Voiced by: Soichiro Hoshi (Japanese), and Greg Ayres (English, first series only). Though often referred to as a Demon, and rarely so as a god, Goku, is really neither. From his illustrious roots in the Classic novel "Journey to the West" by Wu Cheng'en, to his downsized, but nonetheless unforgettable characterization in Minekura's Saiyuki, Goku, has always been a study in contradiction. He was born of rock of primordial chaos, and is nearly indestructible. His Demon kai form, known as Seitan Tensei (or "Great Sage, Equal to Heaven"), is revealed when his golden diadem is removed or broken. In homage to his origin as the Monkey King, he is at turns child-like and ingenious, often at the same time. He is also apparently immortal: in this anime/manga series he is imprisoned for 500 years without food or water, and somehow survives. Perhaps this is why he often complains of being hungry. Aside from his well-known appetite, Goku loves to fight and is nearly undefeated in combat. His primary weapon is a long staff, called nyoi-bou, (nyoi-bu) in Japanese, which can be shortened or lengthened at will or turned into a three sectional staff (nyoi-sansekkon).