In Dragon Ball Super, despite Gohan's past achievements in Dragon Ball Z, his character has notably faded from the spotlight. This trend is evident in the latest chapter where Beerus, a key character, doesn't recognize him. However, in the upcoming film, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan, the half-Saiyan, undergoes a transformation into "Gohan Beast," marking a significant development for his character. This transformation is seen as a crucial step in Gohan's potential redemption, a point highlighted in the manga's latest installment.
Beerus' remark from chapter 101 of Dragon Ball Super highlights how the series has overlooked the growth of the half-Saiyan warrior, Gohan, until recently.
The Dragon Ball Super manga acknowledges that the franchise mishandled Gohan, finally redeeming him in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Beerus' comment in chapter #101 of the manga confirms that Gohan failed to impress the God of Destruction, at least until he unlocked his new Beast Form.
In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan's Beast Form is triggered by his rage at Piccolo's apparent death. He then uses this transformation to defeat Cell Max and reunite with Pan, who he believed was kidnapped. While the film doesn’t explain the power-up, it’s later implied that the Beast Form is only attainable due to his human heritage.
Akira Toriyama has stated that Gohan Beast is the hero's unique transformation, a result of his many awakenings as a child. However, before this latest power-up, Gohan failed to stand out, as Beerus admits in chapter #101 of Dragon Ball Super.
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Gohan Beast Is The Hero's Strongest Transformation So Far
In the early days of the Dragon Ball series, Gohan was set up as a successor to his father, Goku. The half-Saiyan played a major role in Dragon Ball Z, undergoing intense training and fighting powerful enemies, such as Perfect Cell. However, his achievements were undermined in Dragon Ball Super, where he was cast aside in favor of Goku and Vegeta. Despite having fought cosmic-level threats, Gohan's skills and instincts became rusty, and he was easily defeated by mediocre fighters. It’s only when his daughter is threatened that he returns to his warrior roots and achieves a new form.
Beerus' comment about not remembering Goku having a son is more than a small moment of levity. Pointing out that Gohan never left an impression on him, despite fighting in the Tournament of Power, is the series' way of admitting that Gohan's potential had been wasted until now. It’s time for Gohan to shine again, potentially stronger than even Goku and Vegeta, as the latter remarks in the same scene.
As a brilliant fighter who quickly achieved the Super Saiyan 2 form, Gohan’s lack of development in Dragon Ball Super was disappointing. While the series has tried to redeem him with the Beast Form, the new story arc needs to build on that premise and not forget about Gohan again. This new transformation is an excellent way for Gohan to rediscover his true potential and remind fans of what he is capable of.
The Dragon Ball Super manga is available from MANGA Plus and Viz Media. The anime is available on Crunchyroll.
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