Heartwarming / Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot

• The Gamescom 2019 trailer pays special attention to Goku's relationship with his son, Gohan, opening with the young boy stating his dream to be a scholar. Later, when Gohan is struggling to fight against a resurrected Perfect Cell following Goku's Heroic Sacrifice, Goku encourages Gohan to cut loose by reminding him of his dream to become a scholar. After years of Goku being portrayed memetically as an extreme case of a Bumbling Dad thanks to Dragon Ball Z Abridged, this genuinely moving portrayal of Goku as a father who wants what is best for his son is a breath of fresh air.
  • Unexpected, but in the Android saga where you play as Vegeta training with Trunks, he will encourage Trunks to tap into his Saiyan heritage, citing that Trunks has royal blood in his veins — Vegeta's blood and because of that, Vegeta expects no less than the best from Trunks. Sadly, Trunks shoots it down with "I'm not like you, Father."
• A moment that's not particularly focused on is Chi-Chi and Goku's picnic with Gohan during the nine days before the tournament, while we never see the picnic, Goku and Chi-chi reminisce about their nimbus cloud ride together, and expresses a desire to have something like that in a car ride, but more leisurely. While Goku doesn't care for the idea of a ride, it's when Chi-chi expresses a desire to have a moment again that he agrees to it, albeit after Gohan excuses himself from the moment.
• By collecting the Dragon Balls, you can revive previous major foes for a rematch battle. While some remain irredeemable and unwilling to change their ways, the game gives us hints of reformation for others. For example:
  • Dabura. The game follows the Anime's filler ending where Dabura ended up going to Heaven and reforming himself there, which results in him declining Goku's request to spar with him after he's been resurrected. It takes Goku offering him money (from Mister Satan) to do charity work afterwards to convince him, and while the fight that follows does bring back some of his bloodthirstiness, Dabura's quick to snap out of it and resume to his reformed behavior.
  • Kid Buu's resurrection. Because it's been such a short time, Buu's spirit hasn't been revived as Uub yet and returns to the world of the Kais upon the proposition of fighting Goku again. This being Kid Buu, he's not one for expressing himself in words but through the tone of his grunts, one can easily pick his excitement for fighting Goku again, as well as a hint of sorrow in his departure after the fight. Topping it all off is Goku's wishes for the reincarnated Buu to grow up nicely - so he can be as strong, if not more so, than before.
  • Raditz, though oddly enough by Piccolo's request instead of Goku's. The Namekian is quick to give Raditz a reality check, shooting down his idea of Vegeta being the one who revived him and berating him for resorting to excuses upon his defeat before inviting him to train with them for a future rematch - all in a tone not unlike his mentorship of Gohan, or how Goku once spared him after that fateful Tenkaichi Budoukai.
  • Speaking of Gohan, his kid self has two in the form of Nappa and the Ginyu Force. In the former's case, once Gohan proves himself superior in strength to Nappa, the Saiyan declares that he will comply and help Gohan in whatever he wishes - though with the caveat of wanting a rematch down the line. In the latter's, the group laments Ginyu's absence by being turned into a frog and offers Gohan a spot and some training should he overcome their trial - and much like in Dragon Ball Fighter Z, humorously lampshading how they've inspired their Great Saiyaman persona.
  • Vegeta revives the Cell Juniors, so he can get payback for the humiliating defeat he suffered during the Cell Games. After he beats all of them, one of the Cell Juniors gives Vegeta a couple of Super Healades as a sign of respect. This prompts Vegeta to keep them around for training uses.
• One of the post-game side stories allows Future Trunks to meet up with Android 17, who requests a sparring match to gauge how strong he's become and to actually congratulate him in stopping his evil counterpart in the other timeline.
• Trunks in the History of Trunks DLC gets to tell his timeline version's of Chi-Chi, Master Roshi and the others that he has defeated the Androids and avenged Gohan and the others.
• As he's dying from the Supernova in his original special, Bardock dies happy, knowing his son will one day challenge and defeat Frieza. The game takes it a step further, with Bardock seeing his son as a Super Saiyan.
• The "Goku's Next Journey" DLC is full of them:
  • Just about every interaction Goku has with Pan. She idolizes him and he always encourages her to be the best she can while they enjoy doing just about anything together.
  • The "A Day with Krillin's Family" side story has Marron has Android 18 why she married Krillin. Krillin provides that answer in 1. Noticing 18 lost her necklace, 2. Searching all over Gingertown for it, and 3. Getting it back from a pair of thieves. His statement of "I'm always thinking about my wife," when asked how he noticed she had lost the necklace in the first place satisfies Marron's inquiry.
  • One of the side stories has some hooligans kidnap Pan by luring her away with the promise of candy. Mr. Satan goes full Papa Wolf on them the moment he catches up to them (after Goku has already destroyed their battle robots).
  • The final side story has Bulla ask Goku for help with collecting the Dragon Balls so she can have her wish granted: To give her dad something that will make him smile. It works.