Cell-era Gohan's Popularity
Short of his brief badassness against Buu, the Cellgames was the climax of Gohan's character ark. Add also the popularity of the series at that point, and that "Ultimate" Gohan would probably be unfair anyway... and of course his age relative to the subject matter,demographic, Etc... and his character is most defined at the Cell games on both sides of the coin. And ... he's... stronger than early DB Goku, and it was either one of them or Gotenks?
Dr Gero, in Budokai 2 wrote:Go, my Saiba Rangers!
Akira Toriyama, in Son Goku Densetsu wrote:You really can’t go by rumors (laughs).