Goku, the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball franchise, is known in Dragon Ball Super as going through a serious downgrade in its character. A lot of fans are disappointed by the beloved Saiyan, who seems to care about nothing else but fighting.
Goku was a lot more interesting in the original Dragon Ball series when he was just a kid. He was strong in that series as well, and let’s face it: that age-old argument that he is much stronger in Dragon Ball Z and Super is nonsense. That’s because power levels themselves are nonsense. The writers will make Goku as strong or weak as a particular situation itself demands it, whether we’re talking about the adult or child version of the beloved Saiyan.
It’s time to speak about why Goku was a much more interesting character in the original Dragon Ball series when he was just a kid. Here it goes:
The origin story and character development
The origin story of Goku is explored a lot in the original Dragon Ball series. The little boy is portrayed as a gullible and pure-hearted fellow who lives alone in the mountains. He engages in a long journey of self-discovery and growth, and viewers have the chance to witness the transformation of Goku firsthand. He meets Bulma, Master Roshi, Krillin, and other characters who will be rivals with Goku until one point.
Innocence
Unlike his later interactions in Dragon Ball Z and other series, Goku is shown as an innocent boy in the original series. Goku’s childlike wonder and curiosity about the world around him are surely endearing and part of the character’s charm. Goku, as a child, often proves to have a purity of heart that is untouched by the complexities of adult life.
The focus on martial arts
Goku in the original Dragon Ball series is not exactly that fellow who has a lot of energy blasts and weird techniques in his arsenal, as he does in Dragon Ball Z, Super, and GT. Instead, Goku is more inclined towards true martial arts. As a kid, Goku trains under the command of Master Roshi. He competes in the World Martial Arts Tournament and even faces formidable opponents such as King Piccolo, who wants to take over the world.
In Dragon Ball Super, on the other hand, Goku has a lot of transformations that make his hair turn in basically all the colors of the rainbow: Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, Super Saiyan 3, Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, and Ultra Instinct. Let’s face it: regardless of how much of a fan of adult Goku you may be, you can’t deny that so many transformations, which are also often nothing but recoloring of older ones, are plain ridiculous and annoying.
The sense of wonder and adventure
We also need to keep in mind that one of the most charming aspects of the original Dragon Ball series is the character’s sense of wonder and adventure. Goku will go to exotic locations as a kid, as those situations will introduce him to mythical creatures, powerful adversaries, and more.
Whether he needs to search for the Dragon Balls, explore new territories, or embark on epic quests, the thirst for adventure that Goku has fuels the narrative and keeps the audience engaged.
Goku is a complex and exciting character, and in the end, perhaps each version of him has its charm, whether we’re talking about the original Dragon Ball series, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, or Dragon Ball GT.