Son Goku: A represenative for people in the Autism spectrum?

[DBZ Mick]

I have Aspergers and while Son is probably one of my favourite characters, I don't think he has autism.

He's just naive, perhaps immature. Not sure if he's what I'd consider stupid.

[Gokuman1993]

I have Aspergers and while Son is probably one of my favourite characters, I don't think he has autism.

He's just naive, perhaps immature. Not sure if he's what I'd consider stupid.

Well, I kinda know for a fact that he doesn't have autism, he does show signs...

Plus....YAY! I have a new friend

[AnzuMazaki]

I have severe autism too.
But I also agree that Goku does not have Autism.

If he was his social skills might be a lot worse, and he'd be throwing temper tantrums all the time, needing lots of care, Dragonball would be a drama not the shonen manga that it is.

Goku is NOT autistic, he happened to be suffering from some brain damage from hitting his head and grew up until the age of 12 isolated from society.

[Michsi]

When I saw the the movie about Bruce Lee's life, the intrepretation of his character in the story kinda reminded me of what I'd think a real life counterpart would act like. His goofiness and social awkwardness is accentuated because of the medium and the genre of the story, but I doubt that it's more than that. The same thing could be asked about a number of characters, from Luffy to Usagi and so on.

I also doubt he is as stupid as some might like to think. Common example of this so called "stupidity" of his was not knowing what getting married meant, although there is a logical explanation for that. In fact I came across a quote a while ago that seems strangely fitting for his situation albeit a little too serious for a series like Dragon Ball, since it's from House and the main character's misery is part of the show, but it still got me thinking. Quote : "The reason normal people got wives and kids and hobbies, whatever, that's because they ain't got that one thing that, that hits them that hard and that true. I got music. You got this. The thing you think about all the time. Thing that keeps you south of normal.Yeah, makes us great. Makes us the best. All we miss out on is everything else."

Now this only marginally applies to a character like Goku, not only because the series have almost nothing in common, but because this seemed like a description of the typical image of the tormented genius and Goku lacks that tormented part.

[SylentEcho]

Goku is not stupid or retarded and neither does he have autism. He's the same as he was when he was a child. He never really grows up and is just a big kid.

Now think about it, all Saiyans love to do is fight and probably eat. Does this mean that all Saiyans have autism? This isn't the only thing Goku likes to do. We've seen him go swimming, fishing and spend time with his family too.

As far as Vegeta goes, all we've ever seen him do is eat, fight or cross his arms and stand/meditate/relax with his eyes closed. Saiyans are like that. They aren't as human as we think they are. They're simpletons who like to fight, eat raw meat and hump women just for the sake of it.

He grew up alone in the forest before even meeting a girl. He never even knew what a girl was and was never schooled after that. He would obviously end up behaving a little silly at times.

[Silver Sinspawn]

I'd hate to offend someone about this, considering the nature of the subject, but, I'd have to say Goku is brain damaged. If he hadn't sustained a blow to the head at an early age, he would (supposedly) be Turles, who is by all means intelligent and a capable fighter, I.e., He's a Saiyan.

[Michsi]

If he hadn't sustained a blow to the head at an early age, he would (supposedly) be Tullece, who is by all means intelligent and a capable fighter, I.e., He's a Saiyan.

And these things don't apply to him now?

The only difference between him and Tullece is the ruthlessness and evil, which in-universe, are the only things that the blow to the head changed.

[Rocketman]

He never really grows up

That is pretty much the definition of mental retardation, being stuck in a childlike mental state.

[Gokuman1993]

You guys think I should close this thread?

[dbboxkaifan]

Goku is mentally retarded, not autistic.

I concur.

Even Vegeta can be more intelligent than Son Goku despite his obsession for being the number one & the best, which he in the end confessed Son Goku was #1.

Who's more mentally stupid: Nappa or Son Goku? Nappa.

Though, I feel sorry for Nappa being eradicated by his comrade.

[Michsi]

Even Vegeta can be more intelligent than Son Goku

For example?

[Silver Sinspawn]

If he hadn't sustained a blow to the head at an early age, he would (supposedly) be Tullece, who is by all means intelligent and a capable fighter, I.e., He's a Saiyan.

And these things don't apply to him now?

The only difference between him and Tullece is the ruthlessness and evil, which in-universe, are the only things that the blow to the head changed.

... And this intelligence, as was the point I was trying to make

[Perfect]

I thought his vocabulary and dialect was the main thing that really showed Vegeta possessed more literary intelligence.

[Michsi]

And this intelligence, as was the point I was trying to make

What intelligence? When did Tullece display any sort of noteworthy intelligence that makes him anything other than a typical thug?

[TheDevilsCorpse]

Even Vegeta can be more intelligent than Son Goku

For example?

See if you can imagine Goku in Vegeta's shoes on Namek and not getting killed?

[Piccolo Daimao]

I don't think Goku's autistic. He's an uneducated boy who spent the majority of his childhood in secluded mountains away from civilisation, and therefore doesn't know much more about the world than martial arts, which Gohan taught him before he died and left him to fend for himself.

As for whether or not he's mentally retarded...maybe, as slight brain damage from his knock on the head. He doesn't appear to value relationships as much as normal people, even with his own friends, and apparently is so absorbed in his own selfish desires that he'd risk the lives of innocent people just to have a good fight. And he is practically a manchild who, if he didn't have such immense strength, would probably need a lot of support in society.

[Michsi]

See if you can imagine Goku in Vegeta's shoes on Namek and not getting killed?

Yes, definitely. And especially because Vegeta DID get killed on Namek.

[TheDevilsCorpse]

See if you can imagine Goku in Vegeta's shoes on Namek and not getting killed?

Yes, definitely. And especially because Vegeta DID get killed on Namek.

I meant the literal Namek portion of the arc, not the Freeza battle (especially after goading the tyrant into transforming). The early stuff, where Vegeta is a sneaky and cunning bastard. Put Goku into Vegeta's shoes, same combat power and no Kaio-ken and see if he would survive. I highly doubt it, cause Goku would charge in head first like an idjit; "Fuck 'dis, where tha strong guys at?!".

[Michsi]

I realized that and I still doubt he would have gotten killed since,while I don't deny he loves to fight to the point it makes him short-sighted at times, he is better at understanding when he is way in over his head , so no, he wouldn't charged in like that. He isn't the same as he was at 12.

[TripleRach]

Hmm, does Goku represent people with Autism? Well, I'd like you to answer that.

Toriyama does not seem to be the type of writer to purposely include hidden meanings or social messages. Hell, Dragon Ball has been accused of being insensitive to certain groups, like women, black people, and maybe also gay people. If someone wants to view Gokuu as a representative of autism, it's their right to interpret it that way, but I highly doubt it was the author's intention.

I don't think Gokuu particularly has any kind of disorder. I think of him as more like a feral child that can speak.