Emilie Meyer
Pan, the granddaughter of Goku, is a quarter-Saiyan and has inherited Gohan's great potential. However, despite her lineage, she never transforms into a Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball GT. This has sparked discussions among fans, with some speculating that it is due to her gender, her peaceful life, or a lack of training. Others suggest that it was a narrative choice by the creators, as having Pan become a Super Saiyan would disrupt the established pattern of her being the damsel in distress who needs rescuing by Goku.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for not becoming SSJ | Dragon Ball GT had a specific role for her as a damsel in distress, needing to be saved by Goku |
| Other reasons | Lived a peaceful life, never trained to become a powerful warrior, had no reason or situation to turn super Saiyan |
| Portrayal | Creator Akira Toriyama couldn't figure out how to draw/portray a female Super Saiyan |
| Heritage | Quarter-Saiyan, daughter of Gohan and Videl |
| Training | One of the Super Class Instructors for the Time Patroller Academy |
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What You'll Learn
Pan's character arc
Pan, the granddaughter of Goku and Mr Satan, makes her debut as a little kid at the end of Dragon Ball Z. She is a Human-Saiyan hybrid and the daughter of Gohan and Videl.
In Dragon Ball GT, Pan's primary motivation is to go on adventures and help her grandpa, Goku. However, she lacks a real character arc in this series. She does not change between the first and last episodes and does not have her own motivations beyond supporting Goku. She also does not have any personal rivalries or adversaries, and her potential as a powerful fighter is not explored. Pan is kept at arm's length from any core conflict, and her decisions do not drive the plot forward. While she is far more mature in the special Dragon Ball GT: A Hero's Legacy, this change is not reflected in the primary series.
One of the main reasons for this lack of character development is the creator Akira Toriyama's admitted difficulty in portraying a female Super Saiyan. He has stated that he did not know how he would draw a female Super Saiyan, and this is reflected in the design of Pan, who does not undergo the Super Saiyan transformation despite having the potential to do so. Another reason could be that Pan never really trained to become a powerful warrior, unlike the other kids who managed to reach that level quite quickly.
Despite this, Pan has been well-received by fans, who want to see her play a bigger role in the series. In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Pan is a major character, and she is shown to have been training under Piccolo, displaying signs of great potential. She is also the youngest female character in Dragon Ball history to have the ability to fly, having done so as an infant. With the appearance of female Super Saiyans in official Dragon Ball media, it is possible that Pan may acquire the transformation at some point in the future.
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Akira Toriyama's creative direction
Akira Toriyama is a Japanese manga artist and character designer, known for creating the Dragon Ball series. He is regarded as one of the most influential and important authors in manga history. Toriyama's creative direction for Dragon Ball was influenced by his preference for storytelling in open, natural places during daylight hours, as buildings and night-time scenes took longer to draw, especially with strict serialisation deadlines.
In terms of character design, Toriyama admitted that he struggled to portray a female Super Saiyan, which may explain why Pan never becomes one. He also stated that Pan, being female, was always in control of her emotions, and so never lost control of them and transformed as a result. Toriyama only ever envisioned Pan as a little girl living in a time of peace, so there was never a reason for her to transform.
Toriyama's final contribution to Dragon Ball was directing Toyotarou to redraw the end of chapter 103 of Dragon Ball Super, in which a departing Piccolo waves at the reader. Outside of Dragon Ball, Toriyama has worked on numerous other manga and anime projects, including Dr. Slump, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon. He has also contributed to video games, such as Dragon Quest and Tobal No. 1, and films like Crusher Joe and Kosuke & Rikimaru: The Dragon of Konpei Island.
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Lack of training
One of the reasons put forward for Pan's inability to transform into a Super Saiyan is her lack of training. In the Dragon Ball universe, S-Cells are obtained through training, and the number of S-Cells a Saiyan possesses determines their ability to transform.
Pan is a quarter-Saiyan, and it is theorised that her low number of S-Cells means that training may not be enough to compensate and allow her to transform. However, some fans disagree, arguing that with her gentle spirit and some training, she should be able to transform into a Super Saiyan eventually.
Pan's debut comes at the end of Dragon Ball Z, and in Dragon Ball GT, the world is at peace, so there is no need for her to transform. Pan does train, influenced by Goku and Mr. Satan, but she does not seem to take it very seriously. Her training is more of a hobby, and she lacks the drive of other characters.
Despite this, some fans argue that Pan has the potential to become a Super Saiyan. They point to her genetics, her strong character, and her decent base power as evidence that, with the right motivation and training, she could transform. Pan's mother, Videl, was a fierce combatant, and her father, Gohan, was known for his potential. It is thought that Pan has inherited these traits, and so with the right training, she could become a Super Saiyan.
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Peaceful life
Pan, the granddaughter of Goku, the hero of Earth, and Mr. Satan, the world champion, is a quarter-Saiyan and has inherited Gohan's great potential. Despite this, Pan never becomes a Super Saiyan.
One theory for this is that Pan lived a peaceful life. She had no reason or situation to turn Super Saiyan. Her debut is at the end of Dragon Ball Z, as a little kid, and since Dragon Ball GT is not based on the actual manga, Toriyama only envisioned Pan as a little girl in a time of peace. Additionally, Toriyama has said that he doesn't know how he would draw a female Super Saiyan. This is supported by the fact that Pan is the only Saiyan-blooded character who is a female.
Another theory is that Pan was always in control of her emotions. Unlike the male characters, who have a tendency to lose control and become angry, Pan never lost control of her emotions, even when she got upset.
A third theory is that Pan's role was locked into being more of an observer or instigator of conflict, with Goku as the solution. This is supported by the fact that Pan is often shown as a damsel in distress, being rescued by Goku or other male characters.
Despite not becoming a Super Saiyan, Pan is still a powerful character in the Dragon Ball universe. She is a Super Class Instructor for the Time Patroller Academy and has been shown to be able to train members of the Time Patrol. She is also close friends with the children of the other Z Fighters and shares a unique bond with her grandfather Goku.
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Challenges of designing female SSJs
Designing female SSJs comes with a unique set of challenges. One of the main obstacles is the lack of representation and diversity in the design industry, which makes it difficult to portray female characters accurately and break free from stereotypical narratives. The industry has a history of sexism, and while progress has been made, true gender equality is yet to be achieved. This is reflected in the limited number of female designers in leadership positions, which can discourage young female designers from pursuing their careers.
Additionally, female SSJs may face the challenge of portraying female characters' emotions and experiences accurately. In the case of Pan, it is suggested that she could not become a Super Saiyan because, as a female character, she was always in control of her emotions, unlike male characters who tend to lose control and transform due to anger. This theory reinforces gender stereotypes and ignores the diverse range of emotions and experiences that women can have. Portraying these complexities accurately and avoiding stereotypes is a challenge that designers of female SSJs must navigate.
Furthermore, the design of female SSJs may also be influenced by societal expectations and power dynamics. Feminist design approaches advocate for challenging traditional narratives, embracing diversity, rethinking power dynamics, and making labour visible. Applying these principles in the design of female SSJs can help address gender imbalances and ensure that the needs and experiences of female characters are accurately represented.
To overcome these challenges, designers can embrace design thinking, which involves asking questions, building empathy, and exploring diverse solutions. By adopting a questioning mindset, designers can challenge existing assumptions and stereotypes, and by building empathy, they can better understand the experiences of their female audience. Embracing failure and adopting a growth mindset can also help designers navigate the complexities of designing female SSJs and create more accurate and empowering representations of women in their work.
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Frequently asked questions
According to Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, Pan never became a Super Saiyan because she never had a reason or situation to transform. Toriyama also stated that he didn't know how to draw a female Super Saiyan. Additionally, Pan's role in Dragon Ball GT was to be a damsel in distress, with Goku coming to her rescue.
No, Pan does not become a Super Saiyan in the manga. However, she appears in Toki Toki City as one of the masters to train members of the Time Patrol.
It is possible that Pan could become a Super Saiyan, as her great-great-grandson Goku Jr. was able to transform despite being less Saiyan than her. Additionally, Pan inherited Gohan's great potential, so with enough training, she might have been able to achieve the Super Saiyan form.
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