Goku VS. Superman (Detailed Comparison)

Goku and Superman both are the Poster boys of their respective franchises with more than a million fans all around the world.

With a big fandom there comes a long list of discussions about them like who is stronger? Or who will win if they face each other? Or who is better than the other?

Honestly, I can list a few more but let’s stop the queries here and get to the point already.

Goku versus Superman is a hot debate among DC and Anime fans. There are a number of theories floating on the vast sea of the internet every day. Although there is little to no chance of seeing this exhilarating crossover, a DC comic writer has created his own way to settle this debate.

Superman vs Goku is a contentious topic among fans of DC and Anime.

Which Anime does Goku belong to?

Son Goku is a fictitious character and the main protagonist of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga series.

Goku initially appeared in the first Dragon Ball chapter, Bulma and Son Goku, which was published on December 3, 1984, in Japan’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. Goku is introduced as an oddball, monkey-tailed youngster who pursues martial arts and has extraordinary strength.

He meets Bulma and helps her on her quest to find the seven Dragon Balls that grant wishes. Along the way, he meets new pals who join him in his quest to become a better fighter.

From which Anime does Suparman belong?

Superman is a superhero that emerges in DC Comics’ American comic books.

Kal-El is from the fictitious planet Krypton. His parents took him to Earth as a baby in a small spaceship minutes before Krypton was destroyed in a natural disaster.

His ship landed in the American countryside near the fictional town of Smallville. Jonathan and Martha Kent, farmers, found him and adopted him, christening him Clark Kent.

Clark obtained superhuman abilities such as superhuman strength and indestructible skin. His adoptive parents urged him to use his talents for the greater good, thus he became a criminal investigator.

Can Superman beat Goku?

It depends on the timeline in which they face each other.

If superman meets Goku in his early days, he can finish him off without a second thought. Since Goku has no character development yet so he’d be no match for Superman.

However, if they meet after their developments, I doubt that Superman will win. Just by seeing Goku, he will realize that this faceoff would never bring him victory since both Goku and him both are equally good fighters.

But it’s also true that Superman has more experience and power than Goku, their fight would only bring the world more destruction.

It is true that Superman is stronger and more capable than Goku.

Their face-off can only be interesting if they fight each other during the mid of their development. Since they wouldn’t be immortal then and they would be at the same power levels.

Could Ultra Instinct Goku beat Superman?

Ultra Instinct Goku takes the lead. Due to his speed reflexes and strength, he can beat Superman.

Before we dig deeper, let’s take a look at the similarities between them.

  • Both share the desire to become stronger to protect the earth and its inhabitants from evil forces.
  • Both Superman and Goku are aliens, they come from a species different from Humans.
  • They have built a good relationship with Humans.
  • They have a similar backstory: Both were sent to the earth in their childhood as the survivors of a destroyed planet. And now they have grown to love the earth and protect it!

In short, you can say Goku is the Japanese version of Superman in many ways.

Superman can surpass all of the superheroes in the DC universe in power. But Goku, who has mastered the Ultra Instinct can become a powerful opponent for him too.

It would be a treat to watch their face off one day. Below is a comparison between the powers of Ultra instinct Goku and Superman.

Ultra instinct Goku's complete transformation
Ultra instinct Goku’s complete transformation

Goku’s Energy Blast vs. Superman’s X-Ray Vision

Goku’s Kame hame has become a cult classic since its release.

Although Superman can absorb energy from Rocket blasts quite easily, he may not be able to dodge Ultra Instinct Goku’s deadly level of energy.

Superman has an X-Ray Vision which helps him to target the weak points of his opponents. But Ultra Instinct Goku can sniff Superman’s presence due to his high energy levels.

The rest you can imagine! Using X-Ray vision on someone like Goku will not beat him.

Goku’s God-level Ki vs. Superman’s intellect

With the aid of his godly Ultra Instinct Ki, Goku was able to defeat some of his foes, but Beeru’s expression served as a stark reminder that he had just outperformed even celestial creatures.

Imagine dealing with a person like him. A person who has already attained that level will need to be faced by Superman!

But, no matter how powerful Goku may be, all of his supporters can agree that he isn’t a particularly sharp mind.

Goku may have a good ability to read his opponent, but he struggles to come up with effective plans of action. On the other side, Superman possesses a brilliant mind that might enable him to come up with a winning plan even before facing Goku.

Ultra Instinct speed vs. Superman’s speed

Goku and Superman both have extremely quick feet, so this fight will be difficult for sure. However, if you were to take a look at Ultra Instinct Goku, you’d notice that he’s got all the tools he needs to win this fight.

It’s not just about their speed, it’s also about how those two characters can use that speed in the right way.

Superman has a lot of speed, but he doesn’t always use it wisely. He’ll have to use his speed in order to avoid attacks and escape from danger. When he does use it, though, his speed can be very useful!

Goku’s Ultra Instinct form allows him to ignore anything dull and concentrate on the task at hand—which means he gains knowledge and enhances every facet of his life.

Ultra Instinct Saiyan vs. Kryptonian

As an Ultra Instinct user, Goku is capable of pushing himself far beyond his comfort zone and discovering a new kind of power. However, Superman as a Kryptonian is resistant to damage and can withstand extreme beatings while maintaining his appearance.

Superman’s body is more durable than Goku’s. Although they both have been pushed to their limits numerous times, both have been resilient fighters.

There is a good possibility that Goku’s super Saiyan will win this battle because he can modify and unlock new powers. It will be difficult for Superman to keep up with Goku’s strength.

Goku’s reflexes vs. Superman’s strength

Superman is an intimidating opponent. He can punch any mortal in the face, and he’s also super strong. But don’t let his size fool you! Superman is not unbeatable.

Superman is a fearsome adversary.

Goku has proven that he can beat even more powerful beings like Frieza and Cell. A match between him and Superman would be a challenge for anyone, but thanks to Ultra Instinct, Goku can relax and enjoy the fight without worrying about his adversary or the stakes involved.

His incredible reactions result from the fact that he unleashes all of his powers. This implies that Superman probably already avoided punching Goku if he had intended to. He has completed around half of his counterattack.

Who is stronger: Superman or Goku?

Ultra Instinct Goku is stronger than Superman since he does not have any weakness whereas Superman has a weakness that is kryptonite.

But there are some exceptions. Goku would only face any trouble while dealing with Pre-Crisis Superman.

This Superman has the power to recover from any injury, lift planets, obliterate galaxies, move faster than light, and pass through stars without suffering any major wounds. His regular tactic of blowing into the sun wouldn’t destroy him and as he would survive, he would be stronger.

Goku would typically have most of the problems with this person. Even though Goku travels at the speed of light, this time it will not work to his benefit because pre-crisis Superman can withstand most of Goku’s strikes. Nevertheless, Goku does have a number of aces that are likely to succeed.

If Superman fights Goku as a villain then Goku can just use the Kaioken 2,000,000x with his other moves to finish the battle once and for all. Goku can definitely win at the cost of his life. He’ll have to unlock a new ability using Kaioken infinity X and it will be game over for Superman in just a few minutes.

Superman cannot be defeated by Ultra Instinct Goku since he lacks any weaknesses.

Why can Goku beat Superman?

Goku vs Superman: It’s either a Saiyan or a Kryptonite in this fight. It’s challenging to predict a victor, but Goku might just prevail in this conflict, it must be said.

Goku has greater speed, agility, reflexes, and speed than Superman. This suggests that Goku might be able to parry any attacks delivered by one of DC’s most formidable characters while simultaneously dealing some devastating blows of his own. Given his Saiyan pride, Goku is unlikely to give up.

Goku is considerably more powerful than Superman; by the end of Dragon Ball Z, Goku has the ability to wipe out an entire planet with a single strike.

You can’t claim that Superman is faster because Goku can teleport as well. And even if Superman is more powerful than Base Goku, Goku still has the ability to transform into a Super Saiyan and Super Saiyans 2 and 3 as well.

This table compares the abilities and powers of both Goku and Superman:

Superman’s AbilitiesGoku’s Abilities
FlightFlight (without Ki)
Super speedEight-arm fist
Superhuman strengthGod-level ki
Superhuman durabilityRegeneration
Enhanced hearingSuperhuman smell
Heat visionInvisible eye blast
X-ray visionEnergy shield generation
Increased lung capacity
Spirit bomb absorption
Superman’s abilities vs Goku’s abilities

Hence, the battle will not be easy for either character. Superman has incredible reflexes and tremendous strength—but he can’t match the speed of Goku’s Son Goku Kamehameha!

The two combatants will clash in a battle that could determine the fate of the universe!

Final Verdict

  • Goku and Superman both have many similarities in their backstories.
  • Although they have similar strengths and relationships with the Earth and its inhabitants, there are some differences in their personalities and strengths.
  • Goku, with his Ultra Instinct, can beat Superman. However, Superman has a greater intellect which Goku lacks so he might need a thorough plan to defeat this superhero.
  • Other than that, Goku has many unpredictable abilities like super Saiyan 2 and 3 plus he has been trained to be what he is today so definitely Goku takes the lead.

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