One of the biggest missed opportunities of Dragon Ball Daima was never involving Gohan, and the producer behind it all explained that he just barely missed out from popping up at least once in the anime. Dragon Ball Daima takes place shortly after the events of the Majin Buu arc, and had sent Goku on a whole new adventure through the Demon Realm together with the Supreme Kai. Kicking things off with a wish that turns everyone into “Mini” versions of themselves, fans got to see many of the classic characters get special childlike designs for the occasion. It wasn’t everyone, however.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Gohan was mysteriously absent from the entirety of Dragon Ball Daima (alongside an also missing Videl), and it was even more of a missed opportunity considering how the franchise was also using the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama’s manga debuting with Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. But as revealed by Dragon Ball Daima producer Akio Iyoku (as spotted by @Venixys on X), it turns out there was a Gohan Mini design crafted for the anime that just ended up never getting used in the show.
Gohan Almost Appeared in Dragon Ball Daima
As explained by Iyoku, “We had the sensei draw him, just in case” when it came to a potential appearance from Gohan Mini. Although the design never got used in the series, looking back Iyoku and the other creative staff noted how it would have been a good idea to at least include him in one of the eye catches. But as of what we got from the anime series, Gohan was just absent entirely. Which ended up being one of its biggest mistakes overall.
Because although fans were introduced to plenty of fun new characters in the Demon Realm, and the Supreme Kai taking such a central role offered a new dynamic with Goku, missing out on this potential Gohan adventure is kind of a slap to the face to the Dragon Ball franchise overall. It might have been a story crafted by Akira Toriyama himself, but it completely overlooks the fact that a young Gohan was such an integral part of 75% of Dragon Ball Z‘s story. It wasn’t just Goku that fans loved to see in action.
Gohan Is a Key Part of Dragon Ball’s Success
Gohan might not have been added to the Dragon Ball series until very late in its run within the entire scope of the manga, but he’s a part of some of the most memorable scenes in Dragon Ball Z‘s history. A young Gohan had essentially become the new main character as even Goku realized that Gohan would ultimately be the one strong enough to save the Earth someday. And when this finally happened, it kicked off a whole new era of the franchise.
Gohan had taken a backseat when Goku returned to the main stage of the Majin Buu arc, so on the outside it’s easy to see why he wasn’t even fully considered to play a part in Dragon Ball Daima. Although he had just returned to his peak power at that point, we saw how he went back to his more relaxed ways later with Dragon Ball Super. It’s a shame that Gohan had been treated this way, but it does make some sense in the grand scheme. It also would have meant two young Goku types for this new anime, and that’s probably a more practical reason behind that absence.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in theย ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image via THQ Nordic -
image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
