Is Goku a God or a Demon? : Let's Talk About Gokuism
Gokuism is an unrecognized religious movement that has been around for over a decade. Those who practice it see Goku, the main character from the series “Dragon Ball“, as an ideal role model and moral example. Many Gokuist cite that Goku has sacrificed his life and been resurrected multiple times to save the world within his story.
Despite him being a fictional character, Goku is portrayed as a savior who inspires mankind to reach their full potential and help those around them. There has been some push back against Gokuism, with one commenter claiming that Goku is actually an astral demon who is leading people astray from God. This begs the question of whether or not Goku is a god or a demon.
In Dragon Ball Daima, it is established that humans and saiyans (the species that Goku is) are not denizens of the Demon Realm. All demons and demon descendants in Dragon Ball have pointed ears. Goku has round ears, which made him stand out so much in the Demon Realm that he had to wear a hat to hide them.
This firmly establishes that Goku is not a demon, but that doesn’t answer the question of whether or not he’s a god. That’s where Dragon Ball Super comes into play. In Dragon Ball Super, Goku performs the Super Saiyan God ritual and becomes a Super Saiyan God.
Based on this information from Dragon Ball Daima and Dragon Ball Super, we can say that Goku is a god and not a demon from the perspective of the Dragon Ball series. With that being said, it could be debated that Gokuism as a concept predates both Dragon Ball Daima and Dragon Ball Super. Fans of Dragon Ball often debate what is and isn’t canon, so I can only imagine that Gokuist likely do the same.
I don’t know if Gokuist would consider Dragon Ball media that came out after 2012 (which I believe is when Gokuism began), to be a part of their religious canon or not. Dragon Ball canon in and of itself is rather confusing, as many people are actively debating now whether or not Dragon Ball Daima and Dragon Ball Super are canon to each other or not. Depending on what Gokuist believe is canon or not, it may become harder to answer the question of whether or not Goku is a god or demon.
Regardless of what arguments Gokuist might make based on the series, said arguments likely would not sway those who already demonize the religion. While the question of whether or not Goku is a god or demon remains somewhat open to interpretation, I personally find the concept behind Gokuism quite fascinating. Unlike other religions, those who follow Gokuism recognize that their savior is a fictional character and yet that doesn’t harm their faith.
That just goes to show how impactful of a character Goku is, and what he means to so many people around the world. If you would like to learn more about Gokuism, feel free to check out one of the many online communities built around it. There are several online, each with thousands of members.
What are your thoughts on Gokuism? Is Goku a god, a demon, or just a fictional character? Let me know in the comments section below.
Thank you for your time, and please have a happy-fun day today.
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Nicholas Alexander Benson