Top 10 Brutal Dragon Ball Deaths

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

Even though Spopovich beat poor Videl within inches of her life, hes the one who doesnt make it out of the Buu saga alive! Although, that has less to do with his treatment of women, and more to do with his boss, Babidi. Spopovich only had one job; gather enough energy to resurrect Majin Buu. Once that was done, Babidi had no more use for him, and terminated his employment with some majorly disturbing psychic powers. Spopovich didnt exactly look pleasant before, but Babidis torment turns him into something out of a horror film! By the time he explodes into dust, it comes as a relief.

Dragon Ball (1986-89)

As one of the nastiest villains Goku has ever faced, theres no doubt King Piccolo deserved to be knocked off his throne. We just didnt expect it to involve Goku punching straight through him. Were not talking about a measly fist, either. We mean Gokus whole body blows right through King Piccolos midsection, leaving behind a hole big enough for even Shenron to fit through! While theres not much in terms of blood and guts, the hollowed-out image is still more than enough to prove this wasnt a merciful way to go. But, as we said, King Piccolo definitely had it coming.

Dragon Ball GT (1996-97)

In a rather poetic turn of events, Goku ensures Naturon Shenrons last moments are spent feeling the exact same pain of his victims. But, where the Shadow Dragon absorbed innocent lives to feast upon their energy, Gokus approach is a bit more grounded. Meaning, he punches Naturon. A lot! Its not everyday you see Goku in such a bloodthirsty mood, and its almost enough to make you feel bad for the Shadow Dragon. Almost. Never one to toy with his food for long, Goku seals the deal with a mid-air Kamehameha, vaporizing the schmuck into atoms. Its what he gets for threatening Pan.

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

If you dare to threaten the pride of the Saiyan Prince, he wont just beat you unconscious, hell beat you dead. Just look at Recoome and Burter! Gokus the one who knocked them out, but Vegeta still takes full advantage of the situation. First, its a knee-drop on Burters windpipe, eliciting a crunch sound that would make even a Saiyan shudder. Then, before Goku can even begin to argue, Vegetas sent a blast in Recoome's direction, too. Its a quick and ruthless way to dispatch two enemies. But, doing it when theyre already down for the count feels particularly heartless, even for Vegeta.

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

Villains kill people. Its the reality of a show with power levels as high as Dragon Ball. But, its one thing to blow up a town with an energy beam, or send a stray blast careening towards a distant planet. Its another to see Cell extend his tail and quite literally drink people from the inside out. When Piccolo arrives in poor Gingertown, the only leftovers of Cells feast are a pile of worn clothing. The cybernetic fiend reveals himself soon after and, well, if you ever wanted to see someone practically melt onscreen, look no further. Theres no better evidence that Cell isnt just a villain; hes a full-on monster.

Dragon Ball GT (1996-97)

Man, Goku really has a thing for punching through villains, huh? First it was King Piccolo, and then all the way in GT, his iconic Dragon Fist struck once again. This time, his five fingers curled into a blow that went clean through Eis Shenron! Its a wicked shot, and somehow, thats not even what puts the Shadow Dragon down for good. Once hes helpless, Goku delivers the finisher in the form of an even cooler punch, this one spawning flames and a golden dragon, just for that added dramatic flair. After this, you can consider Eis Shenron totally melted.

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

Another day, another member of the Ginyu Force sent to an early grave because of Vegeta. The saddest part? Guldo wasnt even supposed to be fighting the Saiyan Prince! His bout was with Gohan and Krillin, but when the green psychic gained the upper hand, Vegeta cut in. Kind of literally. Lets just say Guldo lost his head in rage and in a few other ways, too. Afterwards, Vegeta doesnt even give Guldo the satisfaction of rotting, instead opting to blow his remains to smithereens. Its gnarly, abrupt, and all kinds of intense. But, from Vegeta, we shouldnt even be surprised.

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

Gross. Disturbing. Vomit-inducing. Take your pick; theres really no other way to describe the horrifying way Super Buu wrecks Smitty. Thats right, he doesnt kill him, he actively destroys the unlucky shmuck. It all starts with a heaping dose of Super Buu, who dives into Smittys mouth and makes him chug until hes inflated like a balloon. Then, like anything else filled to the brim, the only thing left for Smitty to do is go pop. Super Buu definitely gets points for creativity. Sadly, he immediately loses them all on account of how he gives every Z viewer nightmares for decades.

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

Artificial or not, losing your body in a botched self-sacrifice has gotta sting. And then theres what Cell does next. Even though Android 16 is nothing more than a helpless head at that point, the ultimate lifeform proceeds to walk all over him, and thats putting it nicely. Gohans devastated reaction is on the money. While seeing 16s head break apart is all kinds of gruesome, its just as intense emotionally. He was a kind-hearted android who wanted to learn and grow. He didnt deserve to die, especially in such a despicable fashion. If theres any silver lining, its that Gohan avenged 16 with a transformation scene like no other.

Dragon Ball Z (1989-96)

The most twisted part of this whole exchange is that Frieza strolled up to Earth in his new body really thinking hed get revenge on Goku. Well, not only did he fail to get back at his Saiyan nemesis, he didnt even live past the very first obstacle! Its all thanks to Trunks, who shows up, brushes off Friezas ultimate attack, and then gets to work with his sword. A few trims here and there, and voila, Frieza, the intergalactic tyrant, is nothing more than homemade finger food. Evisceration via sword is definitely up there in terms of painful ends. But, something tells us its Friezas ego that took the biggest beating here.

Be honest, do you think any of these guys actually deserved such grisly ends? Let us know in the comments below!