Dragon Ball's Goku and Chi-Chi have a weird relationship. They are technically childhood sweethearts, got married almost admittedly after reaching legal age, and have been together for more than twenty years. At the same time, the couple has practically never had any intimate moments throughout Akira Toriyama's shonen series, and Chi-Chi somehow became far more irrelevant once she tied the knot with Goku.
Dragon Ball starves fans of Goku and Chi-Chi's relationship, so it is only natural that the internet is packed with unofficial art pieces centering around this romance. While Goku and Chi-Chi barely interact in the manga and anime series, they are inseparable in these romantic fan art drawings.
10 Basking In The Morning Light
Art by invisibleninja12.
Love tends to be associated with passion, fire, and intensity. As such, romantic drawings often incorporate red shades to reflect the intimacy on display; however, altering the tone of a color changes the entire feel of an image. In this stunning painting, Goku and Chi-Chi radiate warmth and calmness, emotions effectively reflected by invisibleninja12's soft colors.
This is a love that is comfortable, timeless, and built on mutual respect and admiration. Goku and Chi-Chi are just happy to bask in each other's presence.
9 The Nimbus Of Love
Art by Glay.
As Goku and Chi-Chi grew older, Dragon Ball found less and less reason to show them together. Eventually, the latter would rarely appear unless Gohan, Goten, or Goku needed a good scolding; that said, they still had a few sweet (and usually comedic) moments.
Glay's beautiful drawing harbors back to when Goku and Chi-Chi were on their way to get married, during a more innocent time when they enjoyed joined trips on the Flying Nimbus and Goku had finally learned that a bride was not a type of food.
8 Enjoying The Sunset
Art by Shizu-178.
Goku and Chi-Chi have never properly kissed on-screen in Dragon Ball, with the closest being a peck on the cheek in the original series and an off-screen kiss during the Androids Saga. That does not mean they do not care for each other, but the characters tend to show their appreciation for each other through other means.
Shizu-178 set up an idyllic scene for this romance-starved couple, and this version of Goku and Chi-Chi took full advantage of it.
7 Heartbreak
Art by Yaguete.
Dragon Ball might primarily use Chi-Chi as a comedic character, but the franchise does occasionally hint at the emotional weight she carries as Goku's wife. As terrifying as she might come across at times, Chi-Chi never hides the fact that she cares strongly for her husband. Whenever Goku is seriously hurt, she is always there by his side. Chi-Chi also deeply mourns Goku's death after the Cell Games.
In an almost harrowing image, Yaguete presents Goku and Chi-Chi stripped of any shonen humor or distractions. It is cathartic.
6 Hold On
Art by camlost.
Set just before the events of the Cell Games, camlost's scene feels too real to take place in Dragon Ball Z. As an obstacle seeking to stop Gohan and, to a lesser extent, Goku from heeding the call for action, Chi-Chi often comes across as overbearing and even annoying.
The audience is not meant to empathize with her, despite it being perfectly reasonable for a parent to not want their young child to go into outer space or fight enemies who could blow up planets with a single finger. There is nothing funny about Chi-Chi pleading with Goku to stay home.
5 Goku & Chi-Chi
Art by Sandra Márquez.
Sandra Márquez's drawing is an elegant work of art that blends conventional 2D brushwork with effective digital coloring. The painting is reminiscent of Toriyama's art style, although it has a bit more of a realistic edge to it.
This take on Goku and Chi-Chi would not look out of place in a more traditional anime like Samurai Champloo. The linework is especially splendid and helps ground the characters despite the barren backdrop.
4 When They Were Young
Art by Kleverton Monteiro.
Opting for a comic art style that, naturally, is a perfect fit for Dragon Ball, Kleverton Monteiro's drawing pays tribute to arguably Goku and Chi-Chi's most (indirectly) romantic moment in the series. The pair's trip on the Flying Nimbus established that they both had pure hearts and, by extension, shared a unique bond.
The illustration is vibrant, warm, and reflects the theme of young love. Goku also looks fittingly confused.
3 A Saiyan & Human Wedding
Art by Glay.
Following the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku and Chi-Chi make good on an earlier promise to get married. The wedding is not treated like a particularly huge deal by Dragon Ball, nevertheless, it does lead to a few cute moments between the couple and serves as one of the rare instances when Goku puts on formal attire.
Glay imagines an alternate reality where Goku is a bit more familiar with the concept of romance and is willing to express his love for Chi-Chi in more conventional ways. If Dragon Ball debuted on a shojo magazine, this fan art might have been a reality.
2 Sweet
Art by YK-DGB.
Through the brilliant use of solid reds and a cozy backdrop that could readily feature on a Valentine's Day card, YK-DGB created a scene that just screams "romance." The most incredible thing is that Goku and Chi-Chi are just sitting together, but their satisfied smiles tell a more powerful story than a passionate kiss ever could.
Dragon Ball often highlights the pair's fights or sillier exchanges, but one has to assume these two have had their share of quiet moments. After all, they have two children.
1 Security
Art by Socij.
The sketch aesthetic can work wonders when it comes to illustrating emotions. There is something inherently sincere about this type of art style, as it strips the characters down to their cores. Socij's Goku and Chi-Chi come across as raw and real.
As Toriyama has admitted that romance is something he tends to avoid in his manga, this type of scene can only usually be experienced through unofficial art pieces. Thankfully, fans of Dragon Ball seem up to the task.