Grandpa Gohan

Grandpa Gohan lived alone in a small house on Mount Paozu, where he discovered a Saiyan infant in a crashed space pod. The baby was wild and aggressive at first, but after suffering a head injury that erased his violent Saiyan instincts, he became the cheerful, innocent boy Gohan named Goku. Gohan raised Goku in isolation, teaching him basic martial arts, survival skills, and the values of kindness and respect that would define Goku's character for the rest of his life.

Gohan gave Goku the Four-Star Dragon Ball as a keepsake, telling him to treasure it. This single object becomes one of the most symbolically important items in the series, as Goku carries it with him throughout his adventures as a memento of the grandfather who loved him. The Dragon Ball also serves as the catalyst for the entire story, since Bulma's Dragon Radar leads her to Goku's home specifically because he possesses it.

Tragically, Grandpa Gohan was killed when Goku transformed into a Great Ape during a full moon. As a child, Goku had no knowledge of his Saiyan heritage or his transformation, and he was unaware that he had crushed his grandfather during one of his rampages. Goku believed that a monster had killed Gohan, a misunderstanding that persisted for years until he learned the truth about his Great Ape form.

Grandpa Gohan's spirit appears during the Fortuneteller Baba Saga, when Baba summons him from the afterlife as one of the fighters Goku must defeat to earn her services. Gohan fights while wearing a fox mask to conceal his identity, testing his grandson's growth as a martial artist. During the fight, Goku accidentally grabs Gohan's tail (which Gohan no longer has), and the old man reveals himself. Their reunion is brief but emotional, with Gohan expressing pride in how much Goku has grown.

His influence extends far beyond his physical presence in the story. Goku names his firstborn son Gohan in honor of his grandfather, passing down both the name and the values the old man instilled in him. The younger Gohan inherits his namesake's gentle temperament, preferring study and peace over fighting, while also possessing extraordinary hidden power that emerges when his loved ones are threatened.

Grandpa Gohan also trained under Master Roshi, placing him in the same lineage of martial arts masters as Goku, Krillin, and Yamcha. His connection to the Turtle School means that the techniques and philosophy Goku carries forward have roots stretching back generations. Though his screen time is limited, Grandpa Gohan's role in the story is foundational: without his decision to raise a dangerous alien child with compassion, the Dragon Ball saga would never have happened.