Reasons for Gohan being SSJ

[SSJ2]

As per ahill1's request/challenge.




The Art

SSJ Gohan:

Spoiler

SSJ 2 Gohan:

Spoiler

Notice Gohan differentiates between the forms here. We can clearly see the changes in the art. Gohan has more luscious hair, lightning, and a much sharper aura. This stays consistent with when Goku and Vegeta use Super Saiyan 2.

SSJ 2 Gohan?:

Spoiler

Clear change in art style here. This is chapter 261. Take a look at Goku and Vegeta using Super Saiyan 2 THREE chapters later within the same volume in chapter 264.

Spoiler

You can clearly see Vegeta changing from SSJ1 to SSJ2 here. The aura changes, to match what SSJ2 Gohan and Goku have both shown as well. So why would Gohan be drawn differently? Even 1 chapter later in 265 when Gohan transforms to fight Dabra again, he clearly displays the Super Saiyan aura.

Why Can't Gohan Transform Again?

To begin, Goku states that it took him time to be able to transform into Super Saiyan at will post Namek, and after a lot of practice he was able to do it at will.

What do we know about SSJ2? For Gohan at least, rage triggered his initial transformation against Cell - it was the direct catalyst causing the transformation. Gohan spent 7 years lounging around doing fuck all, and by the way Vegeta speaks to him it seems apparent that Gohan did pretty well no training after the Cell Games. I believe it's safe to say Gohan only used SSJ2 twice prior, both times against Cell. He doesn't seem to be able to use it at will in the Boo arc unless he is angry/enraged. The scan of SSJ Gohan I posted earlier shows that he was pretty damn enraged when :bitch was sodomizing his girl, and he still seemed pissed as fuck against Kibito. It served enough of a catalyst to let him transform.

Later on, Goku directly tells Gohan to get mad after watching him fail to turn SSJ2 in his first round against Dabra. Goku seems to see it too, and Gohan also knows that he can pull out a hell of a lot more power against Dabra and Boo, but he doesn't have the rage factor to let him pull it out. Should he have practiced controlling the form during the 7 years, he could have been able to use it at will as Goku and Vegeta could.

 

[withheldforprivacy]

Why do you guys make your life complicated when Uncle Withheld offers you his
knowledge? Just go with my Pseudo SSJ2 theory.

 

[Big Ank]

Good analysis, man!

@withheld -- what would be your theory?

 

[GSM123]

B-but the art is inconsistent! Vegeta showed a SSJ aura in one panel!

 

[withheldforprivacy]

Good analysis, man!

@withheld -- what would be your theory?

That he was a Pseudo SSJ2.

 

[GSM123]

That's like someone who thinks Gohan was SSJ but doesn't want to debate with guys who think he was SSJ2.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

While the Super Saiyan Goku example is good, I'm not sure if that necessarily carried over to others.

Goku's the same guy that said turning Super Saiyan 3 took awhile because he's not accustomed to using the form...only to transform instantly next time he decided to use it. He wasn't practicing the form in-between that time and it's a much more strenuous form than Super Saiyan ever was.

Gohan's anger is another thing. Most believe he still had it even though he was back to his cheerful self after Videl was healed. If that's the case, shouldn't the same apply to Gohan after seeing Piccolo and Krillin turned to stone?

He doesn't transform, but he's still visibly pissed.

If the anger remained in the one instance where Videl was no longer in danger, surely it should remain in the instance where his good friends might never return to normal.

Goku's statement about getting mad doesn't appear to be the same as telling him to become a Super Saiyan 2. Goku's statement aligns with Vegeta's (ie Gohan has weakened, but we don't know what'll happen if he goes berserk) earlier statement on Gohan's power.

 

[GSM123]

I think Gohan being SSJ2 was an outlier and got retconed. Besides the fact that he shouldn't be able to transform, after the Budokai everyone acts like Gohan never did shit at the Budokai. Goku doesn't know how strong Gohan is, Kaioshin thinks Pocus is dangerous and thinks SSJ Gohan is uber powerful...

 

[Evil Vegeta]

Technically speaking, Gohan didn't do anything at the Budokai except get his energy stolen.

Goku doesn't know how strong Gohan is, but Vegeta does. Vegeta was the only one that commented on his decline in power, which seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else. There's also what Kaioshin said about stopping Gohan, and how that might not have been his true power.

 

[SSJ2]

While the Super Saiyan Goku example is good, I'm not sure if that necessarily carried over to others.

Goku's the same guy that said turning Super Saiyan 3 took awhile because he's not accustomed to using the form...only to transform instantly next time he decided to use it. He wasn't practicing the form in-between that time and it's a much more strenuous form than Super Saiyan ever was

Where is the quote of Goku saying it took long due to being new to the form?
'
I don't know what to say about anything else you said, sorry.

 

[GSM123]

Technically speaking, Gohan didn't do anything at the Budokai except get his energy stolen.

Goku doesn't know how strong Gohan is, but Vegeta does. Vegeta was the only one that commented on his decline in power, which seemed to go unnoticed by everyone else. There's also what Kaioshin said about stopping Gohan, and how that might not have been his true power.

Goku was standing right next to Vegeta. He would not only hear Vegeta's comments but also sense Gohan. Vegeta also seems to be speculating about Gohan (It seems like he got weaker) and is frustated when Gohan proves himself unable to beat Dabra, though the later might have been an acting to get Babidi's attention.

Kaioshin's statement seems weird, tho. Makes me wonder if he Gohan was retconed to SSJ or Base, or if he was retconed at all.

Where is the quote of Goku saying it took long due to being new to the form?

I don't know what to say about anything else you said, sorry.

Chapter: 474 (DBZ 280), P7.5
Goku: “Sorry that took so long. I’m still not used to this transformation.”

Weren't you on the retcon side, SSJ2? You were the one who convinced me of the retcon.

 

[SSJ2]

I am on the retcon side, but I simply was analyzing potential reasons.

Ah, that. Imo his words to Boo were not truthful in the slightest. I think Goku was stalling for time and simply putting on an act.

 

[Big Ank]

Yeah, Kaioshin's quote would also flow better if Gohan were simply a SSJ there. How can Gohan not be at full power in SSJ2, which is a form he hadn't nearly the same mastery degree he had over SSJ? Not being at full power while in SSJ makes sense, but while in SSJ2? Nah, the most you could argue is that Gohan's chi wouldn't manifest itself as high as it'd when he was fighting, not that he "wasn't at full power".

It also fits with Goku's comment -- if Gohan didn't show full power there, then there's no way for him to really know if he has really gotten weaker, and Vegeta would obviously know it better since he knew Gohan hadn't been training for those seven years and even knew his body has gotten rusty over simply looking at him.

So yeah, the retcon theory makes sense imo.

 

[Evil Vegeta]

Goku was standing right next to Vegeta. He would not only hear Vegeta's comments but also sense Gohan. Vegeta also seems to be speculating about Gohan (It seems like he got weaker) and is frustated when Gohan proves himself unable to beat Dabra, though the later might have been an acting to get Babidi's attention.

Vegeta entertained the possibility that he was above Gohan when he came to Capsule Corp:

So at that point, his superiority over Gohan wasn't a sure thing.

He was able to confirm that Gohan was definitely much weaker than he was against Cell the moment he went Super Saiyan 2. His preciseness on the matter tells me that wasn't speculation. He either assessed Gohan more thoroughly than Goku did, or Goku probably thought Gohan was barely showing any power to Kibito.

SSJ2, with the way Goku was panting on the lookout the entire time tells me he was most likely being honest about the form. I mean, he was extremely winded even though the fight had ended. He also told Piccolo that the form sapped too much energy.