Ever since ‘Dragon Ball‘s Goku was introduced in 1984, fans have debated his inspirations and origins. While the character is undeniably iconic in his own right in the manga and anime scene, some clear influences from ancient mythology stand out.
The Saiyan’s origin story shares striking similarities with the legendary Monkey King from one of China’s most famous classic novels known as Journey to the West. However, how closely modeled is the character on the inspiration known as Sun Wukong? Let’s explore the evidence for the idea that Goku was directly based on the Monkey King.
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Similarities in Appearance and Abilities Between Goku And Sun Wukong
On a surface level, Goku and Sun Wukong have some immediately recognizable similarities. Both have the physique and abilities of supernatural monkey-like creatures. They share traits like tails and superhuman strength and agility.
In their respective stories, each also wields a distinctive magical polearm, the Ruyi Jingu Bang for Sun Wukong and the Power Pole for Goku. Some of his techniques even mirror that of Journey to the West. These physical parallels alone give proof of Sun Wukong influencing Akira Toriyama’s original concept for the Saiyan hero.
While certain traits were undeniably drawn from the Monkey King, Goku diverges from Sun Wukong in important ways. Sun Wukong is portrayed as more of a mischievous trickster who even rebels against heaven itself, while Goku retains a generally kind-hearted nature focused on honing his battle abilities.
In addition, Sun Wukong exists as a disciple fulfilling a quest, whereas Goku drives the shonen battle-focused narrative of ‘Dragon Ball‘ through continuous growth. Their stories and roles do not perfectly align. This suggests Toriyama took inspiration from the Monkey King rather than crafting a direct re-imagining of the character.
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Akira Toriyama Says Goku Is Influenced By Sun Wukong And Not A Direct Adaptation
When directly asked about Sun Wukong’s influence on Goku, ‘Dragon Ball’ creator Toriyama himself stated that he did not intend to purposefully pattern Goku after the Monkey King, only acknowledging Journey to the West as one influence among many sources. This implies Sun Wukong served as more of a starting point that Toriyama then built upon rather than faithfully adapting the pre-existing mythological character.
While clear parallels exist, Goku emerged as his own unique hero. In this sense, one can say Sun Wukong inspired but did not fully determine the final character that became ‘Dragon Ball‘s iconic protagonist.
At their core, both characters represent the heroic but unpredictable monkey warrior archetype embarking on a journey of growth, transformation, and adventure. In this way, Toriyama simultaneously paid homage to mythology while developing it into a new shonen. Goku lives on not just as a modern incarnation of the Monkey King but also as one of anime’s most influential protagonists.
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