Top 25 Anime Characters: #4 - Goku

Sorry for the short break between post for my Top 25 Anime Character list. I have been side tracked with working on some projects the past week which has left me very little time to blog. But I am back on track to give everyone the Final Four of my list for top anime characters by continuing with #4:

#4. Goku

Created by: Akira Toriyama

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Episode 1 – Secrets of the Dragon Balls
Voice by: Japanese – Masako Nozawa; English – Sean Schemmel

Admit it. You thought Goku was going to be number one on my list didn't you. When I originally was thinking of this list I actually had in mind Goku being number 1 on the list but after going through everything I moved him down a bit. Still there is no denying the phenomenon that is Goku. Like many, the way I was introduced to anime and manga was through Goku and his adventures in Dragon Ball. Though the series lost my interest after the Cell Saga it was good when it lasted. And Goku was center stage of the phenomenon as he had some crazy power ups as a Super Saiyan he could easily destroy the world with a Kamehameha.

And it is easy to see Goku being #1 on many list of top anime and manga characters. Goku is probably the most influential anime character in the popularization of anime and manga here in the USA. He basically is Japan's version of Superman, Wizard Magazine even ran a somewhat controversial article of the two fighting. Even though the Dragon Ball franchise has been long since over we are still getting video games every year starring Goku and his cast. With Goku's it is surprising that he isn't on the flag yet as when you think of Japan. Goku is synonymous with the country to many anime fans in many countries.

What also makes Goku a great character is not only being a mainstay in the mainstream even now but also how he has become the influence of the creation of many popular manga/anime characters today. If you ask some of the biggest manga creators such as Eiichira Oda (One Piece creator) and Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto creator) than you will know that their main characters are based on Goku's core personality. So when it comes to Goku it sort of shows that sometimes keeping it simple in character personality works just as well as creating a complex character.

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