It is the single most debated question in the modern anime community, a battle that has fueled countless forum threads and YouTube videos: Could Saitama from One-Punch Man actually defeat Goku from Dragon Ball? To answer this, we can't just compare power levels; we have to analyze what each character fundamentally represents.
The Case for Goku: The Limit Breaker
Goku is the quintessential shonen protagonist whose entire existence is about growth and surpassing limits. His power is quantifiable. We've seen him train, struggle, and break through to new levels of strength, from Super Saiyan to Ultra Instinct. His feats are legendary: he can destroy planets, move faster than light, and fight deities. His body has a "limit" that he is constantly breaking. In a traditional power-scaling debate, Goku's list of concrete, universe-shaking accomplishments gives him a powerful argument. He is the definition of earned strength.
The Case for Saitama: The Narrative Absolute
Saitama, on the other hand, is not a traditional shonen protagonist; he is a satire of one. His backstory of "100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10km run every day" is intentionally ridiculous. His power isn't meant to be quantified; it's a narrative gag, an absolute truth within his universe. The entire premise of One-Punch Man is that he is so strong, the story's tension comes from his boredom, not his battles. He doesn't have a limit to break. Narratively, he *is* the limit. His power isn't a level to be reached; it's a fundamental rule of his story.
The Verdict: A Clash of Narrative Purpose
Ultimately, a fight between Goku and Saitama is a clash of two different storytelling philosophies. If you bring Saitama into the world of Dragon Ball, a universe built on power levels and breaking limits, Goku's endless potential would likely allow him to eventually match or surpass Saitama. His entire character is designed to rise to any challenge.
However, if you bring Goku into the world of One-Punch Man, a universe built on satire, Saitama would win. Why? Because that's the joke. The narrative purpose of Saitama is to be the anticlimactic end to any power-scaling argument. The story would demand that after Goku powers up through five different forms, Saitama would simply punch him, and it would be over. That is the punchline, and Saitama is the living embodiment of it.
So who wins? It depends on whose story you're telling. In a battle of feats, it's a never-ending debate. In a battle of narrative intent, the guy whose entire point is to win in one punch... wins in one punch.