Dragon Ball fandom split as some fans prove Gohan's character is still beyond their understanding

Modified Jun 28, 2024 05:54 GMT

Dragon Ball fans can't still accept Gohan's nature as a character (Image via Toei Animation).

Dragon Ball has a lot of popular characters but very few are as misunderstood as Gohan, even to this very day, in the franchise. Despite being shown time and time again as someone who doesn't have an inherent passion for fighting, there are a lot of fans who would love to see him with the same drive as his father Goku, and Vegeta, which has been an endless debate in the fandom.

There are a lot of fans who blame his mother Chi-Chi for the character's stagnation as a fighter in Dragon Ball, saying that she was forcing him to study against his will. That last part is certainly a misunderstanding of the situation, and a recent debate on X further exemplified how the character is divisive to people even today after so many years.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Explaining how Dragon Ball fans still misunderstand Gohan's character

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Even to this day in the franchise, there is a clear desire in a significant portion of the fanbase for Gohan to be a much more naturally-inclined fighter like Goku or Vegeta. This is shown time and time again on most platforms online, with people saying they would love to see him with the same desire for training and fighting, instead of the path he chose as a scholar.

While is fine for fans to be critical of a series and even suggest a different direction for the plot in the spirit of good fun, it is also fairly clear that author Akira Toriyama never aimed for Gohan to be like Goku and Vegeta.

He is half-human too, which plays a factor in his wanting a normal life with his family, especially considering how he has been fighting since he was four years old and has seen a lot of tragic events.

There is also resentment toward his mother Chi-Chi for trying to keep him studying and at home instead of training when, in reality, she is just being a caring parent. Any parent would want their child to be safe and have a good education, so that criticism seems highly misplaced when giving context to the situation.

Reactions online

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There was a recent discussion on X regarding Gohan's characterization over the years and how the current Super iteration has the balance he always wanted, with a job as a scholar, a loving family, and still being a powerful fighter in his own right. Therefore, this generated a debate about how he should be portrayed and what is best for his character.

It is important to point out that not every character in the series is as obsessed with training and fighting as Goku and Vegeta, which is part of the reason why they are always so ahead of the rest in terms of power levels. There is also the fact that Gohan never trained out of passion but rather out of necessity, which is another reason why this idea he should be like them feels a lot more misguided.

"ya, those pics are fire but i wouldnt change gohan," someone said.

"Gohan just never had the same drive to be a fighter like Goku. He only trained and fought because he needed to or others needed him to," another person said.

"The problem is a lot of people don't actually like Gohan. They have an idea of what they want Gohan to be, but bro is just a big nerd living his best life, and maybe that just isn't for you," someone else said.

Kid Gohan with Chi-Chi in the Dragon Ball Z anime (Image via Toei Animation)

It is also worth pointing out that a lot of fans think that Gohan peaked when he turned Super Saiyan 2 against Cell, which is still regarded as one of the best moments in Dragon Ball and anime history. And while there is much to love about that moment, Gohan was never a character defined for wanting to fight but rather having to fight, which is a major difference from his father, Goku.

"I like a balanced Gohan, he's closer to a classic Western Super Hero where he has to juggle being Earth's Defender with also keeping up with his studies. He was never going to be an enthusiast for fighting like Goku or Vegeta, but he should still hold his own in a fight," someone said.

"Some fans just refuse to let go of Cell Games Gohan. They just want him to stay THAT way forever," another person said.

Gohan's character is very likely to remain one of the most divisive in the entire Dragon Ball franchise. However, that doesn't stop him from also being one of the most popular and beloved as well.

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Edited by Ahana Mukhopadhyay