Is Goku a Bad Father?

[dbzfan7]

I got to side with Random. Goku pretty much cares more about fighting than everyone else to a degree. He doesn't really give a shit about anything he isn't interested in and will flat avoid it. I personally think Goku doesn't love Chi Chi the way a husband loves a wife. He cares for her deeply like he does his friends, but if he didn't promise to get married, he wouldn't have done it. Like Toriyama said. He also comes off as an ass in the Boo saga due to a sudden line change that really should not have changed.

[mAcChaos]

I got to side with Random. Goku pretty much cares more about fighting than everyone else to a degree. He doesn't really give a shit about anything he isn't interested in and will flat avoid it. I personally think Goku doesn't love Chi Chi the way a husband loves a wife. He cares for her deeply like he does his friends, but if he didn't promise to get married, he wouldn't have done it. Like Toriyama said. He also comes off as an ass in the Boo saga due to a sudden line change that really should not have changed.

Just because he decided to marry her out of duty doesn't mean he wouldn't grow to love her as they lived together. That is how a lot of arranged marriages worked.

[dbzfan7]

I got to side with Random. Goku pretty much cares more about fighting than everyone else to a degree. He doesn't really give a shit about anything he isn't interested in and will flat avoid it. I personally think Goku doesn't love Chi Chi the way a husband loves a wife. He cares for her deeply like he does his friends, but if he didn't promise to get married, he wouldn't have done it. Like Toriyama said. He also comes off as an ass in the Boo saga due to a sudden line change that really should not have changed.

Just because he decided to marry her out of duty doesn't mean he wouldn't grow to love her as they lived together. That is how a lot of arranged marriages worked.

Toriyama even says he wouldn't have any interest in marriage either. If it weren't for his promise they would never have been together. I doubt he puts his wife above anyone else's well being. Chi Chi is basically equal to Yamcha in how much he cares for her. Chi Chi is treated more as a friend.

Toriyama:
Goku isn't interested in child-rearing, probably. He's completely unqualified to be a father. (laughs) He doesn't even have a job. Goku wants nothing other than to get stronger, and it feels like he doesn't have any other instincts. So he shows absolutely no interest in things he's not interested in. I'd bet he wouldn't have had any interest in marriage, either.

[mAcChaos]

Yeah, he wouldn't have gotten married on his own. If Chi Chi hadn't basically forced him in to it. But he did, and he obviously cares about her. There's no way you could have someone as your wife for years and not have feelings for them.

[dbzfan7]

Yeah, he wouldn't have gotten married on his own. If Chi Chi hadn't basically forced him in to it. But he did, and he obviously cares about her. There's no way you could have someone as your wife for years and not have feelings for them.

Exactly. He just doesn't care for her in the same way as a normal husband does for his wife. I don't see her being held above Krillin. I see her treated as a close friend just because Goku just doesn't have those same lovey feelings couples have. Goku seems to treat everyone as just close friends. He is more of a friend to Gohan than a dad.

[mAcChaos]

Nah, I mean, even though he wouldn't have originally been interested in marriage, after being with Chi Chi for years I'd say he does love her as more than just a friend.

I think he is pretty fatherly to Gohan in their training too.

[dbzfan7]

Nah, I mean, even though he wouldn't have originally been interested in marriage, after being with Chi Chi for years I'd say he does love her as more than just a friend.

I think he is pretty fatherly to Gohan in their training too.

I doubt it. Even Toriyama does. She would just be the more bitchy Bulma friend. Goku seems more like a friend than a father and Gohan was just a close friend who happened to be his son.

[mAcChaos]

How could you live with and raise a family together and not love each other. If they were cold towards each other and were just going through the motions it would be one thing, but he clearly loved both of them. Even Vegeta grew to love Bulma and Trunks and he was a cold blooded killer.

[dbzfan7]

How could you live with and raise a family together and not love each other. If they were cold towards each other and were just going through the motions it would be one thing, but he clearly loved both of them. Even Vegeta grew to love Bulma and Trunks and he was a cold blooded killer.

Because this is Goku. He has always been strange. He puts fighting over the desires of anything that has to do with his family. He cares for Gohan and Chi Chi the same way he cares for Krillin. Goku isn't normal. Fighting is his only interest. Vegeta is also far more intelligent then Goku and understands people better than he does. He isn't a good father. Toriyama says so. That's all there is to it.

[DBZAOTA482]

How could you live with and raise a family together and not love each other. If they were cold towards each other and were just going through the motions it would be one thing, but he clearly loved both of them. Even Vegeta grew to love Bulma and Trunks and he was a cold blooded killer.

Because this is Goku. He has always been strange. He puts fighting over the desires of anything that has to do with his family. He cares for Gohan and Chi Chi the same way he cares for Krillin. Goku isn't normal. Fighting is his only interest. Vegeta is also far more intelligent then Goku and understands people better than he does. He isn't a good father. Toriyama says so. That's all there is to it.

With that said, do you think Goku would turun SSJ if Freeza killed Gohan or Chi-Chi instead of Kuririn.

[ABED]

I do think Gohan's death would've sent Goku over the edge. It wasn't just Kuririn's death that broke the camel's back, Freeza was picking off Goku's friends one by one and threatened to kill Gohan next.

[dbzfan7]

How could you live with and raise a family together and not love each other. If they were cold towards each other and were just going through the motions it would be one thing, but he clearly loved both of them. Even Vegeta grew to love Bulma and Trunks and he was a cold blooded killer.

Because this is Goku. He has always been strange. He puts fighting over the desires of anything that has to do with his family. He cares for Gohan and Chi Chi the same way he cares for Krillin. Goku isn't normal. Fighting is his only interest. Vegeta is also far more intelligent then Goku and understands people better than he does. He isn't a good father. Toriyama says so. That's all there is to it.

With that said, do you think Goku would turun SSJ if Freeza killed Gohan or Chi-Chi instead of Kuririn.

Of course. He cares for them just as much as Krillin.

[Dalesy]

Because this is Goku. He has always been strange. He puts fighting over the desires of anything that has to do with his family. He cares for Gohan and Chi Chi the same way he cares for Krillin. Goku isn't normal. Fighting is his only interest. Vegeta is also far more intelligent then Goku and understands people better than he does. He isn't a good father. Toriyama says so. That's all there is to it.

With that said, do you think Goku would turun SSJ if Freeza killed Gohan or Chi-Chi instead of Kuririn.

Of course. He cares for them just as much as Krillin.

I don't see how you can assume that Goku doesn't have a notion of what family means given episode 76 of Dragon Ball. He breaks down in Grandpa Gohan's arms and cries his eyes out. Even if Goku isn't smart enough to manage a family well, he clearly understands the bond between family members, at least on a subconscious level.

[dbzfan7]

Of course. He cares for them just as much as Krillin.

I don't see how you can assume that Goku doesn't have a notion of what family means given episode 76 of Dragon Ball. He breaks down in Grandpa Gohan's arms and cries his eyes out. Even if Goku isn't smart enough to manage a family well, he clearly understands the bond between family members, at least on a subconscious level.[/quote]

He loves his Grampa as he raised him. Goku shows no interest in raising Gohan or being with Chi Chi. As Toriyama said he wouldn't be interested in marrige either. If he didn't make the promise, he wouldn't do it. Goku has no interest in being a father. Toriyama already stated this. Goku is a bad father, end of story.

[Dalesy]

Of course. He cares for them just as much as Krillin.

I don't see how you can assume that Goku doesn't have a notion of what family means given episode 76 of Dragon Ball. He breaks down in Grandpa Gohan's arms and cries his eyes out. Even if Goku isn't smart enough to manage a family well, he clearly understands the bond between family members, at least on a subconscious level.

He loves his Grampa as he raised him. Goku shows no interest in raising Gohan or being with Chi Chi. As Toriyama said he wouldn't be interested in marrige either. If he didn't make the promise, he wouldn't do it. Goku has no interest in being a father. Toriyama already stated this. Goku is a bad father, end of story.

Uh, no. Not end of story. Just because someone isn't particularly interested in something doesn't mean they don't do it well. Goku always shows affection for Gohan, and always treats him like a son. During the peaceful days before the Cell Games, he makes sure to spend more time with Gohan and Chi Chi. Just because he enjoys a good fight and isn't always there doesn't mean that he doesn't care deeply for Gohan and Chi Chi. He's just bad at showing it, and managing the family.

And forget about Toriyama's assessment. Remember, we're dealing with fictional characters here, the author's feelings towards his parenting are not the final statement on the matter. All that matters is how Chi Chi and Gohan feel. Gohan clearly loves and idolizes his father, even when he didn't come home from Namek (remember the tutor filler?). Chi Chi clearly loves Goku, and seems happy in the relationship despite Goku's shortcomings.

[dbzfan7]

Uh, no. Not end of story. Just because someone isn't particularly interested in something doesn't mean they don't do it well. Goku always shows affection for Gohan, and always treats him like a son. During the peaceful days before the Cell Games, he makes sure to spend more time with Gohan and Chi Chi. Just because he enjoys a good fight and isn't always there doesn't mean that he doesn't care deeply for Gohan and Chi Chi. He's just bad at showing it, and managing the family.

And forget about Toriyama's assessment. Remember, we're dealing with fictional characters here, the author's feelings towards his parenting are not the final statement on the matter. All that matters is how Chi Chi and Gohan feel. Gohan clearly loves and idolizes his father, even when he didn't come home from Namek (remember the tutor filler?). Chi Chi clearly loves Goku, and seems happy in the relationship despite Goku's shortcomings.

Toriyama said he's a bad father. He made the character not you. Your assessment means jack shit to 'Word of God". I think I'll take the "Word of God" over people trying to say Goku is a good father. He is a bad father. He cares more about fair fights then the well being of his son. He ditches his family and friends to train all the time. Goku is a lovable bastard and has this weird personality that makes you like him no matter how much he makes you want to smack him.

[Thanos]

I think the best way of putting it is, Goku is a caring, loving father who would do anything for his kids. He's just bad at parenting. It's clear that when he saved Gohan, met Goten, and played with Pan (not his kid, but same principle) at the end of Z, he loves them and has fatherly instincts. He's just clueless.

[dbzfan7]

I think the best way of putting it is, Goku is a caring, loving father who would do anything for his kids. He's just bad at parenting.

As long as it pertains to his interest. If it has something to do with a life threatening situation then sure. If it's the kids or Chi Chi asking Goku to do something that isn't fighting. Consider them ditched.

[Rocketman]

First, it's confirmed he never even visited or talked to his family in the entire seven year jump, he just abandoned them flat out, meaning his son grew up without him and his other son never even met him until the tournament.

I agree with you on a lot, but not this. He was dead. It's not like the dead are allowed to just chitchat and visit the living all the time.

[dbzfan7]

First, it's confirmed he never even visited or talked to his family in the entire seven year jump, he just abandoned them flat out, meaning his son grew up without him and his other son never even met him until the tournament.

I agree with you on a lot, but not this. He was dead. It's not like the dead are allowed to just chitchat and visit the living all the time.

Well he could have asked Kaio to allow him to talk to his family.