For years, fans have argued about whether Super Saiyan 3 Goku or Ultimate Gohan was stronger at the end of Dragon Ball Z. While the anime and manga offer different clues, most agree that Akira Toriyama’s original manga is the definitive source. The Dragon Ball Z anime is generally true to the manga, but it included extra content to avoid overtaking it.
The Dragon Ball Z anime took some odd turns during the Majin Buu Saga. Specifically, the final battle between Goku and Kid Buu tries to portray Super Saiyan 3 Goku as more powerful than Ultimate Gohan, but this contradicts what Akira Toriyama originally established in the Dragon Ball manga.
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Toei Wanted Goku to Be the Strongest No Matter What
As a huge Dragon Ball Z fan, one thing that’s always bothered me about the anime is how Toei seemed to really misinterpret Goku. It’s like they put him on a pedestal even higher than Akira Toriyama, the original creator, ever did! Toriyama always wrote Goku as a bit flawed – a good guy who wouldn’t intentionally put people in harm’s way, but definitely selfish and willing to make questionable choices if it meant a really exciting fight – remember when he let Vegeta live? Toei, though, always portrayed Goku as this perfect, unwavering superhero who always did the right thing. And honestly, they were obsessed with making him seem like the absolute strongest being, period. It just didn’t feel true to the character Toriyama created.
A central idea in Dragon Ball is that there’s always someone stronger, a concept consistently shown throughout the series by creator Akira Toriyama. Goku isn’t usually the most powerful character; even outside the battles with Piccolo Jr. and Frieza, someone is always a step ahead, and that’s intentional – it’s what motivates him to improve. However, the animation studio Toei often portrayed Goku as stronger than he was, mostly in the non-official movies. This became particularly noticeable during the Majin Buu arc, where the manga clearly established that characters like Super Buu and Gohan were more powerful than Goku, but Toei didn’t reflect that.
The Dragon Ball Z Anime‘s Power-Scaling in the Majin Buu Saga Makes Zero Sense
As a huge Dragon Ball fan, one thing that always struck me about the Majin Buu Saga is just how powerful Buu is! Seriously, the Z Fighters were so outmatched. It took incredible power-ups like Gotenks and Vegito fusing, and Gohan finally unlocking everything he was capable of, just to have a chance. What’s really interesting is that in the original manga, Goku actually refuses to fight Super Buu, even in his normal state, because he knows Buu would obliterate him instantly. But the anime? They totally changed that! It’s wild how different the two versions are.
Okay, so as a huge Dragon Ball Z fan, it still blows my mind how powerful Super Saiyan 3 Goku is! He seriously tanks a bunch of hits from Buutenks while Gohan is looking for the Potara earring, and it’s crazy considering he hadn’t trained at all since fighting Fat Buu – they’re basically equal in strength! The anime even states he’s the strongest in the universe during his fight with Kid Buu. And it gets weirder! The show tries to make you think Kid Buu is the strongest form of Majin Buu, but the manga actually shows he’s the weakest! What makes Kid Buu so terrifying isn’t his raw power, it’s that he’s completely unhinged and has zero control.
The Dragon Ball Manga Makes It Clear That Gohan is Stronger Than Goku
The Dragon Ball Z anime portrays Super Saiyan 3 Goku and Kid Buu as more powerful than Ultimate Gohan, Gotenks, and all versions of Super Buu, but the manga actually suggests the opposite. In the manga, Goku avoids fighting Super Buu because he knows he’d be defeated. Furthermore, Goku and Vegeta believe they can beat Kid Buu on their own, without needing to fuse, based on his energy level.
Gohan exceeding Goku’s power highlights two key ideas in Dragon Ball: each new generation will be more powerful, and there will always be someone stronger. Gohan doesn’t have to defeat Super Buu on his own for these ideas to be meaningful. Furthermore, Goku specifically acknowledges Gohan’s unique power during the Spirit Bomb attack on Kid Buu, implying Gohan’s energy is greater than anyone else’s.
Goku initially assumes Vegeta wants to bring Gohan to the Kai planet to defeat Kid Buu, likely because Gohan was more powerful at the time. Vegeta then proposes Goku gather energy from the entire Earth for a Spirit Bomb. While later series like Dragon Ball DAIMA and Dragon Ball Super often portray Goku as stronger than Gohan after the Majin Buu Saga, the original intent of the manga creator, Akira Toriyama, was for Gohan to ultimately exceed Goku’s power.
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2026-02-08 17:38