Goku stands tall as Dragon Ball’s ultimate protagonist and strongest character, but he’s also an individual who’s prone to certain shortcomings. Goku’s courageous and selfless nature is never in question and he’s someone who’s consistently surpassed his limits through hard work and an indomitable spirit. That being said, Goku’s innocence and naivety often get the better of him and he’s not considered to be one of Dragon Ball’s smarter characters.
Brawn is frequently prioritized over brains in Dragon Ball and the former is usually the key to success in the characters’ many fierce fights. However, it’d be a disservice to Goku’s character to claim that he’s never experienced smart moments in and outside of battle. Goku might lack conventional intelligence and he’s unlikely to ace an exam any time soon. Goku may not get enough credit for it, but he’s still a character who’s managed to survive because of some surprisingly smart strategies and ideas.
10 Goku’s Ploy To Get Pan Released From Naturon Shenron
Goku Exploits Shenron & Saves Pan
Goku's exploits in Dragon Ball GT don't often get singled out, but he still makes some smart decisions, even if he's considerably sillier in this Dragon Ball Z sequel. The seven Shadow Dragons function as Dragon Ball GT's final villains, each of whom possesses diverse powers. Naturon Shenron isn't particularly powerful, but his absorption ability puts Goku in a serious bind. Naturon Shenron receives a significant power boost after he absorbs Pan and explains to Goku that his destruction will also mean his granddaughter's demise.
Goku refuses to sacrifice Pan for the greater good, even after she pleads with him to do so and accepts her fate. Goku instead pretends that he's lost some of his strength and has given up in this battle, so that Naturon Shenron grows increasingly cocky and lets down his guard. Naturon Shenron's arrogance leads to him partially exposing Pan, which Goku exploits and uses to free his granddaughter. This strategy and subterfuge give Goku the opportunity to defeat this Shadow Dragon without having to hurt his granddaughter.
9 Goku Masters Instant Transmission
Goku is Observant & Curious
Goku deserves a lot of credit for being an observant and curious martial arts student who’s acquired many of Goku's strongest techniques from other individuals. Goku has developed his own clever variations on the Kamehameha and other attacks, but he’s incredibly smart for recognizing the value in the Yardratians’ Instant Transmission technique. Planet Yardrat becomes an unexpected pit stop during Goku’s exodus from Planet Namek, following his battle against Frieza.
Goku is not just friendly to the Yardratians, but he’s fascinated by their abilities and makes a point of mastering their Instant Transmission power. Instant Transmission allows Goku to teleport to any individual, provided that he can sense and lock onto their energy signature. Instant Transmission has been invaluable to Goku’s success over the years, whether it’s through quick evasions in battle, reaching individuals to deliver important and timely news, or teleporting threats off the planet, like in the case of a self-destructing Cell. It’s incredibly astute that Goku masters this ability and repeatedly puts it to good use.
8 Goku Recruits A New Guardian For Earth From New Namek
This Decision Allows Goku to Keep The Dragon Balls in Play
Namekian fusion is a fascinating concept that’s only occasionally turned to in Dragon Ball Z, most of which involve Piccolo. Piccolo’s fusion with Nail on Namek is fairly incidental when it comes to outside consequences. However, Piccolo’s fusion with Kami leaves Earth without a Guardian to rule over the Dragon Balls. Under different circumstances, Earth might have just been left with no Dragon Balls and been forced to get by without this perk. Goku, however, thinks through this scenario and decides that Earth could acquire a new Namekian Guardian from New Namek.
Goku uses Instant Transmission to visit New Namek and recruits Dende to step into Kami’s role as Earth’s new Guardian. This is a smart decision because it doesn’t just keep the Dragon Balls in play, but Dende is able to upgrade them so that they follow Namekian Dragon Ball rules. This provides major luxuries, like the ability to make three wishes to Shenron instead of just one, which seriously aids the heroes once they face greater dangers.
7 Goku Overpowers Yakon By Letting Him Consume His Energy
Yakon is a Creature That Consumes Light
Babidi forces Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan to jump through hoops and face multiple Majin lackeys before they can meet him and try to prevent Buu’s awakening. This results in some creative clashes with Dabura, Pui Pui, and Yakon, the latter of whom becomes Goku’s opponent. Goku’s battle against Yakon is extremely short-lived and audiences don’t really get a chance to see what the monster is capable of because of Goku’s smart strategy.
Yakon is described as a creature who consumes light and energy, which usually means that he can drain his enemies dry and take them out once they’re powerless. However, Goku takes this opportunity to highlight that he’s achieved Super Saiyan 2 status in a flashy display of his power. Goku overwhelms Yakon with so much light and energy that it causes him to explode. It’s a brilliant use of his abilities that helps him take out this enemy in the simplest way possible.
6 Goku’s Clever Frog Gambit Against Captain Ginyu
Goku's Quick Thinking Leads to Eliminating Giniyu
The Ginyu Force may come across as juvenile due to their pronounced battle poses, but they’re one of the galaxy’s strongest and most merciless mercenary teams. Each Ginyu Force member benefits from unique skills and their leader, Captain Ginyu, possesses an advantageous body swapping ability that helps him continually upgrade himself over time. Ginyu, impressed with Goku’s Saiyan power, temporarily steals his body.
Goku is guilty of falling prey to Ginyu’s signature skill, but he’s quickly able to exploit this power and doom the villain to an amphibian purgatory. Goku’s ravaged body forces Ginyu to set his sights on Vegeta as his new vessel. Right before Ginyu swaps bodies with Vegeta, Goku throws a Namekian frog in the path of Ginyu’s Body Change blast. Goku’s quick thinking and understanding of the technique’s mechanics leads to him eliminating Ginyu as a threat and confining him to a frog’s body for decades.
5 Goku Creates Decoy Ki Blasts To Distract & Confuse Frieza
Goku vs Frieza is One of Dragon Ball Z's Longest Fights
Goku’s battle against Frieza lasts for dozens of episodes and it’s easily the series’ longest fight. The length of this clash results in some clever strategies on Goku’s part before he attains Super Saiyan status and gains the upper hand against this galactic tyrant. Frieza is incredibly powerful, but Goku learns that he’s not able to detect ki without the help of a battle scouter. Goku takes advantage of this limitation and devises a smart scheme to land a crucial blow on his opponent.
Goku, while underwater, creates decoy ki blasts—known as his Twin Dragon Shot—that he slowly releases while he can’t be seen. These ki blasts distract and confuse Frieza when it comes to Goku’s location. Goku takes advantage of Frieza’s displaced focus and launches a surprise attack from the opposite direction. Goku doesn’t employ this level of strategy nearly enough in Dragon Ball, but it does make a welcome return in the Tournament of Power during his encounters with Jiren.
4 Goku Allows Himself To Get Absorbed By Super Buu To Save His Friends
Goku's Saiyan Shield Protects Him While He Saves Those He Loves
Goku and Vegeta’s Potara Earring fusion into Vegito is an exciting turning point during the heroes’ battle against Buu. Vegito proves to be significantly stronger than Super Buu, but their fight gets cut short once Buu successfully uses his Transfiguration Beam to transform Vegito into candy, which he proceeds to eat. This is a frightening turn of events, but it’s soon revealed that Goku intentionally allowed Vegito to get eaten so that he could save his absorbed friends from within Buu and weaken the villain from the inside.
Goku’s Saiyan Shield ability prevents him from being digested while he’s literally in the belly of the beast. Goku’s intelligence in this situation helps him save the lives of Gohan, Piccolo, Goten, and Trunks, while also weakening Super Buu. Vegito’s direct destruction of the Majin menace would likely have meant deaths for everyone who was inside of him.
3 Goku Switches Between Super Saiyan God & Super Saiyan Blue For Maximum Output
Goku Develops a Smart Battle Strategy
Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan Blue become the new normal for Goku and Vegeta in Dragon Ball Super. There are subtle differences between these transformations and they're not so cut and dry as Super Saiyan Blue always being the better transformation, even though it's Super Saiyan God's Super Saiyan upgrade. Super Saiyan Blue offers superior defense and attack capabilities, but it comes with a greater drain of the user's stamina and speed. This means that Super Saiyan God is the more efficient tool when it comes to prolonged battles or circumstances where quick motion is essential.
Goku understands these nuances and develops a smart battle strategy where he cycles through the two transformations so that he's able to get the most out of both of them. The best example of this is during Goku's battle against the speedy Dyspo during the Tournament of Power. Goku primarily fights in his Super Saiyan God state so that he matches Dyspo's speed, but he temporarily phases into a Super Saiyan Blue when it comes to delivering attacks and countering blows.
2 Goku Chooses To Maintain The Super Saiyan Transformation To Eliminate Its Stamina Drain
Goku Does This With Gohan to Prepare for the Cell Games
Super Saiyan transformations are an important breakthrough for each of Dragon Ball’s Saiyans. However, these characters enter a curious state of complacency during the Cell Saga where everyone acquires this power. Goku develops a smart strategy during the heroes’ preparation for the Cell Games, where he and Gohan maintain their Super Saiyan transformation at all times so that they can reduce the strain and loss of stamina that it typically causes in them. This plan works and helps them all surpass their standard Super Saiyan limitations.
Additionally, Goku quickly realizes the inherent drawbacks of Super Saiyan Second and Third Grade and why they’re ultimately inferior transformations. Vegeta and Future Trunks still try to fight with these forms, which doesn’t go well for them. Goku’s intelligence when it comes to Super Saiyan transformations is an important guiding force in the build-up to their battle against Perfect Cell. Goku also comes up with the idea to take advantage of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to maximize their prep time, which is another inspired strategy.
1 Goku Cracks The Science & Strategy Behind Hit's Time-Skip Technique
Goku Learns the Secret of Hit’s Technique
Dragon Ball Super’s multiverse introduces dozens of new dangerous opponents, but chief among them is Universe 6’s Hit, a revered assassin. Goku and the rest of Universe 7 get their first taste of Hit during the Tournament of Destroyers. Fighters like Vegeta are completely overwhelmed by the cryptic competitor and it’s unclear how Hit manages to get the advantage over his targets, so that it’s impossible for them to land any blows. It’s later revealed that Hit’s signature Time-Skip Technique allows him to skip over a tenth of a second, but this minor spatial displacement is still enough to confuse his opponents and throw them off their game.
Goku learns the secret of Hit’s technique and is finally able to overcome it after repeated trial and error in combat. This is perhaps the best example of how smart Goku can be on the battlefield and that he’s quite an intelligent strategist. Goku’s intellect helps him not only identify Hit’s ability but also figure out how to persevere against it. Universe 7 would still be failing against Hit without Goku’s battle breakthrough.
