Hey, it’s Kenny filling in for ComicDrake!
Son Goku is arguably the most iconic and recognizable manga character of all time and THE character
people think of when the word ‘anime’ or ‘manga’ is thrown around.
Of course, Dragon Ball ended over two decades ago and there’s a chance newer manga fans
may not know about him, so let’s dive into his tale!
Please remember, this channel is called ComicDrake, so we’ll be referring exclusively to the
Dragon Ball manga and its generally accepted English translations, not any of its animation
or the English dub.
So.
Goku time.
Originally born on the Planet Vegeta to the Saiyan warriors, Bardock and Gine, the infant
known as Kakarrot was sent to Earth so that he would be safe from the wrath of the evil
dictator Freeza.
After crash landing on Earth, Kakarrot was taken in by a kind old man named Son Gohan,
who raised him as an adopted grandson and gave him the new name Son Goku.
The child was quite unruly until he accidentally smacked his head on a rock.
But from then on, Goku was the kind hearted kid that we all know and love!
Living in the secluded mountains, Goku and Gohan trained in the ways of martial arts.
Goku’s Saiyan heritage bestowed upon him the power to transform into a giant ape during
a full moon and despite his change of heart, Goku unintentionally killed his “grandpa”
Gohan during one of these events.
Unbeknownst to his actions and believing that Gohan had become a mysterious four star ball,
Goku lived alone, living off the land until he was hit by the car of one Bulma Briefs.
You see, Bulma was on a journey to collect the seven Dragon Balls, which when brought
together would grant any wish!
To aid in her search, Bulma invented a radar that could track down the orbs, incidentally
bringing her to Goku and his most prized possession, the four star Dragon Ball!
Goku joined Bulma’s adventure, making multiple friends, even more enemies, turning many of
those enemies into friends, and continued to expand his knowledge of martial arts, including
the iconic Kamehameha.
Goku and his friends saved the world from the likes of the evil Emperor Pilaf, the Red
Ribbon Army, the evil King Piccolo, and his reincarnation/son Piccolo Jr.
After forgetting that he had inadvertently promised to marry his friend, Chi-Chi, years
ago, Goku and his new wife retired to a quiet life and even had a son who he named in honor
of his grandfather, Gohan.
But Goku’s world turned upside down a few years later when his other-wordly Saiyan brother,
Raditz, returned from space to reveal that Goku’s tail was more than just a reference
to Journey to the West, but that Goku was, as far as Raditz knew, actually sent to Earth
as a child to prepare it for a hostile takeover.
Obviously, Goku and Raditz didn’t see eye-to-eye on the matter, and this conflict set Goku
on a deadly collision course against his other remaining Saiyan brethren, Nappa and Vegeta.
The fallout from the Saiyans’ arrival was so great that it rendered Earth’s Dragon
Balls inert, forcing Goku and his friends to venture out into space to find a new set.
On the Planet Namek, original home of the Dragon Balls, Goku and Vegeta (now best frenemies
forever) warred with Freeza, who years ago destroyed the Saiyans’ home planet and alone
reduced their population to the single digits.
Against Freeza, Goku unlocked the legendary power of the Super Saiyan, which multiplied
his strength several times over and set a new standard for the series.
From there, Goku’s adventures continue on to include magic dances, magic earrings, evil
androids, a second son named Son Goten, more Super Saiyan forms, congenital…
heart disease… and…
THE COMPLETE ERADICATION OF EVERYONE ON EARTH?!
That’s… dark...
Now if you want to read this series for yourself, it’s pretty simple.
Just pick up volume one of Dragon Ball and then just read on forward.
The Dragon Ball manga universe does expand some beyond that, such as the Akira Toriyama-penned
Jaco: The Galactic Patrolman, Dr. Slump, and kiiiinda Neko Majin Z… but they are accessories
to the Dragon Ball… canon… and not necessary for the overall story.
But hey, let us know which iconic manga character you’d like to see us cover next, Naruto
Uzumaki or Yusuke Urameshi!
Click to cast your vote.
If you want more manga goodness, you should check out our video on Monkey D. Luffy from
One Piece or check out me drawing Goku over on my own show, Let’s Draw!