For decades, millions of fans grew up believing the protagonist was a champion of good willing to save the universe out of pure kindness. However, to the surprise of many fans, a historic 1997 interview with the late Akira Toriyama has resurfaced, recalling the creator’s harsh words about how the anime adaptation completely distorted the true selfish personality of Goku in Dragon Ball.

In that conversation, held just two years after the original manga ended, Toriyama was very clear about the Saiyan’s true nature. The legendary author made it clear that Goku never fought for the well-being of others or to defend noble causes, but was motivated solely by an insatiable personal desire to test himself against increasingly stronger opponents. Toriyama expressed his constant dissatisfaction with the animation studio for turning his story into the classic cliché of the “hero of justice,” noting that the touches of selfishness and “poison” he designed for the character were completely omitted, likely when adapting the series for a younger audience.

This fascinating revelation not only covered the warrior’s ethics but also the creative process behind the franchise. The creator admitted to being quite contrary: if he received letters from readers predicting the plot’s direction, he immediately changed the story’s course to go against them, and even went so far as to eliminate immensely popular characters to maintain control over his work. By not planning the narrative too far in advance, Toriyama enjoyed the freedom to shape events as he went, insisting that even characters who seem to act correctly have that “poison” aspect inside them.

With this clear stance on the author’s true intentions, the huge gap between the canonical vision of the character and the sanitized version seen on TV becomes evident. Knowing that the anime chose to portray him as a kind savior rather than the passionate, selfish fighter of the manga, do you prefer the heroic Goku many grew up with or the cold warrior who only seeks to satisfy his thirst for combat?