My Top 5 “Of Shit!” Moments in Anime – #1

Those who know me knew there couldn’t be any other choice for the top spot. This was the moment that defined my childhood. This is the one moment that I keep coming back too. No matter how many times I see it, this scene still makes me tingle. The scene was executed very well, from Gohan’s reluctance to fight, including the sacrifice of Android 16, up until the final transformation.

To me, this was the moment that Dragon Ball Z had been building to. This was the big payoff for the series. While there are undoubtedly several other cool and mind blowing moments throughout the series this, to me, is the most important one.

Throughout the series we got several glimpses into what Gohan was truly capable of. We always knew that Gohan was going to be something special. We all saw what he was capable of. He would occasionally snap and give villains much stronger than himself a beating. However, these moments were few and far between, and they never lasted long.
Until this moment.

This was the moment that Gohan was pushed too far. This was the moment where Gohan finally stepped out of his father’s shadow. With Android 16’s sacrifice Gohan was finally able to push past his barriers and fully harness his power. We finally got to see what Gohan was truly capable of. Even if it ultimately cost Goku his life it was still so very worth it to see Gohan finally come into his own.
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And that guitar riff at the end of the scene with Gohan staring at Cell with tears in his eyes…that will always give me goose bumps.