Great Saiyaman Arc

Lore & Background

Following the conclusion of the Cell Games, Earth enters a rare era of calm. Gohan seeks to honor Goku's wish for him to live normally, enrolling at Orange Star High School despite his immense power remaining dormant but dangerous. To neutralize threats without exposing his identity or endangering others, he adopts the 'Great Saiyaman' persona. While Gohan sketches the suit's concept and relies on standard available technology rather than a custom-engineered vehicle, his clumsy patrols inadvertently catch the eye of Videl, a skilled martial artist and Mr. Satan's daughter, who begins investigating this mysterious new hero.

In Their Own Story

Morning light reflects off Gohan's garish red-and-yellow armor as he hovers silently above West City. Below, chaos erupts at a local bank; before the robbers can flee, Great Saiyaman descends, disarming them with effortless precision while striking an exaggerated heroic pose for the stunned onlookers. He adjusts his helmet nervously, acutely aware that maintaining this farce is as vital as stopping crime—one slip could shatter the peaceful life he cherishes with his family.

Reader's Guide

The arc begins with Gohan struggling to balance his dual life as a student and a masked vigilante. His clumsy attempts at heroism often lead to comedic misunderstandings, yet he successfully thwarts several crimes in West City. Videl becomes suspicious of his identity, leading to a series of confrontations where she tries to unmask him while secretly admiring his skills.

The narrative tension rises when the mysterious Spopovich and Yamu appear at the World Martial Arts Tournament qualifiers. These fighters drain the energy of other competitors under the orders of Babidi, an ancient wizard seeking to resurrect the demon Buu. Gohan recognizes their unnatural power levels and realizes a grave threat is looming.

During the tournament preliminaries, Videl discovers Gohan's secret identity when he removes his helmet to save her from Spopovich's attack. This revelation forces them into an uneasy alliance as they navigate the tournament together. The arc culminates in the realization that the tournament has become a trap for Babidi's resurrection ritual, setting the stage for the Buu Saga.

Did You Know?

• While Gohan conceptualized the Great Saiyaman suit, he utilized standard technology for his patrols rather than a custom-engineered hoverbike from Capsule Corporation.
• The name 'Great Saiyaman' was chosen by Gohan himself believing it to be cool; the humor stems from others finding the name silly, not from him rejecting other ideas as too silly.
• This is the first time in the series where a major character's secret identity is discovered by another protagonist rather than an antagonist.
• Vegeta discovers Gohan's Great Saiyaman identity on television news after returning from his training trip and immediately mocks Gohan for the persona.