Dragon Ball is the Shonen Jump king that has come to embody some of the magazine's strangest yet most beloved relationships. One such relationship involves the curious dynamic between Piccolo and Goku's son, Gohan.
After one of the first deaths of his father, Gohan would be left under the care and tutelage of Goku's oldest rival, a relationship that would not only see Gohan reach new heights as a Saiyan but also reach a bond with his master that the community has seen as a little stronger than with his father.
So much so that the entire internet has a cavalcade of jabs and jokes at Goku's expense, as they celebrate one of the realest dads in anime. Let's run down a few of the most hilarious Piccolo and Gohan memes that only true fans will understand.
10 Gohan, I Choose You!
A lot of these jokes are pretty much premised on the idea that Gohan may have daddy and abandonment issues. And why wouldn't he? When your dad is the savior of the universe who's always off either saving or dying for the universe, the household is gonna be a little empty.
That's why it's incredibly cathartic when someone suddenly seems to want you the same way a Pokémon trainer wants their favorite Pokémon. Gohan, even if your dad didn't choose you, let's all be glad that Piccolo did.
9 He is Dressed Like His Father
An absolutely amazing catch on the Internet's part, it does seem like the anime may have made a few creative changes to the manga. One such change includes the curious swapping of Gohan's costume.
Did they feel it would be better to parallel Gohan with his father? Was Akira Toriyama already doing that? There's certainly the strong intent here that, from the creator's own mind, Gohan is trying to match with a certain green alien.
8 I Don't Always Save Gohan
If your name isn't Goku, what's the point of trying to make the save? As curious of a case as it is, Piccolo hasn't really been at the highest tier of dependability in the series, at least, when it comes to fighting major threats.
That won't stop him, however, from coming to the aid of the little boy that befriended him, even if that means dying one or two times because of it. He's doing his best, and he's at least acting as character motivation.
7 Gohan Isn't a Fighter!
The crux of a lot of Piccolo and Gohan memes is the idea that Piccolo is really Gohan's dad, at least, in comparison to the guy who isn't exactly always around and cares more that his son is a fighter than a college graduate.
However, very early in the series, Gohan was very much portrayed as this sensitive soul who sincerely cared for animal life, an archetype not really seen in the series and one never to be seen again. However, the fate of the world was at stake. However, again, Gohan was a kid.
6 When Gohan Calls Goku Dad
Perhaps the saddest jab to the Dragon Ball fandom in the series is the fact that Gohan stills interact with Goku like his dad when Piccolo is in the corner. In way, it's like the sad King of the Hill dynamic, where John Redcorn can only watch as another man raises and loves his son.
Piccolo is practically the guy who made him; yet at the end of the day, Gohan will still call Goku dad. Let the consolation be that, deep down, Piccolo will always be more than a "father" to him.
5 NEEEERRRRDDDD!
Consistency. Does Dragon Ball really need it? Out of the litany of powers that it names and draws in, how many of them do they really need to explain? This isn't a series concerned with the subtleties of its power systems. All that matters is that characters have them and bigger numbers mean stronger powers.
When Piccolo desperately needs the plot convenience, how else will Gohan come to his aide? This scene may never really be explained, but who will really care? Nerds. That's who.
4 Raise Gohan?
In 2019, it's always a pleasure to see the occasional return of memes' grandfathers like the Yao Ming face. It surely does capture Goku's entire parenting attitude with a subtle yet direct eloquence that could only be captured with the Internet's highest grade of sarcasm.
If one ever wanted to boil down the joke and Gohan's entire backstory in the fewest possible words, please direct them to the above. Let them know exactly whose job it is.
3 The Assignment Was...
There's an entire story here! Isn't it adorable that, for a fun Show-and-Tell, the first important thing that a young Gohan would think of is Piccolo? And just imagine Piccolo's confused, brooding face slowly entering a classroom, and the teacher's look of abject horror at the appearance of possibly another one of the aliens trying to destroy the Earth.
Even just thinking about how excitedly Gohan would try to explain to his classmates that he has a green, kung fu dad is enough to set the fandom's hearts soaring.
2 Gohan's About to Die?
If there was ever someone to make the save for Gohan, it would probably be Piccolo. Just seeing Gohan's near defeated look of concern and panic is enough of a waving flag to let the viewer know, "Oh, boy! Piccolo's gonna give it to them now!"
Even if the inevitable addressed above would be the result, it's still almost as natural as breathing to assume that Piccolo would be the one flying in with a clash. He's not going to come in immediately, however. Gohan needs to be dying first. Them's the anime rules.
1 But I'm Only 4!
Gohan's training with Piccolo may have been a little more intense than what is customary at anyone's local fitness center. This pretty much involved Piccolo trying to get Gohan to survive the outdoors, flying debris, and, especially, him.
The bruises on his knuckles are just a sign of tough love, as Piccolo prepares the boy for the tough reality of Dragon Ball's weekly alien invasions. However, to Piccolo's credit, he is only four years older than Gohan, so what's Gohan complaining about in the face of who is essentially just a really big kid? Where's Piccolo's childhood?