DBZ Fans Missed The Meaning of Gohan’s Outfits & It Makes His Character So Much Better

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Gohan’s story is arguably even more compelling than Goku’s. From the beginning of Dragon Ball Z, his incredible potential is clear, and it’s inspiring to see him constantly break new ground as a Saiyan.

We often remember Gohan for his powerful transformations and wins in battle, but a crucial part of his growth is often missed. His different outfits and fighting uniforms actually represent the people who taught him, and how he used those lessons to become stronger.

Dragon Ball Passes the Torch Narratively Using Gohan’s Shifting Outfits

Dragon Ball is full of incredibly strong characters, and a key theme of the series is passing on their power and skills to the next generation of heroes. The Kamehameha is the most famous example, but many other abilities are also shared between Dragon Ball’s heroes.

Gohan is known for mastering techniques he learns from others, like the Kamehameha, Special Beam Cannon, and even Gotenks’ Galactic Donut. But what truly sets him apart is his ability to not just learn these moves, but to surpass his teachers, even mimicking their appearances at times. Given his talent for absorbing and improving upon different fighting styles, it’s fitting that Gohan also expresses this through his clothing choices.

Gohan often wears a martial arts uniform very similar to the one Goku trained in at Turtle School. Given how much Gohan has learned from his father, both in fighting and in life, it’s not surprising they look so alike. This makes their combined attacks, while wearing the same outfit, especially powerful and touching.

Besides Master Roshi, Piccolo has been a huge influence on Goku’s life, even sacrificing himself to protect his student! It’s so cool to see how much Gohan looks up to Piccolo – especially during the Cell Games, where Gohan wears clothes directly inspired by his mentor. The best part? Piccolo actually made that outfit for Gohan! It felt like a really powerful moment, like Gohan was finally stepping into his own and truly representing everything Piccolo taught him – a real graduation, if you will.

Gohan receives two significant outfits from others throughout Dragon Ball: the Saiyan armor he wears on Namek and the sacred Kai clothing he uses while training with Shin and Kibito. During the intense battles on Namek, Gohan taps into his rage and fighting spirit, seemingly embracing his Saiyan heritage. Giving him Vegeta’s Saiyan armor at this time is a fitting choice, as it visually represents this connection.

Gohan’s polite and quiet behavior on the Sacred World of the Kai is also shown through his formal clothing. When he returns to Earth, he stops wearing those clothes and switches to a martial arts uniform, similar to Goku’s. This change in appearance shows that Gohan has realized his potential and is prepared to protect the planet. He now wants to look like Earth’s heroes, not like someone connected to the gods.

The Great Saiyaman Outfit Celebrates Gohan’s Character Evolution

Gohan’s most memorable look is one he designs himself. Initially, it’s meant to hide who he is, but it quickly becomes a symbol of both his bravery and his playful personality.

As a teenager, Gohan adopts the persona of the Great Saiyaman, and later the Golden Warrior after achieving Super Saiyan form, to define his new purpose. He becomes a strong protector dedicated to helping people with everyday problems and fighting local crime, shifting his focus from world-ending threats and becoming a symbol of justice that brings peace of mind to the community.

The Great Saiyaman outfit wouldn’t be so remarkable if it were unique. But the idea of a hero hiding their identity and fighting for justice has been explored by others as well.

I noticed Videl created her own superhero costume, clearly inspired by Gohan’s Great Saiyaman look. It wasn’t long before Goten and Trunks jumped on the bandwagon, designing their own Saiyaman outfits – though they playfully claimed their inspiration came from a made-up hero called Cleangod. It’s clear Gohan’s desire to help people really rubbed off on those two, and they wanted to be heroes too!

Gohan Adopting His Mentor’s Outfit Is a Family Tradition Across Generations

I’ve always found it really touching how Gohan’s different outfits seem to represent the people who’ve meant the most to him. He really makes this concept work well. It feels like something he learned from watching his dad, Goku, though – a way of honoring those who helped him along the way.

Gohan noticed his father Goku’s gi wasn’t just clothing; it showed who taught him, changing with each new master. Gohan continues this tradition, and it seems his daughter, Pan, will do the same, passing it on to future generations. We’ve already seen clues suggesting she’ll keep the custom alive.

Given how much she’s trained with Piccolo, it’s possible Pan might eventually create an outfit inspired by his. She could also follow in her family’s footsteps and wear something like the Great Saiyaman costume. However, the most meaningful option would be for Pan to design her own unique martial arts outfit, drawing inspiration from the styles of Gohan, Piccolo, and Goku.

This practice of wearing a unique training outfit also seems to run in Gohan and Goku’s family. It’s likely their grandfather, Grandpa Gohan, wore a Turtle School gi at one time. If he’d had the chance to train with different masters, like his descendants, his outfit would probably have changed over time. It’s interesting to see how this tradition has become more noticeable with each generation and how it might develop further in future Dragon Ball stories.

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2026-02-03 06:46