In spite of Dragon ball‘S Goku world famous, the series was originally supposed to continue long after his death. After Goku’s death, the series creator originally planned for Gohan takes on the role of the main character of Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball’s Cell Games arc saw a bio-mechanical android named Cell set up a tournament to test his strength against Earth’s greatest warriors. After Cell defeated Vegeta, Goku easily realized that Cell was the better fighter. Goku then volunteers his teenage son Gohan to be Cell’s next fighter, shocking everyone. Although Gohan is very strong, his innate good nature and desire to be a pacifist prevent him from fighting to the best of his ability. In the end, Goku sacrifices himself to save Earth from Cell, and Gohan becomes the only warrior capable of matching Cell. Gohan saved the world, and although Goku remained dead for a while, he eventually came back to life. However, that wasn’t always the plan.
Gohan intends to replace Goku as a hero
In the 1995 Dragon Ball guidebook titled Daizenshuu, series creator Akira Toriyama said: “I was going to put Gohan in the main role… It didn’t work out. I felt that compared to Goku, he was ultimately not suitable for the role.” part.” While this was clearly not the path the series took by the time it returned to Dragon Ball Z’s Majin Buu arc, looking back at Cell Games, Toriyama’s original plan becomes clear.
Cell is one of the few major villains in Dragon Ball not directly defeated by Goku. Going even further, Goku himself makes it clear that he cannot defeat Cell and that the only person who can is Gohan. Goku even goes as far as saying that he wouldn’t want to come back to life after dying. Realizing that many of the threats he and his friends faced only came to Earth because of him, Goku chose death. More than just another possible outcome, the series’ focus on Goku ends up undoing much of the character development that made for Cell Games Dragon Ball’s best storyline.
All of the potential that was at the heart of Gohan’s battle with Cell was left unexplored when Gohan became an adult. Additionally, Goku admitting that his son is stronger than him is an incredibly powerful moment. Seeing Goku go from being obsessed with power to being able to admit that his son is stronger is solid character development, as is his acceptance and acceptance of death. However, instead of following that, the series will see Goku develop increasingly powerful forms.
Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero Finally gave main character status to Gohan
Despite the feeling that Gohan would not make a good protagonist, Gohan was chosen (along with Piccolo) as the main character for the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film and its corresponding manga. The film’s story highlights the differences between Gohan and Goku as protagonists, with the safety of his daughter Pan being Gohan’s primary concern, rather than a desire for power or a simple need. Simply save the world. The film’s success seems to prove that Gohan truly has what it takes to be the main hero. Maybe Dragon ball it would be better if Akira Toriyama was determined and let Goku Really pass the torch on Gohan as originally intended.
