The Weekly ☆ Character Showcase is an article series where we introduce one character from the Dragon Ball universe each week. This time, we're meeting a Saiyan matriarch without whom there'd be no Goku at all: Gine!

Story

Gine is the mother of Kakarot, or Goku as we know him on Earth, and the wife of Bardock.
Long ago, she lived on the home planet of the Saiyan race, Planet Vegeta.
Although Bardock was absent on a mission at the time of Goku's birth, he was actually the one who gave him his Saiyan name.
Gine seemed to fall in love with the name instantly, as she cuddled her son in the Incubator and said, "Grow up big and strong!"

("Dragon Ball Super" Chapter 77)

When the truth came out that Frieza was going to destroy Planet Vegeta, Gine and Bardock resolved to evacuate their son off the doomed planet.
They loaded him into a Space Pod and bid him a teary-eyed farewell as he blasted off into space.

("Dragon Ball Super" Chapter 81)

("Dragon Ball Super" Chapter 84)

First Appearance

"Dragon Ball Super" Chapter 77

Bardock (Husband)
Raditz (Eldest Son)
Kakarot (Second Son)

Trivia

Gine can hold down the fort alone!

Since Bardock was rarely around the house, Gine was left to take care of young Raditz and baby Kakarot by herself—not that it was any problem for this tough Saiyaness!

("Dragon Ball Super" Chapter 84)

And while a caring mother and wife, it seems that Gine never had a problem with putting Bardock in his place, such as when he returned home after months away on a mission completely unaware that he had a newborn son waiting for him!

("Dragon Ball Super" Chapter 77)

→Preview: Next week's character is one of the Saiyan race's few remaining survivors!

*All comic images are from the Japanese version.