Dragon Ball DAIMA Dub Makes Goku an Even Worse Dad and Husband!

Goku has always had a mixed reputation among fans when it comes to being a husband and father. And now, the English dub of Dragon Ball DAIMA is making things worse. A small change in one of Goku’s lines has sparked a debate online—and it’s all about how the dub version makes him sound like he might have been open to marrying someone else if he wasn’t already taken.

In Dragon Ball DAIMA Episode 5, Goku meets King Kadan, the father of a girl named Panzy. During their chat, Kadan offers Goku Panzy’s hand in marriage in exchange for defeating the villain, King Gomah. In the original Japanese version, Goku replies, “I’m already married and I’ve got kids.” Pretty clear, right?

But in the English dub, Goku says, “Actually, I’ve got a wife and two kids at home, so I can’t take you up on that.” It’s just a few extra words, but those words make it sound like Goku might’ve said yes if he wasn’t married.

This small difference has big effects. The English version gives Goku’s answer a slightly regretful tone, like he’s turning down a great offer—not because he wouldn’t want to—but because he can’t. And that adds to the long-running joke (and criticism) among fans that Goku isn’t exactly the best family man.

Over the years, Goku’s character has changed a lot in dubs. Back in Dragon Ball Z, the English dub made Goku more heroic and “Superman-like,” which was already different from how he was originally written in the manga. Now, DAIMA seems to be continuing that trend by tweaking his lines in subtle ways.

Of course, some fans think this is being blown out of proportion, but others feel like it’s another example of how dubs can change the meaning of a character, even with just a few words.

New episodes of Dragon Ball DAIMA are still coming out in English every week on Crunchyroll. The dub is currently on Episode 15, with Episode 16 dropping on April 25. The original Japanese version has already finished airing, so we’ll see if any more controversial changes pop up before the English dub wraps up in May.