Top 10 Most Impressive Goku Moments Ever
Jessica Cortez These are the original Super Saiyan's greatest hits! Join Ashley as we look over Goku's most memorable moments across the Dragon Ball franchise, including his clashes with Freiza, Cell, Jiren, and more!
Script written by Jonathan Alexander
Top 10 Iconic Goku Moments
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Top 10 Iconic Goku Moments.
For this list, we’ll be looking at the spiky-haired Saiyan’s most impressive or memorable feats from OG “Dragon Ball” to “Super,” and everything in between.
Did we miss any Spirit Bomb-sized moments? Let us know in the comments below!
#10: Goku’s Grand Entrance
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)Say what you will about this eager Z-warrior, but he sure knows how to make an entrance. With most of his friends already six-feet-deep and Gohan about to join them, Goku finally arrives on the scene ready to break some backs. This wouldn’t be the last time he was fashionably late, but scenes like this that prove why it’s so effective. After seeing Earth’s warriors powerless against Nappa’s rampage, there’s nothing cooler than Goku completely ignoring him as he casually gives his friends Senzu beans. We’d say this speaks volumes about how strong he’s gotten, but we think Vegeta has that covered.
#9: Cut Into Ribbons
“Dragon Ball” (1986-89)
With all due respect to the Pilaf Gang, it was refreshing to see the young saiyan square off against some genuinely menacing villains, not that their license to kill did them much good. It’s endlessly entertaining to see even trained assassins like General Blue and Mercenary Tao unable to keep up with Goku. But upping the ante even further, the best part of the whole arc is seeing him slice through the entire Red Ribbon base like it was a nimbus cloud. Just try not to dwell on how high his body count is in this arc.
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#8: A Family Matter
“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)It was clear from the opening moments of the arc that Zamasu and Goku Black weren’t exactly humanitarians, but it’s still soul-shattering to see them relish in what they did to Goku’s family. The devastating sequence pushes Goku to power up with a primal scream that we haven’t heard since the Freiza days. It’s not often you see the goofy Saiyan so angry, which is what makes his bombastic display of strength all the more satisfying. The godly duo clearly didn’t learn that you really don’t want to mess with Goku’s family.
#7: Unseating The King
“Dragon Ball” (1986-89)There have been a litany of legendary finishing blows across the franchise, but none strike as gruesome a chord as this. With the rest of Earth’s defenders unable to match Demon King Piccolo, Goku is down to his last leg - literally - when he musters his remaining strength for a final strike. It’s a downright gorgeous sequence that marks the end of one of the franchise’s most imposing villains. Yet again, Goku reminds us that Earth is safe in his tail. After all, what other hero can boast they’ve punched a hole through a Demon King?
#6: Battle of (Super Saiyan) Gods
“Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” (2013)Rushing headfirst into a brawl, even if he has no chance of winning - it’s about as classic Goku as you can get . While the shiny new Super Saiyan God transformation is capable of matching Beerus, Goku can’t maintain it long enough to secure the win. But something as silly as power scaling has never stopped Goku before. Even as he’s nearly crushed him alive, he delivers a grand declaration and powers up once more. Through sheer force of will, even his mere Super Saiyan form now gives the God of Destruction some trouble. But that’s Goku for you - there’s no limit he can’t blast a Kamehameha through.
#5: Universal Spirit Bombshell
“Dragon Ball GT” (1996-97)Remember when we mentioned this saiyan’s love of a dramatic entrance? Well, how about being presumed dead, with the Earth moments from utter annihilation, when he rises from below with a Spirit Bomb powered by the whole Universe? Omega Shenron represents all of Goku’s mistakes, so it’s only fitting the villain is defeated with a combined effort of every ally Goku ever assembled across the series. It’s as epic as you expect from a “Dragon Ball” climax, but in a greater sense, it's a summation of everything Goku has accomplished.
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#4: Three’s a Crowd
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)Tired of the golden hair, yet? Don’t worry, Goku has you covered. By the time the Buu was turning Earth’s population into chocolate, it seemed every Saiyan in the cast was a full-time battle-blonde. Then Goku decided to up the ante with Super Saiyan 3, debuting a transformation that showed there truly is no such thing as too few hair spikes. The badass new look and epic power-up literally shake the Earth, cementing this reveal among “Z’s” best moments. It’s just a shame it was later pushed to the wayside.
#3: Gold & Blue Then Silver All Over
“Dragon Ball Super” (2015-18)Goku’s had a lot of flashy transformations over the years, but few have felt this monumental. The “Tournament of Power” had already pushed Goku beyond his limits twice before, which made it all the more unexpected when he mastered Ultra Instinct in the final minutes of the battle royale. The image of every God of Destruction standing in respect to our hero is an unforgettable sight alone, and that’s before Goku starts giving Jiren the whooping of the century. It goes down as one of the franchise's hypest moments.
#2: The Final Transmission
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)He’s a bit simple-minded and makes some questionable decisions regarding villains and Senzu beans, but you gotta give Goku some major Dad credit here: he always puts others first. With Cell about to blow up the Earth, Goku delivers an emotional farewell before teleporting himself and the android to King Kai’s planet. It’s a selfless act that could easily have served as Goku’s canonical ending, but it holds all the more impact with the context that he chooses to remain in Other World after this. Even after his son’s overconfidence nearly cost the fight, Goku’s faith in Gohan to defend the planet in his place is the exact kind of optimism that only a Saiyan father has.
#1: The Gold Standard
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)Was there ever any doubt? This is a defining scene for not just Goku, or “Dragon Ball,” but for classic anime as a whole. For a hundred episodes we’d heard about the legendary Super Saiyan, but nothing could have prepared us for Goku’s haunting, powerhouse scream that leads to him unlocking the mythical transformation. Sure, we’ve gotten plenty of flashy techniques and new forms since, but nothing can top the first time we’d ever seen this kind of visual overhaul. It set a new benchmark for the franchise, one that has yet to be duplicated.
