How many versions of Goku, Dragon Ball's timeless protagonist, exist in the franchise? The math can get tricky if you aren't careful.
Is Goku Black half a Goku, or only a quarter? Surely his son Goten counts as at least 1/4th of a Goku? Does Super Saiyan Four Goku even count at all? Adding up all the different iterations and transformations of everyone's favorite anime hero, bad father, and general lunkhead can confuse even the most astute algebra student. So let's put on our thinking caps and run down the best and worst versions of Goku in Dragon Ball.
10 Best: Kid Goku (Dragon Ball)
The first Goku will always be one of the best.
The reason for the longevity of Dragon Ball as a franchise is the spirit and likability of its main character, which the OG Goku has in spades. The childhood wonder and curiosity of Goku in the original, 1986 series helps set the show apart from its other, more extreme predecessors. Unphased by the fear and danger that would cripple most other heroes, Kid Goku exemplifies just why the franchise has lasted for over thirty years.
Oh, and he turns into a giant monkey. Bonus points.
9 Worst: Ginyu Goku
"Characters being deceived by body-swapping" stories and lame and contrived, and the plot about Goku and Frieza minion Captain Ginyu swapping skin is no different. Seeing an evil, smirking Goku with a scouter on is a lot seeing a dog walk on its hind legs.
Worst of all is Ginyu can't even make use of the full potential that Goku's body possesses. Good job, Ginyu: You bought a stick-shift when all you've ever driven is an automatic.
8 Best: Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan Goku
Our hero has a new glow-up for #HotGokuSummer in the form of blue hair and a cockier attitude. Sure, the naming convention is so stupid that the anime even stops to explain that it's renamed Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan to the shorter Super Saiyan Blue, but who cares? Blue hair is cool, and after almost 15 years of being stuck with Super Saiyan 3's gigantic hair and Super Saiyan 4's fuzzy pecs, SSGSS Goku is a welcome upgrade.
7 Worst: Goku, The Absent Father
Considering he crushed his own father figure to death after turning into a giant ape, you'd think Goku would have tried to be a better parent to Gohan and Goten. But, nah. If one thing can be said about Goku it's that he's consistent.
The portrayal of Goku as an absent, maybe even neglectful father ranges from being played for laughs in Dragon Ball Super to sad and serious in Buu Saga. Regardless, the truth is that Piccolo is all the father Gohan ever needed.
6 Best: Horse Meat Grocery List Goku
Goku's intelligence is seemingly on a sliding scale throughout the franchise. One minute he's a lovable oaf with the attention span of a gnat, the next he can't read the written word without the use of pictures. Hands down, one of the best jokes of Dragon Ball Super is the grocery list given to Goku that is done in scribbled, hand-drawn pictures of the items he's to purchase, including a crudely doodled horse. Sure, it's no Baconator but it will do.
5 Worst: Failed Fusion Goku
If Gogeta and Vegito only count as 1/2 of a Goku, then what's that say about Veku, the failed fusion between Goku and Vegeta? Fusion, when done via the dance, requires absolute precision and concentration, lest it fails spectacularly.
Both in the old canon of the Dragon Ball Z movies and in Super we've seen Veku rear his unhealthy head, usually because Vegeta screwed up the fusion dance. Unless his plan is to sweat all over his enemies I'm not sure Veku is saving anyone any time soon.
4 Best: Goku Black
Honestly, who better to be an antagonist to Goku than Goku himself? Introduced in Dragon Ball Super, Goku Black is the result of the evil kai-in-training Zamasu using the Super Dragon Balls to take over the body of a future timeline version of Goku. Now, if you aren't cross-eyed already the congratulations. In honesty, Goku Black is perhaps the best villain of Dragon Ball Super and the idea of Goku fighting against a corrupted, potentially more powerful version of himself is too good to pass up. Also: Pink hair.
3 Worst: The Goku That Takes His Sweet Time Saving Everyone
Yes, part of what makes Dragon Ball great is the tension derived from whether or not Goku will arrive on time to fight evil. However, more than a few times throughout the franchise Goku has taken his time arriving to save the day, which just seems like a jerk move.
Whether it's running across Snake Way as slowly as possible, sitting in a healing tank and humming to himself, or literally hiding in the bushes and watching Vegeta get pummelled by Beerus, it just seems like Goku likes arriving just a second too late. Not cool.
2 Best: Super Saiyan Goku
You always remember your first time.
Uh. Transforming, that is.
Even throughout all the years, battles, and transformations, the greatest version of Goku is still the first time he powered up to the tier of Super Saiyan. Not only was this a new Goku in attitude, giving orders and staring down the evil Frieza with newfound rage, but it also became the point in which Goku truly surpassed all known limitations.
It's too bad Krillin had to get blown up for it to happen, but... uh, he got better?
1 Worst: Super Saiyan 4 Goku
Ugh. Isn't Dragon Ball GT the worst?
The show has its defenders, but the post-DBZ series starring Kid Goku (not the good one) featured some of the worst animation in the franchise's history and a plodding story whose savior is the Twilight-esque, emo Super Saiyan transformation that nobody asked for. Maybe it's the aforementioned furry pecs or the "trying to be way too late 1990s" edginess in his voice, but Super Saiyan 4 Goku looks like a fanfiction comes to life.
Good thing SSJ4 Goku isn't canon anymore. Let's hope he stays that way.