#;Goku

[ancientforgcd]

Most people see Goku as this straightforward Shonen Hero - always smiling, training and just wanting to get stronger, but there's much more going on under the surface. He carries a lot of guilt, and when you really think about it, he struggles with his sense of self way more than he lets on.

The Cell Saga is such a good example of this. Goku deciding to stay dead after the Cell Games isn’t just him being practical or selfless - it feels like he genuinely thinks the world would be better off without him. That speech to Gohan where he straight-up blames himself for everything that happened? Wild. He doesn’t hold back either, just looks his kid in the eye and says, “This is my fault.” It’s heartbreaking because it’s not really true, but Goku believes it. And the way he spent time with Gohan leading up to the Cell Games - teaching him, making those memories - it’s like he knew he wasn’t coming back and wanted to leave things on a good note. It’s not bravery; it’s quiet resignation, like he’s made peace with disappearing for good.

Then there’s the whole identity crisis thing. Goku grew up as Son Goku, but then he finds out he’s Kakarot, and suddenly he’s stuck between two worlds. He doesn’t really belong to either of them. The Saiyan side is completely foreign to him, and as much as Earth is his home, he’s always reminded he’s not like everyone else. Training becomes his escape, his way of giving himself purpose when he doesn’t know who he really is. Even his name, 悟空 can be read as “knowing emptiness completely.” It hits hard because that’s what he’s doing - living with this emptiness and trying to fill it with something, anything.

What really gets me is how selfless he is, but not in a healthy way. Goku can see the good in everyone - Vegeta, Piccolo, even Buu - but he can’t do the same for himself. He downplays everything he does. Like, when Merus tells him he saved the world, Goku’s just like, “Oh, I guess.” He’s not just being humble; he genuinely doesn’t see himself as the hero. And when things go wrong? He blames himself entirely. When Gohan didn’t kill Cell, Goku didn’t get mad. He just took it as his own failure, like, “I should’ve done better as a teacher.” He never blames anyone else.

His relationship with Gohan says so much about how Goku sees himself. He always talks about Gohan being better than him, and you can tell it’s not just pride - it’s this belief that Gohan has something he doesn’t. Humanity, maybe, or a balance Goku thinks he can never have. Goku admires that, but it also makes him feel lesser. During the Buu Saga, his determination to stay dead wasn’t just about letting the next generation grow stronger. It was like he genuinely believed his absence was better for everyone.

But the thing about Goku is, even with all this, he never stops being kind. He forgives people who’ve done the worst things to him, sees the best in them, and gives them second chances. It’s just that he can’t give himself that same kindness. He carries every mistake, every failure, like it’s his alone to bear.

Goku’s not just a battle-hungry guy who loves to fight. He’s a character full of contradictions - someone who’s confident in his strength but quietly haunted by his failures, someone who inspires hope in others while struggling to find his own. He’s one of the most quietly tragic characters in Dragon Ball. It’s all there, if you really look.

[kathaynesart]

What do you mean this wasn't them for most of Book 2?

[mochiobonio]

"Sister, i hope you are watching over this fight, we will do whatever it takes to reclaim Vah Ruta and bring peace for not only Zora Domain and of Hyrule, but for your sake as well "

[spicyseal]

Goku is on Namek fightin that Frieza guy…Goku uhh…flyin or doin somethin over there…

[dragon-deez-ballz]

redraw of saiyans dont joke by engineerd and stardust_steel

[t2ukky]

((Piccolo then choked on his drink and had a coughing fit.))

Was thinking about how funny things turn out with Piccolo and the Son family and this silly idea came out.

[sunshinemoonrx]

Hey everyone! I made a "fun" "game" to torture my friends with! Which is weird because surely everyone knows what Goku looks like? Should be pretty simple?

Reviews:

"got i think one question in and went Ah fuck. SHIT"

"what do you mean one of them is actually called gohanks i thought that was a joke"

"THIS IS NOT OKAY"

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(EDIT: If you can't get past question three click 'continue' where it doesn't overlap an image underneath)

[soulspark]

[turbomnstr]

[dantexxorihara]

[ancientforgcd]

Goku and Vegeta are now magical girls

[willemdafinky]

I have been told that this image wasn’t a photoshop meme like I thought and was made by an 3D artist. So I’m putting in the link to the original post instead instead of just reposting the image.

Artist name is Broono of twitter, here's the OG post https://twitter.com/BROONOart/status/1710519083676979449 please support that tweet and not this post

[erinartista]

How would you call this collab?

[masenkoha]

[drekapila]

thought this meme fit them