Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
Goku’s Saiyan lineage is one of the reasons why the protagonist ofDragon Ballis so overwhelmingly strong. The Saiyans are always looking for fights and battles and are training hard to become stronger. All of these are the defining traits of Goku and make them the perfect main character for Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus.
Goku’s Saiyan roots not only get him excited for battles but have also become a part of his identity. However, Toriyama initially had no interest in focusing on Goku’s origins. He rather wanted to focus on his upcoming journey. Goku’s origins were reflected in the story only because of Vegeta.
Additionally, he never even thought of Goku being an alien, which later became an important narrative of the story. Toriyama also talked about how he didn’t anticipate that the story would go on for so long and become such a huge franchise, as he was initially planning to end the series quite early.
Akira Toriyama Had Not Thought About Goku’s Origins inDragon Ball
TV Anime Guide:Dragon BallTenka’ichi Densetsu featured an interview with Goku’s voice actorMasako Nozawa, Takao Koyama, and Toriyama, which was translated byKazenshuu. During the interview, Toriyama was asked about Goku as a protagonist and how much he conceptualized Goku’s character at the start of the series.
One Piece: Luffy’s Gear 5 is Much Better Than Goku’s Ultra Instinct Because it Breaks a Shonen Tradition That Was Set in Stone
Toriyama answered:
I’d hardly thought out anything. I hadn’t come up with the concept of him being an alien until Vegeta came, and I think I originally meant his giant ape form to be “just a transformation”, like a werewolf. For it to turn out over the course of the writing that “Goku’s really an alien!” was something that took even me by surprise.
According to the mangaka, although he had originally planned for Goku’s great ape transformation, he had no idea how to justify it. Later on, he came up with the idea of Vegeta, who was an alien, and thus he found the perfect base for the origin of Goku and also a good explanation forGoku’s Ozaru transformation.
Akira Toriyama Was Prepared to EndDragon Ballonly After 10 Weeks
During the interview,Akira Toriyamatalked about how, in the beginning, he only had one concept ready forDragon Ball, and that was to make the series similar to the 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West and add some Kung-Fu to it.
Toriyama stated:
At any rate, I had really only thought, “I’ll make a motif of Journey to the West, with a little bit of Kung-Fu thrown in.” I was prepared for it to end after 10 weeks if it wasn’t a hit.
Toriyama even revealed that he was not sure whether the series would actually work or not, and he was ready to end it after 10 weeks if it hadn’t worked out the way Toriyama planned it.
One Piece: Eiichiro Oda Reveals the Actual Reason Behind Vegapunk’s Most Wanted Status and That’s Not Just His Scientific Research
However, the series became a huge sensation among anime and manga fans, and to this day, even after Toriyama’s demise,Dragon Ballis considered to be one of the main pillars on which the Shonen genre is based.
You can watch theDragon Ballseries on Crunchyroll.
Tarun Kohli
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2959
Tarun Kohli is the Senior Anime Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,900 published articles. He currently specializes in critiquing One Piece and other Shonen anime. A passionate fan of the genre, his love for thoughtful analysis reflects his genuine appreciation for the art of anime. His deep understanding of anime culture has earned recognition from industry figures such as Adi Shankar and the creators of Blood of Zeus.
More from Tarun Kohli
One Piece: Why Luffy’s Final Fight Will Break Shonen (& It Won’t Be Against Imu or Blackbeard)
How Many Episodes Are Left in One Piece Egghead Arc? Explained
10 ‘One Piece’ Characters With Major Death Flags
Recommended
When Is Tyler Perry’s Beauty in Black: Season 2 Releasing?
The Darkest Star Wars Movie Is Proof Robert Pattinson’s Batman Can Work in James Gunn’s DCU
Spider-Man: Brand New Day – How the 2008 Comic Arc Could Shape Tom Holland’s Next Movie
‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 10 Episode 9: Release Date and What to Expect
NYT Strands August 19, 2025 Hints and Solution
Akira ToriyamaDragon BallGoku
