Goku and Superman are two legendary supermen known for their power and their incredible powers. Although they belong to very different universes (one comes from a Comics universe, the other from a Manga universe) and their personalities oppose them, they find themselves around a common point: their strength 💪
Many fans of Dragon Ball Z and DC Comics have imagined or even created fictional battles in which the Saiyan and the Kryptonian clash. Since our favorite Saiyan revealed his new form (the Ultra Instinct), the outcome of this battle has (again) been questioned. Today, it’s Goku Shop’s turn to offer you a 5-round match to finally decide between these two superheroes: Goku, the tenacious Super Saiyan, and Superman, the Man of Steel. Are you ready for this Goku VS Superman match?
Kakarot is capable of performing 50,000 push-ups with just one finger, lifting the densest metal in the universe (Katchin Steel), destroying the Earth with the strength of his fists (in his fight against Beerus) and lifting his own weight in a black hole under the pressure of billions of tons.
Moreover, we invite you to discover a great confrontation… Goku vs Saitama!
ROUND 1: STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE
GOKU
Physiologically, Goku measures 175cm and weighs 62 kg. His main masters are Muten Roshi, Karin, Popo, Kami, Master Kaio and more recently, in Dragon Ball Super : Whis. Rather weak when he arrived on Earth, he acquired a spectacular strength thanks to an intensive and disciplined training 🏋️
SUPERMAN
On Earth, the Man of Steel is not left out. The Kryptonian’s cells are able to absorb solar radiation ☀️which gives him superhuman strength, resistance and immeasurable speed. He is able to destroy planets with a single punch and breathe in space. In the original comic, he was even able to move an entire SOLAR SYSTEM with the strength of his arms! In terms of speed, he is able to run at 3219 kilometers… per second.
Superman is also resilient: not even the collision of two planets could kill him (that event did knock him out). However, his OP power has nonetheless been given a well-deserved nerf: a mental barrier that prevents him from harnessing his powers at full strength. “With one step, I can create an earthquake. A blast, a storm. It’s my burden, be glad it’s not yours.”
Contrary to what one might think, Clark Kent can fight. He masters the Kryptonian martial arts, which allow him to create illusions and astral projections, and the Earth martial arts (he was trained by Batman and Wonder Woman).
VERDICT
We’ll put aside the fact that Superman was able to pull a Solar System with the strength of his arms (huge joke 🤦). Moreover, this one cannot fully exploit his strength because of the barriers he imposes on himself. However, the Man with the tight underwear is quite capable of resisting the explosion of a planet, which is not the case of our Saiyan warrior.
Goku : 0 – Superman : 1
ROUND 2: CHILDHOOD & EDUCATION
GOKU
Kakarot was born to a working class Saiyan warrior on planet Vegeta. He narrowly escaped the extinction of his entire race when he was sent to Earth with a simple and effective mission: to destroy everything in his path. Then, one day, he hits his head hard and forgets the reason he came to Earth 🤪
Nicknamed Goku by his adoptive grandfather, his life revolves around fighting… and food! As explained in the previous article “Goku vs Saitama“, our shaggy-haired hero unfortunately does not stand out for his ingenuity.
SUPERMAN
Kal-El was born to a seasoned scientist on the planet Krypton. This American cultural icon belongs to the imaginary world of the DC Universe. Like Goku, he narrowly escaped the destruction of his home world when his father sent him to Earth. After landing, he was taken in and raised by the Kents, who decided to name him Clark. They quickly accepted his alien nature 👽 and then his superpowers.
After graduating from college with a degree in journalism in record time, Clark sets out to travel the world as a secret superhero… he moves to Metropolis and begins a career in investigative journalism. The Man of Steel is a true genius. Thanks to his super-brain 🧠he is able to process information thousands of times faster than an average human being, allowing him to win strategic battles. He has even learned to protect his mind from telepathic attacks.
VERDICT
It seems that because of his education and innate talents, Superman is more of an intellectual than Goku.
Goku : 0 – Superman : 2
ROUND 3: POWERS & SKILLS
GOKU
One of Songoku’s talents is to master the “Ki” technique. In metaphysics, Ki is composed of elements such as vigor, courage and spirit. Let’s note that DBZ creates a clear difference between Ki and Magic. His two best moves are Genkidama and the one and only Kamehameha (“Destructive Turtle Wave”). He can even sense the location of the power of other Ki sources, then teleport directly to them with Instant Teleportation.
When injured, Goku can also eat a Senzu bean to heal (although his Saiyan honor sometimes prevents him from doing so). Kaioken was Goku’s trump card for a while. Today, the Super Saiyan transformation is used by Goku for every fight worth having. It allows him to increase his strength tenfold by exceeding all the limits of his “normal” form. Yellow (Super Saiyan 1, 2 and 3), red (Super Saiyan God), blue (Super Saiyan Blue), white (Ultra Instinct Mastered)… a real rainbow 🌈!
SUPERMAN
Superman has extremely accurate heat vision (laser beam coming out of his eye sockets) at the molecular level. However, it drains his powers. His cooling breath is also very useful. However, he has a significant weakness: Kryptonite (a stone that makes him lose all his strength in an instant)! However, Son Goku’s desire to face his opponent at his full potential will always prevent him from exploiting this weakness.
VERDICT
Forgetting the completely cheated Superman Prime One Million (Superman from the future who stayed in the sun for a very long time, able to create life from nothing, travel in Time, foresee the future, etc.), Goku’s powers and techniques remain superior.
Goku : 1 – Superman : 2
ROUND 4: MENTAL AND TRAINING
GOKU
Goku strives to surpass his limits and has overcome many obstacles (sometimes even death… and marriage) on his way. Like all Saiyans, Goku lives mostly for fighting. He prefers to fight fair and get the maximum potential out of his opponent. He never gives up a fight 👊
Always eager to fight, he is always looking for opponents stronger than him in order to surpass himself… like when he mastered the Ultra Instinct during his fight against the famous Jiren the Grey!
SUPERMAN
Superman, on the other hand, lives more in rejection of his powers. He is more into self-control. After discovering his true heritage as a teenager, Superman rejects his Kryptonian nature. Unconsciously, he develops mental barriers that prevent him from reaching his full power.
Kakarotto is an outstanding warrior who has the urge to fight in his blood. This is not at all the case with Superman, who only fights if he has to.
VERDICT
Goku is therefore much more enthusiastic about his powers and more combative, which allows him to score his second point.
Goku : 2 – Superman : 2
ROUND 5: ENTOURAGE AND ALLIES
GOKU
Goku has the chance to be very well surrounded. His best allies are the Z Fighters, who, like him, have a titanic strength. They have a certain team spirit, and together they fight the best fights. His friends are not only powerful, they are also loyal. Among the best allies of Goku in Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Super, we can mention Vegeta, Gohan, C-17, Majin Boo, Beerus, …
Without forgetting that Goku has his secret card… the fusion (Gogeta and Vegeto) ! It notably allowed him, thanks to Vegeta’s agreement 👬to defeat Broly in the last Dragon Ball Super : Broly movie !
SUPERMAN
Compared to Goku, Superman is rather a loner. He can of course count on the infinite love of his adoptive mother Martha Kent who brings him a considerable moral support… but one will allow oneself to doubt her usefulness in a fight! The same goes for Lois Lane (an investigative journalist to whom Superman reveals his great secret). Slip-man could eventually make the Justice League -lol- 🤣 (Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lanter, Aquaman, …). We let you imagine the result:
Supergirl (a.k.a. Kara Zor-El) could possibly be useful to him. She is Superman’s cousin, and, also from the planet Krypton, she develops powers similar to her cousin’s. After being turned down several times, Superman, despite his desire to work alone, finally agrees to let his cousin help him in his role as Super Hero.
VERDICT
Superman prefers to go it alone while Goku likes to fight alongside his friends, who he can always count on. Adding fusion into the equation, Goku wins without a doubt.
Goku : 3 – Superman : 2
GOKU VS SUPERMAN : GOKU WINS ! But…
While Goku trains again and again to exceed his limits, Superman continues to keep his barriers up and masters conflict situations with his ordinary power, raising his level as needed. Taking into account not only Goku’s mind but also his allies, our favorite Super Saiyan would be able to beat the Man of Steel without much trouble.
We can’t take away the “INFINITE STRENGTH” that Superman has (blocked by his mental barriers), but his lonely and fatalistic side is still missing! And even admitting that in terms of pure strength, Superman would be above Goku, our Saiyan has a significant asset: INFINITE POTENTIAL ☝️! And yes, unlike the DC Comics Hero, Songoku has spent his life training and increasing his power. His secret is not simply an OP power acquired at birth… but hard work driven by a love of fighting. Goku is constantly improving.
Superman’s superior strength can be explained by the origin of the powers of each. Goku can count on his Ki, his great strength of mind and his training (as for the great majority of Shonen) >< Superman, him, is inhabited by solar radiations, which make him more and more powerful.
We can wonder what a fight between the 2 heroes would look like if Superman gave up his mental barrier 🤔 In any case, if a fight were to take place between these two superheroes, we would love to see a realistic fight with breathtaking graphics. One thing is for sure, we’re already betting on Goku!
Do you agree with this Goku vs Superman arbitration? Tell us all about it in a comment 👇!
