Goku is a Japanese name and fictional character, best known as the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama. The name is a Japanese calque of Wukong, referring to the Monkey King from the classic 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. Starting in 1984, Toriyama used it for the hero of his manga, and subsequently, Goku appeared in numerous animated television series, films, and video games, becoming an iconic figure in popular culture worldwide. Goku is introduced as an eccentric, monkey-tailed boy who practices martial arts and possesses superhuman strength. According to the Dragon Ball storyline, he was sent to Earth as an infant and later joins Bulma on a quest to find the seven Dragon Balls. As he grows older, Goku becomes Earth's mightiest warrior, battling a wide array of villains. The character draws influences from Sun Wukong (known as Son Gokū in Japan) combined with the Hong Kong action cinema of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee. Origin: Japanese calque of Wukong (Chinese Monkey King) Genre: Literature, Popular Culture Meaning: Refers to the Monkey King, Sun Wukong Notable Bearer: Son Goku, protagonist of Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama