Does the average DB human care about Goku?

[Spiral-Force]

For example, if we take Buu out of the equation and Goku just went for a stroll in the city, would he garner attention? Kinda wild that this is a legit question despite him saving the planet several times. Thoughts?

 

[Papasmurf]

I think he was overshadowed by Satan's fame so much that people generally don't recognize him. Videl has participated in the junior division of the Tenkaichi Budokai before and didn't seem to know what Goku looked like even though he was the winner of the 23rd, the previous Budokai to the one Satan won between the Cell and Boo arcs. Ofc the fact that Ki blasts and superhumans being completely forgotten by the majority of the population except for the Budokai announcer is trash, but that's the narrative we are displayed in the manga and anime.

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

He seems to go out every once in a while and nobody really cares. Only the King knew Goku beat Piccolo and recognized him at the Cell Games, but I remember his neighbors also see him and just say “Isn’t that Chi-Chi’s husband?”.

Before Satan the Budokais must have been a niche event since they weren’t even filmed and most people don’t know superhumans exist. He probably convinced people Piccolo’s attack and Nappa erasing that city were just terrorists too.

 

[Papasmurf]

He seems to go out every once in a while and nobody really cares. Only the King knew Goku beat Piccolo and recognized him at the Cell Games, but I remember his neighbors also see him and just say “Isn’t that Chi-Chi’s husband?”.

Before Satan the Budokais must have been a niche event since they weren’t even filmed and most people don’t know superhumans exist. He probably convinced people Piccolo’s attack and Nappa erasing that city were just terrorists too.

I don't think the Budokais were "niche" per se, Pilaf seemed to know about them even without any real interest in martial arts.

 

[Spiral-Force]

Pilaf doesn't look like a guy that would partake in martial arts, but he's quite different from a standard dude, given his attempts at world domination and inevitably clashing with fighters like Goku along the way. I think it makes sense for him to know.

 

[Hector]

Maybe, after the 23rd TB, the humans' memories of those events were erased with the Dragon Balls.

 

[Animelover5487]

Pilaf doesn't look like a guy that would partake in martial arts, but he's quite different from a standard dude, given his attempts at world domination and inevitably clashing with fighters like Goku along the way. I think it makes sense for him to know.

There is also everybody at the previous tournaments knowing who Master Roshi is and the Turtle Hermit style being a well respected fighting school. With the Annoucer calling it "legendary", something can't be legendary if most people don't know about it.

People like King Chappa, were also well revered for winning a tournament without being touched with everybody paying special interest to his match with Goku.

It is downright jawdropping that someone as mundane as Mr. Satan gets so much credit just for winning a tournament with nobodies when there are people like Chappa, Chun/Roshi and the Crane school. Even Panputto had his legendary boxer reputation on top of being a skilled martial artist.

 

[Papasmurf]

They really should've explained that King Furry tried to spread propaganda of Ki users just being a myth or something like that. It's like all the superhumans lost their balls and went into hiding after the 23rd

 

[Animelover5487]

It's like all the superhumans lost their balls and went into hiding after the 23rd

I mean, that could potentially be the case. They did get murdered by Daimao and his children, and Chappa could have retired out of humiliation for getting stomped by a teenage boy twice. But that doesn't explain how somebody like Satan would be considered a God, a guy who struggles to break under 15 tiles when a kickboxer like Panputto who broke the tournament stadium without breaking a sweat was considered the standard tough guy back then.

 

[Papasmurf]

Previous winners of the Budokais were far far stronger than Satan too, such as Akkuman. It is pointed out by the announcer that the Budokai Goku didn't participate in was boring as hell but idk how Satan's level became top tier. It's like people's memories of top tier martial artists and ki blasts just vanished

 

[Animelover5487]

Even Ranfan would beat Mr. Satan's shit in, especially if she uses her stripping tactic.

 

[GreatSaiyaman123]

Previous winners of the Budokais were far far stronger than Satan too, such as Akkuman. It is pointed out by the announcer that the Budokai Goku didn't participate in was boring as hell but idk how Satan's level became top tier. It's like people's memories of top tier martial artists and ki blasts just vanished

We all know someone with this kind of memory

 

[Jerk Store]

About as much as society cares about this forums base.

 

[Spiral-Force]

There is also everybody at the previous tournaments knowing who Master Roshi is and the Turtle Hermit style being a well respected fighting school. With the Annoucer calling it "legendary", something can't be legendary if most people don't know about it.

People like King Chappa, were also well revered for winning a tournament without being touched with everybody paying special interest to his match with Goku.

It is downright jawdropping that someone as mundane as Mr. Satan gets so much credit just for winning a tournament with nobodies when there are people like Chappa, Chun/Roshi and the Crane school. Even Panputto had his legendary boxer reputation on top of being a skilled martial artist.

This goes to show that having an established legacy in the martial arts community is one thing, but worldwide reach and influence -- like Hercule has -- is another. Mr. Satan, as a brand, is levels above. Interesting that you characterise him as mundane considering he's usually presented as being over-the-top and full of energy. Perhaps mundane in actual fighting skill, but he gives off the impression that he doesn't need to try or that he's being charitable to 'lower' competition.

 

[Papasmurf]

About as much as society cares about this forums base.

Go back into retirement old man! Wrinkly fucking 40 year old fossil bastard!!

 

[ahill1]

I think only a specific niche knows about him, like the Budokai announcer who recognised him in the Boo saga, Baba fighters, Upa and his father, Suno and the village he saved... It'd be expected for the old Budokai audience to know him, but it's strange that they made no connection between Goten and little Goku who competed in the earlier Budokais. It's possible that the audience and spectators of the tournament changed once it became more like a festival in the 25th Budokai, too. The world king seemed to remember the kid who defeated Piccolo Daimao and the narrator stated that ppl had forgotten about the existence of Son Goku with Cell posing as a threat. I think overall he's so little known he wouldn't cause a commotion or anything by walking in the streets carefree.

 

[Spiral-Force]

That's a fair insight, ahill.

When you think about it, it works out well for the Z Fighters since they don't have to deal with the press and be constantly the talk of the town. At worst, they could always blitz out of a situation, but then their character would be called into question.

I think Krillin and Yamcha wouldn't mind that kind of attention at first, but then would soon get annoyed by it.

 

[Warmmedown]

Almost nobody knew him during the Buu spirit bomb.

I watched the movie clip today where he goes to a school interview and the teachers didn't know him and Chi Chi forced him to say he likes reading and sports. If he was famous he'd say reading and martial arts.

Them not being famous makes no sense, yeh. I thought it could be because they're so fast that most people and cameras never see them flying or fighting, but something like Vegeta killing the budokai crowd ought to be all over the news. You'd also think the governments would keep tabs on Vegeta after what Nappa did to the military. Wouldn't be hard to track him with satellites.

 

[Symbiote]

Everybody forgot about him once Satan killed Cell.

 

[Spiral-Force]

The idea of keeping Vegeta or other super-powered fighters under long-term surveillance was executed, just by a mad scientist rather than the government. Though the latter is a popular trope of the western superhero genre.

When it comes to the more up-close examples of super strength, like with Vegeta destroying the punch machine, it does shock the crowd, but then Satan fans have faith that he scales above that.