Goku, the main character of the popular anime Dragon Ball Z, has a physical feature that sets him apart from most other characters in the show: a tail.
While it may seem like a simple aesthetic choice by the creators, there is actually a deeper meaning behind why Goku has a tail. A lot of fans wonder why does Goku have a tail? In this article, we will explain why Goku has a tail and what purpose it serves.
Born With Tail
Goku was born with a tail. The long, furry appendage was a source of shame for the young Saiyan, who was constantly ridiculed by his peers. However, Goku eventually learned to embrace his unique physical feature and even used it to his advantage on several occasions.
So why does Goku have a tail? According to Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, it’s simply because Saiyans are born with tails.
“Saiyans have tails,” said Toriyama in an interview with Daizenshuu EX. “They are long and prehensile, and have just enough strength to enable them to swing from tree branch to tree branch in the jungle.”
While most Saiyans lose their tails at some point during their lives (usually during childhood), Goku managed to keep his until adulthood.
You will notice different Saiyans wrapping their tail around their waist like a belt throughout the whole series.
Why Does Goku Have A Tail?
Saiyans use their tails to turn into Great Apes. When they see a full moon, they can transform into these powerful creatures, giving them an upper hand in battle in terms of strength.
Great Apes
The Great Ape is a massive, hulking creature with immense strength and destructive power. The transformation is triggered by exposure to Blutz Waves – which come from either direct sunlight or moonlight reflecting off the water.
Once transformed, the Saiyan loses all rational thought and becomes a raging beast, attacking anything and everything in sight.
Due to this Saiyans are even referred to as monkeys by some characters in the series.
Master Roshi Helped Goku Control His Tail
Goku has a tail because Master Roshi helped him control it when he was younger. Goku was born with a tail, but it wasn’t until he met Master Roshi that he learned how to control it.
Master Roshi is a martial arts master and teacher who took Goku under his wing when he was just a boy. He taught Goku how to control his tail so that he could use it as an advantage in fights.
While most people see Goku’s tail as a weakness, Master Roshi saw it as a unique strength that could be harnessed. It is all thanks to Master Roshi’s guidance that Goku was able to control his tail and become one of the strongest fighters in the world.
What Happened To His Tail?
Goku cut off his tail multiple times before it returned to normal. The first time he cut off his tail happened when Puar transformed into the blades to cut off his tail after he turned into an ape. Luckily, his tail recovered during a fight at the martial arts competition.
The second time was when Grandpa Gohan reached Goku with his tail during training in the fortuneteller baba’s mansion, and he damaged it by pulling it by accident. His tail was able to return later.
Kami permanently removes Goku’s tail in the closing scenes of Dragon Ball Z. But Goku was able to regrow his tail in the GT series!
Apparently, when a Saiyan’s tail is cut off, they lose the ability to transform into a Great Ape. This was never really an issue for Goku since he never relied on that transformation, to begin with. But it made him feel a little more vulnerable without his tail.
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