Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is one of the most influential franchises in anime and manga. It fundamentally changed the battle shonen genre, establishing many of the tropes still used today, and also set a standard for how main characters, like Goku, are written.
I’ve noticed a lot of similarities between the main characters in popular action anime – the ones that really hit it big – and Goku from Dragon Ball. Some creators seem content with just copying his look – you know, the orange and blue – and giving their character a huge appetite. But others really dig deeper and borrow more from what made Goku so compelling.
Zatch Came From Another World To Be A Conqueror
Characters similar to Goku appear in many different anime and manga, not just in Weekly Shonen Jump. Although Zatch Bell isn’t a hugely popular series, it clearly draws inspiration from Dragon Ball, especially in how its main character is designed. It’s surprising Zatch Bell isn’t mentioned more often when people talk about characters who are heavily inspired by Goku.
Like Goku, Zatch didn’t originate on Earth. He’s from a world called the Mamodo World, and he came to Earth to train and become a powerful conqueror. However, his goal wasn’t to conquer Earth itself – it was to defeat all the other Mamodos and return home to become king. Unfortunately, when he arrived on Earth, he was attacked and lost all his memories of his home world, similar to how Goku’s personality changed after a head injury.
Similar to his inspiration, Zatch is kind and always defends those being bullied. While he doesn’t seek out fights like some heroes, he’s willing to do what it takes to achieve his dream of becoming King, and that often means battling opponents. He also shares a big appetite with his role model, and is famous for eating his favorite meal, Yellowtail, in one bite.
Natsu Loves Finding Powerful Opponents
Natsu Dragneel is quickly becoming one of the most prominent members of the Fairy Tail guild. While Fairy Tail isn’t known for being particularly well-behaved, Natsu and his peers have only added to its reputation for causing trouble. Though not intentionally malicious, Natsu isn’t one to avoid a fight, whether it’s to defend his beliefs or battle powerful enemies. Luckily, his abilities as a Fire Dragon Slayer allow him to overcome even the most challenging foes.
Though characters in Hiro Mashima’s series like Fairy Tail, Edens Zero, and Rave Master share similar designs, they each have distinct personalities. Natsu, in particular, is different from the other protagonists; he’s clearly inspired by Goku. Natsu is incredibly enthusiastic about fighting – it’s a running joke in the series. He’ll challenge anyone to a fight, even those who aren’t fighters like women or children, and he doesn’t pull any punches once the battle begins.
Similar to Goku, Natsu from Fairy Tail isn’t always the most strategic character. That’s why he’s often paired with more thoughtful members of Fairy Tail, like Lucy, Erza, and even his rival Gray, who tend to consider things before acting. However, like Goku, Natsu isn’t completely reckless. He’s actually a brilliant fighter, able to come up with creative solutions during battles that others would miss.
Gon Is A Fascinating Deconstruction Of Goku
Gon is often compared to Goku, and for good reason. Initially, he seems almost identical, aside from his clothes. But as you learn more about him, the similarities become even clearer. Like Goku, Gon grew up without a father, isolated from most people, which gives him a naive outlook on life. Plus, he’s repeatedly described as an incredibly rare and gifted fighter – a true prodigy who only appears once in a generation.
As you watch more of Hunter x Hunter, it becomes clear that Gon shares similarities with Goku, but the series uses this to explore the downsides of that kind of character. While Goku’s unwavering determination always leads to success, Hunter x Hunter shows how dangerous being too determined can be. Even when Gon first earned his Hunter license, he was in a losing battle. He only ‘won’ because his opponent, Hanzo, realized Gon was so single-minded that Hanzo would have had to kill him to definitively win. Since Hanzo refused to kill a child, Gon escaped easily—a mercy most opponents wouldn’t have shown.
Throughout the anime, a key theme is the idea of how far someone will go to become stronger. In the climax, Gon’s intense anger and need to save his friends unleashed all of his potential, allowing him to defeat Neferpitou. But this incredible power came at a huge cost – it severely damaged his body, and it took a powerful, almost magical wish from Killua to heal him.
Naruto Also Has An Uncontrollable Power Inside Him
Naruto and Goku share similarities – both were orphaned at a young age. However, Naruto’s story is a bit different. While Goku was naturally gifted in martial arts, Naruto had a more difficult upbringing. Both lost their parents due to powerful attacks: Goku’s parents were victims of Frieza’s destruction of Planet Vegeta, while Naruto’s parents were killed when the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked his village.
Similar to Goku, Naruto also possesses a secret, inner power. For a long time in Dragon Ball, Goku doesn’t realize he transforms into a powerful ape under the moonlight, and he doesn’t know this transformation led to his grandfather’s death. Likewise, Naruto is unaware that the powerful Nine-Tailed Fox, responsible for his parents’ deaths, is sealed inside him. However, there’s a key difference: Goku eventually moves beyond relying on that initial power through training, while Naruto must fully learn to control the Nine-Tails’ power to compete with the strongest ninja in his world.
The Nine-Tails’ power essentially served as a plot device for the author, Kishimoto, to boost Naruto’s abilities. He even added a special energy effect to emphasize this power. And it’s no accident that Naruto initially wore a bright blue and orange outfit – the colors were deliberately chosen. While Naruto matures and becomes more grounded than Goku, it’s clear the two characters shared a lot of similarities in their early appearances and power levels.
Luffy Has Goku’s Natural Charisma
Although Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece doesn’t have the same bright colors as Goku or Naruto, he’s clearly on a similar path. He started as a young boy who dreamed of being the Pirate King, but everything changed when he ate the Gum-Gum Fruit. This fruit turned his body into rubber, with the unfortunate side effect of making him unable to swim. Most people would have abandoned their goals, but Luffy stayed determined and embraced his newfound superpowers.
Luffy, the main character of One Piece, shares a lot of similarities with early Dragon Ball‘s Goku, both in how they act and their personalities. Like Goku, Luffy has an enormous appetite – so much so that if he gets too hungry, he can’t even fight! He can eat unbelievable amounts of food, and One Piece fans often joke that if you feed him enough, he might even overthrow a corrupt government.
Luffy isn’t always focused on finding the strongest opponents like Goku is, but he definitely enjoys a good battle. What he loves even more is adventure, and he’s embarked on an epic journey—one that dwarfs even the quest for the Dragon Balls. Similar to Goku, Luffy isn’t a strategic mastermind, but he’s quick-witted in a fight. Plus, he’s incredibly charming, which allows him to gather a diverse and powerful crew to join him on his adventures in One Piece.
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2026-02-25 02:41