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LLSmoothJ (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#42001: Jul 18th 2016 at 10:25:27 PM

Eh, I'm pretty much used to Gohan's role as it is now. I mean, sucks that he's not more prominent, but what can you do?

Every time I see Gohan get shafted from Resurrection F to Super, I think to myself "Hey, it could be worse."

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#42002: Jul 18th 2016 at 10:28:46 PM

Much worse, he could be Satan Hercule.

edited 18th Jul '16 10:29:03 PM by randomness4

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
LOLypop1224 ...what am I even DOING here? Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Non-Canon
...what am I even DOING here?
#42003: Jul 19th 2016 at 12:52:43 AM

I mean, someone at Toei liked him enough to give him more screentime than he needed in RF. Plus, Heroes and merchandise and whatever. They definitely get money out of him. Or the versions of him that people like more than others.

In terms of the fandom, I think there's the people who really liked him at the Cell Games, but kind of didn't care for him anywhere else. Then there's the people who just find him annoying the whole way through and wish he didn't get so much screentime. And then there's people who genuinely like his character, and don't necessarily mind if he's strong or not, just as long he's still around.

The *Legendary* Super Saiyan is motivated by a crying infant! He is a literal giant f***ing baby!
PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#42004: Jul 19th 2016 at 12:58:32 AM

I like Gohan fine, I just like other characters more.

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#42005: Jul 19th 2016 at 1:07:02 AM

[up][up]One could apply for all 3 of those.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
Bolded1 Fate, guide me from behind you!!!!!!!! Since: Mar, 2015
Fate, guide me
#42007: Jul 19th 2016 at 5:48:34 AM

Hyper Frieza looks like a BDSM addict.

Nautolan picture belongs to Bonesmarinated on twitter
Saiga Since: Feb, 2011 Relationship Status: Getting away with murder
#42008: Jul 19th 2016 at 6:09:14 AM

@Soble I really appreciate the post you made on Gohan a few pages back, I largely agree on the points you made on why it's easy to be invested in Gohan.

And to respond to what you mentioned on popularity, Gohan was a very popular character during the manga's run and regularly placed in the top 5 of popularity polls. He even topped the polls around the time of the Cell Games where he was made the main character.

The internet doesn't reflect the majority fanbase for one, and there's a few other reasons there is a lot of dislike or negative comments directed toward him recently. For starters, due to the reasons you mentioned and it being incredibly obvious that he was, at one stage, being built up for something there has been a lot of expectations from fans of the character to see more of him. And the sheer volume of that, especially earlier on, really soured people on the character. Distaste for annoying fans of a character turns to distaste for the character itself.

And then there's people who just don't like Gohan for personal reasons, because every character is going to attract people who don't like them. And every type of fan, is going to have a vocal section.

Plus the fact that a big part of Gohan's story was being a successor means that if he were to keep to that role, it'd mean Goku's not longer the main character. It might also mean less screentime for other characters. So then the more vocal fans of those characters take issue with the idea, and may even take someone expressing an interest in Gohan as an insult to their preferred characters.

It's not like Gohan is universally hated or unpopular, but he is extremely divisive. This fanbase is large enough to be divisive about just about anything.

HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#42009: Jul 19th 2016 at 7:04:29 AM

[up]

Pretty much this. I think that can apply to a lot of characters with maybe a few exceptions.

None of this would have happened if Toriyama hadn't genuinely been trying to make Gohan the new lead, only to then decide Lol-nope!

Maybe if he tried doing some spin-offs that focused on other characters you know? Show their adventures during times when Goku wasn't around, or between time skips.

One Strip! One Strip!
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#42010: Jul 19th 2016 at 7:24:41 AM

Toriyama deciding to 'lolnope' isn't really that big a deal. It's that he actually managed to pull off the passing of the torch all the way through before lolnoping it. And it was done relatively well, certainly leagues better than others I've seen.

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
BlackYakuzu94 CHADhan Player. from Easy Coast/NY Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Longing for my OTP
CHADhan Player.
#42011: Jul 19th 2016 at 7:30:51 AM

Twice at that; first with Gohan, then Goten and Trunks.

A lazy millennial who's good at what he does.
randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#42012: Jul 19th 2016 at 7:46:04 AM

Except it didn't really happen with Goten and Trunks...almost, but not quite.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#42013: Jul 19th 2016 at 7:50:29 AM

Yep. Gohan actually had the torch passed to him and rose to the challenge. Goten and Trunks had the torch passed to them and f*cked it up.

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#42014: Jul 19th 2016 at 9:14:40 AM

This is true.

You could argue that made it worse. Like I said before, he invested in Gohan, made others invest in him, and then backtracked so hard that it left skid marks on the road.

I mean, when you think about it, while some good stuff came out of it (though some might disagree), it means that EVERYTHING he did with Gohan was a complete waste of time, since he ultimately decided to go back to Goku, and is now trying his hardest to nerf Gohan in order to keep him out of the spotlight.

I suppose the reason Gohan has now gotten weaker is because if he still had his power (even though Goku and Vegeta have now surpassed him with the God power) he'd still be expected to fight in the situations where they aren't around. By nerfing him (as frustrating as it is since again, they have surpassed him, and both Power Creep and the Sorting Algorithm of Evil ensure that all enemies will be on the level of Goku and Vegeta from now on) they can absolutely get the point across that he's no longer a fighter.

That's how I'm seeing it. Not liking it, but seeing it. I suppose this is just another topic we're going to end up talking ceaselessly about (and I admit most of the time, it will likely be my fault, so feel free to blame me now while you have the chance).

Note: The offer to blame Rob is only valid in the next two seconds after I have written this post. Failure to do so in that time will make it null and void.tongue

edited 19th Jul '16 9:15:01 AM by HandsomeRob

One Strip! One Strip!
randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#42015: Jul 19th 2016 at 9:23:33 AM

He didn't have to shoot Gohand with a nerf-gun, that was pretty much pointless since he's never even around that much.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
Shlugo_the_great King of Burgers from Far Far Away (On A Trope Odyssey) Relationship Status: Tsundere'ing
King of Burgers
#42016: Jul 19th 2016 at 10:12:42 AM

I agree with Rob; all the time spent on Gohan was a waste.

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#42017: Jul 19th 2016 at 10:30:04 AM

Gohan did have potential but he is not like his father and he really likes exercising his brain muscle as opposed to his biceps.

"Mai waifu."
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#42018: Jul 19th 2016 at 10:56:55 AM

Unfortunately, Gohan likes to exercise his brain for the same reason Goku likes exercising his body: Just for the hell of it.

Therefore, Gohan never actually goes and does something with his overpowered brain, and instead remains a hermit.

You could have invented Brute Force, Gohan! Look how much time you've wasted instead!

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
HandsomeRob Leader of the Holey Brotherhood from The land of broken records Since: Jan, 2015
Leader of the Holey Brotherhood
#42019: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:12:15 AM

I agree with Rob; all the time spent on Gohan was a waste.

Why do I get the feeling you aren't agreeing with me in the way I'd like?

So, since this is just gonna go into a snark at how much Gohan suck direction, is there anything else we want to talk about?

How about if Toriyama should consider doing some spin-offs with other characters? Give them a chance to do stuff outside of Goku's shadow (maybe chronicle some points during the time-skip).

One Strip! One Strip!
Arha Since: Jan, 2010
#42020: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:17:01 AM

I want a Puar based spinoff. I feel like he has a lot of untapped potential.

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#42021: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:18:53 AM

Something focused on Goten? And his double...uh? How it feels to live without son-father.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
Soble Since: Dec, 2013
#42022: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:20:59 AM

[up] (2) Cute. Actually, can't tell if that was sarcastic or not.

An Episode of Roshi showing the original battle against King Piccolo wouldn't be so bad.

edited 19th Jul '16 11:32:32 AM by Soble

I'M MR. MEESEEKS, LOOK AT ME!
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#42023: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:22:04 AM

[up][up][up]Rock Lee SD taught me that you can make a spinoff starring a character who's otherwise very minor, and it can still work.

Then Sasuke SD taught me that the Japanese are terrible.

edited 19th Jul '16 11:22:14 AM by IAmNotCreativeEnough

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari
Ssj3Gojira Arashi Shigehito from The Event Horizon Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Arashi Shigehito
#42024: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:24:11 AM

To be fair, Gohan losing that much power at all is bullshit; Battle of Gods took place four years after Kid Buu's demise yet Gohan still kept his Ultimate power and was even able to go Super Saiyan again, yet we're supposed to believe that another year, maybe a year and a half tops, is enough for Gohan to backpedal that much in power, despite him being fine after four years of inactivity? Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out he lost his Ultimate power in order to perform the Super Saiyan God ritual on Goku.

[up] Hey, Sasuke SD is great; it makes Suigetsu the straight man in this, so Sasuke is just as bad as everyone else. Doesn't help that the first chapter ends with him buying Ultimate Ninja Storm Revolution and losing to Suigetsu, and the second one with him going to see The Last with Hebi, and him being strangely invested in it.

edited 19th Jul '16 11:26:46 AM by Ssj3Gojira

Let's see if you can get past my Beelzemon. Mephiles, WARP SHINKA!
IAmNotCreativeEnough himitsu keisatsu from asa kara ban made omae o miru Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
himitsu keisatsu
#42025: Jul 19th 2016 at 11:25:38 AM

I would be okay with Gohan deliberately giving up his powerup so Goku can have SSJG instead. It's something he would actually do.

himitsu keisatsu seifu chokuzoku kokka hoanbu na no da himitsu keisatsu yami ni magireru supai katsudou torishimari

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