Anime fans are weird. This isn’t an unpopular opinion, all my weeb homies are weird and we acknowledge that. Like we choose some strange hills to die on. We fight amongst the community over the most asinine opinions and, honestly, it’s all in good fun. Like, I could argue that your choice in the ultimate waifu is trash, but why would I waste my time when I know my choice is arguably better? And so, when fans argue about who the strongest character in all of anime is and why it’s Goku? I chuckle a little.
Well, first things first: It is not Son Goku from Dragon Ball. Like I get that’s the meme, considering he hasn’t stopped evolving since the late 80s but I don’t think he’s the strongest character across anime and manga. Hell, the man isn’t even the strongest character in his own franchise. Nope, that title probably goes to Zeno. So, that whole argument just flies out of the window.
But I get why people like thinking Goku is the end-all, be-all of anime superheroes. Like a fair number of Otakus were raised on Dragon Ball Z. We all saw Goku through his adventures fighting all of these really powerful villains, all for the greater good of those around him. And it inspired us. He was probably some of the most relatable heroes we’ve had, with his penchant for being a foodie and his goofiness mimicking someone you’d want to be when you grow up. Sadly, that doesn’t mean his strength matches up to some absolute behemoths in the anime world.
Because the Animesphere has some truly monstrous characters that defy physics because of how OP they are. I’m talking universe-bending, God-like beings with no peers. If Goku is up against an individual like that, I’m afraid he has no chance. But something about him just resonates with anime fans across the world, which is why he’s always being pitted against newer characters as the standard. So, let’s talk about how Goku became the ultimate hero to netizens and why that is, frankly, incorrect.
Son Goku: A Saiyan Legacy
So, it’s fair to assume that for a lot of kids growing up, their first-time experiencing anime was either through Sailor Moon or Dragon Ball Z. This was, like, way back in the 90s and you didn’t have many options beyond sitting through whatever was on TV at the time.
And to be fair, Dragon Ball Z was like nothing else catering to children at the time. It had slightly more mature themes, dealing with topics such as character death, and had an overarching story that required you to watch every episode to understand where the plot was heading. This meant that you saw Goku, the protagonist, go through genuine character growth. How interacted with the people around him, his motivations and thought process, all of that combined made for a really special character.
The first time you saw Goku power up a Spirit Bomb, or go Super Saiyan, it was so memorable. Add to that the hype over him defeating a super-powerful enemy, and it’s no wonder he cemented himself as the anime strongman of the decade.
Why Being Beloved Doesn’t Mean Being The Best:
But no matter how many transformations he gains, or how strong he gets, it doesn’t mean he’s the strongest character. Not even in his own story. There will always be someone stronger than him, a standard to beat and conquer. Really, for all the flack I give the show, it knows what it’s doing by nerfing him when need be.
Besides Zeno, there are already a handful of characters that Goku can’t beat in his multiverse. And outside of the franchise, anime is littered with characters that can easily overpower him and any other character in the show. I mean, Saitama from One Punch Man exists, with how he is literally able to KO an opponent in a single punch. And, if you want to get fancy, who can forget Giorno Giovanna from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure? That boy can bend time and space and predict his opponent’s moves.
So, while Goku is definitely beloved because of the nostalgia he brings, he isn’t the most powerful character out there. However, his widespread appeal does happen to be why he is the ultimate Shonen protagonist blueprint. So, you better give credit where credit is due!
