Gohan is the worst son in all of Dragon Ball's history, and Goku's inability to retire is proof

Gohan from the Dragon Ball series is a character who is beloved by many. However, one cannot deny that this character has plenty of flaws and netizens have pointed them out in various discourses that have taken place on the internet.

One of the most common discussions that take place is his role as a son in the animanga series, and how he has failed his father on numerous occasions. This might be a harsh statement, but there are certain facts and pieces of evidence that support the aforementioned statement.

One might even agree that Gohan is one of the worst sons in the series, and the biggest proof of that is Goku’s inability to retire. In order to understand the nuances of the abovementioned statement, we must take a look at a few events that transpired in the Dragon Ball Z series.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article solely belong to the writer.

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Reasons why Gohan is a candidate for the “worst son” in the Dragon Ball series

As a teen, I hated how whiny Kid Gohan was, but as an adult can help but feeling bad for him. Masako's childalike voice improvisation is Tier-Zeno🔥 byu/FlopManiSaarFan indbz

Before we dive into this topic, it is important to mention that most characters in the series have plenty of flaws, and Gohan is no exception. While his combat abilities and potential are great, he hasn’t been the best son that Goku could ask for. The Cell Saga was one of the most iconic story arcs of the series, and it concluded with the death of Goku.

At first, fans were quite sad to see Goku leave the planet, but it was the perfect setup for Gohan to become his successor. He had better potential than his father, and the stage was set for him to take on the role of Earth’s guardian. However, Gohan failed rather spectacularly and displayed his incompetence on various occasions.

Gohan had a ton of rage and potential in him which he failed to utilize. Had he done this, he could have been stronger than the likes of Goku. However, he didn’t have the same obsession for combat that his father had, and this could be one of the reasons that hampered his growth as a fighter. He was unable to contribute much during the Buu Saga, which upset a few fans.

Furthermore, the Dragon Ball series brought back Goku and since then he hasn’t retired. Circumstances are such that Gohan isn’t in a position to be Goku’s successor and take on the role of Earth’s guardian. In the Super series, some might even argue that his potential was wasted. This is due to the fact that Gohan ended up becoming a scholar and didn’t pursue combat the way his father did.

Gohan as seen in the Super series (Image via Toei Animation)

All of these points mentioned above contribute to Goku’s inability to retire, which is the ultimate piece of evidence that supports Gohan’s failure in the series. With that said, there is hope for both the character and the fanbase alike. Based on the direction in which the series is heading, fans can expect Gohan to correct the mistakes that he has committed in the past and explore his full potential.

The Beast Gohan transformation is incredibly powerful and Dragon Ball fans are slowly witnessing his latent potential emerge to the surface. It will be interesting to see if Gohan can become the son that Goku wanted, allowing the latter to retire once and for all.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2024 progresses.

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