Why did Goku and Chi-Chi have Gohan at only 18 years old?

[precita]

Does anyone else think that's very young to have a kid? I know Goku and Chi-Chi are no ordinary parents, but in real life 18-year old parents just feels like a "mistake" or an unplanned pregnancy. DBZ took place only 4 years after the end of Dragonball, so Goku must have impregnated Chi-Chi not too long after the last tournament, or after that filler arc in Dragonball. Discuss.

[alexhermit]

But they never actually did it! Its just a plot hole created by Toriyama. I dont even think that such a thing like sex exists in dragon ball. Hell Goku never kissed Chi-Chi so what kind of relationship do you think they must have had!??

chichi I'm going fishing! chi chi I'm home!!

[DragonBallFoodie]

18 is okay. It's the age of consent.

[Gog]

But they never actually did it! Its just a plot hole created by Toriyama. I dont even think that such a thing like sex exists in dragon ball. Hell Goku never kissed Chi-Chi so what kind of relationship do you think they must have had!??

Or Chi chi and Goku don't know the concept of kissing, so he's probably used to rubbing his face against her face instead

[nickzambuto]

It seems appropriate given both their personalities. I mean it's not like they had to worry about any practical things that hold people back like money.

[mabalia]

Correction: the time between DB and DBZ is 5 years. You have to consider the time of pregnancy and Gohan is already 4 years old in DBZ.

A curious thing is that now we don't know if Goku and Chichi have the same age, after DB Minus was published. It says that Goku is only two years younger than Bulma where previously sources stated he was 4 years younger than her. So Goku could be 20 years old and Chichi 18 years old when they married.

They're country people and it's common for them to marry young. Chichi obviously didnt care for money at the time or she wouldn't left her dad's house. Goku won the tournament and the first prize money, so for a time it was enough. And Mount Paozu provides food and water for them.

I think to have a son this early is Chichi's idea. She wanted a son, I guess.

[Gaffer Tape]

The idea of a couple waiting to have children is a fairly modern, urban concept. Goku and Chichi are neither modern nor urban. A common reason for putting off marriage or children is to further one's education. Another common reason is to pursue one's career. Goku and Chichi are doing neither. Outside of those kind of factors, it is fairly common for a young couple to immediately have children. Add to that the probability that Goku and Chichi, like the old-fashioned rural couples they resemble, probably have little knowledge of or access to contraception, and it's no wonder they immediately have a child.

[Ki Breaker]

This makes me think how much thinking has shifted to being "modern" age..

It completely normal to have kids even earlier than that in rural areas, the only thing stopping us form that is the need to sustain that family.

[DBZAOTA482]

Goku and Chi-Chi were both 19 during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai which was when they just got together. Where the hell did you get the impression they had Gohan at 18?

[Gaffer Tape]

Goku and Chi-Chi were both 19 during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai which was when they just got together. Where the hell did you get the impression they had Gohan at 18?

Goku claims he's 12 at the 21st Budoukai. Three years later, he'd be 15. Three years later, he'd be 18. With a nine-month gestation resulting in a four-year-old child after a five-year gap... yeah, they'd most likely still be 18 at his conception but could possibly be 19.

[DBZAOTA482]

Goku and Chi-Chi were both 19 during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai which was when they just got together. Where the hell did you get the impression they had Gohan at 18?

Goku claims he's 12 at the 21st Budoukai. Three years later, he'd be 15. Three years later, he'd be 18. With a nine-month gestation resulting in a four-year-old child after a five-year gap... yeah, they'd most likely still be 18 at his conception but could possibly be 19.

The Red Ribbon Army arc took place a few months after the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, which was 8 months after the beginning of the series (where Goku is still 12).

[rereboy]

Does anyone else think that's very young to have a kid? I know Goku and Chi-Chi are no ordinary parents, but in real life 18-year old parents just feels like a "mistake" or an unplanned pregnancy. DBZ took place only 4 years after the end of Dragonball, so Goku must have impregnated Chi-Chi not too long after the last tournament, or after that filler arc in Dragonball. Discuss.

Real life doesn't apply, it's a fantasy world. In any case, even in the real world, 18 years old is an adult age and even a while back, like late XIX century or beginning of XX century, it was pretty normal to have kids at even younger ages. Don't confuse what is the tendency nowadays with what was tendency in other times or is the tendency is a fantasy world.

[Kamiccolo9]

Where I live, it's hardly atypical for couples to have kids from 17-19. As Gaffer mentioned above, education is generally the cause for delaying having kids, not some moral or social standard.

[JulieYBM]

I don't see why they couldn't have kids at eighteen. Both of them are perfectly capable of killing animals to eat for survival and they clearly had their own home.

[Gaffer Tape]

The Red Ribbon Army arc took place a few months after the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, which was 8 months after the beginning of the series (where Goku is still 12).

Not according to the timeline. The 21st Budoukai takes place on May 7th. Goku gets his first Dragon Ball on May 8th. It's a plot hole (several plot holes), plain and simple. But he is still 12.

[floofychan333]

They probably did it once and were unlucky enough to get pregnant after only once.

[nickzambuto]

They probably did it once and were unlucky enough to get pregnant after only once.

I wouldn't call it unlucky. Disregarding the fact that they needed around Gohan in order to save the world, the three of them were a very happy and content family before Raditz showed up. Those five years were probably some of the best in Chi-Chi's life.

[TheGreatness25]

How did we get to the conclusion that they were 18? Goku and Chichi are the same age, right? So let's go by Goku's age: 12 in the beginnig of Dragon Ball, 13 during the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, 16 during the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, 19 during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, 24 in Dragon Ball Z. Goku and Chichi had Gohan even they were 20. Chichi having the same age as Goku comes from the Daizenshuu.

I'm pretty sure it was just convenient to give Goku a kid at 20. Nice and even number lol

[Lord Frieza]

They just did, there's likely no big reason behind it. Goku likely had no idea of what sex or protection was and Chi-Chi.....we dont know. Chi-Chi was raised in an almost princess like environment, in the country side by just here father. Most of her ideas about romance seem to have come from magazines. There could also be some potential cultural factors we are unaware of. Taking all that into account she either didn't fully understand the whole birds and the bees thing (I cannot honestly see Ox King trying to talk to his little girl about sex or if he did, doing it right) or she just took it as red that when she got married she would become a house wife and mother and just rolled with it because thats what she thought it was supposed to be like for what ever reason.

[Gaffer Tape]

How did we get to the conclusion that they were 18? Goku and Chichi are the same age, right? So let's go by Goku's age: 12 in the beginnig of Dragon Ball, 13 during the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, 16 during the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, 19 during the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, 24 in Dragon Ball Z. Goku and Chichi had Gohan even they were 20. Chichi having the same age as Goku comes from the Daizenshuu.

I'm pretty sure it was just convenient to give Goku a kid at 20. Nice and even number lol

Regardless of the fact that it makes no sense, Goku states he is 12 during the 21st Budoukai. In fact, that's the ONLY time he says he's 12. And since each subsequent Budoukai is officially listed to be on the same date every time, that would make him 15 at the 22nd and 18 at the 23rd. So while claiming he's 13 at that point smoothes over a plot hole, it has no basis in the story itself and directly contradicts what the manga actually says.

So that's how people come to the conclusion they were 18.