Top 15 Best Goku Moments Worth Watching Again
With its first manga page in 1984, Dragon Ball took the world by storm and has endured to this very day. With such scenes that include epic transformations, dangerous battles, and heroic moments spanning every arc this series has had, it’s easy to see why they all stand out so much.
We all know Dragon Ball is a modern classic, but do we remember what solidified it for us? Was it the moment that Goku had turned Super Saiyan for the first time? Was it when he risked it all to fight Vegeta? Or could it even have been as recent as the new Broly movie?
The legacy of Dragon Ball is more than the sum of its parts but the best moments that keep us coming back are worth revisiting all on their own. For every moment that our main character Goku gets to truly shine, we get to witness scenes like no other, here are the top 15 best Goku moments worth watching again.
15) Defeating Omega Shenron
In what is no doubt the most powerful attack ever put to screen, the Universal Spirit Bomb that Goku used to defeat Omega Shenron is one of Dragonball GT’s most memorable scenes. With most of his allies defeated, his power drained, and on the verge of death itself, Goku calls on the entire universe to help vanquish the threat of Omega Shenron.
With the help of all beings in existence, Goku saves the universe once again. This moment will live on forever on account of its massive scale, with every being in the galaxy uniting against a common threat. After a series of traveling from planet to planet all across the galaxy, this was the ultimate pay off.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JLViiYI8Lc
14) Arrival on Namek
No stranger to grand entrances, Goku’s arrival on Namek is definitely one of the best ones. After training in his gravity chamber for the upcoming fights, Goku breaks ground on the blue grassed world and proceeds to show off the fruits of his labors. The Ginyu Force were the first to see the results, as Goku was ready to pay back the pain inflicted on Gohan tenfold. Recoome, Jeice, and Burter never stood a chance.
What always brings us back to this scene is that it’s a good reminder of why we love Goku so much, we get the excitement of seeing how much stronger he’s gotten after training, wondering how he’s going to save his friends this time, and the thrill that we’re about to see some amazing fights.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIxi3IQLrjY
13) Dragon Fist
One of the only moves Goku has created himself, the Dragon Fist explosion is a mighty attack that was able to defeat foes such as Super Android 17. The power behind this punch summons a mighty dragon made of energy that pierces through anything unfortunate to make contact. This move could be seen as an evolution of the move he used to defeat King Piccolo with when his fist turned into the image of an Oozaru instead of a dragon.
Anytime he brings it out, it’s sure to get results. Goku best used this move in the Wrath of the Dragon film to save the earth from the giant monster, Hirudegarn, in what is definitely one of the most memorable movie moments.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nPvwshI1PM
12) Battling Broly
While the new, canon Broly might be the showstopper of one of Dragon Ball’s best films, his battle with Goku is what truly solidifies the hype. The epic battle is noteworthy because of its amazing animation, choreography, and new art style. As Broly arrives and immediately takes the battle to Vegeta, Goku is unable to keep his excitement held in for much longer, when he’s ready to go, he gives it his all.
The visuals can not be talked about enough and must be seen to be truly believed. With this bout, we got to see Dragon Ball come to life like never before in a way that is befitting the scale of this clash. When the two titans go head to head, it’s like watching nothing else.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XucYeg3FZUU
11) Kamehameha vs Galick gun
The most epic rivalry in all of anime begins with a bang as Goku and Vegeta come to blows for the very first time. As Goku fires his signature Kamehameha wave, Vegeta responds in turn with his Galick Gun beam. What makes this scene memorable is the fact that we had never seen anything before of this magnitude, with so much power behind it.
This is the moment everyone knew Dragon Ball Z was going to be something special, and everyone was right. From the long-standing rivalry of the Saiyans to the epic fights that it brought, everything has its starting point, and this is the one moment where it all began.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo1SzVoa4AU&t=18s
10) Defeating Piccolo
When Goku was brought down to his last leg, literally, he pulled out one of the best finishing moves in Dragon ball history to defeat the evil King Piccolo. The battle was an intense one, leaving Goku scarred physically and emotionally with the deaths of Krillin, Chiaotzu, and Master Roshi, all fallen to Piccolo and his minions on his warpath.
It seems the entire world was almost ready to bow under Piccolo’s rule until Goku came along. What makes Goku’s final victory so satisfying is how earned it feels, with him facing such a threat for the first time, his victory was all the more satisfying.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdylynNTaI4
9) Sacrifice against Cell
The measure of a true hero is how far he’s willing to go for others, and this is the scene that proved that Goku is indeed Earth’s greatest. After surrendering the battle against Cell to give Gohan the chance to prove his power everyone thought the Android had been defeated, but Cell had one last desperate ploy, blowing himself up and taking the entire world with it! After a quick goodbye to his friends and Gohan, Goku stepped up to save the earth once again, using his instant transmission to send Cell, and himself, away for good.
While it may not have been Goku’s first sacrifice and had the unfortunate collateral damage of King Kai and his planet, this scene was the showcase of a truly heroic moment that put Goku in the pantheon of the all-time greats.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl_pa77mRAg
8) Father son Kamehameha
The moment Cell was finally defeated is DBZ's most iconic. With Goku gone, Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, and Vegeta brought down, and Gohan on his last legs, the demoralized hero fires off one last desperate Kamehameha to match Cell’s mighty power. Right when he’s about to give up, he feels the spirit of Goku urging him on, convincing Gohan to give it one last push.
With the help of a surprise attack from Vegeta, Gohan is able to find his mark, and end the terror of Cell once and for all. What stood out in this scene was the fact that despite the fact he was dead, Goku was still not giving up, he was still there to give Gohan the encouragement he needed to do what he couldn’t and surpass him as earth's guardian.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdqMlEpyRlQ
7) Going super saiyan
The most iconic transformation moment in anime history, the first time Goku reaches Super Saiyan will live on for multiple reasons starting with how epic it was. We had never seen anything like it before and after hearing about the legend so much from Vegeta and Frieza, we finally got to see it for ourselves and it definitely delivered.
The lightning and energy crashing down, the music booming in the background, and Goku transitioning in and out of his new state made for a scene like no other. There may have been many transformations after this but the explosion of rage on Namek will always be unique and live on as the biggest surprise we had ever seen Dragonball Z pull.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qNmE0xQgfI
6) Defeating Piccolo jr
The victory that turned Goku into the World Martial Arts Tournament champion after years of failed attempts, in addition to saving the world from Piccolo too. An epic battle that gave us moments like Piccolo turning giant, Goku freeing Kami, the arena itself getting destroyed, and Goku getting tortured.
The moment that stood out the most in this epic brawl has got to be the battle’s end. When everyone thought all was lost and Goku had been vaporized, Piccolo declared his victory not knowing that just behind him Goku had developed the ability to fly, and put it to good use, eliminating Piccolo and securing the win. The sweet victory that Goku worked so hard to get is what keeps us coming back to this epic scene.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szzyIKST-tc&t=7s
5) Super Saiyan 3
It may not have been the first transformation, but Goku was not about to be one and done. After training for years in Other World, Goku was back with a new form that was ready to retake the spotlight. The Super Saiyan 3 transformation was one the entire world could feel the energy emanating of.
The sky was shaking and the earth was quaking as Goku was yelling. His hair grows outward, his eyebrows disappear and his strength absolutely explodes. The entire seven-minute-long long scene was epic for every second of it. Just hearing someone yell for that long makes this scene one we can always look back on with awe.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xojjc4GJJk
4) Blue Kaio-ken
The first truly hype moment of Dragon Ball Super was during the Universe 6 vs Universe 7 tournament. Goku’s battle against Hit had reached a standstill, literally, as Hit made good use of his time skip technique giving him the ability to stop time. It looked like time was up for Goku, \until he would surpass his limits like never before and combines his Super Saiyan Blue and Kaio-Ken technique to put himself on the same level.
The huge surprise that came outta nowhere is what makes us appreciate this scene so much. We hadn't even seen Kaio-Ken in years and forgot it was even a thing, so when Goku pulled it out to combine it with his strongest form, it stood out even more. The battle that broke time itself is one of Dragon Ball’s best surprises.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxlaQKLcQFs
3) Mastered Ultra Instinct
The final battle against the unstoppable Jiren had massively epic moment after epic moment. In what is no doubt one of the best fights in the series, the scene that stands out the most has to be Goku mastering his Ultra Instinct. We were all astounded when the incomplete version first appeared, and no one could have guessed more was coming after that form displayed so much power.
In the last second, Goku managed to use the technique to its fullest extent in a galaxy busting transformation that caused the gods, angels, and Zeno to be blown away with surprise. However, none stood more in awe than the viewers at home watching, just going to how epic this scene was.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BpHgUI6OjM
2) Instant transmission Kamehameha
One of Goku’s most memorable moments in Dragon Ball Z, the Instant transmission Kamehameha is also probably his smartest and most surprising. During the battle against Cell in his tournament The Cell Games, Goku pulled out this all or nothing combo move that shocked even his friends and allies watching, worried that he might destroy the very earth itself with a blast of such intensity pointed straight down.
No one could imagine what kind of power movie Goku was thinking as he was charging his attack up in midair. Goku then uses his signature teleportation to get up close and personal to Cell, firing his wave point black reducing him to nothing but a pair of detached legs. It wasn't enough to finish him off, but this move was forever ingrained into fan’s hearts and minds.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5lwNsKbC4E
1) Kamehameha against Kefla
Possibly the best moment in DBZ history, this grand display of skill, speed, power, and style was Goku’s crowning move in the Tournament of Power battle against Kefla. As Kefla fires her ultimate attack, devastating the arena, Goku in his Ultra Instinct form shows off the ultimate power move.
Dodging every attack that comes his way, he leaps over the energy blast, uses his own attack to surf through it, and hit Kelfa point-blank, eliminating the mighty warrior in one fell swoop. The sheer amount of power, the huge surprise, and just how awesome it looked makes this scene one of the best there is.
Watch the scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xekjE_wtOwk
