Buu saga Goku is the best version of the character

[Lord Beerus]

They never didn't know they responsible. These aren't superheroes out to save the world.

Exactly. Hell, the Z-Fighters sided with Goku in not taking the easy way out with Bulma's plan to stop Dr Gero from activating the Androids because they also wanted to challenge themselves.

[Marco Polo]

The Z-Fighters are basically amoral Supermen. Shame there isn't a Batman in the Dragon World to keep them in check.

[SingleFringe&Sparks]

I didn't like Buu-Saga Goku so much that he was wanting to give the younger generation the chance to prove themselves, I liked him more so because I felt
he was finally at some peak of maturity and gained some actual self-awareness after the Cell Games. I thought that because he was dead and had only a day to help, actually gave him a sense of conflict he actually understood for once. Then in the EoZ finale, he was very calm and eager for an apprentice type figure, and I thought that Goku was due for being a mentor now. Not out of the picture, but take on a more veteran role, the way Vegeta somewhat does in Super. Goku in Super for me is his worst version of the character, because he's just so happy-go-lucky that doesn't reflect any real development.

Goku being brought back to put an end to Majin Boo is like a rock star being invited to play a nostalgic gig for the fans.

I think Goku's return and passing the mantle to Gohan would've had a bigger impact if we got 1 or 2 arcs before Buu that completely focused on Gohan as the main character and everyone trying to survive without Goku.

Not Gohan. I don't think he should have passed the torch onto him.His SS2/Ultimate personality would never have worked. Gohan at best only wanted to avenge Goku after he died, not prevent death. If anything, it should have focused on Goku in Otherworld, while Gohan, Piccolo, Goten and Trunks, shared an arc to fight a strong opponent latter without Goku, similar to Broly's Second Coming.

[TheMikado]

The Z-Fighters are basically amoral Supermen. Shame there isn't a Batman in the Dragon World to keep them in check.

Maybe piccolo would fill that role.

[TheMikado]

They never didn't know they responsible. These aren't superheroes out to save the world.

Exactly. Hell, the Z-Fighters sided with Goku in not taking the easy way out with Bulma's plan to stop Dr Gero from activating the Androids because they also wanted to challenge themselves.

Except the entirety of the cell saga felt like an arrogance/cocky/over confident ego buster.
That era was when they were supposed to have learned that the earth was too high a price to gamble for the sake of a fight, testing strength, and ego and that carried over into the next arc.

[ABED]

Except the entirety of the cell saga felt like an arrogance/cocky/over confident ego buster.
That era was when they were supposed to have learned that the earth was too high a price to gamble for the sake of a fight, testing strength, and ego and that carried over into the next arc.

But it wasn't an aberration, Goku let both Piccolo and Vegeta go for the purpose of an eventual rematch. And how do you figure the Cell arc was when they were "supposed to learn"?

Maybe piccolo would fill that role.

He's just as much of a battle maniac. Maybe you could argue that Kami's influence on him changes him.

Then in the EoZ finale, he was very calm and eager for an apprentice type figure, and I thought that Goku was due for being a mentor now. Not out of the picture, but take on a more veteran role, the way Vegeta somewhat does in Super. Goku in Super for me is his worst version of the character, because he's just so happy-go-lucky that doesn't reflect any real development.

Nope, don't want to see it, even if him being the teacher is still the main character. He's the hero of the story. I don't care about the next generation because he's still the next generation. His generation isn't over. Your last sentence begs the question, what do you see his development as? Goku is a happy go lucky character.

[Ozotto]

I like Buu arc Goku, he spent some time in otherworld, and he developed this otherworldly persona or character.

[Bansho64]

Eh, I'm not a fan of him. I mainly like him in the Saiyan and Namek arcs because that's when he seemed more balanced in terms of human and Saiyan characteristics. Saiyan-Namek arc Goku is actually one of my favorite characters

[ABED]

Eh, I'm not a fan of him. I mainly like him in the Saiyan and Namek arcs because that's when he seemed more balanced in terms of human and Saiyan characteristics. Saiyan-Namek arc Goku is actually one of my favorite characters

I know a lot of people want to place responsibility for Goku's battle maniac side on his Saiyan heritage, but Piccolo and Tenshinhan are also battle maniacs, they just don't have Goku's level of power.

[The Patrolman]

Eh, I'm not a fan of him. I mainly like him in the Saiyan and Namek arcs because that's when he seemed more balanced in terms of human and Saiyan characteristics. Saiyan-Namek arc Goku is actually one of my favorite characters

Balanced? So letting Vegeta go but punching a hole through Piccolo Damaio is balanced? Thats more inconsistent than balanced.

[Bansho64]

Balanced? So letting Vegeta go but punching a hole through Piccolo Damaio is balanced? Thats more inconsistent than balanced.

I felt that they weren't as prominent as later on. He at least apologized and promised to defeat Vegeta when he comes back. And people seemed to call him out more on his selfishness and than later on. I like that he is a little selfish and that some of that comes from his Saiyan blood. I won't argue that he was less selfish before the Z portion of the story. That's why I said I mainly like him in the Saiyan-Namek arcs.

[Rip the Jacker]

Am I missing something? How in the world can anyone call Goku selfish? Was the manga version of the character different or something lol

[Cure Dragon 255]

Oh boy are you in for a SURPRISE.

[Bansho64]

Am I missing something? How in the world can anyone call Goku selfish? Was the manga version of the character different or something lol

Not just the manga. Pretty much most of his incarnations are in character except some of the Toei movies IIRC and the Funimation dub. Especially with the latter trying to turn him into something he's not.

[Desassina]

Goku seemed bitter in the Boo saga. Perhaps because the others were still expecting him to save the day until he found a match in Pure Boo. Then he became motivated to fight again, but notice how he didn't put an end to fat Majin Boo when he could, and how he resorted to fusion every other time. It's like he wanted to enjoy his time fighting his friends, as he does against his opponents in Super, but was brought to another conflict that the kids could not solve. I would be mad if I were invited to dinner only to find out that I had to cook for them. To think that the Boo saga then jumped to the EoZ where he finally met his goal shows that he just wanted to have the time of his life. DB Super in the middle doesn't work that well. He's basically flanderized.

[Rip the Jacker]

Am I missing something? How in the world can anyone call Goku selfish? Was the manga version of the character different or something lol

Not just the manga. Pretty much most of his incarnations are in character except some of the Toei movies IIRC and the Funimation dub. Especially with the latter trying to turn him into something he's not.

I noticed on this website people tend to pass off fans theories and "head canon" as facts. Goku was in no way, shape or format selfish. In fact, Goku, with the exception of maybe Gohan, has been the most selfless character in the series. I won't comment on the manga, but In the TV show he isn't even close to someone you'd lable selfish. I never even seen this brought up ever other than this website.

[Bansho64]

I noticed on this website people tend to pass off fans theories and "head canon" as facts. Goku was in no way, shape or format selfish. In fact, Goku, with the exception of maybe Gohan, has been the most selfless character in the series. I won't comment on the manga, but In the TV show he isn't even close to someone you'd lable selfish. I never even seen this brought up ever other than this website.

He's been selfish sometimes. Is him letting Vegeta go purely for the sake of fighting him not selfish? I'm not saying doing something purely for one's self is bad all the time but he's been selfish. Also, I'm sorry if it seemed like I was passing off headcanon as fact I hope I didn't come across as a jerk or somethin'.

[ABED]

I'm not saying doing something purely for one's self is bad all the time but he's been selfish.

That's my problem with the popular conception of selfish. It lumps in too many disparate things. It lumps in Goku fighting to get a measure of justice for the death of his friend, or pushing himself to the limit, with a monster like Vegeta and calls that all "selfish".

[Bansho64]

That's my problem with the popular conception of selfish. It lumps in too many disparate things. It lumps in Goku fighting to get a measure of justice for the death of his friend, or pushing himself to the limit, with a monster like Vegeta and calls that all "selfish".

I'm not sure I understand what you mean? Can you elaborate?

[ABED]

The popular notion of selfishness is basically at this point a synonym for evil. Doing bad things, it's selfish. Why? Because apparently people don't do evil for anyone other than themselves. However, people will also say things like "I'm not saying doing something purely for one's self is bad all the time." So under the concept of "selfish", we include being an evil tyrant and mass murderer like Freeza AND good people who do things for their own benefit, but not at anyone's expense. Why because the common denominator is they supposedly do those things "for themselves".

I don't believe Goku was selfish for letting Vegeta go. He was reckless, which I don't consider to be in one's self interest.