More Than Strength – The Real Reason Goku is Anime’s Most Iconic Hero is What Separates Him From Superman

Because of their age, overlapping character traits, and their respective immense popularity, Goku and Superman are always being compared to each other. Fans of both characters are constantly going back and forth on which one is not only better written, but more powerful, a major sticking point in the debate being how the popular YouTube channel Death Battle has had Superman defeat Goku three times.

Comparisons between Goku and Superman will likely never end, but there isn’t as much common ground as one might think. There is definitely a lot of overlap between the two characters, and Superman likely served as the inspiration for Goku’s backstory, but the key differences in Goku and Superman’s abilities, personalities, and overall characterization lead to Goku being a completely different character and possessing a different appeal from Superman.

The way those things have played out has made Goku anime’s most iconic hero, and they all show why he can never be seen as the same kind of character as Superman.

By Comparison, Goku’s Power Comes From Hard Work – Unlike Superman

Superman needs more moments depicting the hero training for combat

Goku and Superman’s power levels are always the first thing brought up to comapre the two, and regardless of who’s stronger, the major difference is that Goku is always shown earning his power. From the earliest days of Dragon Ball, Goku has always had to work to get stronger and master new abilities, with even the Kamehameha and the ability to fly, his two most basic abilities being things he didn’t have a perfect grasp on at first. Decades later, Goku is still shown constantly training to master new powers, so it can never be said that he was handed his abilities.

By comparison, Superman’s power feels less impressive. As a Kryptonian, Superman gets all of his abilities by absorbing yellow sunlight, so unlike Goku, he never had to work to earn his powers. Granted, Superman is occasionally shown to be struggling with his powers in his youth and having to figure out how they work, but most Superman stories start with Superman already being an adult who’s mastered his powers and never does any more work with them, and that’s far less interesting than someone like Goku, who constantly reminds the audience that he can get stronger.

That isn’t to say that Superman has never been shown training to become stronger. In 1999’s King of the World storyline, Superman was shown working to master Torquasm Vo, a Kryptonian martial art that can be used to alter reality through hyperawareness, and in 2020, Superman: Man of Tomorrow had a storyline where Superman learned martial arts from the retired Apokoliptian general Wioska. The problem, however, is that there are far few instances of Superman being shown working to get stronger, so regardless of how strong he might be, his power always feels less earned and less inspiring than Goku’s.

Goku’s Purity & Selfishness Often Make Him a More Developed Character

Superman doesn’t have enough depth, as far as most people know

Goku and Superman’s personalities is another field where there isn’t as much overlap as people think. Despite his kindhearted nature, Goku never goes out of his way to be a hero, as while Goku has an understanding of good and evil, he won’t mind letting someone walk away if they’ve either given him a good fight or if he just can’t see the point in fighting them anymore. There’s a definite selfishness to Goku’s actions, but Goku’s attitude about fighting and people is always portrayed from an angle of purity, which adds a surprising amount of depth to his character.

Superman, meanwhile, is always depicted as a paragon of good, for better or worse. Superman is almost always written as the most heroic person in DC Comics, but because of that, Superman is sometimes so good that he lacks any personality beyond being a good person, and that’s led to constant criticism of his character from fans and critics alike over the years. Goku is also criticized for his selfishness, but Goku’s personality at its worst still results in more interesting stories than Superman’s personality at its worst, which is likely why Goku is often viewed more favorably than Superman.

That, of course, is another part of Superman that’s often the result of poor execution. While there are plenty of stories that don’t do anything with Superman’s idealistic nature, in the hands of a competent writer, Superman is given plenty of depth beyond his heroism and is shown being a good person on a variety of different levels, thus making him an incredibly well-rounded figure. Grant Morrison’s All-Star Superman is a classic example of Superman’s heroism having depth, and if there were more stories like that, Superman’s personality would never be an issue.

Why Goku & Superman Are Two Of Fiction’s Most Iconic Characters

Goku and Superman have earned their legacies, even with their differences

There are plenty of reasons to both like and dislike Goku and Superman, but it’s easy to see why both are held in such high regard. Superman has been around for almost 90 years, and in that time, he has repeatedly been written as someone who will never stop fighting for what’s right, no matter how hard it may be, and it always comes together in a dramatic fight scene that’s great to watch or read. Superman’s heroism has always been inspirational in one way or another, and that’s unlikely to change no matter how much time goes by.

Goku, meanwhile, hasn’t been around for even half as long as Superman, but that hasn’t made him any less iconic. Even if Goku doesn’t always fight for the right reasons, Goku is always fighting to protect the people he cares about in one way or another in a bombastic fashion, and his doing so with abilities people get to watch him earn always lets it be more than mindless action. Add in how, unlike most comics, Dragon Ball tells a complete story from start to finish, and it’s no wonder why people would prefer to idolize Goku over Superman.

Goku and Superman have a lot of differences in terms of their abilities and personalities, but that usually doesn’t make one better than the other. There are times when one of them will be written in a way that poorly represents them, but when it comes down to it, both Goku and Superman have done plenty over numerous decades to make people of all ages idolize them, and that’s something that can’t even be said about most people. Dragon Ball and Superman comics are as beloved as they are for a reason, and with any luck, that will never change.