Akira Toriyama’sDragon Ballis arguably the most famous shonen manga of all time, and its anime adaptation played a major role in establishing Japanese animation as an international phenomenon.Dragon Ball Zis particularly beloved, garnering a reputation for its high-octane fight sequences that are spectacular in scope and presentation. Even all these decades later, the manga and anime hold up as all-time greats that can still be enjoyed by folks who do not have any nostalgia for them.
With new anime shows, movies, manga sequels, and games still regularly coming out, the franchise’s popularity has hardly faded with time, and this long-term success can be largely attributed toDragon Ball’s iconic characters. The Z-Fighters are probably the most recognizable figures in anime, and the same can be said forDBZ’s main antagonists. However, who are the bestDragon Ballcharacters?
ThebestDragon Ballcharacteris not the same thing as the most famous, as Goku would naturally rank in the top spot if that were the case. This article takes into account a character’s relevance across arcs and series, story-based development, contributions, and sheer entertainment value.
Honorable Mentions
There have been so many greatDragon Ballcharacters over the years; some of the ones that just missed out deserve to be highlighted briefly.
10Tien
An Early Example Of The Villain-Turned-Hero Journey
If somebody has primarily just watchedDBZand the subsequent sequels, they might disregard Tien as a minor character who does not accomplish much, except for one awesome sequence where he bombards Imperfect Cell with the Neo Tri-Beam. He appears occasionally inDragon Ball Super, but his only notable contribution is eliminating Hermila during the Tournament of Power, who is not a particularly strong enemy. He straight up skipsDaima, and he might as well not be inDBGT.
However, Tien is fantastic in the originalDragon Ball, and his journey arguably served as the blueprint that would be followed by other popular characters like Vegeta and Piccolo. Adedicated martial artistwho trained under Master Shen and Mercenary Tao, Tien’s initial goal is to get revenge on his masters, which means taking out Goku and Roshi during the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Vicious, deliberate, and intense, he proves to be by far Goku’s biggest challenge to this point. That said, Tien’s honor shines through during the battle, and this aspect would become his defining trait.
Tien is cool, committed to his training, and a great mentor and friend to Chiaotzu. He has a good relationship with pretty much all the Z-Fighters, but he typically keeps them at a distance.
9Frieza
Dragon Ball Z’s Most Iconic Villain
Universe 7’s spoiled emperor, Frieza, played a significant role in shaping the lives of so manyDragon Ballcharacters. His annihilation of the Saiyan race and destruction of Planet Vegeta played a direct role in Goku coming to Earth, along with fueling a lot of Vegeta’s actions during the early parts ofDBZ. Lore-wise,Dragon Balldoes not happen without this genocidal monster.
As a villain, Lore Frieza is comfortably among the most recognizable in anime, particularlyhis final form inDBZ. His introduction during the Namek saga set the bar so high for big bads that an argument could be made that no subsequent villain managed to surpass it. An extremely powerful and temperamental ruler, Frieza is deadly, arrogant, and prone to fits of childish anger. While incredibly intimidating, he also reflectsDragon Ball’s tendency to incorporate humor alongside action, something that most ofDBZandSuper’s other main villains lack.
Frieza returned in a major way inSuper, showing up as a villain before becoming an unlikely ally to the Z-Fighters. While fun overall, he did threaten to become overexposed.
8Cell
The Perfect Dragon Ball Villain
Personal preference aside,Dragon Ball Z’s Cell Games Arc is one of the franchise’s highest peaks. Cell is pretty much the ideal villain, not only for Gohan but also in all ofDragon Ball. While not as quotable and detestable as Frieza, Cell has a more interesting journey than his predecessor. With each new form, the Bio-Android’s personality, tactics, and demeanor change, emphasizing the fact that he is evolving rather than just acquiring more power. Also, Cell wins, even if it is in a separate timeline.
Once he reaches his final form, Cell becomes almost a mirror of Goku, with both characters being driven by a desire to face off against stronger enemies. However, Cell is willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in this pursuit, and he reacts to the prospect of defeat terribly. With a memorable personality, great designs, and consistently fantastic fights, Cell lives up to his “perfect” reputation.
7Krillin
The Ultimate Best Friend & A Great Character In His Own Right
The strongest human fighter, Krillin is a cornerstone of theDragon Ballfranchise, even if the sequels tend to sideline him. In the original anime, Krillin is nearly as important as Goku, with their rivalry-turned-into-friendship often acting as the story’s heart. While not as strong as most other main characters, Krillin is the funniest, and most of his humor has aged pretty well. He is also incredibly brave.
Even more so than Chi-Chi or even Gohan,Krillin helps bring out Goku’s humanside inDBZandSuper. These two characters have an incredible rapport that shines through whenever they are allowed to interact, which does not happen often enough after the first show.
6Bulma
Dragon Ball’s Best Female Character & One Of The Most Important
For the most part,Dragon Ball’s female charactersare not spotlighted as often as they should be, which is a shame, as they are generally great. The main exception is, naturally, Bulma. An anime icon, the scientist plays a pivotal role inDragon Ball, to the point that she is just as important as Goku in the original series. She was also unique for the era, at least when it came to shonen stories.
By far the smartest mainDragon Ballcharacter, she has a well-rounded three-dimensional personality that does not cater to stereotypes. She is allowed to be obnoxious, confident, manipulative, sexual, kind, and angry. While she does not fight, she is constantly useful and offers expertise in an area that is all her own.
Admittedly, Bulma becomes more of a bit-part player in the sequels, but she still has her moments. Her relationship with Vegeta is great, and she is a fun presence inSuperand especiallyDaima.
5Future Trunks
A Dragon Ball Hero Born Out Of Hell
Born in the worst timeline, Future Trunks knows almost nothing but tragedy, oppression, and fear. The last remaining Saiyan, he is the only one willing to oppose Android 17 and 18, despite knowing full well that he is nowhere near their level. However, Trunks goes back in time, hoping that he can set things right and craft a better future for himself.
Kid Trunks andDragon Ball GTTrunks are not looked upon fondly, and that reputation partially stems from the fact that they had to follow their future variant. Soft-spoken but still a hardened warrior who has been living in hell for most of his life, Trunks is driven by a selfless desire to change and save the world, and his personality is notably different from any other Saiyan inDragon Ball.
4Gohan
The Best Dragon Ball Z Character (Well, For About 2/3rds Of The Anime)
Gohan is simultaneously one of thebestDragon Ballcharactersand one of the most frustrating. Up until the Cell Saga, Goku and Chi-Chi’s son went on a pitch-perfect journey that saw him evolve from a scared child to the most powerful warrior in the known universe (at the time). He suffered hardship and terror at the hands of Raditz, Vegeta, Frieza, and Cell, only to stand up and face off against the far more powerful characters. His actions are born out of courage and a desire to do what is right and protect the weak, rather than a love for fighting.
In isolation,Teen Gohanis arguably the best character in the franchise. By that point, the audience had seen this child grow up before their eyes, culminating in his all-time legendary battle with Cell. Unfortunately, after this saga, Gohan loses quite a bit of steam. He is discarded in favor of Goku and Vegeta during the Majin Buu storyline, and he barely has a presence inDBGTandSuper. Gohan is not even part ofDaima.
3Goku
The Most Iconic Anime Character Of All Time
Goku isDragon Ball. As the protagonist of every series, nearly every arc, and most movies, Kakarot is ever-present. Ultimately,Dragon Ballis Goku’s story, chronicling his birth, childhood, teen years, and adulthood. Viewers get to watch Goku go through his entire life. They watch him grieve his grandfather, make his first friend, get married, suffer crushing defeats, rise above seemingly insurmountable obstacles,transform into many forms, die (multiple times), and eat enough food to feed an entire country.
Goku is designed to be fairly straightforward, almost to the point of acting as a surrogate for the audience. However, he has more than enough personality to feel like a legitimate person rather than a self-insert protagonist, even if his characterization does not change all that much inDragon Ball Zand especiallySuper.
2Piccolo
Dragon Ball’s Best Father & A Fantastically Written Character
Introduced as King Piccolo’s offspring and the originalDragon Ball’s final villain, Piccolo could have easily been a throwaway antagonist and a rehash of his father; however, he sticks around and pretty much instantly becomes one ofDBZ’s best characters. While initially teaming up with the Z-Fighters out of necessity, Piccolo gradually becomes a close ally and friend to Goku, all the while developing amentor-student dynamic with Gohan. The latter is arguably the most beloved relationship inDragon Ball, one that helped elevate and develop both characters. At this point, Gohan has a seemingly stronger bond with Piccolo than with his father.
Although always staying true to himself, Piccolo changes significantly throughout the story, albeit in subtle steps. He gradually becomes kinder, more approachable, and selfless, all traits he picked up from people like Gohan and, to a lesser extent, Goku. He goes from someone craving only world domination to a hero who is willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of humanity.
1Vegeta
The Best Dragon Ball Character
In the anime, the Saiyan Prince’s first memorable action is to destroy a planet. After that, he shows up, arrogantly kills his ally, loses a close fight against Goku, transforms into a Giant Ape, and is nearly murdered by an enraged Gohan. Vegeta is the best part of the Saiyan Saga, but his introduction paints him as mostly an egotistical villain with an inferiority complex. Fun stuff, but there is very little to suggest that he would eventually become one of the most beloved characters inDragon Ball, if not anime in general.
While hardly “good” in most ofDBZ, Vegeta steadily becomes a better person, particularly through his relationship with Bulma and his reluctant love for his children.His rivalry with Gokupushes him to achieve both depressing lows and impressive highs, with the latter eventually becoming the norm. More importantly, Vegeta’s growth continues inDBZ’s sequels, particularlySuperandDaima. By the end ofSuper, the Prince of All Saiyans is completely devoted to his family, making them his reason for living rather than an inherent need to be the strongest.
