Top 10 Dragon Ball Z Characters We All Love

Top 10 Dragon Ball Z Characters We All Love

When talking about famous anime out there, it's almost impossible to start the conversation without talking about Dragon Ball. Even if fighting anime was already widespread by anime watchers in the 90s, nobody knew Dragon Ball would reach international success, even with people who wouldn't consider themselves anime fans.

It's been an important piece that influenced the works of other anime you have probably heard about, like One Piece, Naruto, or Fairy Tail. Besides being a huge part of anime culture, it shaped an entire generation.

Today, if you are an anime watcher, you have heard of Dragon Ball at one point or another. Maybe you watched as a kid without even knowing what anime was! And that is one of the reasons people still love it as much as the beginning.

The premise was simple: Goku is a saiyajin, and he is constantly protecting Earth from different villains who want to destroy it. When the anime aired, it adapted the first half of the manga. The second part was adapted in a sequel called Dragon Ball Z, and it was the beginning of lots of movies and sequels to come.

Today, we will focus on the main characters from Dragon Ball Z that we all love, ranking them and remembering some of their achievements. Let's get started!

10. Majin Buu

Majin Buu has to be one of the more eye-catching, unusual, and distinctive characters in Dragon Ball Z. For starters, he has at least five different forms, making him distinguishable from other characters in all ways.

The only disadvantage of this character is his arc. It is considered one of the most disappointing villain arcs in Dragon Ball Z, mainly because the anime presents him as one of the most potent villains but ends up being friends with Goku and his team. It was part of the development of this character, but not every fan liked it that much.

Still, we thought he deserved a place on this list. Whatever his form, one of the most loved (and feared) ones was Super Buu. His ability to absorb other warriors was enough to inspire respect and admiration in everyone.

9. Lord Beerus

Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball's mangaka, was inspired by his own cat to make this character. Lord Beerus is purple, has a humanoid appearance, and makes his cat upbringings proud with a design that takes some things from Egyptian culture, especially in his clothes.

Beerus' first appearance is in the Battle of Gods. Soon, we learn he was trained by Whis for many years. This training had the purpose of improving his intelligence and strength. And it worked!

Lord Beerus is one of the most unique Dragon Ball Z villains not only because of how he looks but because of how he behaves. He is playful, but he doesn't like people playing with him. Besides everything, he is a god, and destroying worlds is part of him. (He is literally a God of Destruction, after all).

8. Frieza

For some reason, the most remembered characters are always villains. But before talking about what he did in Dragon Ball Z, we have to go a little back. In Dragon Ball, he is the main villain of his own saga. What's better, the things he does always end up being part of the most iconic moments.

For example, he blows up Goku's planet, initiating the desire for revenge on Goku. Later, when Goku faces him, they participate in one of the longest anime fights ever. (This is also the same fight that triggers Goku's transformation into Super Saiyan). Those facts are enough to make Frieza one villain worthy of respect.

In Dragon Ball Z Resurrection F, he returns as Golden Frieza after training for a few months. Even before his resurrection, he still had material for being an excellent villain and character in general.

7. Android 18

Her real name was Lazuli before Dr. Gero kidnapped her. He replaced different parts of her body, turning her into an android. All of this to destroy Goku.

Her story begins when in their search for Son Goku, Vegeta intercepts the androids, believing he can defeat them. Android 18 shows her strength when she breaks his arm.

One great thing about this character is that she was an enemy, but then she had a redemption arc. Akira loves doing this with his villain characters! The curious thing about Android 18 is that she survived long enough to be redeemed, and his brother Android 17 can't say the same. 

If you ask us, her history is pretty badass too. 

6. Cell

Speaking about Android 17 and Android 18, do you remember the one who made them? It was Dr. Gero, of course. But those weren't his only creations. One of the more powerful androids created by this doctor was Cell.

He is an arrogant, intelligent, and cunning character. He inflates his ego on how perfect he is. He also applauds Dr. Gero for his creation.

Unlike other villains, he leaves destruction as his last option, and even if he is a sore loser, he isn't the type to blow up a planet for being angry. He thinks about his options and decides what's best for him. Even if someone as arrogant as Cell could be really annoying in real life, he became one of the most loved characters. He wants perfection, and he does everything to achieve it through his character arc. 

5. Bulma

Bulma is a character that, at first, it looks like is just a romantic interest, but she becomes more than that as soon as you start seeing her in action. Part of the most impressive thing about her is that she doesn't engage in any physical fights, but she is relevant either way. In fact, she is one of the crucial characters in Dragon Ball Z.

Thanks to her, we have time travel, bringing Future Trunks and causing the androids arc. Besides, Bulman's dragon radar is what helps to bring everyone back to life.

She is also one of the most popular personalities in the show. Even if she was more of comedic relief, she worked her way to the top. During Dragon Ball Z, she is one of the bravest characters.

4. Future Trunks

He was born from the union between Bulma and Vegeta, and he is a half-breed earthling. His introduction in the anime is very mysterious, and that only made him more famous among fans. The History of Trunks is one fan favorite and is the most popular movie in the Dragon Ball Z franchise. This is partly because Future Trunks has probably the most tragic backstory in the Dragon Ball universe. 

He grew up in a post-apocalyptic world without the support of his father, and because of that, he had to grow up quickly. He had to distinguish which things were important and which ones were not. Don't get us wrong, he has flaws just like any other character, but at the end of the day, he is just a teenager trying to deal with the decisions of two multiverses.

3. Gohan

Son Gohan is another half-breed character that became a fan favorite. Son Gohan is the son of Chi-Chi and Son Goku, and he is also Son Goten's older brother. Since Dragon Ball Z began, Gohan has been an expert defending his friends and family. He was shy and tearful as a child. After his training with Piccolo, he gets confident. When Trunks arrives, he acts like a plot device to make us know that half-breeds can achieve the Super Saiyan form, and suddenly, we as viewers discover that's what we wanted all along. 

When he evolves in Ultimate Gohan, he becomes the most powerful character in Dragon Ball. 

2. Vegeta

Vegeta is a prince of the royal Saiyan family, one of the few survivors of Freezer's attack on the planet of his same name. The main reason why we put Vegeta in this position is that he's always been an entertaining character. In Dragon Ball Z, he undergoes a mental transformation.

We see Vegeta convert from a planet destroyer villain into a planet protector one, and all of this is thanks to Goku. Watching Vegeta do this transition is exciting and one of the best parts of his character arc.

1. Goku

Son Goku, or Kakarrot, was born on the planet Vegeta later sent to Earth with a mission: to conquer it. He is the main character, living up to its name. He is powerful, and even if he doesn't have that much development during Dragon Ball Z, he is the type of character that brings the development in the other characters that accompany him during his adventures. He is kind and trains a lot. His character doesn't change a lot during the series, but he is still the main character, and his consistency makes him loved by many. Maybe we are biased, but being the main character of our own franchise is enough to put you in number one on this list.