Characters are listed in order of appearance.
Son Goku
Son Goku is the hero of the story, and the hero of the Dragon Ball series overall. When we first meet him at the start of Dragon Ball, he is just a young boy, living in the cottage of his late adoptive grandfather. Living in the middle of nowhere, with little to no contact with anyone from the outside world, Goku has his world turned upside down when Bulma nearly runs him over. He never even met a woman before he met Bulma. Since he doesn't wish to part with his prized possession, a ball made of crystal left to him by his grandfather, he agrees to help Bulma search for the other balls of it's kind, known as Dragon Balls. Son Goku is incredibly strong despite his size and young age. As a result, he's nearly fearless of any obstacle that is put in his way. However, he does know when he is in danger, and he takes responsibility for the safety of those who accompany him.
Bulma
Bulma is the person responsible for interrupting Son Goku's mundane life and dragging him around the world in search of the incredible Dragon Balls. Bulma has a very spunky, tomboyish, temperamental personality. She is quite spoiled and vain, is known for her extreme intellect, and is a genius inventor. Bulma is portrayed as the daughter of the family who owns Capsule Corporation. She'll do whatever it takes to get what she wants and she won't let anything stand in her way, not mountains, not monsters, not even pride. Bulma is capable of developing a number of gadgets and technologies that can assist her with the search for the Dragon Balls. When her radar leads her to Goku's place, she is in for a shock when she meets this strange young boy with incredible strength, a monkey's tail, and nearly no knowledge of the civilized world outside of his home. She is unable to convince Goku to part with his Dragon Ball, which he claims as a prized possession handed down to him by his grandfather, but she does convince him to accompany her to look for the remaining balls that she is missing. Bulma figures that the child's immense strength and bravery will prove incredibly useful to her quest.
Umigame
Umigame is Master Roshi's friend and long-time companion. He is a good-natured lovable sea turtle that lives in the Kame House with the elderly hermit. When Son Goku and Bulma find him, he was in the wilderness, alone and lost. He was picking mushrooms when he got separated from his friends and had since been wandering around on land for over a year. Goku kindly takes on the task of returning him to the ocean, which he is very grateful for. It is Umigame who introduces Master Roshi to Bulma and Son Goku. Umigame does not care much for Master Roshi's perverse interests, enjoying honest interests himself.
Master Roshi
Master Roshi, also known as Muten Roshi and Kame Sennin, is an extraordinary fighter, capable of amazing feats of strength beyond his advanced age. The "Turtle Hermit" is an ancient and wise martial arts master and the first character to wield the trademark Kame Hame Ha. Though he seems frail, he is a mighty warrior. Muten Roshi trained Son Goku's grandpa, Son Goku, Kuririn, and Yamucha. His home, Kame House, a shack on a small isolated island, serves as a gathering place for the Z Fighters and friends. He is bald, with a thick fu man chu and a thick mustache. Muten Roshi wears beach clothes or a martial arts suit and a turtle shell on his back. He usually wields a walking stick. His companions are usually Oolong, Umigame and Lunch.