Top 10 Dragon Ball Z Characters

Not every character needs to have a high power level, or be able to throw a punch, to make an impression. Bulma’s brains, beauty and knack for adventuring have made her an endearing ally to Goku and his friends. Though mostly in a technical supporting role, Bulma can usually be found at the forefront of the action. Braver than any fighter, Bulma is constantly cheering on her friends and even smack talking the bad guys – She doesn’t even have a filter around the earth-destroying Beerus. Plus it takes a special kind of Earth woman to bring out the soft side of a Saiyan Prince like Vegeta. No better way to put it, Bulma is an essential part of the Dragon Ball cast.

Frieza was one of the first and most powerful threats Goku and his friends had to face in Dragon Ball Z. This guy has never been a joke, even if he looks and sounds a little nerdy. In any of his various transformations, Frieza is capable of taking down the strongest of the Z-Fighters, including Piccolo and Vegeta - he even had Goku on the ropes. Frieza’s power inspired loyalty from his equally feared Ginyu Force and he has been well received by the fans. His popularity is as strong as ever today, as the most recent Dragon Ball Z movie, Resurrection F, saw the tyrant return for a long awaited rematch with his eternal nemesis, the Super Saiyan Goku.

In a series that relies heavily on flying fists and titanic clashes, it’s always nice to have a bit of levity. Enter Mr. Satan, or Hercule as some of you may know him. A man who claims to be the strongest fighter in the world. And while he may have some skill, he’s nothing compared to the real stars of Dragon Ball Z…or even his daughter Videl for that matter. Somehow, he still manages to ride the success of the Z-Team in battle and claim their victories as his own. In any case, Mr. Satan’s pratfalls and attempts to hide from battle provide some of Dragon Ball Z’s best laughs. Love him or hate him, he is technically responsible for saving earth from Majin Buu… Strongest fighter? No. Loveable idiot? Absolutely.

First appearing in the original Dragon Ball series, Master Roshi has been one of the sagas eternal mainstays. While his role may have diminished a bit, there’s no denying how important the Turtle Hermit’s image has been to Dragon Ball Z. Roshi is always giving out sage wisdom on the side and providing great humor when sneaking peeks at the ladies. Luckily, he hasn’t remained on the sidelines all the time. When Roshi does join the fray on a couple of occasions, he shows the younger Z Warriors just how much power his Kamehameha still has. And look at how jacked he can get. We can only hope to be as ripped as he is at that age…supposing we make it to 430.

Krillin is the loyalist of companions. He may not be the strongest fighter but what Krillin lacks in height and power level, he easily makes up for in spirit. Krillin is one of the few Z Warriors to stand alongside Goku and Gohan throughout some of the biggest battles of the series, from Vegeta to Frieza to Cell. Though we have actually lost count on how many times Krillin has kicked the bucket, it doesn’t deter from his fighting abilities. And no matter what catastrophe he faces, you can never count the littlest big guy out. Plus, he’s got a smoking hot android wife…atta boy Krillin.

The moment this guy stepped onto the battlefield and unsheathed his sword, you knew he was nothing less than badass. Trunks is the son of Vegeta and Bulma and hails from a future nearly annihilated by a pair of deadly Androids. Inheriting his father’s alien blood enables Trunks to become the second Super Saiyan in the series. If that wasn’t enough, he also takes the tyrannical Frieza out with ease. Even facing the new crisis of Cell, Trunks never falters, proving that even the warrior race of saiyans can keep a cool head in battle.
Though his time in the series was short, he definitely left enough of an impression on the audience – hence why he’s back for Dragon Ball Super.

When you’re the son of the most powerful warrior on the planet you’ve got some big shoes to fill. Initially a sheltered bookworm thanks to his mother, Chi Chi, Gohan grows to become as brave and powerful as his dear dad, Goku. Gohan won the audience over with his refreshing attitude towards conflict. He may not be a fan of fighting but he isn’t one to stand around when others are threatened. And when his friends get the brunt of a villains rage, run for the hills. Super Saiyan Gohan is nothing to mess with…oh those poor Cell Jr’s. Fighter, scholar and super hero, Gohan is likely the most well-rounded character in the series.

Always with a dramatic entrance, a cape flying in the wind and that sweet looking turban, Piccolo can sell anyone on his coolness in less than a second. Representing his proud, Namekian race, Piccolo is able to go toe to toe with the most intimidating of Dragon Ball Z’s villains. His mentor/pupil relationship with Gohan brought out a softer side that gave Piccolo a greater reason to fight. As crafty with his attacks as he is vicious, Piccolo’s adept fighting skill made us root for him each battle – even though he may not match up to the power of the saiyans.

All hail the Prince of all Saiyans. From the moment he first appeared in the series, Vegeta garnered an instant fanbase. He’s only had two goals from the beginning: to be the best and defeat Goku. His never ending quest to do both has seen Vegeta on both sides of the good and evil spectrum. He may turn to the side of good, but that doesn’t mean Vegeta is still one to hold back. Mercy just isn’t in his nature. He’s the “bad man” we’ll always cheer on…even if that means we want him to defeat Goku at some point.

Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few Honorable mentions:

Android #18

Cell

Majin Buu

Goten

Tien

Broly

Yeah, yeah we know but we couldn’t resist. Goku is more the mascot of this series than the Eternal Dragon, Shenron, himself. He loves to fight, and eat, but mostly fight. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is: an intergalactic warlord, an android with cells of all the worlds best fighters. Hell, when Goku found out there’s an actual God of Destruction…all he can think of is how cool it would be to fight him. Bring on the challenges: food, villains or otherwise. Goku will always be there to answer with his fists, boundless optimism and Super Saiyan awesomeness. We love ya’ Goku, don’t ever change.

Do you agree with our list? Which DBZ character has been your eternal fan favorite? For more character spotlighting Top 10’s published daily, you don’t need seven Dragon Balls. You only need to subscribe to WatchMojo.com