2026-03-16 23:12
I know this is a hot take. I know Toriyama himself said he tried it and it didn't work. But hear me out.
<strong>The Setup Was Perfect:</strong>
The entire Cell Saga was building toward ONE thing: Gohan surpassing Goku. Every moment — Goku training Gohan in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Goku forfeiting his fight with Cell, the SSJ2 transformation — was designed to pass the torch. And it WORKED. That moment is arguably the peak of Dragon Ball Z.
<strong>What Went Wrong:</strong>
Toriyama has said that Gohan "wasn't suited" to be the main character because he's a scholar, not a fighter. But that's exactly what made him interesting! A reluctant hero with the most potential in the universe, torn between his peaceful nature and his Saiyan blood? That's a MORE compelling protagonist than "Goku wants to fight strong guys again."
<strong>The Beast Problem:</strong>
Fast forward to Dragon Ball Super and Super Hero — Gohan gets Beast Form, which matches Ultra Instinct despite him barely training. This is either:
- A) Validation that Gohan's potential was always meant to surpass everyone
- B) Lazy writing that undermines the "training = power" theme
Goku and Vegeta spent YEARS training with gods, suffered through divine trials, and earned every power-up. Gohan took a break, studied for his PhD, and then powered up because he got angry. It's the same pattern from the Cell Saga, except now it feels unearned.
<strong>How I Would've Done It:</strong>
After Cell, Gohan becomes Earth's protector. He STILL studies, but also trains because he knows threats will come. The Buu Saga works better with a protagonist who has to balance normal life with saving the world — basically what Spider-Man does. Goku returns as a mentor figure, not the main character again.
Am I crazy? Or did the series peak with Cell Saga Gohan and never recover that storytelling quality?