Besides thrilling battles, legendary transformations, and a great storyline, Dragon Ball ZThe best of the characters are ranked among the greatest in anime. The series has one of the best casts of characters in anime and manga, with even relatively minor characters becoming iconic and recognizable. While part of that appeal is due to how powerful and cool Dragon Ball Z’s characters are, much of the appeal also lies in their development and personalities.
While Dragon Ball Z may not be famous for being the deepest anime, part of the appeal of the series has always been seeing its characters grow and change over time. Far from static characters who only exist to throw a few punches or energy blasts, Dragon Ball Z’s heroes and villains show real growth throughout the series. Almost all of Dragon Ball Z’s best characters are ranked very highly by fans because of their personal development and interesting personalities.
10 Krillin
Krillin may be the bravest character in Dragon Ball Z. He is a human but still accompanies the Z-Fighters on dangerous journeys to fight against powerful enemies. Krillin ranks among the strongest in Dragon Ball Z because he trained with Goku and was even his rival. His character design gives him a lot of appeal through how much personality he conveys. Despite being one of the weaker members of the Z-Fighters at the end of the series, Krillin’s impact is huge. He sacrifices himself whenever necessary. Besides being a great warrior, he is also a family man and that has many fans.
9 Android 18
Android 18 is yet another villain turned hero. She, along with Android 17, is the main villain in the beloved Android Saga of Dragon Ball Z. Created by Dr. Gero, she is strong enough to push even battle-hardened warriors like Vegeta to their absolute limits. However, like many other Dagon Ball Z characters, she is capable of more than just fighting. According to Future Trunks, she and her brother Android 17 should have been evil, but that didn’t happen. After her days as a villain ended, she married Krillin and had a child with him. Although she was a powerful ally of the Z-Fighters and willing to help whenever she needed it, she spent most of her days at Kame’s house raising her children.
8 future tree trunks
Even though the current version of Trunks is adorable, cute, and awesome, there’s no denying that Future Trunks wins just by being cool. He’s a great addition to the cast and plays a key role in the Cell Saga as well as in the fight against the Androids. Without him going back in time and preventing Goku’s death, humanity would have been wiped out. While many of his appearances have been great, fans still remember him for easily killing Frieza, whom Goku and Vegeta had an extremely difficult time with. He was such a memorable character that Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama decided to bring him back into the story once again in Dragon Ball Super. More than just interesting, however, Future Trunks’ story is also one of overcoming tragedy to try to repair a broken world.
7 perfect cells
Even though Cell is a great villain in his imperfect form, his perfect form solidifies Cell as one of Dragon Ball Z’s best characters. He is a creation. Dr. Gero’s other creation, and by far his strongest. Created from the cells of all the strongest warriors such as Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo and Frieza, he was created to fulfill Gero’s hatred towards Goku. Cell’s arrogance and ego are a selling point as his powers can provide more support. 4 Super Saiyans and powerful warriors were no match for him, but he met his end when Gohan awakened his Super Saiyan 2 form. He ranks among the best villains in anime history, which is why it’s surprising that he’s not even ranked as Dragon Ball Z’s best villain .
6 Picollo
Like many other characters in Dragon Ball Z, the quiet and reserved Namekian started out as a villain before changing his villainous tendencies. His impact on anime is undeniable. He fought alongside Goku against the invading Raditz. Gohan would never be as strong as he is without Picollo’s guidance. He is there every time the world is in danger. Goten and Trunks are able to fuse thanks to his guidance. Although he is an important member of the Z-Fighters, teaching is where Piccolo truly shines. There’s a good reason Piccolo is Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama’s favorite character.
5 Frieza
Frieza’s name alone sends shivers down the spines of many across the galaxy. As a conqueror, he travels from planet to planet and destroys them. He was the one who destroyed Goku’s planet and pushed the Saiyans to the brink of extinction. What makes Frieza such a great character and an even better villain is his cocky and arrogant nature. Frieza grew up fearing and respecting being the strongest, but when he encountered Goku and the Z-Fighters, he was shown that there were others stronger. This makes him stronger and thus gives fans incredible fights. Regardless of how sleazy he is, Frieza still ranks among Dragon Ball Z’s most interesting characters due to his absolute commitment to being pure evil.
4 Bulma
Bulma is the only Dragon Ball character besides Goku that has been around since the start of the Dragon Ball franchise. She is one of the most important characters in the entire series despite not being a warrior. She would have been more popular, but the anime revolves around action and aliens, and she’s a normal human being. Bulma’s creations have aided the Z Fighters on many occasions, with her greatest contribution being the iconic Dragon Radar. When someone dies, she can use her radar to find the Dragon Balls and wish for them to be reborn. It was used when Goku and Vegeta died. She later married Vegeta and their relationship was loved by fans everywhere.
3 Gohan
Gohan is probably the most talented character in the series. This is evident after becoming the first Dragon Ball Z character to achieve the extremely powerful Super Saiyan 2 state. His character development is easily one of the best in the series as he goes from a shy boy in the Saiyan Saga to a strong and trustworthy fighter in the Cell Saga. However, even with his powers aside, Gohan is shown by such great compassion that it even extends to androids before some others see them as anything else. beyond pure crime. In fact, Android 16’s death was what led to the unlocking of Super Saiyan 2. Although Gohan’s potential was limitless, he decided to focus less on fighting and more on the your personal life. He went to school, got married and had children. It’s heartbreaking to see a fan favorite stop fighting, but this brought some normalcy to a horror show.
2 plants
Known as the Saiyan Prince, Vegeta started out as a cold-blooded villain at the start of Dragon Ball Z but switched to a good guy and joined the Z-Fighters. He was there every time planet Earth was attacked. Vegeta’s redemption arc was so good that it essentially created an entire character archetype, as he went from a cruel and proud warrior to a family man who would give anything. Something to protect the people you care about. What makes Vegeta such a great character is that he never lets Goku or anyone else get the best of him. If he sees someone strong, he will try to become stronger. Vegeta’s greatest moment remains when he sacrificed his life in the Majin Buu saga, making his already famous character even more popular.
1 Goku
The main character of the series takes the number one spot as the best character of Dragon Ball. He’s one of the best characters in anime history and his cheerful personality turning serious in an instant is a big part of the reason. Even though he is the main character, he never hesitates to let others have their time to shine, most notably the fight between Gohan and Cell. He is easily ranked among the strongest anime characters. Although he has imperfections like any other character, those ultimately make him more lovable. He may be too hungry for a good fight, but that’s a legitimate character flaw that only makes him a more developed and well-rounded hero.
Dragon Ball Z has no shortage of great characters. From the multiple-personality Majin Buu to the quiet but entertaining Android 17, Dragon Ball Z has established itself as an anime with some of the best supporting characters. The timeless series will be loved by future generations, mainly because it is more than just a fighting anime. The series features a number of complex characters and evokes deep emotions from different personalities and backstories. There is no wrong or right when choosing Dragon Ball Z the best character, which is part of the reason why the series is so popular.