Discovering Goku’s Age Across Every Dragon Ball Anime Series

Throughout the entirety of the Dragon Ball series, Goku has undergone a natural process of maturation, transitioning from a juvenile to a mature adult. Here’s a breakdown of Goku’s age throughout the series.

The Dragon Ball series created by Akira Toriyama has mainly focused on the growth and development of its lead character, Goku. The storyline portrays his transitions from being solitary to forming his own family and building friendships with former foes.

Throughout the iconic anime franchise, the Saiyan protagonist has undergone significant growth and development – from a young boy portrayed in the original manga/anime series to a fully matured adult (and then, in the now non-canon Dragon Ball GT, back to his younger self). In this article, we will explore Goku’s age, both in terms of his physical appearance and personal growth, across the series.

See more: Son Goku T-Shirt

In Dragon Ball, What Is Goku’s Age?

In the beginning, Bulma, a teenager searching for the Dragon Balls, finds Goku and discovers that he is only 11 years old. Together with Yamcha, Oolong, and Puar, they try to prevent Emperor Pilaf from using the Dragon Balls for world domination. As Goku reaches the end of his eleventh year, he trains under Master Roshi along with Krillin, to get ready for the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Unfortunately, he narrowly loses to Roshi, who was in disguise as Jackie Chung.

During the three-year gap between the 22nd and the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku took it upon himself to dismantle the Red Ribbon Army. He participated in the tournament at the young age of 15 but was defeated by Tien. After the tournament, Goku and his friends defeated King Piccolo, only to find out that his stronger son was planning to enter the next tournament and conquer the Earth. Goku underwent training under Kami and Mister Popo, both of whom were earth guardians, and eventually emerged victorious in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament as an 18-year-old. He defeated Piccolo and got married to Chi Chi immediately after.

What Is Goku’s Age in Dragon Ball Z?

At the beginning of Dragon Ball Z, Goku’s age is 23 and he has a young son named Gohan who is five years old. After discovering his Saiyan ancestry from his malevolent brother Raditz, Goku sacrifices his life to help Piccolo defeat Raditz forever. While the Z Fighters prepare for the arrival of Raditz’s superiors, Vegeta and Nappa, Goku trains in the afterlife. When he is brought back to life using the Dragon Balls, Goku’s physical age remains unchanged at 23, but his chronological age advances to 24 after he assists in driving Vegeta away from Earth.

Following his triumph over Frieza, Goku undergoes a rigorous three-year training with the Z Fighters, in preparation for the arrival of the androids foretold by the alternate future Trunks. At the time, Goku’s age was 26 physically, but 27 years old in terms of chronological age. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Goku and Gohan opt to undergo further training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, an enclosed space located in the heavenly Lookout that remains largely immune to the effects of time in the outside world. After a year inside the chamber, Goku emerges at the physical and chronological age of 27, ready to confront Cell in the Cell Games.

Goku gave his life to save Earth from Cell and remained dead for seven years until the Elder Kai resurrected him to help defeat Majin Buu. When Buu was defeated, Goku was still 27 years old physically, but he was actually 34 years old chronologically. The series then jumped ahead 10 years, and at that point, Goku was physically 37 years old and chronologically 44 years old. Vegeta also noted that Saiyans age slower once they reach their physical prime, allowing them to fight for longer periods with more effectiveness.