dragon Ball that you probably didn’t know. Stick around for more anime and gaming info, and make sure to follow Dunia Games on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.

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