9 Times Goku Was the Most Unlikable Character in the Dragon Ball Franchise

Goku is essential to the story, but that doesn’t always make him the most pleasant character to watch. Especially in the later parts of *Dragon Ball Z* and throughout *Dragon Ball Super*, there are many instances where he actually becomes the most frustrating or unlikeable character in the series.

Goku is a hugely popular anime character, but sometimes the writing makes him unlikeable. This often happens when the story focuses too much on his simple-mindedness and constant desire for a good fight, presenting those as his defining qualities. His tendency to avoid responsibility can also be frustrating, and occasionally, the writers intentionally portray him as flawed or even wrong, rather than it being a mistake.

Goku Endangers the Entire World By Allowing Dr. Gero to Complete His Androids

At the start of the Cell Saga, Goku is noticeably different from the hero who fought Vegeta and Frieza. He seems less concerned with responsibility and heroism, and this is first apparent when Future Trunks asks him to stop Dr. Gero from building dangerous androids. Instead of taking immediate action, Goku decides to wait until the androids are finished so he can have a proper fight.

Watching Goku act like this was really jarring. It wasn’t just *what* he did – putting everyone on Earth in danger for a fight – but how casually he did it. The sheer scale of the risk he took was shocking. And honestly, it felt so out of line with everything I’d seen from him before; it was the first time he’d ever behaved so recklessly.

Goku Sends Gohan to His Death By Forcing Him to Fight Against Cell

One of the rare moments in *Dragon Ball Z* where fans are meant to feel frustrated with Goku happens during his fight with Perfect Cell. He comes up with a plan to defeat Cell that backfires spectacularly, leading to Gohan being severely hurt. Goku’s failure to recognize his son’s potential and protect him is a key part of a powerfully written dramatic scene, and Piccolo’s anger mirrors how the audience feels about Goku’s mistake.

Goku generally has good intentions, but he acted very irresponsibly in this situation. He put the fate of the universe on his ten-year-old son, Gohan, without ever discussing it with him beforehand. To make things worse, during the battles against Cell, Goku actually *gave* Cell a Senzu Bean, fully restoring his power. Goku thought this would show his faith in Gohan’s abilities, but it ended up being a huge mistake.

Goku Abandons His Family For 7 Years For No Reason

Goku’s sacrifice to defeat Cell and save Earth, especially his farewell to Gohan, is a truly powerful scene. However, what happens immediately after doesn’t quite add up. Even though Gohan ultimately defeats Cell, Goku decides to remain dead without a clear or compelling reason. It feels unnecessary and doesn’t make logical sense.

Goku believes he draws enemies to Earth and suggests staying in the afterlife would be safer, but this idea isn’t supported by any evidence. Despite this flawed reasoning, he leaves his family – Gohan and Chi-Chi – for seven years, resulting in Goten growing up without a father figure.

Goku Lets Everything Go Wrong in the Majin Buu Saga

Despite some enjoyable moments, Goku behaves poorly for much of the Buu Saga. He consistently makes selfish decisions and repeatedly delays seriously trying to defeat Majin Buu, even when he has the power to do so. This ultimately leads to the Earth’s destruction and puts the entire universe in danger – all because of his choices.

As soon as Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 3, it’s clear he’s not fully committed to the fight. He allows Majin Buu to awaken instead of defeating him immediately, and his initial battle with Buu feels like he’s holding back, hoping Goten and Trunks will finish the job. He also doesn’t call on Gohan to help against Kid Buu, even though Gohan is the only Z-Fighter more powerful than himself. While Goku eventually assists Mr. Satan in saving the day, his earlier choices make it difficult to view him as a traditional hero.

Goku Offers Old Kai a Kiss From Bulma

You don’t always see Goku acting like he was trained by Master Roshi, but his upbringing definitely comes out when he meets Old Kai. He tries to get on the god’s good side by offering a pretty ridiculous bribe: a kiss from himself and a date with Bulma, one of his oldest friends.

The whole situation is played for laughs, but it actually makes Goku look bad. For the first time in the series, Vegeta comes across as the more reasonable and sympathetic character when he points out how wrong Goku’s actions are. Interestingly, many fans remember Goku’s offer of Old Kai to Bulma, but forget that he first tried to pair Old Kai with a young Videl.

Goku Abandons His Family For the Second Time at the End of Dragon Ball Z

The ending of *Dragon Ball Z* has long been debated by fans. The main point of contention is Goku leaving his friends and family *again*, this time to train Uub, Kid Buu’s reincarnation. Many find it frustrating that he’d do this after spending a decade reconnecting with those he loves, as it suggests he prioritizes a strong opponent over his relationships.

What’s particularly frustrating about Goku’s behavior is how it affects his granddaughter, Pan. Introduced at the end of Dragon Ball Z, Pan clearly looks up to Goku and loves fighting like him. So, it’s really disappointing that he’d upset her by leaving her out of his training with Uub, instead of including her.

Goku Forgets to Bring Senzu Brans and the Mafuba’s Seal to Future Trunks’ Timeline

As a huge Dragon Ball Super fan, I have to admit the Future Trunks Saga is tough to watch for Goku fans. It’s not his strongest showing, honestly. He accidentally sets Zamasu off on his crazy path, can’t beat Goku Black and Zamasu, and ultimately fails to save Future Trunks’ timeline – it’s *erased*! But you know what’s the worst part? It’s not even one of his failures in battle. It’s a moment where he just does something incredibly… foolish. It’s frustrating because it’s not a power issue, it’s just a really dumb decision!

Goku makes the same mistake twice when traveling to Future Trunks’ timeline: he forgets essential items. On multiple trips, he leaves behind both Senzu Beans and the seal required for the powerful Mafuba technique. While Goku’s absentmindedness can be amusing, these instances suggest a worrying lack of preparedness and competence.

Goku Puts the Entire Multiverse in Danger Through His Obsession With Fighting

One of the most criticized moments in *Dragon Ball Super* is when Goku impulsively proposes the Tournament of Power, putting most of the universes at risk. Although it’s later shown that Goku actually saved everything by inspiring Zeno to hold the tournament instead of simply destroying weak universes, this crucial information isn’t revealed for many episodes. In the meantime, viewers are left watching as countless lives are lost, seemingly due to Goku’s actions, while he appears more focused on fighting Jiren than the fate of everything.

Throughout the Universe Survival Saga, Goku acts incredibly carelessly and avoids taking accountability for his actions. Even after numerous characters – both allies and opponents – point out his mistakes, he doubles down and essentially embraces being the ‘bad guy.’ When it’s finally revealed he wasn’t actually at fault, it feels like a convenient way to avoid portraying him as completely reprehensible.

Goku is Too Stupid to Root For in Dragon Ball Super

Throughout much of *Dragon Ball Super*, Goku often comes across as unlikeable, mainly because his behavior is so silly and foolish. While he’s never been portrayed as particularly bright outside of battles, the extreme level of cluelessness he shows is frustrating and doesn’t feel true to his character. It often feels like a completely different Goku than the one fans know and love.

Early in the *Dragon Ball* series, Goku was portrayed as simple and unrefined, but naturally gifted and an incredible fighter. However, in *Dragon Ball Super*, even though he’s a married father of two, he’s surprisingly clueless about everyday things – like what kissing is. While there are many instances of this throughout the series, this example perfectly highlights how inconsistently Goku’s character is written in *Dragon Ball Super*.

2025-10-06 05:13