Why isn’t Goku called “Son Goku” in the English dub of Dragon Ball Z, and will it ever change?

Why Goku lost his surname “Son” in the English translation of the Dragon Ball franchise has been a subject of discussion among fans for years. In the original Japanese version and most international dubs, Goku has always been referred to by his full name “Son Goku” since the very beginning of the Dragon Ball series. However, in the English dub of the show, Goku has always been referred to simply as “Goku” without the “Son” prefix, which has led to much confusion and debate.

One theory as to why the “Son” was removed from Goku’s name in the English dub is that the original dubbing team wanted to Americanize the show and make it more accessible to American audiences. In order to do this, they may have felt that removing the “Son” from “Son Goku” would make it easier for viewers to understand and remember his name. Additionally, there may have been concerns that American viewers would be confused by his family name coming first, or that it could be mistaken for the English word “son.”

Another possible reason for dropping the “Son” could have been to streamline Goku’s name and bring it more in line with other character names in the show. For example, “Kuririn” became “Krillin” and “Tenshinhan” became “Tien Shinhan,” or just “Tien” for short. However, while there are theories as to why the “Son” was dropped, there has been no official confirmation from the original dubbing team as to the reason for this change.

Despite the fact that the English dub of Dragon Ball Z has never referred to Goku by his full name, “Son Goku,” except for once in Dragon Ball Z: Kai, other tie-in materials such as video games, Crunchyroll’s subtitles for Dragon Ball Super, and the official Super trading card game have all used the full name “Son Goku.” The original dubbing team’s decision to drop the “Son” may have been an attempt to make the show more accessible to American audiences, but it seems that this decision has caused more confusion than it was worth.

The fact that Goku’s full name has become common knowledge among English-speaking fans of the show is in part thanks to Viz’s manga translation, which retains the characters’ original names. However, the English dub of the show has remained hesitant to refer to Goku by his full name, despite the opportunity to do so in Dragon Ball Z: Kai, which was a more faithful translation of the original show. Kai only used “Son Goku” once in the series when Goku declares to Frieza that he is “the Super Saiyan, Son Goku.”

In conclusion, the reason why Goku lost his surname “Son” in the English dub of the Dragon Ball franchise is still a topic of debate among fans, and there has been no official confirmation from the original dubbing team as to why this change was made. While it is clear that the decision to drop the “Son” was likely an attempt to make the show more accessible to American audiences, it seems that this decision has caused more confusion than it was worth, as fans have long known Goku’s full name and many tie-in materials have used it as well. Despite this, the English dub of the show has remained hesitant to refer to Goku by his full name, and it seems unlikely that this will change anytime soon.

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