Amid the ongoing debate over who would win in a fight between Dragon Ball’s Goku and DC’s Superman, fans have completely missed one aspect of both fighters that makes them more similar than initially realized–that the two shared a single, iconic moniker at one time.
Aside from the fact that both heroes are immensely powerful within their respective universes, Goku and Superman share a number of similarities that are well-known by readers in both fandoms. Both Superman and Goku were sent to Earth in a rocket as a child after their planets were on the verge of total annihilation. Once they reached the planet, they were each taken in by kindhearted humans who sent them on the path of heroism that they would stay on for the rest of their lives. Plus, their personalities are similar as well. Even though Goku and Superman wield immense power, they are both loveable, down-to-earth goofballs who would never think of hurting an innocent person, which is good as both are virtually equally as impervious to human-level attacks–earning both of them the same title describing their invulnerability.
In Dragon Ball Chapter 1 by Akira Toriyama, readers are introduced to Goku as he is wandering through the forest, collecting firewood and thinking about what his next meal is going to be. Then, suddenly, Goku is struck by a fast-moving vehicle driven by a woman named Bulma. Thinking that he is under attack, Goku lifts the car above his head and throws it down on the ground. After landing, Bulma pulls out her gun and shoots Goku in the head as she, too, becomes fearful for her life. When Bulma cries out in horror that the gunfire attack had no impact on Goku, the Saiyan replies, “You think something like that would kill me?! My body is as strong as stainless steel!!”
Goku basically tells Bulma in this issue that he is a man of steel, which is an iconic alternate moniker for Superman. Like Goku, the original Man of Steel is also immune to gunfire and would never be taken down by something as trivial as a pistol. With all of the other similarities between them, this is a fun parallel as both alien superheroes are known as the Man of Steel in their respective universes, creating yet another similarity between them.
While no one other than Goku refers to himself as a Man of Steel, the fact that he called himself that is enough to draw the parallel between Goku and Superman as it is just one of the many things that make the two heroes mirror-images of each other. Even though the debate still rages over who is the strongest, this chapter of Dragon Ball creates another connection between them and proves that Goku is actually more like Superman than many fans may have realized.