Between all the fan-favorite moments and incredible transformations, Dragon Ball Daima left fans with one question: Where is Gohan? While that question has never been definitively answered, one of the franchise’s lead English voice actors speculates that it might have actually been good for Goku’s son to skip Daima.
In an interview with ScreenRant at 2025’s Anime Pasadena convention, adult Gohan’s English voice actor, Kyle Hebert, gave his thoughts on what Gohan was up to during Daima.
While Hebert doesn’t know much more than fans in terms of actual canon, he speculates that Gohan’s lack of presence in Daima may have saved him from the fate that befell Goku and the series’ other cast members.
Studying! That’s what he does.
Since Daima takes place before Super Hero, he wouldn’t have discovered his Beast transformation yet. Bulma even mentions in the first episode, when someone asks where he is, “He’s studying.”
So that’s Gohan — working away in his office while chaos unfolds. I had just one flashback line in the opening episode, which was a cool nod to his past, but yeah — he’s off doing his scholar thing.
And if he had appeared, he probably would’ve been turned into a kid too, which would’ve been funny!
How Would Dragon Ball Daima Have Gone If Gohan Appeared?
Dragon-Ball-Z-Opening-Gohan
Though Hebert says Gohan would have been turned into a kid if he appeared in Daima, he probably did get turned into a child anyway.
Gomah’s wish arose after witnessing footage of Goku and his friends fighting Majin Buu. Notably, Gomah’s wish was to turn everyone who fought Majin Buu (as well as their friends), into children. This would likely include Gohan, so wherever Gohan was during Daima, he probably got transformed just like the rest of the cast.
Still, given that Gohan just got married and still had his scholarly work to conduct, the larger point that it’s a good thing that he skipped Daima is probably accurate.
The Real Reason Why Gohan Didn’t Appear During Daima Actually Makes a Lot of Sense
Though the anime claims that Gohan is off studying during Daima, it’s clear that the decision for Gohan not to appear wasn’t entirely plot-based.
While none of the anime’s producers have given a specific reason for Gohan’s absence, the anime’s proximity to Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is the most likely culprit. That movie largely focused on Gohan and even gave him a new form. As a result, it’s possible that the anime’s producers didn’t want to overexpose the character or give him too much of the spotlight.
That’s just speculation, of course, but it lines up with previous events in Dragon Ball history. Toriyama famously positioned Gohan as Dragon Ball’s new protagonist before backing off, so this sort of thing happening to the character has precedent.
Ultimately, Gohan wasn’t really needed for Dragon Ball Daima, as Goku, Vegeta, and their new friends handled Gomah and the series’ antagonists themselves, giving Gohan the necessary time he needed to study and spend time with his new wife.
Release Date
2024 – 2025
Network
Fuji TV, Kansai TV, Tokai Television Broadcasting, Fukui TV, Hokkaido Cultural Broadcasting, Iwate Menkoi Television, Sendai Television, SAGA TV, TNC, OHK, Ishikawa TV, Kochi Sun Sun Broadcasting, TV Shizuoka, UMK TV Miyazaki, Television Shin Hiroshima System, NST, NBS, Sakuranbo TV, TSK, Ehime Broadcasting, KTS, NIB, KKT, Fukushima TV, TOS, AKT, Toyama Television, Okinawa Television Broadcasting
Masako Nozawa
Son Goku (mini) (voice)
Koki Uchiyama
Glorio (voice)
Location
Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CA
Dates
November 8-9, 2025
Website
https://www.animepasadena.com/
Held each November at the Pasadena Convention Center in California, Anime Pasadena is an annual two-day convention celebrating anime and pop culture. It offers diverse attractions, including gaming tournaments, cosplay contests, live music, artist alley, and vendor areas, along with family-friendly features like a kids’ cosplay competition and interactive entertainment.