Goku and Vegeta might be Dragon Ball‘s most popular characters, but series creator Akira Toriyama has officially declared that neither is the strongest hero in the franchise. Dragon Ball Super has introduced several new characters who have defeated both Goku and Vegeta, causing them to train and unlock new forms like Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego. Still, their massive power-ups fail to match one of DBZ‘s fan-favorite characters, whose latest form has made them even more unstoppable.

The ongoing monthly Dragon Ball Super manga is currently adapting the material from the Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero film that primarily stars Piccolo and Gohan as they battle remnants of the Red Ribbon Army. Although Gohan has consistently slacked off on his training, the events of the film forced the Saiyan-human hybrid to raise his power to unseen levels, unlocking his Beast transformation. Thanks to a translated interview with Akira Toriyama posted by X user Herms98, fans now know the creator of Dragon Ball thinks Gohan is stronger than anyone.

A short Q&A with Dragon Ball‘s creator, given out in pamphlets to Japanese movie theater audiences, asked Toriyama why Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero featured Gohan and Piccolo so heavily, and his response is sure to disappoint Goku and Vegeta fans. “Gohan is actually stronger than anyone…or so it’s said, but lately, he hasn’t really gotten a chance to shine,” answered Toriyama, and after the visually stunning defeat of Cell Max, it’s hard to argue with the author’s comments.

Gohan’s Beast Form Makes Him Stronger Than Anyone According To Toriyama

At the end of DBS: SH, Gohan unlocked his own silver-haired form after watching Cell Max brutally beat up Piccolo. While the scene remains one of the franchise’s most visually impressive to date, Gohan’s Beast transformation left some fans curious about how he unlocked the new form that Goku will never get. Gohan proclaimed in the manga during the Tournament of Power that he has been training as a human warrior instead of relying on his Saiyan heritage, which likely played a role in unlocking the new form. Still, Beast Gohan isn’t the first time in the franchise that Goku’s son proved to be the strongest when he was needed.

Dragon Ball Z‘s main character was originally Gohan, but fans and Toriyama’s editors persuaded him to keep the focus on Goku. Even in his younger years, Gohan has always been the strongest throughout DBZ. His flash of power heavily damaged Raditz, he got the better of Frieza on Namek, and his strength was ultimately proven against Cell. After learning to control his latent powers, Gohan’s strength soars to levels that even Goku acknowledges, which fuels his ultimate decision to leave Cell’s defeat to his son. Now, the appearance of Beast Gohan further proves Goku’s suspicions correct.

Beast Gohan’s Return In Dragon Ball Super Is A Must

After Dragon Ball Super‘s anime adaptation of the Tournament of Power, Gohan isn’t the only warrior to unlock new strength fans eagerly await to be adapted into the anime series. Goku’s mysterious new powers continue to grow on the Ultra Instinct form.

In contrast, Vegeta’s creation of the Ultra Ego form has yet to be animated with all of the form’s destructive glory. Even with Goku and Vegeta’s new forms, Beast Gohan is a force of nature that will hopefully have a role to play in future Dragon Ball Super arcs.

Source: Crunchyroll Dubs/YouTube, Herms98/X