Dragon Ball fans were given a frightening yet memorable experience on February 24, 1993, when Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks was aired as a one-hour special on Fuji TV. This television special, which is based on Akira Toriyama’s manga, brought viewers into Trunks’ desolate, futuristic world, one where Goku had fallen to a heart virus and the planet was at the mercy of monstrous Androids 17 and 18.
This was not the usual high-octane, action-packed Dragon Ball tale. Rather, it was a dark portrait of loss, desperation, and unrelenting hope against insurmountable odds. The most chilling scene of the special, the one that continues to haunt viewers 32 years on, is the death of Future Gohan and Trunks’ becoming a Super Saiyan.
The scene that defined a generation of Dragon Ball fans
Gohan’s on-screen death during Akira Toriyama‘s The History of Trunks was a gut punch unlike any other in Dragon Ball Z. Compared to Goku’s many sacrifices or even Vegeta’s honorable final stands, Future Gohan’s death seemed definite, tragic, and downright cruel.
32 Years Ago, The Trunks TV Special aired on Fuji TV as a 1 hour long extended episode, chronicling the dark future Trunks came from. The scene where Trunks finds Gohan’s dead corpse and unlocks Super Saiyan remains dark, tragic, and powerful.
Here it is in 1080p, CC, OBA. pic.twitter.com/0WYyWs1l9Q
— Geekdom101 (@EmperorBigD) February 24, 2025
He had spent his entire adult life fighting a desperate battle against the Androids, training Trunks to one day surpass him, only to meet his end alone, ambushed, and outmatched. The particular scene shows while Trunks is looking for Gohan’s body during the rain, all that is heard is the sound of raindrops and distant thunder.
When he comes across his teacher’s body, his grief is converted into pure rage, inducing his first transformation into a Super Saiyan. The scene lacks symphonic orchestral music or philosophical monologues, and only sheer undiluted emotions making it one of the strongest scenes in the Dragon Ball series.
Future Gohan’s death sealed Trunks’ determination to alter the past, regardless of the price. Trunks’ Super Saiyan form wasn’t about overcoming limits or pursuing power, rather it was pure, painful sorrow transformed into strength.
Unlike Goku or Vegeta, who got Super Saiyan by rage towards their enemies Trunks’ transformation resulted from grief. That variance in motive made his power-up one of the most emotionally charged moments in the series.
Fan reactions: Why this scene still hits hard 32 years later
Even thirty years later, fans still praise The History of Trunks as one of the greatest works of media to ever emerge from Dragon Ball. Fans on Twitter have shared their thoughts on why this particular moment remains unforgettable:
It is only the best super saiyan transformation scene other than the original
Vegeta whack
Gohan wack
U6 wack— MrGohan (@MrG0han) February 24, 2025
Might be my favorite DB special story wise. Gohan was always my favorite so seeing him get killed when I watched this as a kid hit hard.
— Wretched Souls (@WretchedSoulsWT) February 25, 2025
Future Gohan’s death is one of the most tragic deaths He lived a life full of regret and hardship. I wish Future Gohan was able to meet Present Gohan, Goten, Videl and Pan.
— BlazeShadowKnight (@DarkShadowDrag7) February 24, 2025
Dbz kakarot did a VERY good job of capturing the moment leading up to this..they took an already depressed and somber scene and made it worse. Shout out to those that put that together. I wish we would have gotten more time with gohan..see what happen the yrs before he died.
— †TheUndisputedQueso† (@UndisputedQueso) February 24, 2025
A scene like this means more to me, personally, than any big punchy punch fight.
— Sage (in training) (Heart Chakra Unlocked) (@LazySage7) February 24, 2025
The affection for this special is universal, with numerous fans considering it to be the height of Dragon Ball storytelling. In contrast to a majority of the franchise’s fights, which concentrate on power scaling, The History of Trunks is one of the very few Dragon Ball tales that puts emotion above spectacle.
With contemporary Dragon Ball focusing on multiverse wars and god-level power levels, the fans still remember this special as when Dragon Ball was emotionally at its highest point. The History of Trunks serves as a reminder that the most powerful scenes sometimes aren’t even about strength, but about the suffering and loss behind it.
Dragon Ball is available for streaming on Crunchyroll
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