This weekend, to mark the unexpected passing of “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, we asked you to name your favorite hero from the series. Coming in at number one with 26.1 percent was, unsurprisingly, main protagonist Goku (or Son Goku — as in Sun Wukong — to use his full name.) Goku can be incredibly clueless, preoccupied with constantly improving his fighting abilities to the point of neglecting his family, but there’s no doubt he’s an incredibly kindhearted warrior, who’ll never give up on protecting anyone, which is why he’s become such a globally beloved icon – plus, he’d probably appreciate your cooking more than anyone you know.
In second place with 21.7 percent was Goku’s firstborn, Gohan, who began life as a significantly less confident child than his father, and despite there being a point when it seemed like he would succeed him as the main protagonist, ultimately pursued a more scholarly life as an adult. Regardless, Gohan still means a lot to those who grew up with the series, especially if they met Goku first as an adult in Dragon Ball Z, than as a child in the manga or preceding anime – he was us, and his growth reflected our own.
In third place with 17.4 percent was Piccolo, the stern Namekian badass Toriyama himself named as his favorite character, and who was unofficially adopted by African-American fans as their representative in the series. The spawn of his evil namesake, Piccolo Jr. was only concerned with getting revenge on Goku, until the Saiyan Saga, when he took on the role of Gohan’s first teacher in his father’s absence, and his cold heart thawed until he finally sacrificed himself to protect the boy. After being sidelined for some time, the character made a welcome return to the spotlight alongside Gohan in 2022’s movie, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
Thanks to everyone who voted, and to Toriyama (RIP) for creating all these unforgettable characters. Stay tuned for the next episode of Dragon Ball Z our next Reader Poll this Friday.
