Top 10 Badass Dragon Ball Moments

Vegeta’s days of mayhem and mercilessly executing his foes may be behind him, but that doesn’t mean he’s not above teaching a wayward Saiyan a lesson in manners. After coming under attack from Broly and his pops, Vegeta takes the opportunity to demonstrate all the forms a Saiyan can attain. From the classic gold all the way to godly red, Vegeta schools his junior completely and utterly, and it is amazing to watch, especially when rendered in such gorgeous animation.

Head’s up, there’s a lot of Vegeta here. But when the Prince of Saiyans is pulling off stunts like this, it’s impossible not to highlight them. After attaining his Perfect form, Cell makes quick work of practically everyone, including Vegeta, whose pride and ego is instantly shattered when his punches stop making an impact. Enraged and humiliated, Vegeta pulls out all the stops – namely his ultimate finishing move. The blast is so intense that not only does it take off half of Cell’s body but illuminates a fraction of the planet!

After exhausting the power of Ultra Instinct, it looked like Goku was out for the count. That would have been all well and good if it weren’t for Jiren getting his second wind. Empowered beyond his maximum, the alien warrior lays waste to both Frieza and Android 17, dooming Universe 7’s prospect of survival. That is until a torn and tattered Goku remerges to throw himself back into the fray, and in doing so unites two former enemies into a last bastion, while also letting loose some impressive ki energy.

Tangoing with Kid Buu is no easy feat. The pink planet destroyer can knock around the likes of Goku when he’s fully kitted out as a Super Saiyan 3. So you can guess just how badly he was able to smack around base level Vegeta. And yet, despite being mauled and literally beaten into the ground, the Saiyan Prince refuses to go down without a fight. His sheer tenacity and unwillingness to fall is so intense that it even strikes fear into a creature as single-minded as Buu!

In what feels like the only time Gohan has truly been given respect since he defeated Cell, this brief yet glimmering brawl against Super Buu showcased what an adult Gohan would look like if he was the main character. Following his training with the Old Kai, Gohan makes a last second appearance to save Piccolo and his brother…and single-handedly wrecks Buu in the most satisfyingly disrespectful way. It may not have lasted long, but this display of ferocity reminded us that Goku’s firstborn is indeed a beast.

Goku and Frieza’s long-awaited rematch within Super certainly had its peaks, especially when it came to the reveal of their newly acquired ultimate forms. Initially, it appeared that Golden Frieza was able to match Goku beat for beat, perhaps even best the likes of Super Saiyan Blue. That is, until Goku shut him down with this epic display. Not only does he eat one of Frieza’s punches without flinching, but responds in kind with a one-inch strike that leaves the tyrant reeling. That’s hardcore.

While the likes of 17 and 18 in the current timeline were able to redeem themselves, that was not the case for those who resided in Trunks’ future. The last time the son of Vegeta encountered this lethal duo, they decisively wrecked him. This time? Very different result. Thanks to the intense amount of training he endured, Trunks was on a whole different level, which he swiftly proved by annihilating 17, 18 and Imperfect Cell like that were Saibamen, avenging all he had lost in the process. Payback is sweet.

Not since his daddy first went golden has a transformation rocked the foundations of anime itself. After some encouragement from 16, followed by Cell killing him, Gohan finally snaps and showcases the latent power he had inside him. This new form not only comes with plenty more hair spikes, but a zero tolerance for Cell’s wicked ways, leading to Gohan laying down the law and beating the Perfect Android and his progeny to near extinction without breaking a sweat. At this point in time, Gohan was the single strongest character the series had ever seen, and it was amazing to witness.

Vegeta’s relapse into evil initially looked like the end of any kind of redemption arc he had been building towards. Happy to embrace the dark side again for another chance to best Goku, he had traded his new life away then and there. And then he turned everything around with an act that was as selfless as it was demonstrably amazing. Facing off against Majin Buu, Vegeta unleashes an attack of such magnitude that it claims his own life in the process…but not before giving his final farewells to those he now realizes he’s come to care for, including Goku.

The debate around Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Z Kai in terms of overall quality is likely never going to end…but damn if the latter didn’t do justice to one of Goku’s greatest moments. After attaining the power of Super Saiyan for the first time, Goku reveals to Frieza exactly who and what he is, with a speech that makes both his enemy and the planet itself quake. We’ll always enjoy the “ally to good, nightmare to you” angle, but this right here? This is Dragon Ball hype in its purest form.
Which of these moments had you screaming alongside your favorite Saiyan? Let us know in the comments!