One of the most iconic manga/anime franchises is Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama. The series follows its martial arts hero, Goku, throughout his life. Here’s how old Goku is in every Dragon Ball series.
How Old Is Goku in Dragon Ball?
The Daizenshu, the official guide to the Dragon Ball franchise published in Japan, lists Goku’s birth year as Age 737, with no specific month attributed to his birthdate. This places Goku approximately five years younger than Vegeta and four years younger than Bulma. The original Dragon Ball series begins in Age 749, placing Goku at approximately 12 years old, though the Funimation translation claims his age to be 11 at the start of the series.
After training for a year under Master Roshi, Goku enters the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament at the age of 13. Three years later, Goku competes in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament and defeats Demon King Piccolo shortly after that at the age of 16. Dragon Ball concludes three years after this, with Goku defeating King Piccolo’s son, also named Piccolo, and marrying Chi Chi at the age of 19.
How Old Is Goku in Dragon Ball Z?
The first sequel series, Dragon Ball Z, begins five years after Chi Chi and Goku’s marriage, with the married couple both 24 years old and their firstborn son Gohan 4 years old. Goku is killed by Raditz at the start of the series and spends a year training in the afterlife before being resurrected by the Dragon Balls. This makes Goku 25 years old when defending the Earth from Vegeta, though he is physically still 24 years old.
After defeating Frieza on Namek, Goku returns to Earth in Age 764 at the age of 27, though he is physically 26. After training for three years to prepare for the arrival of killer androids, Goku is 30 and, after the emergence of Cell, spends a year training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber training with Gohan. This temporarily accommodates the age discrepancy, making Goku physically 30 after leaving.
However, Goku dies saving the world from Cell, remaining dead for seven years. When Goku returns to Earth and is eventually resurrected by the Elder Kai to defeat Majin Buu, he is 37 but still physically 30 years old. After destroying Majin Buu, DBZ flashes forward a full decade, with Goku 47 but physically 40 years old as he cares for his granddaughter Pan.
How Old Is Goku in Dragon Ball Super/DAIMA?
Dragon Ball Super serves as something of an interquel, taking place within the decade-long gap between the defeat of Majin Buu and Goku entering the latest World Martial Arts tournament with Pan at the end of DBZ. With that in mind, Goku is 37 at the start of DBS and around 47 by the events of the canonical anime film Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, which takes place shortly before the tournament based on Pan’s relative age in the movie.
Many details surrounding Dragon Ball DAIMA, the upcoming anime series, are still being kept under wraps. However, based on information officially released so far, there is speculation that it similarly takes place in the 10-year jump between the final battle against Majin Buu and DBZ’s epilogue, making Goku the same age he is in Dragon Ball Super.
How Old Is Goku in Dragon Ball GT?
The non-canonical anime series Dragon Ball GT is set five years after the end of DBZ in the original version, while the Funimation dub places it ten years later instead, likely due to Pan appearing older than Goku after he is magically turned into a child. This makes Goku either 52 or 57, depending on which translation is being used, though only physically 45 or 50 from being dead for seven years. The other confusing discrepancy is how old the Black Star Dragon Balls revert Goku to based on which translation of the original Dragon Ball – the Funimation dub would place Goku at 11 while the original version makes him 12.
Not counting the epilogue, Dragon Ball GT ends about one year after it starts, with Goku 53 in the original version and 58 in the Funimation translation, though physically 12 or 13, again, depending on the translation. The epilogue is set a century after the start of DBGT, with Goku’s physical youth preserved due to his bonding with the Eternal Dragon, physically appearing as he did at the start of DBGT, though chronologically 152 years old.
