Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z remains one of the shonen genre's most popular anime, even after decades of dedicated storytelling. Dragon Ball Z works so well because it establishes a rewarding formula yet still manages to subvert expectations, surprise audiences, and allow its concepts to evolve with the times.
Dragon Ball Z spans an impressive timeline, and there's much to celebrate over the course of this iconic series. Dragon Ball Z often gets distilled down to its powerful transformations and epic showdowns, but it's the characters beneath these spectacles that give any of it any value. Hundreds of memorable characters appear in Dragon Ball Z,some of which stand out more than others and have even become anime icons.
25 Goten
Goten enters Dragon Ball Z with tremendous promise. He's Goku's second child, Trunks' best friend, and he achieves Super Saiyan strength far earlier than both Gohan and Goku. Goten experiences the least development out of anyone in Goku's family; even in Dragon Ball GT he only amounts to an irresponsible ladies' man.
Goten becomes comic relief and only really serves a greater purpose when he's fused with Trunks to become Gotenks. He relies upon his superior fused form rather than his own natural strength. Nevertheless, Goten perseveres through tremendous tragedies in his short lifespan and seems to finally be headed toward substantial development in Dragon Ball Super's manga.
24 Pan
Pan, Gohan's daughter, is merely a baby when Dragon Ball Z concludes. However, she seems destined to perhaps even surpass her father's impressive accomplishments. Pan remains a young character, but she masters flight while she's still just an infant, and she's gone on to become a worthy disciple of Piccolo.
Pan defeats Red Ribbon soldiers at a much younger age than her grandfather. Pan's on a positive trajectory, and it hopefully won't be much longer until she becomes a Super Saiyan. Some of the best moments in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero are Pan's passionate battle sequences.
23 Buu
Buu experiences multiple transformations before he reaches his perfected state. However, Buu stands apart from other villains because his different forms are unique entities, one of which — Good Buu — stays in the picture long after Kid Buu's demise. Buu is brought into this world with evil intentions, but it's enlightening to see him adopt an empathetic approach to the world after Mr. Satan treats him with friendship.
Some of Dragon Ball Z's most moving sequences are Buu's early exchanges with random civilians, like a blind child, while he's still making sense of the world. Uub, Kid Buu's kind-hearted human reincarnation, is also a fascinating case study, but Buu experiences greater growth.
22 Future Mai
Dragon Ball Z dips its toe into time travel with the arrival of Future Trunks, but his fractured timeline is full of compelling, hardened counterparts to the series' core characters. The History of Trunks highlights that many of the Earth's strongest have perished, but an unlikely bond is forged between Future Trunks and Future Mai.
Future Mai becomes a vital resistance fighter in the war against Goku Black and Zamasu. Future Mai knows how to lead and inspire, but she also has plenty of muted moments with Trunks or her younger counterpart. She becomes a surprise delight and a satisfying partner for Future Trunks.
21 Mercenary Tao
Mercenary Tao makes the greatest impact in the original Dragon Ball as a hired hand for the Red Ribbon Army. While still a human with a relatively grounded skillset, Mercenary Tao is one of the first larger-than-life figures that Goku faces. He travels by throwing timber in the air, and he even kills a man with just his tongue.
Goku blows up Tao, only for him to return with cybernetic upgrades and greater power. Cyborg Tao feels driven by his undying rage for Goku. One of Dragon Ball Z's more entertaining filler deviations is when Tao meets Gohan, and his hatred is put up against the next generation of heroes.
20 Tien
Tien and Chiaotzu both train under Master Shen at the Crane School of Martial Arts, and the two are very much positioned as the inverse of Goku and Krillin before they all learn to work together. Tien is exceptional in the sense that he actually beats Goku at the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament.
Tien remains one of the strongest humans in Dragon Ball Z, even if he doesn't do much of the heavy lifting later on in the series' run. Tien never turns his back on martial arts, even when he's off-screen, which is more than other humans like Krillin and Yamcha can claim.
19 Broly
Legendary Super Saiyan Broly is, without a doubt, one of Dragon Ball Z's most popular characters. This burly Saiyan behemoth is the focus of three separate Dragon Ball Z movies — more than any other villain — and his superior strength has given him a major presence in Dragon Ball Z video games.
Broly's backstory and motivations are quite simplistic in Dragon Ball Z, so it's satisfying to see the new canonical version of the character from Dragon Ball Super: Broly has been given greater depth. Dragon Ball Super made minor changes to Broly's history, but he becomes a compelling victim of circumstance who wants to learn and do better.
18 Pikkon
Pikkon is an enigmatic adversary for Goku during his time in the afterlife who gets introduced in the anime-only Other World Tournament. Pikkon is the strongest fighter from the West quadrant of the galaxy, and the powerful elemental fighter makes enough of an impression that he shows up to help Goku defend the afterlife in both Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn and Dragon Ball GT.
Unfortunately, Pikkon was not one of the fighters that Goku recruits to defend Universe 7 during the Tournament of Power. However, the fact that there was such a desire to see this happen speaks to Pikkon's continued popularity.
17 Beerus
Lord Beerus, Universe 7's God of Destruction, is an important transitory figure in Dragon Ball who helps introduce the characters to greater tiers of power that begin with Super Saiyan God strength. Beerus first appears as an apocalyptic menace, but he now serves the role of lazy mentor to Goku and Vegeta.
Beerus has yet to showcase his full power, which is a little frustrating, but on some level, it's hard to hate the character's desire to live his best life and binge on the best food that Earth has to offer. Beerus puts up a big act, but he's there to defend Universe 7 when it really matters.
16 Hit
One of the biggest changes that Dragon Ball Super introduces is the concept of a multiverse full of powerful fighters that can put many of Universe 7's strongest to shame. Universe 6 receives a lot of attention, and Hit, a legendary assassin, makes a major impact due to his debilitating Time-Skip Technique.
Hit's sophisticated execution tool stumps Vegeta and prompts Goku to tap into Kaio-Ken Blue strength for the first time. Goku even hires Hit as his own assassin as a way to surpass his limits, which Hit treats with the utmost respect. Less proves to be more with Hit, and every moment with the character stands out.
15 Caulifla
A true joy of Dragon Ball Super's multiverse is that it becomes an opportunity for more Saiyans to enter the picture through Universe 6. Universe 6's trio of Saiyans, Caulfila, Kale, and Cabba, are all sensational characters who display serious growth in very short periods of time. The three Saiyan master Super Saiyan staples with minimal difficulty.
However, Caulifla is the deepest of these three characters and seems to be the glue that holds them together. Caulfila helps Kale stay grounded when her insecurities get the better of her, and when these two fuse together into Kefla, it feels as if it's Caulifla's personality who gets in the driver's seat.
14 Bardock
Bardock, Goku's father, is long out of the picture by the time Dragon Ball Z begins. That being said, special flashback installments provide significant details on Bardock's final days and the legacy he leaves behind for Goku. Bardock grows suspicious of Frieza's intentions before anyone else is onto the tyrant, and it leads to a bittersweet finish for the low-level warrior.
Dragon Ball Super has provided additional insight into the character, proving Bardock was a lot more like Goku than initially believed. He was a Saiyan who could discriminately show empathy and determine right from wrong.
13 Master Roshi
Master Roshi often gets dismissed because he's a human who's more than 300 years old, but Goku wouldn't be where he is today without Roshi's teachings. Roshi acts foolish, but his ability to dominate as Jackie Chun in the World Martial Arts Tournament shows he's still a force to be reckoned with.
It's understandably hard for some Dragon Ball fans to get past Master Roshi's lecherous indiscretions. However, it's worth pointing out that Roshi goes through rigorous training to erase this pesky compulsion as he prepares for the Tournament of Power. Roshi's erasure of this predominant character trait proves just how much this elderly figure has evolved.
12 Zamasu
There is no shortage of vicious villains to appear in Dragon Ball, and Zamasu is undeniably one of the most committed. The Supreme Kai engages in a complex scheme with his future self that involves stealing Goku's body, acquiring immortality, and then waging a war meant to eradicate all mortals from existence.
It takes the intervention of Omni-King Zeno to properly end Zamasu's reign of terror, which is really saying something. Other villains have caused more damage and been around for longer, but there's such palpable venom in Zamasu's actions and what he's willing to do for his twisted cause.
11 Granolah
Dragon Ball's Granolah is the last member of the Cerealian race; he's motivated by a desire to wipe out the Saiyans and Frieza, who he holds responsible for his people's destruction. Granolah sets a new precedent through a volatile pact with Toronbo, Planet Cereal's Eternal Dragon, which grants him immense power at the cost of a shortened lifespan.
Granolah turns into an ally to Goku and Vegeta in their fight against Gas and the Heeter Force after he learns what really happened to his people. Granolah's character arc is full of humility and acceptance, which is rare in Dragon Ball.
10 Krillin
Krillin is the first true friend Goku makes, and his human companion's presence becomes a constant for the hero. Krillin's death even functions as the catalyst that pushes Goku over the edge to become a Super Saiyan for the first time. Krillin comes from mischievous origins, but he quickly turns over a new leaf while in the company of Goku and Master Roshi.
Krillin understands his own limitations and realizes he can perhaps do more on the local police force than the Galactic Patrol. What's most touching about Krillin's growth is that he finds a balance in his life where he has time for both his passions and family.
9 Android 18
Dragon Ball Z is full of moving redemption stories, and Android 18 comes a long way from one of Dr. Gero's apocalyptic weapons of destruction. Krillin goes out on a limb for Android 18 by wishing to remove her self-destruct device, and she decides to pursue a life of peace.
Android 18 remains a dedicated fighter, but she also starts a family and finds a way to properly balance the two, unlike other characters who focus more on domestic duties. Android 18 stays true to herself, and she's still one of the toughest characters in Dragon Ball who's not afraid to speak their mind.
8 Bulma
So often in Dragon Ball Z, a character's worth is reduced to how many battles they've won or the limits of their transformations. Bulma, on the other hand, doesn't contribute to any of the franchise's grander feuds and yet she still plays a fundamental role in the heroes' success. Bulma is responsible for a young Goku leaving the comfort of his home in the first place.
Bulma's genius has also led to advanced Dragon Radars as well as repairs on spaceships and time machines, which the heroes would have been helpless without. Audiences underestimate Bulma's value, and even her big birthday celebrations are popular excuses for everyone to get together.
7 Android 17
Evil Androids are a persistent presence in each Dragon Ball series, but they become a pivotal plot point during Cell's hunt for perfection. Android 18 receives the most attention and becomes a main character as well as Krillin's wife. Android 17 disappears into obscurity, which makes his valiant return in Dragon Ball Super all the more satisfying.
Android 17 is shown to be highly principled and someone who's put all of his energy into his family and career as a wildlife ranger. Android 17's inspirational turn becomes Universe 7's saving grace in the Tournament of Power when Android 17 wins the proceedings and wishes to maintain the integrity of the multiverse.
6 Frieza
Frieza is by far the most persistent villain to plague Dragon Ball Z's heroes. The tyrant is responsible for not just the destruction of Planet Vegeta and the bulk of the Saiyan race — his actions also contribute to Planet Namek's implosion.
Frieza is one of few fallen foes who finds a way to escape hell and return to Earth, stronger than ever. Golden Frieza feels a little manipulative, but Frieza continues to evolve in surprising ways, whether through his conditional alliance during the Tournament of Power or his more recent return as Black Frieza.