How did Goku get the heart virus in Dragon Ball? theories explained (2023)

TheDragon BallSaga has gifted anime fans with countless exciting fights, unique characters and iconic heroes - of which Goku has to be the most notorious. While there are many mysteries surrounding Goku's past and fate, his death from illness has sparked numerous theories and debates - and countless fans are wondering how Goku contracted the heart virusDragon Ball.

It is believed that Goku developed the heart virus because he lived in inhabited forests as a child or brought the virus back from planet Yardrat or Namek (in which case he would be patient zero). It's also possible that Dr. Gero created the contagious heart virus to kill Goku, infecting others in the process, leading to the outbreak of the future timeline. However, the exact cause has never been confirmedDragon Ball.

While there's no official evidence that Goku contracted the heart virus any specific way, possible explanations and theories have been put together by dedicated fans. Stay close for everything you need to know about Goku's heart disease, as well as possible theories that point to how Goku got the heart virusDragon Ball.

Goku's heart disease

The heart disease that Goku suffered from was only depicted after he contracted the disease and described alongside the symptoms. This disease does not have a specific name in the Dragon Ball universe, only the name "Heart Virus" - characterized by malaise and fatigue.

According to the records and images provided by theDragonball-Wiki, the heart virus infected by Goku was nothing special — indeed, Future Trunks sharedDragonball Charactersthat countless people in the future timeline had succumbed to the same heart virus. This included Future Goku, who contracted the virus before there was a cure.

Goku dies of heart diseaseis possibly one of the most "awkward" paths he could take in the Dragon Ball universe, as that type of death cannot be wished back as it is a "natural" cause of death. In addition, senzu beans (often used to heal or helpdie Dragon Ball Saiyajinswith various weaknesses and ailments) are useless against the heart virus - they cannot cure or even slow down the disease.

Even pure-blood Saiyans are helpless to the Heart Virus, especially considering that turning into a Super Saiyan (or any otherLevel above Super Saiyan) accelerates the harmful effects of the virus. The virus will overwhelm a Saiyan's boosted immune system if given enough time, eventually resulting in the death of the individual unless given the specific heart medicine in time to cure them.

Luckily, Future Trunks traveled back in time to meet today's Goku (essentiallyDragon Ball-FranchiseTimeline) the antidote for the heart virus. Despite being in the past, Trunks alters the future in various ways, similar to many other timesthe dragonball story, to the point where it is unknown if anyone found a cure or if anyone other than Goku suffered from the virus in the main timeline.

While the exact cause of contracting the virus is never directly stated, Piccolo does show suspicion that the virus is contagious. He advises Yamcha to take some medicine after taking Goku back to his house, after which Goku recovers about 10 days later.

How did Goku get the heart virus in Dragon Ball?

The Dragon Ball saga definitely pointed out how deadly and dangerous the heart virus is, and Goku is known to have been at least one of the very first humans to contract the disease. But there was no mention of how Goku, who might even have been patient zero, contracted the heart virus or how it might have been transmitted to others on Earth.

However, that hasn't stopped fans from being endlessly curious, especially considering how many ways Goku could have commissioned something "otherworldly." Below are some of the most believed theories about how Goku contracted the heart virus in the main Dragon Ball timeline.

1. Goku got the heart virus from inhabited forests

The first theory stems from Goku's adventurous but equally dangerous upbringing as he didn't have an ordinary childhood. In fact, until he was 12, Goku had never seen a human other than his foster father, Gohan - after whom he would later name his first son.

Goku lived a life similar to Tarzan as a child, swinging through trees and befriending wild animals. Such areas often harbor alien bacteria and viruses, much like civilization harbors pathogens deadly to wildlife. Maybe these are fine for animals, but there's no telling what might happen if they enter a human's (or a Saiyan's) body.

This theory doesn't have much ground, especially considering that Goku would have had this virus dormant for ages. But considering that shooting Super Saiyan makes the virus worse, it's possible it mayGoku surpasses new levels of strengthled to what is known as the heart virus in Dragon Ball.

2. Goku got the heart virus from the planet Yardrat

Goku explores different regions and alien planets throughout the story of Dragon Ball. But one particular planet he visited is Planet Yardrat, a new planet existing millions of light years from Earth with an ecosystem vastly different from anything a Saiyan has encountered.

It's entirely possible that the heart virus actually originated from the planet Yardrat, although no one else who visited Yardrat developed infected with the virus or developed similar symptoms. If that were the case then Goku was either really unlucky or he was somewhere on Yardrat that none of the other Z fighters had visited at the time.

Check out the video belowCBRto learn more about factors that may have influenced the heart virus and why many fans believe in the Planet Yardat theory:

3. Goku got the heart virus from Namek

Another theory is that Goku contracted the heart virus on Namek, although this theory doesn't have many supporters. There were many others with him at the time, including other Saiyans who did not get the virus.

Similar to Planet Yardrat's case, Goku may have simply been in a place others weren't (and Vegeta and Saiyan soldiers may have received inoculations against alien diseases). However, even from this perspective, there are still many gaps in the theory.

4. Dr. Gero invented the heart virus

One of the theories with significantly more support is that Dr. Gero was the one behind the heart virus. dr Gero is known for some seriously sick and twisted science experiments, especially considering what Dr. Gero made with Android 17 and Android 18.

dr Gero absolutely hates Goku, the main motive for many of his dark deeds, and this mad scientist is undeniably intelligent - topped with the means to make such a thing possible. When confronted with his more sophisticated creations, for someone like Dr. Gero seem relatively easy to create a deadly virus.

One possible theory is that Dr. Gero used mechanical flies to track down Goku and infect him, or maybe through some other method. But this theory would explain why so many people were infected with the heart virus - to the point where civilization focused on finding a cure in the Future Trunks timeline.

Goku hasn't let heart disease get in the way of the entire Dragon Ball storyline -Goku has surpassed the power of a godin some aspects, defeating countless villains in the process. But the exact cause behind Goku's heart disease remains a mystery to this day, and fans are still speculating and theorizing numerous possibilities.