A Ranking of All the Characters on 'Dragon Ball Z'
We break down all 48 characters from 'Dragon Ball Z,' from inconsequential to essential.
Image via Complex Original
49.
Dragon Ball Z is the landmark anime series sandwiched between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT. The anime series was a major player in popularizing the genre in America, and it has reached cult status among some devout DBZ fans. Based on a manga created by Akira Toriyama, the Dragon Ball Z franchise now includes several animated feature films, video games, and other DBZ merchandise. The anime show first captivated audiences in Japan in 1989 before spreading to the U.S. with stints on Cartoon Network (‘98-’03), Nicktoons (‘10-’13), and The CW (‘10-’14). It is now being reintroduced on Adult Swim’s Saturday night Toonami block, the platform where it originally connected with the U.S. audience. It has grown into a cultural staple for an entire generation, and its influence can still be felt now, decades after its initial release.
Dragon Ball Z is built on themes of heroism, redemption, and friendship, following the saiyan Goku and his ever-evolving band of comrades as they protect his adopted world from threats both intergalactic and domestic. His exploits span several sagas comprised of unraveling plot lines. DBZ, though prominently featuring Goku, has an array of characters that function mostly as an ensemble cast such as Yamcha, Goku's one-time nemesis Vegeta, second major villain Cell, one of the youngest Super Saiyans Goten, Broly who is the first Super Saiyan, original Z fighters member Piccolo, and the first Saiyan to go Super Saiyan 2 Gohan, coloring a huge, fictional universe with meticulously constructed personalities. The series’ best characters are the ones developed thoughtfully in relationship to others. They are flawed but also engaging, and their arcs greatly impact the universe as a whole. We have compiled a list ranking the Dragon Ball Z characters, from inconsequential to absolutely essential.
48.Puar
Best fighting technique: Shapeshifting
Power level: 10
Puar is a Dragon Ball hangover who initially served as the best friend for third tier Z fighter Yamcha, and he only shows up in the DBZ universe in uneventful flashes.
47.Oolong
Best fighting technique: Shapeshifting
Power level: 10
Oolong, another Dragon Ball original, saw his role drastically reduced in DBZ, and he once (stupidly) tried to use the dragon balls to kill Vegeta and Nappa instead of reviving a recently killed Goku, but he does occasionally provide much needed comic relief.
46.Bibidi
Best fighting technique: Ability to create doppelgangers
Power level: N/A
The original summoner of Buu, Bibidi uses the monster to eliminate most of the Supreme Kais across the universe, but in doing so sets in motion the events leading up to his own demise.
45.Fortuneteller Baba
Best fighting technique: Clairvoyance
Power level: N/A
Master Roshi’s sister, Fortuneteller Baba, exists only as filler in key moments, often showing lesser characters' battles using her crystal ball, but she also lets Goku return to earth for one day after his second death to meet his youngest son, Goten, for the first time.
44.Hercule
Best fighting technique: Dynamic Mess Em Up Punch, which is basically a regular combo
Power level: N/A
Possibly the most annoying character in the entire series and often the most useless, Hercule, the reigning World Martial Arts Champion, is notorious for wrongly claiming to be the strongest fighter on earth, even taking credit for battles he didn’t win. Despite being a greedy coward, he is (sort of) pure-hearted and temporarily courageous when his family is in danger.
43.Launch
Best fighting technique: Superhuman strength when blonde
Power level: 18
One of the more fascinating characters in Dragon Ball, the split-personality femme fatale Launch was completely stripped of her intrigue in limited appearances in DBZ, where she spent most of her time rapidly sneezing in and out of her good and bad forms and occasionally filling the role of stand-in love interest for Tien.
42.Nappa
Best fighting technique: Bomber DX, a one-handed energy wave
Power level: 4,000-7,000
Nappa was basically Vegeta’s lapdog, albeit a powerful one that killed many Z fighters.
41.Babidi
Best fighting technique: Mind Control
Power level: 1,000,000
The doppelganger of Bibidi (or “his son”), Babidi tries to unleash Majin Buu in the present day and inevitably succeeds despite Supreme Kai's and the Z fighters’ best efforts.
40.Pan
Best fighting technique: N/A
Power level: N/A
Pan, the young daughter of Gohan and Videl who would go on to play an integral role in Dragon Ball GT as mini Goku’s space-traveling companion, is a peripheral character in DBZ. Though she is never featured, her determination and strength are showcased when she holds her own against Goten in the closing moments of the series.
39.Mr. Popo
Best fighting technique: Instant Transmission, the ability be anywhere on Earth in an instant
Power level: 1,030
Mr. Popo is more or less the assistant to the Guardian of the Earth (Kami), taking care of the lookout, training beings of the universe when there’s impending doom on the horizon (like Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu), and tending to the Guardian himself. Though he mostly exists in Kami’s shadow, he taught Bulma the Namekian language after Kami’s death, and played an important role in helping her get to Namek, acquire the Dragon Balls, and resurrect Kami.
38.Yamcha
Best fighting technique: Wolf Fang Fist, a swift combo of punches and kicks
Power level: 177-900,000
Once Goku’s enemy and Bulma’s boyfriend, Yamcha eventually became the biggest punching bag of the Z fighters and was inevitably sidelined as a cheerleader. His greatest moments came early in the series when the character was written as a martyr willing to sacrifice himself to save others, which he did… frequently.
37.Doctor Brief
Best fighting technique: N/A
Power level: 12
Bulma’s dad, Doctor Brief, is the creator of the Capsule Corporation and the inventor of the dynocap capsule, which can make almost anything compact. He builds the spaceship that Goku uses to travel to Namek, and his technical know-how is second only to his daughter’s.
36.Videl
Best fighting technique: Human flight
Power level: N/A
Videl is mostly characterized by her relationships—Hercule's daughter, Gohan's wife, Pan's mother—but she's a strong character in her own right, providing emotional support for her loved ones and fighting formidably (for a human) when necessary.
35.Chiaotzu
Best fighting technique: Ability to attack with psychokinesis
Power level: 130-19,000
Chiaotzu is to Tien what Puar is to the Yamcha, only Chiaotzu’s role as a sidekick extends far beyond simply existing in the margins of his better half. Chiaotzu makes strides toward being helpful by training at Kami’s Lookout during the Saiyan Saga. He’s a strong-willed character who butts heads with Tien, refusing his requests to stay behind. After a suicidal attempt to destroy Nappa fails, he becomes a much stronger fighter, learning from King Kai and defeating Guldo of the Ginyu Force.
34.Yajirobe
Best fighting technique: Hikou, or moving through the air as if running
Power level: 970
An introvert, Yajirobe acts on Korin’s behalf, making deliveries and sending messages. He’s rude, grumpy, and unwilling to help others, making him a rarity in DBZ. Yajirobe’s main purpose is basically to deliver Senzu Beans.
33.Raditz
Best fighting technique: Saturday Crush, a one-handed, pink energy sphere
Power level: 1,200-1,500
The elder brother of Goku, Raditz is Freiza's foot soldier. He's not as complex as later villains, with one-note tactics and a straightforward agenda, but he does bring with him secrets about saiyan ancestry and history.
32.Tien
Best fighting technique: Tri-Beam, an energy blast fired by forming a triangle with his hands
Power level: 250-930,000
Tien is one of the original Z fighters who's shoved aside toward the latter part of the series when their alien counterparts begin to dwarf them in power. Tien is also one of the first in a long line of enemies converted by Goku, but despite his lack of a unique DBZ backstory, he does protect Androids #16 and #18 from being absorbed by imperfect Cell in dramatic fashion.
31.Ginyu Force
Best fighting technique: Captain Ginyu’s ability to switch bodies with enemies
Power level: 11,500-120,000
The Ginyu Force is basically Frieza’s Seal Team 6, an elite group of mercenaries that helps the tyrant conquer other planets. They were written as extensions of each other, and with the exception of Captain Ginyu, they don’t stand up well individually. However, their penchant for group poses and betting candy on fights makes them likeable.
30.Dende
Best fighting technique: Healing
Power level: 10
One of the more important characters from the planet Namek—Piccolo and Kami's home—Dende starts the series as a young boy and ends up as Guardian of Earth. He has the rare power to heal others, which lets him fulfill his desire to help anyone in need. After Goku requests he replace Kami, Dende manages to recreate the Earth’s Dragon Balls.
29.Supreme Kai
Best fighting technique: Teleportation
Power level: 530,000,000-1,000,000,000
The Eastern Supreme Kai is the only of the Supreme Kais that gets any real screen time, and he becomes the Supreme Kai when the others are killed or consumed by Majin Buu. Supreme Kai is rational, willing to seek help from Gohan, Goku, and Vegeta to prevent the re-release of Majin Buu, and he plays an important role in the Babidi and Buu Sagas.
28.Bardock
Best fighting technique: Final Spirit Cannon (also called Riot Javelin), an energy sphere
Power level: 9,000-10,000
Goku and Raditz's father, Bardock, was developed in the special Dragon Ball Z: Bardock—The Father of Goku. The title says it all: He exists as a means to shed more light on Goku’s character. He even looks exactly like him.
27.Korin
Best fighting technique: Ability to command lightning from the sky
Power level: 190
Korin is a wise 800-year-old cat, a martial arts master who lives in a huge tower growing and cultivating the Senzu Beans, which heal wounds and give strength.
26.Android #16
Best fighting technique: Rocket Punch, an attack that fires the android’s fist as an exploding projectile
Power level: 30,000,000
The least interesting android is still a fascinating look into what it means to be human. A replica of Doctor Gero’s dead son, #16 has no human attributes, but he develops a friendly nature, and against logic attempts to self-destruct and destroy Cell. Though that fails, he plays a pivotal role in encouraging Gohan to defend the Earth.
25.Chi-Chi
Best fighting technique: Blazing Aura, an energy power-up
Power level: 300
Chi-Chi is the finger-wagger who's prone to angry outbursts. She nags her husband and is overprotective of her sons, even forcing Gohan to quit fighting to tend to his studies as a teen, but her fiery disposition is matched by her loyalty to her family. As a traditional caregiver, she plays Bulma's foil, which helps to bring out endearing qualities in both characters.
24.Zarbon
Best fighting technique: Super Beautiful Arrow, a rapid fire combination of several waves of energy
Power level: 17,000-55,000
Though weaker and lower ranking in Frieza’s army than the Ginyu Force mercenaries, Zarbon is a more colorful character. He’s a warrior obsessed with physical appearance and beauty who, in his true form, is a hideous monster.
23.Android #19
Best fighting technique: Energy Absorption
Power level: 405-10,000,000
The final android created by Doctor Gero, #19 is the only one of Gero’s creations to obey him completely and fully pursue his vendetta against Goku. He is the android most like a robot, which makes him less intriguing than his predecessors, #17 and #18. However, his ruthlessness makes him a true robot menace.
22.Cooler
Best fighting technique: Supernova
Power level: 1,200,000-470,000,000
Cooler is the elder brother of the space tyrant Frieza. Though they share similar dispositions, Cooler is less likely to fly off the handle, which makes him less entertaining than his kid brother. Still, he's a formidable opponent for the Z fighters due to his ruthless efficiency.
21.Garlic Jr.
Best fighting technique: Continuous Energy Bullets
Power level: 400-1,500,000
Garlic Jr. is a weird little guy who becomes the only character ever granted eternal life by the Dragon Balls. He intends to open up the Dead Zone and suck his enemies into the void, but instead gets caught in the vortex himself. He enslaves the Earth's population with Black Water Mist and goes Super Garlic. Though he's more of a nuisance than anything, his quest for vengeance is a nice change of pace.
20.Kami
Best fighting technique: Eye Lasers
Power level: 220
Piccolo’s better half (morally speaking), Kami serves as the Guardian of Earth early in the series. He creates Piccolo and Earth’s Dragon Balls. He is a complicated character who desires to be good, but his very existence means the survival of the Piccolo menace. This makes him doubt if he’s worthy of his title, and he contemplates suicide on many occasions.
19.Porunga
Best fighting technique: Ability to grant any wish
Power level: N/A
Porunga is the Namekian Dragon, the equivalent of Earth’s Shenron. A more physically imposing being, Porunga can be summoned twice as often with Namek’s Dragon Balls, but in a way that cheapens his summoning. Despite having just as much power as Shenron (if not more), Porunga has far less personality than his Earth counterpart. He also has a way lighter workload.
18.Krillin
Best fighting technique: Destructo Disc
Power level: 206-950,000
Goku's life-long best friend, Krillin is a courageous and loyal ally who fights alongside both Goku and Gohan. His signature move, Destructo Disc, is among the most recognizable and devastating attacks in the series. Unlike other original Z fighters, whose character arcs dip dramatically in later seasons, Krillin remains relevant, sparing Android #18’s life before later marrying her and starting his own family.
17.Android #17
Best fighting technique: Electric Shot, an electric-charged energy ball attack
Power level: 30,000,000
Android #17 is #18's twin brother, an agitator who constantly destroys things because he can. #17’s anarchist nature develops into something more intriguing when it's revealed that he despises the cybernetics that allow him to exist.
16.King Kai
Best fighting technique: Telepathy
Power level: 3,500-4,500
King Kai is outranked by Supreme Kai, but he's more important to DBZ’s arcs, having dominion over the North Galaxy, which Earth calls home. King Kai plays a crucial role in training Goku after his first death and trains many other Z fighters in different intervals. He is eccentric, but brilliant.
15.Frieza
Best fighting technique: Death Beam, a thin bullet-like blast fired from the index finger
Power level: 20,000-100,000,000,000,000,000,000
Frieza is the first of Dragon Ball Z's three major villains. Initially a shadowy figure who dispatches Raditz, and then Vegeta and Nappa, to do his bidding, Frieza eventually shows his true colors as a wicked dictator beyond redemption. He is the exterminator of the saiyan race, save for Vegeta, Raditz, Nappa, a few stragglers, and (obviously) Goku. Frieza is a true sadist, which makes his demise twice as satisfying.
14.Doctor Gero
Best fighting technique: Photon Wave, a wave of explosive energy
Power level: 10,000,000
Where Frieza is crazed, Doctor Gero is exacting. A genius scientist of the Red Ribbon Army, who manufactures the androids and Cell, Doctor Gero seeks retribution against Goku. Ultimately it isn’t his hubris that does him in but his inability to comprehend his own design, and he dies when his #17 and #18 models display free will and rebel.
13.Piccolo
Best fighting technique: Special Beam Cannon, a laser beam charged by touching the middle and index fingers to the forehead
Power level: 260-1,150,000,000
Piccolo is the only member of the original Z fighters who keeps pace with the saiyans' constantly increasing power. Many of his most important moments come only after fusing with other characters, but he's on the fringes of almost every major DBZ battle. He plays a role in shaping young Gohan, and he sacrifices his life to save the boy. An expert strategist, he's usually the voice of reason.
12.Master Roshi
Best fighting technique: Kamehameha, the staple of the show
Power level: 139-350
Master Roshi, or the Turtle Hermit, invented the Kamehameha, which many characters use in multiple DBZ sagas. Though his role deteriorates with the saiyans' arrival, he still pops up to offer advice, support, and comic relief.
11.Cell
Best fighting technique: Mimicry, the ability to mimic the attacks of his enemies
Power level: 900,000,000-1,079,956,055
Cell is the second major villain in Dragon Ball Z. Created by Doctor Gero, he is obsessed with becoming perfect, and his personality shifts with each passing transformation. He absorbs other beings until he reaches perfection, and when he does, he is the ultimate warrior, a composite of multiple characters that can exploit weaknesses. Cell differs from other DBZ villains because he is only interested in testing his power, not conquering the world.
10.Gohan
Best fighting technique: Masenko, a yellow sphere that focuses into an energy beam
Power level: 1-1,800,000,000
The Gohan character arc was so promising: a young, vulnerable boy slowly crawls out of his shell and becomes the most powerful being in the North Quadrant. He is the first saiyan to go Super Saiyan 2, and becomes even more powerful than his father, defeating Cell in the process. The only thing holding him back how swiftly his arc drops off after that. As a teenager, Chi-Chi relegates him to student life and halts his training. It’s mostly downhill from there, with the Great Saiyaman Saga being rock bottom.
9.Android #18
Best fighting technique: High-Pressure Energy Wave, a yellow energy wave
Power level: 420-30,000,000
The most compelling android is #18, an artificial being prone to sarcastic remarks. She's curious and wishes to activate #16 even after Gero orders her not to. Her character can be measured against the alternate version of herself in the Future Trunks timeline where she is a sociopath. #18 is responsible for keeping Krillin relevant in the latter sagas, and their coupling creates some of the show’s better dialogue.
8.Shenron
Best fighting technique: Ability to grant any wish
Power level: 1,900,000,000
The show is called Dragon Ball Z, and when characters gather Dragon Balls, they summon Shenron, the “Eternal Dragon.” Shenron grants wishes, and his power is a handy device that lets the writers revive dead characters (with various conditions). Shenron is also amusingly impatient, which is ironic given the fact summoners have to wait an entire year before they can summon him.
7.Broly
Best fighting technique: Eraser Cannon, a giant, green energy sphere
Power level: 1,400,000,000
Broly is the first Super Saiyan, or The Legendary Super Saiyan, and his massive power in his Super Saiyan form is balanced by his tepid, docile nature as a regular saiyan when subdued by a device created by his father, Paragus. The circumstances of his birth lead to his eventual insanity, but he is somewhat aware that he’s insane, which makes his experience tragic.
6.Goten
Best fighting technique: Full Power Energy Blast Volley, a barrage of small energy blasts
Power level: N/A
Goten is an even greater child prodigy than his brother, Gohan. He's the second youngest Super Saiyan ever after Broly, and he first turns Super Saiyan on accident. He exists mostly as part of a pair with Trunks, who's the assertive member of the duo, and their bond makes them extremely compatible for fusion. They even go Super Saiyan 3. Together, Gotenks nearly defeats Majin Buu on two different occasions.
5.Bulma
Best fighting technique: N/A
Power level: 12
Bulma is the most important supporting protagonist in the entire series. She is Goku’s oldest friend and she frequently aids the Z fighters in a non-combative capacity. Her knack for getting kidnapped is a consistent plot point. She is arguably the smartest person in the DBZ universe, inventing both the Dragon Radar and the time machine that brings her son, Trunks, back to fix the past. She is the only female character who exists on her own merits outside of a relationship to a man.
4.(Majin, Super, Kid, Evil) Buu
Best fighting technique: Ability to regenerate at the molecular level
Power level: 1,000,000,000-1,150,000,000
Majin Buu is the third of the major villains in Dragon Ball Z. Each iteration of Buu—Majin, Super, Evil—is the byproduct of consuming or dispelling other beings, and the various personalities of each iteration manifest themselves in different ways. The monster’s purest form, Kid Buu, is the last antagonist in the Dragon Ball Z series, and he is anime’s answer to Batman’s The Joker: an irrational being that cannot be corralled and seeks destruction without purpose. Each Buu presents his own unique set of problems that the Z fighters must combat
3.Vegeta
Best fighting technique: Galick Gun, a concentrated beam that becomes his signature
Power ranking: 15,000-1,580,000,000
From enemy of the Z fighters, to mutineer, to full-on anti-hero, Vegeta’s character arc is one of the most impressive in the series. He contrasts with Goku’s nobility, but over time he develops his own code of honor, fighting alongside his one-time nemesis. He attempts to become universe’s most powerful warrior, an effort that never really comes to fruition with Goku around. Through relationships with his wife and young son, he eventually becomes a full-on protagonist willing to fight to protect the same planet he once sought to destroy.
2.Goku
Best fighting technique: Spirit Bomb, a powerful sphere that gathers energy from beings in the surrounding area and concentrates it
Power level: 334-1,500,000,000
The face of the entire Dragon Ball franchise, Goku continues to shine in DBZ, where his peer group solidifies, his family comes to fruition, and he essentially carries the saiyan race on his back. Goku is among the most powerful beings in the universe, along with his eldest son Gohan and Super Buu. Despite his great strength, Goku is incredibly humble and kind, with a great capacity for forgiveness, which is crucial during the rehabilitation of Vegeta, Piccolo, and #18. He's a wholly good character whose flaws only make him more likeable.
1.Trunks
Best fighting technique: Double Buster, an energy wave blast that can double as a sphere if used as a Trick Buster
Power level: 5
Trunks is the most interesting character in the DBZ universe, partially because he gets two brilliant character arcs, but mostly because he embodies the best personality traits of both his parents, Bulma and Vegeta. He’s proud, determined, and willing to do anything to protect his family. His arrival from the alternate future timeline, where Goku dies of a heart virus, shifts the entire DBZ landscape, saving Goku from death but also bringing Cell into the picture. Trunks marks the beginning of the 2nd Generation of Z fighters. He easily dispatches Frieza and provides critical intel on the androids that had destroyed his timeline. His first relationship with his father (who dies in his timeline) creates room for his second one to blossom. Kid Trunks plays a pivotal role in battling Super Buu and helps carry on his father’s proud saiyan legacy.