Quick Links
Warning: Contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Daima episode #1.Dragon Ballstories tend to be very selective about which characters will be involved in the plot, andDragon Ball Daimais no exception. While most of the principal characters have been featured in the first few episodes, based on what little is known about the series, Vegeta, Bulma, Piccolo, and Shin will be the only returning characters after Goku to have a significant role in the story, going forward.
Once again, most ofDragon Ball’s cast is unlikely to have much to do with a new story, including Gohan. Gohan having little involvement in the plot is nothing new at this point, as starting fromDragon Ball Super, the Tournament of Power andDragon Ball Super: Super Herowere the only stories to feature Gohan in a major role, butDragon Ball Daimaremoves Gohan from the plot to a degree never-before seen in aDragon Ballstory. There is some justification for Gohan’s absence, but hopefully, there will still be something for him to do inDaima.
What Happened To Gohan In Dragon Ball Daima?
Gohan’s Absence From Dragon Ball Daima Explained
Dragon Ball Daimaepisode #1opened with most ofDragon Ball’s principal cast gathered for Trunks’ birthday party, although Gohan was notably absent from the celebrations. When questioned about it, Goku said thatGohan was absent because he was busy studying, and that was the last time he was mentioned in the story, so far. Gohan being busy with studying was also the excuse for why he couldn’t fight in the Tournament of Destroyers, so it seems to beDragon Ball’s go-to excuse to write Gohan out of the plot.
Another explanation for Gohan’s absence could involve Videl, who’s also conspicuously absent fromDragon Ball Daima. There isn’t an exact timeframe for Gohan and Videl’s relationship, with one of the only concrete elements known being that they were married byDragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, soGohan’s absence fromDragon Ball Daimacould also be because he and Videl are on their honeymoon. Goku didn’t say as much, but he’s infamously bad at keeping track of his friends and family’s personal lives, so it wouldn’t be out of character if Goku simply forgot Gohan got married.
Gohan Could Still Have A Part To Play In Dragon Ball Daima
How Gohan Might Appear In Dragon Ball Daima
Gohan’s absence fromDragon Ball Daimaseems simple, but there might be more to it. It’s one thing for Gohan not to be around because he’s studying, but when that excuse was used in the Universe 6 saga, Gohan at least made a few appearances so people could see his reactions to everything. By comparison, it’s incredibly odd for Gohan to not so much as appear inDragon Ball Daimaoutside of flashbacks, soGohan’s complete absence fromDragon Ball Daimacould be setting up a secret role for him to play in the story.
While the story will focus primarily on Goku’s travels through the Demon Realm to save Dende and put everyone’s bodies back to normal, another threat might arrive on Earth to take advantage of how weak everyone’s become, and since Gohan will be the strongest person left on Earth,Gohan might have to protect Earth from an additional threat while Goku is in the Demon Realm. That kind of story structure would be a first forDragon Ball, but it would be an easy way of giving Gohan something to do, so it would be great to see.
Why Gohan’s Absence From Dragon Ball Daima Makes Sense
A Perfect Answer For Gohan’s Disappearance
While there are ways for Gohan to have a part inDragon Ball Daima, at the same time, it’s easy enough to assume that he won’t appear, as well. Gohan’s absence from the first episode and general marketing is odd enough to warrant the idea of there being something to it, but at the same time, it might be that the people in charge simply didn’t feel like including him when they knew he wouldn’t be in the show. Because of that,there might not be anything to Gohan’s absence fromDragon Ball Daima, as disappointing as that might be.
Gohan’s absence fromDragon Ball Daimaalso makes sense from how he’s been treated since the original manga. While Gohan was originally meant to take over asDragon Ball’s protagonist, something the early parts of the Buu saga did commit to, at some point, Akira Toriyama decided thatGohan wasn’t fit to be the protagonist, thus forcing Goku to be the hero again in the climax of the arc.Gohan’s lack of relevance over the years stems from Akira Toriyama deciding he didn’t work as a protagonist, andDragon Ball Daimais the latest example of that.
That sort of treatment of Gohan can also be seen as recently as2022’sDragon Ball Super: Super Hero. According toDragon Ballproducer Akio Ikoyu,Gohan was only given a role inDragon Ball Super: Super Herobecause Akio Ikoyu begged Akira Toriyama to put him in the story; Piccolo was originally the sole main character, and even in the finished product, he gets far more focus and development than Gohan. Akira Toriyama lost interest in Gohan a long time ago, and his absence fromDragon Ball Daimacould simply be a continuation of that.
Does Dragon Ball Daima Need Gohan To Make Its Story Work?
Dragon Ball Daima Doesn’t Even Need Gohan
Gohan’s presence inDragon Ball Daimais still up in the air, with things leaning toward him not appearing, but that invites the question of whether he needs to appear. Unlike Goku, Gohan has never been an adventurous character, instead always preferring the mundanity of everyday life, which is why he always ends up losing power from neglecting his training. As such, withDragon Ball Daimabeing a return toDragon Ball’s roots as an adventure story,Gohan wouldn’t be the kind of character who could add much toDragon Ball Daima, which is likely the reason for his absence.
In a meta sense, Gohan also doesn’t need to appear thanks to other recent developments in the franchise.Dragon Ball Super: Super Heroand theDragon Ball Supermangahave already put in the work for Gohan to be a more consistent player in the story thanks to his Beast form, so with that in mind,Dragon Ball Daimadoesn’t need Gohan becauseDragon Ballis already doing something with his character. Of course, it would still be great for Gohan to appear inDragon Ball Daima, but for now, it’s unclear if anything like that is on the table.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Cast
Dragon Ball Daima sees Goku and his allies inexplicably shrunk into miniature forms, prompting a journey to the Demon Realm. This animated adventure, part of the Dragon Ball franchise, explores their mission to solve the mystery and restore their original statures. Released in October 2024.
