Hey guys! For today, I thought we’d take a look at 5 characters who changed Goku’s life. He has been alive for a long time and has made many friends over the past 40 years. Some have inspired his character and are responsible for making him the man he is today. These individuals gave the young Saiyan valuable lessons he could apply to his life. Now, let’s dive into them!
1. Grandpa Gohan
The first person that Goku would meet after landing on Earth, Grandpa Gohan, was a father figure to Goku for the first 12 years of his life. Initially, Goku was a violent baby, showing typical destructive Saiyan behavior. This is expected, as originally his mission was to destroy the Earth.
But that all changed with an accident while hiking alongside his grandpa. Goku fell off a cliff and bumped his head, which caused amnesia and made him forget about his Saiyan mission. As a result, his relationship with his grandpa improved, and he became a peace-loving boy.
Grandpa Gohan was a skilled martial artist who taught Goku the fundamentals. For example, the Rock, Paper, Scissors technique that Goku used was a move that Gohan created. He would also entrust Goku with the 4-star Dragonball, which was responsible for changing his grandson’s life and allowed Goku to go on countless adventures.
Gohan’s warm, friendly personality influenced Goku, leading him to make many friends throughout his life. You see the love in this relationship when the two reunite during Babidi’s tournament. Goku bursts into tears to hug him. No matter how strong Goku became, he was still a child who missed his grandpa. Goku loved Gohan so much that he named his first son after him.
Fast forward to the Saiyan arc, where one of the most heartbreaking scenes occurs when Goku fights Vegeta in his Great Ape form. During this fight, Goku realizes that, as a child, he became a Great Ape and killed his grandpa. Goku quietly apologizes to his grandpa and vows to make it up to him.
While Gohan’s death was never shown in Dragonball, a talented Youtuber named Rising Fist created the scene of how it would’ve happened. You can watch that video here (fast forward 53 minutes to watch). Regardless, I’m sure Grandpa Gohan is proud of what his grandson has accomplished. It seems like his death was necessary in order for Goku to travel the universe and become the earth’s savior. It all worked out for the best, I’d say.
2. Bulma Briefs
Continuing on the 5 characters who changed Goku’s life, we have Bulma. She is the first person that Goku meets outside of his grandpa.
After learning the truth about the dragon balls, Goku decides to travel with Bulma to find the other six. Their friendship has truly withstood the test of time, going strong for 40 years. Bulma is Goku’s oldest friend and practically his older sister. The two fight and bicker, but they’re always there for each other at a moment’s notice.
Goku’s and Bulma’s families are also close. She was like an aunt to Gohan growing up. That didn’t change when she started her own family with Vegeta. Because their sons were so close in age, she would constantly visit Goku’s house so the boys could play with each other. As they got older, Bulma got annoyed that Goku and her husband Vegeta purposely missed out on family events to train in their 40s. But over time, she grew accustomed to it.
One of my favorite scenes with the two friends happens in The History of Trunks. In this movie, Bulma explains to her son Trunks how Goku’s impact on the battlefield goes beyond his strength, and when you’re with him, you know everything will be okay. I love this scene because future Bulma lives in an apocalyptic world, but she trusts that her best friend can save them. You can watch that scene here.
3. Master Roshi
Master Roshi was another important role model in Goku’s and Krillin’s lives. In Gohan’s absence, Roshii was the closest thing Goku had to a father during his teenage years. The knowledge Roshi passed on to Goku in his early days still echoes in Goku’s mind in the present. Even as Goku grew stronger, he still sought advice from his old master.
Roshi is responsible for Goku’s initial training in martial arts; he molded the Saiyan into slowly becoming the most powerful warrior on the planet. Roshi even entered the first tournament that his students participated in, beating them to win. All to give them a challenge, as he feared that they would both stop training if they won the first tournament they entered. Believing that no one was stronger than them.
To me, this simple lesson was what kept Goku humble throughout the series. No matter how strong he became, Goku knew someone stronger was always around the corner. He never gets arrogant about his abilities as a result. He always wants to better himself due to his simple love of the sport.
Roshi also made the famous Kamehameha wave, which took 50 years to create. After seeing his master use the blast, Goku taught himself how to use the kamehameha wave in seconds. The blast has gotten the Saiyan out of tough scrapes, saving the world numerous times. I’d say the time Roshi spent creating the technique was well worth it.
Even in Master Roshi’s later years, when his students surpassed him, he still had epic fights. During the Tournament of Power Arc, Goku believed that his experience would be a great asset to the team. He was right, as Roshi eliminated several opponents, even doing better than his students Krillin and Tien. It was truly an inspiring performance to watch.
4. Krillin
The two first met as kids and trained under Master Roshi. While initially being rivals, they became best friends and basically brothers. Krillin is one of the few friends Goku will catch up with and remain in contact with throughout his life. He has become extremely close with Goku’s family, having been an uncle figure to both of Goku’s sons.
Krillin has played a crucial role in Goku’s development as a martial artist. Goku is a warrior who wants to get stronger to protect his friends and family. Krillin has been the product of this twice in Goku’s life. The first time occurs after the 2nd World Tournament, when Krillin gets killed by Piccolo’s henchmen. This motivated Goku to defeat King Piccolo and use the dragon balls to bring his best friend back to life.
But an even more memorable moment happens a decade later in DBZ when Frieza kills Krillin instantly. This devastating loss angers Goku so much that he transforms into a Super Saiyan. This transformation would become Goku’s trump card in all his fights after this moment. None of this would’ve been possible if Krillin’s death hadn’t pushed Goku over the edge. Goku will always go above and beyond to protect his brother.
Vegeta
The final person among the 5 characters who changed Goku’s life is none other than Vegeta. Also known as the Saiyan Prince, Goku’s greatest rival became one of his closest friends.
During their first fight, Goku was pushed to his limits while fighting Vegeta, a warrior who was twice as strong. Eventually, with the help of his friends, Goku beats Vegeta, and the Saiyan Prince is about to be killed by Krillin. But Goku pleads with his best friend to spare Vegeta’s life. After witnessing how much Piccolo had changed after sparing his life, Goku believes Vegeta should have the same chance.
The two saiyans had a fierce rivalry until the Cell Arc. Vegeta was always jealous of Goku’s natural talent. That all changed in the Majin Buu Arc when the Saiyan prince purposely went under Babidi’s control to become stronger than Goku. With everything on the line, the Saiyans had their ultimate battle. Upon Majin Buu’s revival, Vegeta decides to handle the mess he created alone, knocking Goku out so he won’t interfere.
After facing Buu for the first time, Vegeta recognizes the monster’s strength and realizes the Earth is in danger. To save everyone, the Saiyan prince blows himself up to kill Majin Bu. Dedicating this noble sacrifice to his family and Goku. He became the second Saiyan after Goku, who sacrificed himself to protect Earth. The two Saiyans were more alike than they thought.
Following his resurrection, Vegeta teams up with Goku to take down Kid Buu. This moment marks the beginning of the two Saiyans’ friendship as they successfully defeat the beast and begin to have trust for one another. This duo would become crucial to Earth’s survival going into the Dragonball Super series.
Vegeta is the perfect training partner for Goku, as he’s the only fighter on earth who can pose a challenge to him. While their rivalry still exists, it’s more of a sibling nature, as opposed to before, when it was out of spite. Vegeta and Goku spend more time training with each other than they do with their families.
A great example of how much their relationship has improved over the years occurs near the end of the Buu Saga. When Vegeta witnesses Goku fighting Kid Buu as a Super Saiyan 3, amazed by Goku’s constant growth. The Saiyan prince finally admits that Goku is the better warrior. As he proudly watches his friend defend the Earth, the two Saiyans finally respect each other.
Conclusion
So overall, that’s my list of 5 characters who changed Goku’s life. It’s easy to see that Goku has the blessing of many great mentors and friends who have made him who he is today. So, what do you guys think? Were there any characters that I missed? Let me know in the comments. If you liked this post, check out my 5 New Reveals in Boruto Chapter 84 post. Thank you so much for reading, and as always, until next time.
