Piccolo Jr. Saga, vols. 14–17

Goku reaches the lookout of Kami, Earth's guardian and creator of the Dragon Balls, who restores Shenron. With the dragon back, the friends Piccolo killed are revived. Goku spends three years training with Kami and Mr. Popo. At the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament he reappears as a grown man. He fights a girl who turns out to be Chi-Chi, the Ox-King's daughter, whom he once promised to marry without knowing what it meant, and proposes on the spot. Also entered is Piccolo Jr., the Demon King's reincarnation, bent on revenge. Kami joins the tournament in a human's body to seal him away, and fails. In the final, Goku beats Piccolo Jr. but spares him, since killing him would kill Kami too. Goku leaves with Chi-Chi on the Nimbus.

1. Behind the scenesThe editor's biggest crisis

   Torishima opposed letting Goku grow up and called it his biggest crisis on the series. Readers took to the grown-up Goku who shows up in this arc.

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2. SetupMr. Popo's test

   In chapter 163, Goku reaches Kami's lookout and has to beat Mr. Popo to earn an audience. Popo dodges everything and calls Goku weak.

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3. Behind the scenesThe good half

   Kami is the good half of a split: the old guardian purged his evil energy, and King Piccolo was born from it. That's why their fates are tied together.

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