Grandpa Gohan

Grandpa Son Gohan (孫悟飯じいさん Son Gohan Jīsan) was a skilled martial artist and Master Roshi's top student. He is known as the adoptive grandfather of Goku, whom he found and raised. Gohan named Goku and significantly influenced his kind-hearted nature, laying the foundation for Goku's heroism.

Before the events of Dragon Ball, Gohan was tragically killed by Goku, who transformed into a Great Ape and rampaged unknowingly. He eventually reappears in the Fortuneteller Baba Saga as "The Mysterious Fifth Man," briefly reuniting with Goku. In anime filler, Grandpa Gohan is seen as an attendant and bodyguard to Annin at the Furnace of Eight Divisions. His legacy endures, as Goku named his son, Gohan, in his honor.

Names	Grandpa Son Gohan (孫悟飯じいさん Son Gohan Jīsan), Tendor the Great (Harmony Gold dub)
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Occupation	Martial Artist
Origin	Dragon Ball Chapter 103: "The Power of Goku"(孫そん悟ご空くう　強つよし！！,Son Gokū Tsuyoshi!!,lit. "Son Goku The Mighty!!") December 2, 1986 (Weekly Shōnen Jump, 1987 #01/02)
Alignment	Good
Age	80 to 91 years old upon his time of death
Created By	Akira Toriyama
Height	158 cm (5ft 2in)
Weight	51 kg (112 lbs)

Appearance

Grandpa Gohan is a short, stout elderly man with small, dark eyes, a bushy white mustache, white eyebrows, and a bald head. He typically wears a traditional Chinese martial arts outfit: a sleeveless orange jacket over a long-sleeved black shirt, along with a green hat.

Personality

Grandpa Gohan is kind, compassionate, and deeply patient, demonstrated by his willingness to adopt and raise young Goku, even though Goku initially behaved wildly. His caring nature likely shaped much of Goku's morality and kindness. He holds no resentment towards Goku for his accidental death and is delighted to see him again during their reunion. Goku mentions that Grandpa Gohan had excellent manners and treated women well. Grandpa Gohan himself hints at having many "friends," most of whom are brunettes, suggesting he may have shared some of Master Roshi’s flirtatious tendencies.

Biography

Background

Grandpa Gohan trained as a martial artist under Master Roshi, alongside Ox-King, with whom he became close friends. As a pupil, he was especially skilled, surpassing Ox-King by mastering Roshi's Kamehameha technique and, in one sparring match, compelling Master Roshi to use his Turtle Style Last Resort. Grandpa Gohan also wielded the Power Pole, a gift from Master Roshi.

In his later years, Grandpa Gohan lived alone on Mount Paozu. He adopted Goku after finding him as a baby near his landing site and took on the role of Goku’s mentor and guardian. Initially, young Goku exhibited the aggressive nature typical of Saiyans, but after a head injury from falling into a ravine, he lost his memory, becoming the cheerful and good-hearted boy Grandpa Gohan raised. Grandpa Gohan trained Goku in martial arts and warned him to avoid looking at the full moon, hinting that Goku had previously transformed into a Great Ape, though Grandpa Gohan survived this initial transformation.

One fateful night, Goku disobeyed the warning, glanced at the full moon, and transformed into a Great Ape, accidentally killing Grandpa Gohan in the resulting rampage. Unaware of the true events, Goku believed a "monster" was responsible for his grandfather’s death, associating Grandpa Gohan’s spirit with the Four-Star Dragon Ball he left behind. It was not until much later, during his battle with Vegeta, that Goku finally realized he had been responsible for his grandfather's death and felt deep remorse.

Jaco the Electric Patrolman

In Mount Paozu, Grandpa Gohan encounters a young alien who arrived on Earth from the sky. Taking the child home, Gohan feeds him and questions his origins, eventually naming him "Son Goku" due to his mysterious arrival from above. Unlike the anime version, Dragon Ball Minus portrays Goku as around three years old when Gohan finds him, wearing Saiyan Battle Armor—a change from earlier depictions where he arrived as an infant. Goku's biological parents, Bardock and Gine, sent him to Earth for safety, reshaping the narrative compared to Bardock – Father of Goku.

In Dragon Ball Minus, Goku appears more manageable, although Grandpa Gohan implies they initially clashed before bonding over food, which aligns with Master Roshi’s statements about the wild nature of pre-head injury Goku. Dragon Ball Super: Broly and flashbacks in the Granolah the Survivor Saga incorporate elements of Dragon Ball Minus, including Bardock’s protective characterization and Goku's attire, signaling a retcon of Bardock - Father of Goku as non-canon in Dragon Ball Super.

Dragon Ball

Fortuneteller Baba Saga

In the Fortuneteller Baba Saga, Goku, Yamcha, Puar, Upa, and Krillin face Fortuneteller Baba's five fighters in order to locate the last Dragon Ball. Goku, the last contestant, faces a mysterious masked fighter, whom Master Roshi recognizes as Goku's deceased grandfather, Grandpa Gohan. During the battle, Grandpa Gohan uses his knowledge of Goku’s tail weakness, grabbing it and swinging Goku around to demonstrate Goku’s vulnerability. When Gohan accidentally tears off Goku’s tail, Goku becomes enraged, and Grandpa Gohan surrenders, revealing he only wanted Goku to learn to overcome his weakness.

Once his identity is revealed, Goku embraces his grandfather in an emotional reunion. Grandpa Gohan explains that Fortuneteller Baba’s powers allowed him to return to life for one day, giving him this chance to see his grandson. After listening to Bulma’s recount of the Dragon Ball adventures, Grandpa Gohan expresses satisfaction with his afterlife and declines further attempts to bring him back, bidding Goku and his friends a final farewell before vanishing. In a lighthearted moment, he hints at some of Master Roshi's playful traits, noting, "I've got a lot of friends, and most of them are brunettes."

Piccolo Jr. Saga

in anime filler during the final two episodes of Dragon Ball, Grandpa Gohan makes another appearance when Goku and Chi-Chi are on a quest to extinguish a new fire engulfing Fire Mountain, where Ox-King is trapped, protecting Chi-Chi’s wedding dress. As Goku and Chi-Chi venture into the Spirit Furnace’s cave, which connects the living world and the afterlife, they encounter illusions and eventually meet Grandpa Gohan. Initially mistaking him for the legendary furnace keeper Annin, Goku soon learns that his grandfather is now Annin’s bodyguard, tasked with protecting the lever that controls the Spirit Furnace.

After a brief encounter with Annin, Goku receives permission to enter the furnace depths, where he patches a leak, ending the fire. Goku bids a final farewell to Grandpa Gohan as he and Chi-Chi leave, ready to start their married life together.

Dragon Ball Z/GT/Super

Throughout Dragon Ball Z, Grandpa Gohan appears multiple times in flashbacks, often representing key moments in Goku's past.

In the first flashback, Master Roshi recounts Grandpa Gohan's story of finding Goku. This scene implies Goku’s initial Great Ape transformation happened off-screen after arriving on Earth, as Gohan is shown discovering Goku amidst destroyed trees in daylight, knowing about Goku's transformation long before the Dragon Ball series events.

In the Vegeta Saga, Goku remembers Grandpa Gohan warning him not to go outside during a full moon, realizing, when he sees Vegeta transform, that his own Great Ape form killed Gohan. He apologizes and vows to defeat Vegeta in his memory.

In the Peaceful World Saga, Goku recalls being found by Grandpa Gohan, shown in sepia tone, and reminisces on the rigorous training that made him a strong fighter.

In Dragon Ball Super, Grandpa Gohan is mentioned during the Universe Survival Saga, where Goku attributes his heroic spirit to Gohan's teachings. He’s also referenced during the Granolah the Survivor Saga in Goku's conversation with Vegeta, Monaito, and Granolah.

In Dragon Ball GT, Goku has a flashback of Grandpa Gohan holding him up in the air, shown during Goku’s last walk outside the World Martial Arts Tournament arena in the Shadow Dragon Saga.

In Super Dragon Ball Heroes, during the Supreme Kai of Time Saga, an incarnation of Grandpa Gohan participates in the Super Space-Time Tournament and faces off against Master Roshi, with both using powerful attacks in an intense energy clash.

Powers and Statistics

Tier: High 8-C

Powers and Abilities:

• Superhuman Physical Characteristics
  • Self-Sustenance (Type 2)
  • Immortality (Types 1 & 7)
  • Enhanced Senses (Vision; Learning to evade bees in close proximity is designed to sharpen the eyes and the reflexes, developing one's dynamic vision)
• Master Martial Artist (The fundamentals of the Turtle School are basic, yet rigorous exercises to instill heightened abilities within its students, mastering and shaping the body and the mind through concentration, cardiovascular fitness, reflex training, and repetitive, drill-like disciplines wearing 20kg and 40kg weights, daily for eight months from as early as 4:30 AM, strengthening the back and legs, the hands and waist, and the entire body beyond the limits of normal humans, thus allowing its students to effortlessly dominate even the finest of martial artists, including the likes of Nam, even without proper combat training)
  • Afterimage Creation
  • Acrobatics (By strengthening the waist and legs jogging, delivering milk to areas only accessible by helicopter, including across trees, quicksand, and rivers and away from tyrannosaurus rexes, and engaging in civil engineering, whilst wearing 20kg and 40kg weights, students of the Turtle School develop the strength and agility required to leap "higher than the clouds" with minimal effort, move around opponents with superhuman dexterity, instantly springing into action, easily regain balance and freely manipulate mid-air positioning, and maintain altitude mid-combat within the blink of an eye)
• Ki Manipulation (Basic Level)
• Electricity Manipulation

Attack Potency: Large Building level+ (Fought with Goku after his training with Korin)

Speed: At least Hypersonic combat speed (Equal to or greater than Goku, who was above Mercenary Tao)

Lifting Strength: At least Class K, likely higher

Striking Strength: Large Building level+

Durability: Large Building level+ (Took hits from Goku)

Stamina: Peak Human

Range: Standard Melee Range, Hundreds of Meters with ki attacks

Standard Equipment: None notable

Intelligence:  Genius (Should be rather high due to his age and experiences in the afterlife. As well as being a master at combat. Son Gohan was stated to be a unparalleled master of all martial arts)

Weaknesses: Can only stay on earth for a day (unless he's working for Annin)

Attacks and Techniques

• Kamehameha – A signature whitish-blue energy wave attack, shot from both hands.
• Rock, Scissors 'N' Paper – A martial arts technique created by Grandpa Gohan, inspired by the rock-paper-scissors game.
• Turtle School Tranquility – His Ultimate Blast in Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and 3. He kicks his opponent into the air, then follows them to perform the Rock, Scissors 'N' Paper technique as they fall.
• Turtle School Four Virtues – A rush attack where Grandpa Gohan kicks his opponent into the air, punches them mid-air, and finishes with a hook kick.
• Thunder Shock Surprise – A powerful attack invented by Master Roshi, used by Roshi on Grandpa Gohan during sparring. It is uncertain if Roshi taught it to him or if he learned it by watching Roshi.
• Explosive Wave – A weak, protective energy burst used in Dragon Ball: Origins. It knocks away and lightly damages anyone who contacts it.
• Afterimage Technique – Allows Grandpa Gohan to move so quickly he leaves an image of himself behind, often to dodge and counter. In the Budokai Tenkaichi series, this is upgraded to the Afterimage Strike.
• Sleep – A technique from the Budokai Tenkaichi series that is one of Grandpa Gohan’s Blast 1 abilities.

Trivia

• In the BLT dub of Dragon Ball's "The Secret of the Dragon Balls," Grandpa Gohan's voice is heard in what would be his last words. This is his only voice appearance in that dub, as it was canceled before his actual debut episode.
• He seems to have a big appetite similar to Goku's. In "Dress in Flames," Ox-King mentions that Goku inherited his fierce appetite from his grandfather, though it’s later revealed that Saiyans naturally have large appetites.
• Grandpa Gohan's mask was originally worn by the character Nejishiki in Dr. Slump.
• Goku believes Grandpa Gohan's spirit is within the Four-Star Dragon Ball, a cherished keepsake of Gohan's before he died.
• Goku named his son Gohan after his Grandpa Gohan. The name came up in conversation, and the baby laughed, which led Chi-Chi, Goku, and Ox-King to settle on the name.
• In the Japanese version, "Gohan" was chosen after Goku mentioned he was hungry. Chi-Chi then exclaimed they had recently eaten "asagohan" (朝ご飯), meaning "breakfast."
• In Chinese pinyin, Gohan's name becomes "Grandpa Sun Wufan," with "Wufan" (午飯) meaning "lunch." This continues the theme in Dragon Ball of wordplay on foods.
• In "Vegeta... Saiyan Style!", a mistranslation led Funimation's writers to imply Vegeta killed Grandpa Gohan, though Goku actually realized a Great Ape was responsible. This was later corrected in the uncut redub.
• In Budokai Tenkaichi 3, if Goku fights Grandpa Gohan as a Super Saiyan, he says, "Grandpa, look I'm a Super Saiyan," to which Grandpa Gohan replies, "Oh, that's very good."
• In Dragon Ball Super, Goku credits Grandpa Gohan for instilling in him the importance of protecting innocent lives, reinforcing Gohan’s influence on Goku's character.
• The Granolah the Survivor Saga hints that Goku’s gentle nature may also be partly inherited from his biological parents, Bardock and Gine.
• Although he doesn’t appear in Dragon Ball Super, Goku reenacts their fight during the Fortuneteller Baba Saga while waiting for Frieza to be revived in "The Evil Emperor Returns! A Reception from Mysterious Assassins?"
• In Dragon Ball: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, if he loses a match, Grandpa Gohan shouts, "Help, I've fallen and can't get up!" referencing the Life Alert catchphrase.