Dragon Ball Z was my favourite growing up with television as my primary source of entertainment. I had no idea it was an anime at the time. And, like any other kid growing up in the 1990s, I was a huge fan of Goku.
Reasons?
Goku is a timeless hero because of his innocent sense of justice, his ability to resurrect from the dead, his constant levelling up in times of need, and his innocence as a character.
By yelling at the top of our lungs, my brother and I attempted to transform into Super Saiyans. Despite the fact that we didn’t transform into Super Saiyans, there was always this strong odour afterward. I’m not sure why.

Later in my adolescence, I was introduced to the world of anime, and I was enthralled to see so many characters other than Goku bearing the same brand of justice, friendship, and desire to become stronger.
Regardless of how many anime I watch, the kid in me refuses to believe that anyone can be stronger than Goku. But, let’s be honest, some characters are more powerful than Goku. It’s also a FACT.
So, without further ado, here is a list of 10 characters who can defeat Goku.

10. Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)
When a character declares himself unstoppable for the first time when confronting the King of the Curses, Sukuna, in the opening episode of an anime. You’re well aware that he’s on the verge of going nuts.
In terms of skill or power, there’s nothing about this man that suggests he can be defeated. Geto used deception to imprison him in the Prison Realm.
Satoru Gojo is the essence of infinite, without getting into specifics. He is untouchable thanks to the Six Eyes and the Limitless. He can never run out of cursed energy, and he can transform a minute in reality into a minute in his head, allowing him to plan his next move.
To be honest, I don’t think Goku can even come close to Gojo. During his struggle with Jogo, he proved how the existence of Infinity prevents Jogo from touching him. Gojo goes on to argue that Infinity is natural; it’s only that he makes it real. (Chapter 14 of the Jujutsu Kaisen Manga)
Gojo, on the other hand, may simply utilise his unlimited nothingness to capture Goku inside his domain and cut off his head, like Jogo did in Chapter 15.

9. Tenchi Masaki (Tenchi Muyo)
Tenchi Masaki is the universe’s very own creator. He is THE ONE AND ONLY GOD. He has forgotten his memories of being one, but he is the most powerful being in the universe in terms of sheer strength. His original deity form has the power to destroy the cosmos (Tenchi Muyo: OVA 3).
In compared to Tenchi Masaki, Goku pales in terms of sheer force. Even though Goku has mastered Ultra Instinct, he is far from being the universe’s strongest being. When he faces Tenchi Masaki, he will be looking forward to his loss.

8. Madoka Kaname (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
Goku’s might be dreaded by the Gods of Destruction, but to Madoka, he’s only a bother who can be dealt with in a matter of seconds. After all, she has the ability to remake not only the reality in which she lives, but all others as well (Puella Magi Madoka Magica Anime: Episode 8).
Power won’t help much if the universe’s existence is annihilated, and Goku isn’t equipped to deal with such an onslaught.
Goku has nowhere to hide from Madoka, the goddess of all magical strength.

7. Grand Zeno (Dragon Ball Super)
If you’ve seen Dragon Ball Super, you’ll know that Grand Zeno is a lovable character who is also the multiverse’s ultimate dictator.
He resembles a youngster wielding a machine gun. THE WORST NIGHTMARE EVER.
But don’t be fooled by his appearance. Zeno is deleting the existence of real planets with an innocent smile on his face, which appear to be marble at first. And all while having fun with them.
Grand Zeno’s strength is seen in the following sentence –
“Just in case you didn’t know…
If the Lord of Everything felt like it, he could wipe out a whole universe in the blink of an eye!” Beerus – (Dragon Ball Super Manga: Chapter 13)
I think that proves who the most powerful being in the Dragon Ball Universe is. He may be Goku’s worst opponent if it weren’t for his lighthearted and pleasant demeanour. He’s the Dragon Ball Universe’s Thanos, except instead of snapping his fingers, he’ll simply blink, and a whole universe will evaporate into thin air.

6. Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
Rimuru is incapable of regulating the flow of time, trapping someone in an other dimension, or absorbing one’s soul to warp time and space.
Goku is a speck of sand on a beach in front of Rimuru. Rimuru Tempest has the ability to effortlessly defeat Goku at any time. Rimuru is and will be the winner every time they square off, no matter how much Goku levels up.

5. Julius Novachrono (Black Clover)
Let’s give a standing ovation to our beloved Wizard King of Clover Kingdom, Julius Novachrono, among the Black Clover admirers. With the ability to fight a devil with his time magic, I don’t believe he’ll have a difficult time defeating Goku.
No matter how much Goku hits, Julius may either lock Goku in a time loop or utilise his stored time magic to heal himself as much as he wishes. During his fight with Patolli, for example, he heals his wounds by taking time from his opponent. (Chapter 143 of the Black Clover Manga)
Julius has the ability to regulate the passage of time. Julius employs Time Reversal Magic: Chrono Anastasis to pause and rewind time in order to save the citizens of the Clover Kingdom from Patolli’s onslaught. (Chapter 145 of the Black Clover Manga)
Goku may cause him some problems at first, but our strange Wizard King will finally triumph.
There’s a reason Yuki Tabata murdered him and forced him to resurrect as a teenager using his stored magic. Because he’s so powerful that he can condense a 20-chapter conflict into a three-chapter struggle. AN EXCELLENT DECISION.

4. Grand Priest (Dragon Ball Super)
Whis and all other angels are always in Ultra Instinct form, indicating that they are more powerful than the Gods of Destructions. Except for the fact that they can exist in space’s vacuum and move among universes in minutes, they are very powerful.
The Grand Priest’s power is seen in the following quotes —
“Goku, you have a keen eye. As far as I’m aware, the Grand Priest is the most powerful entity in the universe.” – Whistler (Dragon Ball Super Manga: Chapter 18)
“Let’s just say I don’t have a chance against him.” – Whistler (Dragon Ball Super Manga: Chapter 18)
And the Grand Priest is the biological father of five angels, one of them is Whis. Is it necessary for me to say it, or have you received your response loud and clear?
Goku is incapable of defeating Whis, much less the Grand Priest. Standing one on one with him for a few milliseconds is a dream come true.

3. Anos Voldigoad (The Misfit of Demon Academy)
Moving the moon with your bare fists to induce a solar eclipse, destroying a universe with your bare fists, transcending space-time, and travelling faster than the speed of light are all possibilities. This is only the physical prowess of Anos Voldigoad (The Misfit Of Demon Academy Web Novel: Arc 6, Chapter 18). You might call it the tip of the iceberg.
Because he is the Demon King, he possesses more magic than any other entity. With his magic, he can turn anything into a reality. Anos Voldigoad can effortlessly annihilate Goku without a second thought, from shattering a person’s psyche to taking possession of everything.
If you have any doubts about Anos’s strength, you are simply a prejudiced Goku fangirl.

2. Saitama (One Punch Man)
It’s difficult to talk about strength without mentioning Saitama – dubbed One Punch Man. With just one blow, the opponent is reduced to minced flesh.
While Goku is seeking for a tougher opponent in order to improve his strength, Saitama is looking for a way to have fun. That is how powerful he is.
When you see baldy, you can tell he’s tired of defeating his opponents with a single punch; all he wants is someone who can fight back after that one punch. However, it appears to be practically difficult (One Punch Man Anime: Episode 12).
Goku is powerful, with numerous degrees of transformations and Ultra Instinct, yet each form has its own set of limitations. When it comes to Saitama, on the other hand, he has no such limitations and may employ his full might at any time.
Finally, in a one-on-one battle with Saitama, our favourite Saiyan will be completely vanquished.

1. Eri (My Hero Academia)
You might be wondering why Eri is included on the list of characters capable of defeating Goku.
Though she has not yet mastered her quirk Rewind, she is capable of transforming someone’s body into a toddler or a condition prior to it. Aside from that, she has the ability to heal injuries and even make changes to her body.
We watch Eri’s father evaporate into thin air as he touches her, much like in My Hero Academia Manga Chapter 156. That demonstrates how risky it is to touch her.
If she masters them once, she can convert Goku into a baby in a moment, putting a stop to the match. Consider Goku as he sits with a pacifier in his mouth.