Goku was found by an old man named Gohan who became the boy's adoptive grandfather. Goku was originally a Saiyan born under the name Kakarot, the son of Bardock and Gine, and was sent to Planet Earth in a Saiyan pod just moments before his homeworld, Planet Vegeta's destruction and moments before Bardock's last stand against the tyrant Frieza. The character of Goku, as well as the original plot of Dragon Ball, are loosely inspired by the character of Son Wukong from Journey to the West. Goku (known as Son Goku in Japan) is the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball franchise, created by manga author Akira Toriyama. There are versions of this character available that don't have their own branch articles! For this character's Super Saiyan form, see Super Saiyan Goku.
