Aside from Goku himself, one could argue that the third most important character in the Dragon Ball franchise (behind Bulma) is Goku's son, Gohan. First introduced as a young tyke, readers and viewers would follow Gohan from kid to adult (much like they did with his father, Goku).

Seeing that Gohan is a fan-favorite character in the franchise, some may be wondering how much Gohan changes over the course of the franchise. The reality is that while there are some changes, Gohan doesn't change as much as people may think. Let's discuss why.

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Who is Gohan?

Gohan is a character from the Dragon Ball series (specifically the Dragon Ball Z of the anime). He is the eldest son of Goku and Chi-Chi and is introduced as a young child in the series. Gohan possesses immense potential as a fighter due to his Saiyan heritage, but initially lacks the desire for combat that defines his father, Goku (though two reasons for this may be because he's three and a half and his mother doesn't want him to train).

Some Fun Facts You (Probably) Didn't Know About Gohan?

As with most characters created by Akira Toriyama, there are some fun facts that are less known about Gohan to Dragon Ball fans:

1. Hidden Potential: Gohan possesses an incredible latent power, often referred to as his "hidden potential." This power tends to surface in moments of intense emotion or crisis, allowing him to achieve remarkable feats in battle.
2. First Hybrid Saiyan: Gohan is the first hybrid Saiyan introduced in the Dragon Ball series, being the son of Goku (a Saiyan) and Chi-Chi (a human). His mixed heritage grants him unique abilities and potential.
3. Saiyan Namesake: Gohan's name is a pun on the Japanese word for "meal" or "rice." This is consistent with the Saiyan naming tradition, which involves food-related names for many characters.

While there are more fun facts we could share, we'll discuss them later in this article, so continue reading!

What Was His Role in the Saiyan Saga?

In the Saiyan Saga of Dragon Ball Z, Gohan plays a significant role despite despite him not really doing that much at the end of the day. When the Saiyan warriors, Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta, arrive on Earth with intentions of conquest, Gohan finds himself thrust into the midst of the conflict (along with everyone else). Despite this unexpected burden, Gohan's role in the Saiyan Saga primarily revolves around his relationship with his father, Goku, and Piccolo, the Namikan who ends up training him while Goku is dead.

During the battle against Raditz, Gohan's hidden power manifests when he becomes enraged at seeing his father hurt. This outburst allows him to break free from Raditz's grip and deliver a powerful blow to the Saiyan invader, ultimately aiding in his defeat. After Goku's sacrifice to defeat Raditz, Gohan is taken under Piccolo's wing for training in preparation for the arrival of the more powerful Saiyans, Nappa and Vegeta. Under Piccolo's tutelage, Gohan undergoes rigorous training to harness his potential and develop his combat skills.

While his combat abilities are not developed enough to fully support the other Z fighters in the fight with Vegeta and Nappa, a near death experience pushes Piccolo to sacrifice his life to save the young boy, surprising everyone at how much the Namekian has come to care for the child. This does, however, mean that the Dragon Balls on Earth disappeared with Piccolo's death, and when it is decided to go to the Namekian Planet to make a wish on the Namekian Dragon Balls to bring everyone back to life. It is during this journey that will set Gohan on a path similar to his father's.

Was Gohan Created to Replace Goku?

No, contrary to belief, Gohan was not created to replace Goku (not even after the Cell Saga). In the Dragon Ball series, Gohan is introduced as Goku's son, and he plays a unique and significant role in the story. While Gohan does assume a more prominent role during certain arcs, particularly in Dragon Ball Z portion of the story, he does not replace Goku outright.

Instead, Gohan's character development is portrayed as a natural progression within the narrative. He represents the next generation of warriors in the Dragon Ball universe and brings his own set of strengths, challenges, and experiences to the story. That said, there was a conscious decision on Toriyama and the editors' part to always ensure that there is at least one kid who is playing an active role in the Dragon Ball storylines (which would explain the introduction of Goten, Trunks, and Pan in later story arcs).

Where Did His Journey Take Him?

Following the defeat of Frieza (which Gohan had very little to do with), Gohan returns to Earth to continue his studies while maintaining his martial arts training. As the Android Saga and Cell Saga unfold, Gohan's potential as a warrior becomes increasingly obvious. He undergoes intense training with Goku and Piccolo, culminating in his transformation into a Super Saiyan 2 during the Cell Saga's climax.

Post-Cell Saga, Gohan adopts the persona of the Great Saiyaman during the Buu Saga, becomes the town's local superhero on the side (while he continues to pursue his academic studies). Despite not being as central to the conflict as in the Cell Saga, Gohan still contributes to the battles against Majin Buu's minions in the first half of the arc. Gohan is largely absent from Dragon Ball GT, however, fans would discover where his life took him in Dragon Ball: Super.

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Where is He Now?

While many fans may have assumed that Gohan would go on to pursue martial arts like his father, the reality is that Gohan was never very interested in fighting. He got involved in conflicts out of necessity, but he always preferred studying and reading books as opposed to trying to make himself stronger. In the most recent movie, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero we find out that Gohan has a job at a university, studying bugs for the academy (much to Piccolo's annoyance, who feels Gohan is losing touch with his fighting spirit and has taken over training his daughter - Pan - himself).

With recent films and the anime refocusing on Goku, Vegetta, and now Brolly, there is no telling how many more world conflicts Gohan will be involved in. If called to help save the world, there is little doubt he will help as much as he can. Overall though, something tells us he is more happy reading and spending quality time with his family (unlike Goku, who literally abandons his family at the end of the franchise to train a pupil).

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Dragon Ball is a franchise by Akira Toriyama which follows the adventures of Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the earth with his group of friends. A recent title from the series is Dragon Ball: The Breakers, an action style game where 7 players have to survive being hunted by the Raider.