Many popular anime series exist, but Dragon Ball Z has been able to become a massive part of pop culture and help open up Western audiences to more shonen anime series. Dragon Ball Z’s structure and characters aren’t complex, but that hasn’t stopped Goku from becoming a highly influential anime protagonist.

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The Dragon Ball franchise chronicles Goku’s growth into one of the universe’s strongest fighters, but there was a time when he wasn’t always the best, and it's possible that he wouldn’t turn out to be the series’ Legendary Super Saiyan that Frieza fears. Goku’s transformation is a beautiful moment that comes as a surprise, but there are also plenty of hints that Goku was always set to be the one who accomplishes this milestone.

10 His Tragic Origin Story & Exodus From Planet Vegeta

Movie Dragon Ball Super Broly Kid Goku Pod

The journey is often just as important as the destination, and it would be pretty disappointing if the Legendary Super Saiyan just turned out to be some random Saiyan who's a genetic anomaly or something that’s beyond control. Goku has a very Superman-esque origin story where he’s sent to Earth from Planet Vegeta before its destruction and ends up starting a new life. Goku’s complex history makes his Super Saiyan status ultimately more fascinating and more of an inspirational underdog story.

9 He’s Died & Come Back To Life

Anime Goku Dead Dragon Ball

Death is a common event in the Dragon Ball franchise, and it’s something that characters even experience several times thanks to the powers of the Dragon Balls. Death isn’t a compulsory factor in becoming a Super Saiyan, but it’s an interesting detail that already makes Goku come across as some kind of legend that can accomplish the impossible. It seems like someone who’s conquered death would be a natural Super Saiyan figure. It speaks more to the incredible journey that Goku’s been on and that he can go from the lowest moments of the afterlife to Super Saiyan status.

8 He’s The First Saiyan In Years To Prolong The Species With An Offspring

Anime Dragon Ball Gohan Goku Goten Family Kamehameha Broly

The Saiyan race is a dying breed due to the fact that Frieza destroyed their home planet and took out the majority of the species along with it. This makes every Saiyan incredibly rare, and it truly narrows down the Legendary Super Saiyan candidates, if he’s out there at all.

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Goku happens to have two children, the first of which has a daughter of his own. In doing so, Goku is responsible for perpetuating the Saiyan race and keeping it alive. It’s a level of inherent gratitude to the Saiyans that could be returned in him becoming this legendary figure.

7 The Stress That His Body Is Able To Endure

There’s not much that’s known about Super Saiyans until Goku first becomes one, so it’s entirely possible that the perception might have been that a transformation this drastic could tear apart the user’s body if they’re too weak. Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation does legitimately look painful and his body increases in mass, but not at a fatal level. Goku previously has experience with King Kai’s Kaio-Ken Attack, which puts an even greater strain on the user’s body and can have permanent consequences. Goku’s proficiency here makes it easier to believe that he’s built to be a Legendary Super Saiyan.

6 He’s The Perfect Balance Of Saiyan Aggression & Zen Calmness

Anime Dragon Ball Super Goku Naive Silly

There are some mixed conceptions on what sort of attitude a Super Saiyan should embody. The majority of the Saiyan race is aggressive and utilitarian, but Goku’s time on Earth has domesticated him and given him a cheerful disposition. It requires some kind of painful trigger to transform into a Super Saiyan for the first time, but it’s important that Goku is someone who isn’t purely filled with rage at all times. He’s a balanced individual, which makes him able to handle the strength of a Super Saiyan with benevolence and not just become a weapon of destruction.

5 He’s Been Trained By Several Legendary Figures

Anime Goku and King Kai Train To Use The Spirit Bomb

Another detail that’s important in claiming a coveted status or role is if the public will think that it’s been earned or if it’s some lucky circumstance. Goku is someone who takes fighting and training more seriously than anything else, and he consistently tries to better himself by training under the tutelage of Master Roshi and King Kai in major capacities.

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Goku even spends time with Korin as a child and gets taught valuable lessons. All of these individuals have acclaimed reputations, and Goku’s time with them makes his graduation to Super Saiyan feel like a natural progression.

4 He Didn’t Even Know That He’s A Saiyan

Goku transforms into a Great Ape in Dragon Ball.

This might seem counterintuitive on some level, but Goku deserves the Legendary Super Saiyan honor because he’s someone who was never working towards this goal. Goku’s actions are entirely pure with no ulterior motive because he doesn’t even learn that he is a Saiyan until he’s an adult. Other Saiyans like Vegeta have strived to become a Super Saiyan their whole lives and it’s jaded them on some level. Goku just wants to be the best that he can be, which is the perfect individual for this title, and it’s a strong reminder of Goku’s humble nature.

3 His Use Of The Spirit Bomb Proves His Purity

Anime Goku charges the Spirit Bomb Cropped

The Saiyan Saga depicts a simpler time in the series when turning into a Super Saiyan isn’t the solution for everything. Before this point, Goku’s biggest trick is the powerful Spirit Bomb technique that he learns from King Kai. This technique requires Goku to receive donations of energy from the world around him. This is a major ask and this figure needs to be trustworthy and pure enough to successfully wield such an ability. The fact that Goku masters the Spirit Bomb speaks to his special nature and why he’s just as worthy to be the Legendary Super Saiyan.

2 His Pseudo Super Saiyan Transformation Against Lord Slug

Anime Dragon Ball Z Goku Pseudo Super Saiyan

The Dragon Ball Z movies are a mixed bag, especially some of the earlier titles, but Lord Slug features an interesting moment for Goku that’s a significant nod towards his future Super Saiyan status. Goku’s battle against a Super Namek triggers a Pseudo Super Saiyan transformation where he embodies the same power, but with a red aura. Curiously, Lord Slug predates the first Super Saiyan episode of Dragon Ball Z by two months and it’s a major hint of what’s to come. This form was meant to represent a regular Super Saiyan, but the standard look hadn’t yet been established.

1 Frieza’s Obsession With Goku Brings It Out In Him

Goku fighting Frieza on Planet Namek in Dragon Ball Z

Prophetic dreams can quickly turn into self-fulfilling prophecies, which makes them risky to directly pursue. One big factor that drives Frieza forward and led to the destruction of Planet Vegeta in the first place is the tyrant’s fear of an apocryphal figure known as the Legendary Super Saiyan. On Namek, Frieza feels threatened by the prospect that Goku might be this special Saiyan, and he works hard to directly discourage him on the matter. On some level, this treatment does push Goku far enough to become a Super Saiyan for the first time, making Frieza partly responsible.

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