Gohan is the son of Goku and Chi-Chi, named after the grandfather who raised his dad. His mother wants him to study and become a scholar, and he doesn't like fighting anyway. But the boy carries a hidden power that surfaces when he gets angry, and the Earth will need it more than once.
At 4, Gohan is kidnapped by Raditz. In a burst of rage he headbutts his uncle, giving Goku the chance to grab him. After his father dies, Piccolo takes the boy and leaves him alone in the wild for six months before training him.
When the Saiyans arrive, Piccolo dies shielding Gohan from Nappa's attack. In the fight against Vegeta, Gohan turns into a giant ape and falls on the prince.
Gohan travels with Bulma and Krillin to Namek to find other Dragon Balls and revive their friends. The Grand Elder unlocks his hidden potential, and the boy faces the Ginyu Force alongside Krillin and Vegeta.
With Dende, he summons the dragon Porunga and brings Piccolo back. Facing Frieza, he loses control in a rage and throws everything at the villain.
In the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Gohan becomes a Super Saiyan alongside his father. At the Cell Games, Goku gives up and names him the only one who can win, but the boy doesn't want to hurt anyone.
Only when Cell crushes Android 16, who had asked Gohan to fight for what he loves, does he snap and become a Super Saiyan 2. Goku dies saving the Earth, and Gohan, one arm injured, beats Cell with a Kamehameha, his father beside him in spirit.
Seven years later, Gohan attends high school in Satan City and hides his strength from classmates. To fight crime without being recognized, he wears a suit made by Bulma and becomes the Great Saiyaman.
Videl, Mr. Satan's daughter, figures out his secret and blackmails him: teach her to fly and enter the 25th Tournament, or she tells everyone. At home, Gohan trains his little brother Goten, who goes Super Saiyan like it's a game.
At the tournament, Babidi's minions steal Gohan's energy to awaken Majin Buu. On the Kais' world he tries to wield the legendary Z Sword and breaks it. Out comes Old Kai, who spends a long ritual unlocking all of the young man's hidden power.
Gohan returns to Earth stronger than ever, no transformation needed, and overpowers Majin Buu until the monster finds another way out.
Years later, Gohan is a researcher and father to Pan, who trains with Piccolo. When the new Red Ribbon Army kidnaps the girl, Piccolo drags Gohan into the fight, and he takes on the androids Gamma 1 and Gamma 2.
In the end, the Red Ribbon unleashes Cell Max. Seeing Piccolo fall while protecting Pan, Gohan reaches a new form with gray hair and red eyes, Beast, and defeats the monster.
Gohan means cooked rice or meal in Japanese, in line with Toriyama's food jokes. He debuted in the manga in October 1988. After Cell, Toriyama considered making him the new lead but dropped the idea. In Japan, Masako Nozawa, Goku's voice, also plays Gohan; she only learned she had the role on recording day, when she got the script.
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