Gine is none other than the mother of Son Goku, the hero of Dragon Ball. Appearing in 2014's Dragon Ball Super, the character remains a closely guarded secret. From her place in Toriyama's work to her role in the series and the extended universe, here's a look back at 8 facts you (maybe) didn't know about Gine the Son Goku.
#10 Gine's appearance put an end to a 24-year-old theory (Canon and Fan Theory)
For 30 years, the identity of Son Goku's mother remained a mystery, giving way to Fan theories. One of the most popular was that Selipa (or Fasha, depending on the version) was the only Saiyan in Bardack's squad, Bardack's wife, and the mother of Goku and Raditz. Selipa's appearance in the 1990 TV movie Dragon Ball Z: The Father of Goku made her an ideal candidate, especially since her design was later reused by Akira Toriyama to inspire Videl, who would become Gohan's wife. However, in 2014, Toriyama finally revealed Gine, a gentle and pacifist Saiyan, as Goku's true mother. Introduced in an interview and illustrated in Dragon Ball Minus, Gine finally put an end to the speculation. Unlike Selipa, she did not fight and shared a more affectionate relationship with Bardack, a rare occurrence among Saiyans. Thus, a 24-year-old theory was shattered in just a few panels. Naturally, Western fans, especially French ones, thought Gine was referring to eggplant. However, this is purely coincidental: his name is actually an anagram of negi, the Japanese word for spring onion, a vegetable related to green onion.
#8 Gine has something in common with Vegeta's brother (canon)
The manga suggests that, like many Saiyans known from lore, Gine was first part of a squad of warriors sent to the four corners of the universe to conquer planets. Coming from the lower class, she belonged to the same caste as characters like Goku, Bardock, Thales and Tarble, Vegeta's hidden brother. Moreover like Tarble, Gine is considered a lower-class Saiyan, since in addition to limited power, she is also perceived as overly sensitive and having a soft heart, which is seen as a weakness in the eyes of the Saiyans.
While, for a time, it seemed established that lower-class warriors all shared a similar appearance (Goku, Bardock and Thales are identical), this idea was quickly abandoned. Indeed, Bardock's sidekicks all had different designs. Gine, on the other hand, obviously looks nothing like her husband or her youngest son. Her unique appearance shows that physical diversity existed even among lower-class Saiyans, thus breaking an implicit rule of character design in the Dragon Ball universe.
#7 Gine is a retiree (canon)
Gine was part of Bardock's squad. However, her gentle nature and lack of combat skills made her a liability on the battlefield, regularly requiring Bardock to save her. Their romance blossomed during this time, but it also survived Gine's forced retirement, becoming one of the few stay-at-home mothers among the Saiyans. Unlike other members of her people, she was gentle and loving toward her children. Her story was confirmed in the extended universe, notably in the game Dragon Ball Fusions, where she demonstrates sufficient fighting ability to survive in a Space-Time Rift, but significantly inferior to that of Bardock or even Goku as a child.
#6 Gine met her granddaughter (extended universe)
The video game Dragon Ball Fusions is presented above all as a spin-off of the saga. Here, we follow two new heroes, Tekka and Pinich, who, after a poorly formulated wish, find themselves stuck in a universe where all Characters from all eras and parallel worlds gather for a gigantic martial arts tournament. In this world where almost anything is possible, the heroes meet Pan (Gohan's daughter) and a child version of Goku, with whom they form a team. During their adventure, one of the space-time rifts opens in front of them, releasing a spaceship piloted by Gine.
Gine then finds herself face to face with her son Goku, but also with her great-granddaughter, Pan. Aware that the universe she finds herself in is the result of an anomaly, she makes the difficult choice not to reveal to Goku that she is his mother. However, since Saiyans have strong animal instincts, Goku realizes that he recognizes Gine's scent without being able to explain it. With the desire to protect her son, she decides for a time to join the team of heroes. However, when she sees her son giving a beating to a band of demons, she understands what a great Saiyan he will become and lets him continue his adventure without her.
#5 It's thanks to Gine that Goku was able to become a Super Saiyan (canon)
During an interview for the Japanese magazine Saikyo Jump, Akira Toriyama revealed the existence of "S-Cells," microscopic elements present in the bodies of Saiyans, which play a crucial role in their ability to transform into a Super Saiyan. S-Cells are directly linked to a Saiyan's nature. Those with a gentler soul, like Gine, accumulate more S-Cells. This is how Gine, despite her peaceful nature and unusual background, inherited many S-Cells, which she passed on to her children, especially Goku.
Goku's genetic heritage made it easier for him to become a Super Saiyan, because his body was already rich in these cells. It's also important to note that the Expanded Universe considers Raditz, as Goku's brother, to have also benefited from this legacy. This is hinted at in some video games and spin-offs where Raditz can also transform into a Super Saiyan. Obviously, Star Wars fans will have, of course, noticed the resemblance between the Saiyans' S-Cells and the Jedi's controversial "midi-chlorians." And while Toriyama has often expressed that he isn't a particular fan of the Star Wars storyline, it seems unlikely that the resemblance between these two concepts is purely coincidental.
While Bardack has never been shown to pay special attention to his eldest son Raditz, Gine admires his tenacity and his role within the Saiyan elite. Despite the harshness of their people, her maternal love remains intact. Thus, unlike Bardack, who even seemed distant with Raditz, Gine feels genuine pride in her eldest son. Although incapable of being a brutal and ruthless Saiyan, she is pleased that Raditz is strong enough to be classified as a middle-class warrior. The fact that he was assigned to the same troop as Prince Vegeta is, for her, a source of satisfaction, proof that her son has risen above his status as a low-class Saiyan.
#3 Gine embraces her animal side (canon)
Unlike most Saiyans, who hide their monkey tails by wrapping them around their waists like a belt, Gine ignores this custom. Indeed, since the appearance of the Saiyans in Dragon Ball, the warriors of this population have often been shown trying to hide their tails, a vestige of their animal side. However, Gine, for her part, never seems to try to camouflage hers. In her rare canonical appearances, as in the video games, her tail hangs freely, even in the middle of combat. While it is unknown if she followed tradition during her time in the Saiyan Army, it is not unlikely to think that this highlights her uniqueness and more peaceful relationship with her Saiyan nature.
#2 Gine Merged with a Demon (Expanded Universe)
Dragon Ball Fusions is one of the very first games to exploit the character of Gine and takes the opportunity to multiply her adventures. So, after the first encounter between the heroes and Goku's mother (which we talked about just before), Gine returns in a new story arc of the game entitled: Saiyan Saga: Fantastic Fusions. In this story, the team of heroes, led by the young Tekka, meets the demon and sister of Dabra, Towa. Surprisingly, Towa joins their team, curious to learn more about the power of the Saiyans. Towa then asks Tekka and his team to find a pure Saiyan with whom she can fuse, which would allow her to experience this power for herself in fused form.
Tekka's team then sets out to find Gine, who is still stuck in the same universe as them. Upon discovering that Gine is much weaker than the other Saiyans, Towa ultimately decides not to fuse with her. However, although they do not fuse in the main story, the player can still decide to fuse Towa and Gine thanks to a new fusion process created by Bulma, called EX-Fusion (which we discuss in more detail here). This fusion between the Saiyan and the demon is called Towane. This character inherits Gine's Saiyan tail and, therefore, normally, her natural ability to transform into a Great Ape. However, the game doesn't allow any opportunity to achieve this metamorphosis.
#1 Akira Toriyama planned to expand Gine's family (canon)
In recent years, the Dragon Ball universe has undergone considerable expansion, marked by the introduction of new Saiyan characters. However, shortly before his death, Akira Toriyama had suggested in an interview that Goku's family might be larger than previously thought. He had raised the possibility that Bardock had siblings, although he himself was probably not interested in them. This statement fit perfectly with a recent trend of expanding Saiyan lore, notably with the canonization of Broly and Tarble (Vegeta's brother). Toriyama thus seemed ready to delve deeper into Goku's origins and give Gine a brother-in-law or sister-in-law.
And if you liked this article and want to know more about the Saiyan universe, you can also discover our files on SSJ4, Son Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Trunks, Goten, Super Broly, but also Future Trunks, Pan, Bra and Tarble or even the cruel Raditz, Nappa, Broly (Z version), Thales, Cumber, and King Vegeta.
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