After a rather quiet period in Dragon Ball DAIMA, Gohan has finally returned to the spotlight in a way that longtime fans are thrilled about. Not through a new transformation or overwhelming power, but via an original sketch by the late artist Akira Toriyama recently revealed in the Toriyama Archives.
According to Dragon Ball’s official website, on July 5, the Toriyama Archives showcased the initial draft for the cover of Weekly Shonen Jump issue 16 from 1994. This issue was released on March 19, 1994, and featured chapter 463 of the Dragon Ball manga titled “An Overwhelming, Bizarre Power.”
What quickly made this illustration go viral was not only Gohan’s appearance as an adult Super Saiyan but also a color detail many fans had forgotten for over three decades.
Gohan’s Rare Green Gi as a Super Saiyan
In the illustration, Gohan stands alongside Goku and Goten, all in their Super Saiyan forms. However, instead of his usual purple gi gifted by Piccolo or the orange outfit similar to Goku’s, Gohan is shown wearing a deep green gi.
This is an extremely rare design that has almost never appeared in the anime, leading many to think it was just a spontaneous choice by Toriyama. In fact, this green color appeared very early in the original manga.
During the Saiyan Saga, in the battle against Vegeta, Akira Toriyama colored Gohan’s gi green instead of purple. However, by the Namek Saga, this color was changed to purple and gradually became the iconic look most Dragon Ball fans recognize.
The newly released sketch shows Toriyama once considered bringing the green gi back for Gohan as an adult during the Majin Buu Saga, but this design was never widely used.
A Small Detail That Excites Dragon Ball Fans
For many, this is simply a color difference. Yet for longtime fans, this drawing offers fascinating insight into Akira Toriyama’s creative process.
If Toriyama had kept the green color from the start instead of switching to purple, this might have become Gohan’s signature outfit throughout Dragon Ball. That means the familiar image of Piccolo’s student in the anime today could have looked completely different.
Interestingly, this design never fully disappeared from Dragon Ball’s history. Before becoming the official artist for Dragon Ball Super, Toyotarou created the popular fan manga Dragon Ball AF.
In that work, both Goku and Xicor, a villain portrayed as Goku’s son, wore green gis, showing Toyotarou’s fondness for the color palette Toriyama once experimented with.
Currently, Dragon Ball Super is on hiatus, but Toyotarou is expected to continue illustrating the manga when it returns. Many fans believe Gohan’s green gi or similar variations could reappear in the future as a tribute to Akira Toriyama’s legacy.