Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
►Is Gohan an “Uncle Tom”?
Or is he actually the most misunderstood Saiyan in Dragon Ball Z?
The conversation around Dragon Ball and Blackness has always been an interesting one to me. In this video, I use a Black cultural and political lens to explore Gohan’s complicated relationship with Saiyan identity, violence, assimilation, and tradition. Let’s indulge this admittedly silly idea with Gohan and the Saiyans to ask a difficult question:
I think through a black radical tradition lens, Gohan’s story feels less like a rejection of his roots and more like a struggle between balancing that tradition and his own self-definition. It raises the wider question of what it means to actually betray your culture?
Let's talk about it.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Chapters / Topics:
0:00 Dragon Ball and Blackness
0:49 Who is the Uncle Tom of the Saiyans?
1:44 The History of the “Uncle Tom”
2:47 What is Saiyan Culture? | Goku
4:15 What is Saiyan Culture? | Vegeta
7:10 Gohan’s Perception of Saiyan Culture
10:20 Gohan’s Cultural Mask and Double Consciousness
13:50 Gohan’s Saiyan Legacy
15:31 Conclusion – Takeaways
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
If you mess with cultural analysis and Black readings of popular media, consider subscribing.
Genuine questions for the comments:
1. Is Gohan rejecting Saiyan culture or redefining it?
2. How would you actually define Saiyan culture?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► SOCIALS & STUFF:
https://bsky.app/profile/thestoryteller.bsky.social
patreon.com/thesoulminded
instagram.com/thesoulminded
https://x.com/TheSoulMinded
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► SHOUT OUTS:
@seedofmight for their incredible corrections to Dragon Ball. The service they've done for the community cannot be understated.
@kanzenshuu for all the incredible work they've done for the community in not only helping accurately preserve its history, but the overall impact they've had on the accuracy of the information the community has spread over the past 10 or so years.
@kai_keda_amvs who may not remember me as I am now, but when I was @enragedwarriorproductions1657 10 years ago. Their Saiyan Requiem AMV still hits me after all these years and partially helped inspire the initial thought process of this video. I wish you nothing but the best despite how many years its been.
And last but not least all the incredible patrons who have continued to support me. I probably wouldn't even be here still doing this if it wasn't for all of you.
► PATRONS:
M E, Paul, Eric Pynnonen, Kylian, Dahlias, Suprana, Cresence, Zoe Adelaja, J, Jerome McI, Alanna Pisarek, Richard M, KTP526, Enigma, LibertyScholar, Okagemi, Damian A, YungBlacksmith, Jonathan G, Thomas H, Jamie W, Samir, Yusef, Andre L, Tobi O, Marcus K, Elijah R, Ayo, Kelvin, Nikhil, Omar, Jordan P, Alex M, Ben S, Chris T, Daniel F, Ethan R, Faris, George B, Hassan, Ibraheem, Isaac L, Jamal K, Kareem, Leon A, Malik, Micah, Mo, Nathan C, Noah D, Osei, Reece, Rohan, Sadiq, Samuel A, Tariq, Theo, Umar, Victor, Will J, Zain, DefiantLynx, Kailys, The Tidy Gamer, Joshua Ingram, yarow12, Icondony, Chase, Nay, Mulgar, Grue Two, Juicebox08, Obioma Anomnachi, Rafaella Alves, Sadie, Telephone_Ghost, Cort
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
And last but not least, I leave my love for everyone who indulged me in speaking about a series that I've been passionate about for many years and had a profound influence on me.
Rest in Peace Akira Toriyama. Love Live Dragon Ball.
►Is Gohan an “Uncle Tom”?
Or is he actually the most misunderstood Saiyan in Dragon Ball Z?
The conversation around Dragon Ball and Blackness has always been an interesting one to me. In this video, I use a Black cultural and political lens to explore Gohan’s complicated relationship with Saiyan identity, violence, assimilation, and tradition. Let’s indulge this admittedly silly idea with Gohan and the Saiyans to ask a difficult question:
I think through a black radical tradition lens, Gohan’s story feels less like a rejection of his roots and more like a struggle between balancing that tradition and his own self-definition. It raises the wider question of what it means to actually betray your culture?
Let's talk about it.
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Chapters / Topics:
0:00 Dragon Ball and Blackness
0:49 Who is the Uncle Tom of the Saiyans?
1:44 The History of the “Uncle Tom”
2:47 What is Saiyan Culture? | Goku
4:15 What is Saiyan Culture? | Vegeta
7:10 Gohan’s Perception of Saiyan Culture
10:20 Gohan’s Cultural Mask and Double Consciousness
13:50 Gohan’s Saiyan Legacy
15:31 Conclusion – Takeaways
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
If you mess with cultural analysis and Black readings of popular media, consider subscribing.
Genuine questions for the comments:
1. Is Gohan rejecting Saiyan culture or redefining it?
2. How would you actually define Saiyan culture?
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► SOCIALS & STUFF:
https://bsky.app/profile/thestoryteller.bsky.social
patreon.com/thesoulminded
instagram.com/thesoulminded
https://x.com/TheSoulMinded
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
► SHOUT OUTS:
@seedofmight for their incredible corrections to Dragon Ball. The service they've done for the community cannot be understated.
@kanzenshuu for all the incredible work they've done for the community in not only helping accurately preserve its history, but the overall impact they've had on the accuracy of the information the community has spread over the past 10 or so years.
@kai_keda_amvs who may not remember me as I am now, but when I was @enragedwarriorproductions1657 10 years ago. Their Saiyan Requiem AMV still hits me after all these years and partially helped inspire the initial thought process of this video. I wish you nothing but the best despite how many years its been.
And last but not least all the incredible patrons who have continued to support me. I probably wouldn't even be here still doing this if it wasn't for all of you.
► PATRONS:
M E, Paul, Eric Pynnonen, Kylian, Dahlias, Suprana, Cresence, Zoe Adelaja, J, Jerome McI, Alanna Pisarek, Richard M, KTP526, Enigma, LibertyScholar, Okagemi, Damian A, YungBlacksmith, Jonathan G, Thomas H, Jamie W, Samir, Yusef, Andre L, Tobi O, Marcus K, Elijah R, Ayo, Kelvin, Nikhil, Omar, Jordan P, Alex M, Ben S, Chris T, Daniel F, Ethan R, Faris, George B, Hassan, Ibraheem, Isaac L, Jamal K, Kareem, Leon A, Malik, Micah, Mo, Nathan C, Noah D, Osei, Reece, Rohan, Sadiq, Samuel A, Tariq, Theo, Umar, Victor, Will J, Zain, DefiantLynx, Kailys, The Tidy Gamer, Joshua Ingram, yarow12, Icondony, Chase, Nay, Mulgar, Grue Two, Juicebox08, Obioma Anomnachi, Rafaella Alves, Sadie, Telephone_Ghost, Cort
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
And last but not least, I leave my love for everyone who indulged me in speaking about a series that I've been passionate about for many years and had a profound influence on me.
Rest in Peace Akira Toriyama. Love Live Dragon Ball.
