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The granddaddy of shonen anime, Dragon Ball, originally was created by Akira Toriyama. First debuting in the 1980s, the program filled localities around the world, overwhelming popular culture with it, particularly in the United States and Great Britain. Its primary protagonist, Goku, is famous for his perpetual optimism, enjoyment of a good brawl, and ability to save the planet. Is Goku the Worst Father Ever?

Even though this is a now long-running and prominent debate, it continues to rear its ugly head in anime circles, social media, and online forums. All but the most hardcore anime aficionado would wonder: how can one of the world’s mightiest heroes be so out of touch with his children’s upbringings?

Goku is a hero—But not a hands-on parentLet’s not mince words—Goku has saved the world more times than we can remember. When it comes to parenting, though, he’s out to lunch.

Goku has two sons with his wife Chi-Chi—Gohan, the eldest, and Goten, the youngest. Gohan spends the majority of his childhood without his father present, particularly since Goku dies early on battling some of the strongest foes. Even after returning from the dead, Goku doesn’t do much to get a jump on things.

Goten hardly knows his father while growing up. When it is a moment between the two—their training for the World Martial Arts Tournament in particular—a father-son rapport shines through, albeit briefly.

Goku’s priorities: Training over family timeOne of the major complaints that fans have highlighted is Goku’s priorities, as he clearly values training over his family. Whether he’s away training under King Kai, engaging in other dimensional battles, or simply powering up for the next match, Goku never fails to prioritize combat over caring for his kids.

It’s striking that even in the calm interludes, we don’t see him doing regular “dad things.” The answer is, he is no help with homework, he is no help talking about feelings, and he is no help teaching his sons how to navigate the world. Rather, he views his children first and foremost as future soldiers.

This does the most damage in the case of Gohan, who takes a different route. Gohan’s desire to live a studious, family-oriented, and peaceful life is emphasized throughout the series. Goku is confused about this situation. Yet he continually uses Gohan as a punchline for being weak or boring—that’s what a lot of fans would consider a huge disrespect.

Goku’s personality: Childish and cluelessA second pet peeve reason people cite for Goku being a terrible father is his childishness. Goku often behaves childishly and immaturely for an adult. To be more accurate, he acts like a toddler. He can’t get enough food, he cracks jokes at inopportune times, and he’s not great with social cues.

In Dragon Ball Super, he finally confesses that he didn’t know what a kiss was after having gotten married! This surprised most fans and further stoked the “Goku is an idiot” blaze.

Although the juvenile nature of his personality is what makes him so endearing, it’s what makes him incapable of developing the emotional maturity necessary to be a caring, supportive, fatherly presence in their lives.

Not all bad: Goku does love his sonsAll joking aside, the truth is, Goku does care about his children. He fights beside them on the field of war, he rejoices with them in victory, and he shields them from calamity when peril closes around them. His love is genuine. It’s simply not the type of love that many are accustomed to.

In the Cell Saga, Goku intentionally goads Gohan into beating Cell. Some fans argue that this was unfair and damaging pressure, others maintain that Goku would’ve genuinely trusted in his son’s strength. After all, he wanted Gohan to beat him and become ever-stronger, just as he had.

When Goten fuses with Trunks to become Gotenks, Goku is impressed and pleased. Each one of these instances is a reflection of Goku’s deep desire for his children to grow into the best versions of themselves, even if he doesn’t quite understand how to wield that power.

What do other Dragon Ball dads look like?To be fair, Goku isn’t the only paternal failure in the Dragon Ball world. Some fans liken him to Dragon Ball’s Vegeta, who is initially a ruthless warrior but over time evolves into an ultimately lovable and engaged patriarch to his children, Trunks and Bulla.

Even in Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta would skip time in the hyperbolic chamber to be present at the birth of his daughter—a scene many hardcore fans applauded. Meanwhile, Goku is away on another training trip with Whis, hardly even aware of the havoc being wreaked back on Earth.

This side-by-side comparison does Goku no favors in the “dad department” despite his relatively harsher personality and narrative function.

Goku is a flawed but devoted fatherSo, is Goku a bad dad? The answer isn't simple.

He’s not evil, selfish, or uncaring—but he’s not emotionally mature or present either. He’s a warrior first and a parent second. His love for his sons is real, but his actions don’t always support that.

For fans who grew up watching Goku, this debate is part of what makes Dragon Ball so fun to talk about. And as new generations discover the series, this age-old question will likely never go away.

Maybe Goku isn’t a bad dad—he’s just a Saiyan dad, doing the best he can in a world where the next battle could always be the last.