Goku
Also known as: Son Goku, Kakarot
A Saiyan raised on Earth as Son Goku, whose bottomless appetite for food and stronger opponents has saved the universe more times than he can count. The genre's founding protagonist — pure-hearted, battle-drunk, and cheerfully terrible at staying dead.
Popular Goku Ships
Common Tropes in Goku Fanfiction
Goku · Adventure
120k works
Quests, journeys, and expeditions: fic where characters leave home, face dangers, and come back changed — or don't come back at all. Adventure tags everything from epic original quests to road trips through canon settings the source material never explored.
Goku · Canon Divergence
350k works
The story follows canon faithfully up to a chosen moment, then branches: one different decision, one survived death, one secret told early, and everything downstream changes. One of AO3's largest tags, because almost every 'what if' is a divergence.
Other Dragon Ball Characters
Vegeta
12k works
The Prince of all Saiyans, who arrived to destroy Earth and stayed forty years out of spite, pride, and a family he will deny enjoying. His decades-long climb from genocidal rival to devoted husband and father is shounen's most gradual redemption arc.
Gohan
7k works
Goku's scholarly first son, the boy whose hidden rage annihilated Cell and who would still rather be a researcher than a fighter. The Cell Games made him the franchise's biggest what-if, and fic loves timelines where he stays the strongest.
Bulma
6k works
The genius heiress of Capsule Corp who started the whole saga hunting Dragon Balls with a teenage Goku, and somehow ended up married to the Saiyan prince. She builds time machines, scolds gods, and remains the franchise's irreplaceable brains.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fanfics feature Goku?
Goku appears in 14k+ works on AO3, making them one of the most popular characters in the Dragon Ball fandom. You can browse all Goku fanfiction using the Fanfict Reader app.
What are the most popular Goku ships?
The most popular Goku ships include Goku/Vegeta, Chi-Chi/Goku. These pairings feature prominently in AO3 fanfiction.
What tropes are common in Goku fanfiction?
Common tropes in Goku fanfiction include Adventure, Canon Divergence. Use Fanfict Reader to filter and find exactly the type of story you're looking for.
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