Son-Goku is training in Dragon Ball continuously to become the strongest fighter in the galaxies. However, there was an episode where he had a totally normal job. Nevertheless, he saved some lives in it.
What episode is that? The 10-minute special episode titled “Goku’s Fire Brigade” was released on June 8, 1988, in Japan. Unfortunately, the episode never made it to Europe, which is probably why very few of you have seen it.
In this episode, Son-Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, and Muten Roshi become firefighters. Son-Goku is seen here as a child and still has his tail, which has not grown back over time.
It was not part of the regular anime but a special episode designed to teach small children how to properly handle fire hazards.
You can watch the episode in the following YouTube video from The Visual Media Archive:
Son-Goku becomes a life-saving firefighter
What happens in the episode? The video shows several dangerous everyday situations where a fire occurs. Son-Goku, Muten Roshi, and the others face multiple fires and teach the viewers how they can prevent the fire:
- Some children want to start a fireworks display. Meanwhile, Son-Goku is training in the park and notices that one of the rockets lands in the trash can. The trash ignites, but Son-Goku puts out the fire with a bucket of water.
- Several fire hazards are shown, including a fire on the stove, an iron, a cigarette, and an open gas valve.
- Bulma also becomes a victim of a fire. She is taking care of her kitten and forgets that she leaves oil next to the gas stove. Due to an earthquake, which occurs more frequently in Japan, the oil spills onto the fire, and Son-Goku has to rescue Bulma and her kitten from the apartment.
In the end, each of the situations resolves well. Son-Goku and the firefighting team manage to extinguish all fires and rescue the affected people safely. The emergency services’ number is also provided at the end so that viewers know whom to call in case of an emergency.
The anime for Dragon Ball continues with Daima:
Is the episode official? The creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama, has never clarified whether the episode is an official part of the story and where it can be placed.
However, the mangaka was involved in the script. From the characters appearing and Bulma’s hairstyle, which changes several times throughout the anime, we also know that the episode could have taken place before the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.
Even if the episode may not be part of the official story, it would fit well into it.
Son-Goku is now an adult and even has a grandchild. This raises the question of who could step into his shoes and also save numerous lives: Son-Goku’s heir is neither Gohan nor Goten: Another character could be the future of Dragon Ball
