Dragon Ballfans have long been frustrated with Gohan’s character, wishing he was more of a battle maniac like his father Goku. But Gohan’s fate was always going to be different from his father, and his first appearances proved it.
Many fans are aware that at one point, Akira Toriyama had intended to have Gohan take over as the main protagonist ofDragon Ballafter Goku. And indeed, he becomes the primary viewpoint character early into theZera, after Goku is killed while fighting Raditz. Toriyama had difficulty casting Gohan in the role of the main hero, however, and ultimately decided against it, leaving the protagonist as Goku. This becomes mostapparent inDragon Ball Super, especiallySuper Hero,where Gohan has grown to be a scholar, and performs academic research rather than fighting.
Gohan Always Wanted to Be a Scholar
Gohan’s Ambition Was Spelled Out From Day One
Many fans put the blame for Gohan’s abandonment of his martial arts practice onhis mother, Chi Chi,who often pushed Goku to let the boy study and attend school. In their eyes, Gohan’s potential as a fighter was squandered by Chi Chi, forcing him into a traditional job where he could make a living, unlike Goku. However, this ignores some important elements of Gohan’s character that were present from the very beginning.
In chapter 3 ofDragon Ball Z, or 197 of the Japanese release, Gohan is featured on the cover page of the chapter. In this cover page, Gohan states,“My name is Son Gohan. When I grow up, I want to be a great scholar.“This is effectively fans' first introduction to Gohan, and his goal is already laid out very clearly. Granted, this is before Gohan has done any fighting at all, but fighting and martial arts don’t seem to have changed anything about Gohan’s interests or personality. Gohan always fights because he has to, not because he wants to, like Goku.
Gohan is More Like Vegeta Than You Realize, And We Know How to Prove It
Gohan takes after Vegeta more so than his father Goku in one key way, and that commonality has proven to be a fatal flaw for both Saiyans.
This is further evident by his later behavior. As soon as there stops being threats, for example, Gohan is quick to let his training fall by the wayside, such as during the period between the Cell Saga and Buu Saga. It happens again with the birth of his daughter, Pan, as his focus changes to raising her. Even as recently asSuper Hero, fans see Gohan working and studying at his day job, which is indeed academic in nature, and not training, to Piccolo’s chagrin. Gohan will be the hero if he has to be, but that’s not what he wants for himself, or for his family.
Gohan Can, and Should, Do Both
Gohan Doesn’t Have to Choose Between Academics and Martial Arts
Now, given Gohan’s stated goal of becoming a scholar, one might think that decides the situation, but that doesn’t have to be the case.While it wouldn’t necessarily be easy, Gohan could do both, training regularly with Piccolo or his father while still working on his academic pursuits. It’s clear that Gohan does enjoy martial arts on some level, and occasionally has been taken by the Saiyan spirit of pride in strength. He surely wouldn’t want to give it up entirely, andSuper Heroproved why that’s a bad idea.
With Goku and Vegeta so often off-world, training with Beerus and Whis, problems could crop up,like Cell Max, leaving the Earth minimally guarded. Whether he likes it or not, the responsibility of protecting his family, and the rest of the world, falls to Gohan’s shoulders in such situations. Piccolo has a point: Gohan has to be ready for whatever threat might arise next, because there absolutely will be another threat, sooner or later. Gohan must find a way to balance his two lives, if only for Pan’s sake.
It’s a great thing that Gohan has been able to achieve his dream of becoming a scholar, in spite of all the difficulties he’s had to face in his life. Fans should be happy for him, and it’s a good reminder that there’s more to life than just fighting, even inDragon Ball’s world. There’s also the reality of the world they live in, however, and Gohan must stay prepared if he’s to protect the Earth and his family. Striking a perfect balance between these two factors is no cakewalk, but as they say, with great power comes great responsibility, and Gohan has that power.
Gohan has always wanted the scholarly life, independent of Chi Chi pushing him away from fighting. He’s achieved his goal, which is fantastic, butDragon Ballwill always find a way for him to fight again, meaning he’ll never escape entirely. Gohan must balance his scholarly career with training, so that he’s always ready for what comes next.
