character VERSUS character VERSUS another character VERSUS your mother

[Lumenskir]

We could take out Herc and substitute Stitch, who's also strong but with a clearly defined limit.

[Specterbane]

Subbing in Stitch, I'd give it to Beast or Aladin. One for Strength, the other for agility. I think if the brackets went together right they'd be the final. But in a Battle Royal it'd be hard to call who'd end up facing who. I like that we're all agreed that John Smith is screwed though.

How about this one for having someone to actually beat Goku though:
Bleach's Aizen vs DBZ's Goku. Both at potential max

I'm going with Aizen because he's mastered every single style of fighting in soul society and all of the hollows worship and fear him for his power (not unlike BM in the underworld really, but that's an aside). And Goku being Goku, there's no way he WOULDN'T fall into Aizen's illusion traps, and from there's he's totally screwed. So not only is Aizen smarter then Goku, he's actually powerful enough to hurt him.

And if I've made that seem unfair, sub in Yusuke at his max from Yu Yu Hakusho (post Demon turny) for Aizen in a brawling match (no flight, but yes to spirit power)

[Melfice]

I hate to do this, but there is no max for Goku.

I don't really know Aizen, but Goku gets beaten to (near-)death.
Then he returns, we get a season worth of training on Goku's side (Gohan cracks a shot at Aizen in the meantime) and arrives just in time to save Gohan.

Goku levels up to Super Saiyan just-enough-to-beat-Aizen and goes home to father yet another child JUST before he leaves for another fight in which he is killed AGAIN.

[Mondt]

Goku would revive, be 10x stronger than before, then win.

You can't match Goku vs other people. It doesn't work. The more Goku dies, the stronger he gets.

Not to mention that he's a walking deus ex machina.

Stupid european ninjas!

[BitVyper]

Not to mention that, last time I checked, no one in Bleach can travel across the universe in the blink of an eye and blow up planets fifty times over as a light warm up.

Edit: Also Goku has beaten illusion traps before. At least twice. He's also psychic.

[Specterbane]

Crap, I have forgotten a lot about DBZ. Most importantly the fact that it's the Soap Opera of Anime, no one dies for good, they just kinda go train to beat who ever killed them. Still my goal is to find someone is fiction books, movies, anime, or ANYTHING who could beat Goku. I guess we may have to leave it at un impossible task though.

But to open a different vein, how about Gordon Freeman (with half-life 2 ammo stipulations, this means no infinite pistol rounds) vs the hordes of infected from Left 4 Dead. Gordon's welcome to have the crowbar, but the gravity gun might be just a little unfair.

[Regulus Tera]

Originally Posted by BitVyper

How about Ippo vs Little Mac? In a boxing match, of course.

Ippo, this is not even a contest. He's the goddamn Batman of anime. The moment it gets announced he's going to get a fight he will start preparing like crazy. Little Mac may be nimble, but here we are putting him against someone who always goes against the odds and prepares to take on his opponents before the match has even started.

[russianreversal]

Ok, Kirin from O-Parts Hunter vs Master Roshi. No starting weapons, but the setting is in a long ruined town, so lots of debris and cover.

[Corel]

It's a shame Little Mac's stats are never revealed: The little guy has fought in weight divisions ranging from Fly Weight all the way up to Super Heavy weight - That's five divisions above Takamura, whereas Ippo seems to hang around the Featherweight division which is the range Little Mac fights his beginning opponents in the games.

[BitVyper]

Little Mac may be nimble, but here we are putting him against someone who always goes against the odds

Dude, Little Mac fights and beats people who are literally three to four times his size. We're talking ten foot tall behemoths, here. I think THIS counts as going against the odds too. He's also fought a guy who could gorram teleport around the ring, and people with other supernatural powers. If anyone's a match for Ippo, it's gonna be him.

Still my goal is to find someone is fiction books, movies, anime, or ANYTHING who could beat Goku.

Tenchi's been getting pretty twinked out lately. He doesn't really have the control just yet, but Z could probably do it.

I'd also totally bet on his original, Sun Wukong, being able to do it. Because Wukong is just that damn badass.

Most importantly the fact that it's the Soap Opera of Anime

No more so than any other shonen anime. You have to remember the source material too. Heaven and hell are pretty accessible to the big time heroes of Chinese myth. Hell, Tripitaka had to be told that he'd been killed, because it was such a minor occurrence that he didn't realise it.

Edit: Oh, and Ideon operating at full, universe ending potential vs Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.