It’s fair to say that a great number of Dragon Ball fans were first introduced to Goku through the classic anime series that ran from the late ‘80s through the ‘90s and into the early 2000s. However, the version of Goku most fans grew up with is not the same version of the character the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, first brought to the page in the original manga. In fact, one interview exposes the cold-hard truth that Toriyama actually had a big problem with the anime’s version of Goku from day one.
Goku is of an alien race known as the Saiyans who was sent to Earth as a baby with the mission to decimate the planet and have it ready for Lord Frieza to claim as a part of his Empire. However, after being raised by the kind-hearted Grandpa Gohan (not to mention a nasty head injury), Goku’s inherent Saiyan aggression eased, and he no longer had the urge to destroy the world. Not only did Goku not destroy the world, but he actively saved it, and the universe, from those who would try to destroy it. In that effort, Goku killed King Piccolo, seemingly killed Frieza, was integral in defeating Cell, and delivered the final blow upon Majin Buu. Every time he fought someone who started out stronger than he was, Goku broke through his personal power-ceiling. Goku would save the day, and in the process, he’d become more powerful as a result–and that is something established in the anime that Toriyama has a reportedly outspoken issue with.
Dragon Ball Creator Never Thought Goku was a Hero
In a 1997 interview with WIRED Japan (translated by Kanzenshuu), Akira Toriyama was asked about the motivations behind his characters, with the interviewer asking, “There’s actually “poison” inside?” in reference to a character perhaps not being as pure and heroic as they may seem on the surface. To that, Akira Toriyama gave this reply:
In the anime (especially during Goku’s iconic fight against Frieza), Goku is clearly portrayed as a selfless hero who is willing to put his life on the line to save others, and he only gets stronger as a result of his unyielding heroism. However, according to Akira Toriyama, the opposite was intended for Goku’s character. Goku is supposed to be a hero only as a result of fighting the strongest warrior, all of whom just so happen to be evil. While he obviously has compassion in his heart for those close to him (as that was also an integral aspect of his character in the manga) Goku isn’t overly concerned with being a type of ‘Superman’ character who saves everyone and vanquishes evil because it’s the right thing to do. He only does it because the evildoer in question is usually pretty strong, and Goku wants to see if he can match (and surpass) their strength.
While it is a bit shocking to imagine that Goku, one of the greatest heroes in every ‘90s kid’s childhood, was never meant to be a hero at all, it’s important to remember that–regardless of his true motivations–he still defeated some of the greatest evils in the Dragon Ball universe. The only difference between what anime fans saw and what the creator of Dragon Ball meant to show was the reason Goku defeated all those villains. It wasn’t that Goku was this “righteous hero”, he just wanted to fight the strongest warrior he could, and since the anime portrayed him as that hero-type right from the start, Akira Toriyama had a problem with the Dragon Ball anime from day one.
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