Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has become one of the most renowned Shonen series and has set the bar high for other series of the same genre. The series has been entertaining fans for four decades. With multiple additions to the series, several films, video games, and a protagonist who is arguably one of the most recognized fictional faces around the world.
Over the years, Son-Goku has been the star of the show, being featured in a ton of epic battles and showcasing jaw-dropping transformations, including the one where he transformed into a Super Saiyan 1 for the very first time.
However, in the Cell Arc, Toriyama-Sensei thought it was time to pass the torch to Son-Gohan, making him the new main character of the show. Well, the way the saga ended, fans thought Kakarot’s eldest son was fit for the role, but then the mangaka felt that he made the wrong call.
Akira Toriyama Went Back On His Word To Make Son-Gohan The New Protagonist of Dragon Ball
Over the years, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has given the spotlight to almost all of his characters. From Piccolo to Vegeta, everyone has had their moment in the Shonen Series. However, one of the most iconic character moments is still remembered as if it had happened yesterday.
This is none other than the Cell Games Saga, where Son-Gohan transformed into an SSJ2 for the very first time, exhibiting his latent ability. The immense display of strength surprised not only the Z fighters but also the viewers as well.
The massive display of strength, where he obliterated Perfect Cell with a devastating Kamehameha wave, was seen as passing the baton, and everyone had approved of it. However, after the saga ended, fans were surprised because the mangaka went back on his word.
During one of the old interviews with Akira Toriyama via Kanzenshuu, he was asked about why he decided not to put Gohan “into the leading role?” The mangaka acknowledged the question and stated that he had initially planned to do so, but it “didn’t work out” for one key reason. He said,
I intended to put Gohan into the leading role. It didn’t work out. I felt that compared to Goku, he was ultimately not suited for the part.
It sounds extremely surprising because the Z-Fighter was not only strong but also had a massive fan following. Hence, fans were immensely disappointed when he was showcased as a mere superhero under his alias, The Great Saiyaman.
Dragon Ball Fans Still Cherish The Cell Games Saga For Gohan
Toriyama-Sensei’s magnum opus featured Son-Gohan as a shy kid who would often hide behind his father. However, as the series continued to progress, it compelled the child to fight and get stronger. Naturally, Piccolo decided to train him and often felt that his pupil had a much higher potential than what he was showcasing.
This dormant strength was awakened during the Cell Games, when every Z-Fighter, including Goku, lost against Perfect Cell. The fate of the universe rested on Gohan’s shoulders. Though he was initially hesitant to fight Cell, as the arc progressed, he did something unimaginable.
Cell decided to use Cell Juniors to target the defeated participants. After a brief talk with a dying Android 16, Gohan did something unimaginable. He decided to stop holding his emotions and became so furious that he unlocked his hidden strength, transforming into an SSJ2 for the very first time.
It was one of the coldest moments of the show, where he not only defeated the Cell Juniors but also defeated Perfect without dropping a sweat, including a punch to the gut that made him throw up Android 18 and transform back to his 2nd form.
Though this was the biggest moment for Gohan in the entire series, it looks like Toriyama-Sensei struggled to find a better storyline featuring him as the lead character in the show. Hence, he decided to keep Kakarot as the protagonist of his much-loved series.
Dragon Ball Z can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
