Akira Toriyama’s *Dragon Ball* has been a beloved anime and manga series for over 40 years, becoming a true classic. Toei Animation, the animation studio behind it, created two main parts, with *Dragon Ball Z* continuing the story after a time jump. In *Dragon Ball Z*, Goku is married with a four-year-old son, Gohan, and initially enjoys a peaceful life. However, he and the Z Warriors soon face even stronger enemies, forcing Goku to unlock his full power and confront his past.
The original *Dragon Ball* anime started the story, but *Dragon Ball Z* is what made the series famous around the world, particularly in Western countries. *Dragon Ball Z* built on what came before with more exciting fights and memorable characters, and the threats felt much bigger as the Z Warriors battled enemies who could easily destroy the planet. Out of all the strong fighters in the series, these 10 stand out as the most powerful.
10) Piccolo
Piccolo, once Goku’s enemy, became an ally in *Dragon Ball Z*, helping to protect Earth from powerful invaders. During the fight against Cell, Piccolo traveled to the Lookout and asked his former counterpart, Kami, to fuse with him. Recognizing the immense danger, Kami agreed, creating a much stronger, Super Namekian version of Piccolo. This newfound power allowed Piccolo to hold his own against Android 17, though only for a short time.
Piccolo debuts his Hellzone Grenade, a new take on his Scatter Shot attack. It briefly puts Android 17 on the defensive, but the fight is interrupted before it can finish due to Cell stepping in.
9) Android 18
Android 18 was one of Dr. Gero’s strongest creations, and she was already more powerful than a Super Saiyan when she first appeared. Vegeta became a Super Saiyan through rigorous training and quickly defeated Android 19. Feeling confident because he couldn’t sense Androids’ power levels, Vegeta challenged 18, only to discover she was far stronger than he anticipated.
Android 18 easily defeated him without even trying, demonstrating that the Androids Trunks had warned them about were much more powerful than they’d imagined. Vegeta was badly hurt in the fight, but his wounded pride stung even more. Just seeing a fraction of Android 18’s strength made it clear to the Z warriors that they were completely outmatched.
8) Android 17
Like his twin sister, 18, he was transformed into an Android by Dr. Gero to assist Cell in reaching his full power. However, 17 was even more powerful than 18. He was able to fight Piccolo even after Piccolo merged with Kami, greatly increasing his strength and unlocking new abilities – but even then, Piccolo couldn’t defeat him.
The battle went on longer than anticipated, but it was obvious 17 would have won even with Kami’s efforts. Of all his energy-based attacks, 17’s Android Barrier stood out, effectively blocking Piccolo’s most powerful moves.
7) Android 16
Android 16 was different from 17 and 18, who started out malicious but later changed their ways. 16 was already gentle, despite being created to defeat Goku. That’s why Dr. Gero made him more powerful than his siblings. It wasn’t long before 16 sided with the Z Warriors and fought against Cell, trying to prevent him from reaching his perfect state. Although 16 didn’t have many intense individual battles like the other Androids, his willingness to confront Cell by himself demonstrated his incredible power.
By that point, Cell had become incredibly powerful, surpassing even Android 16. Though Cell ultimately defeated 16, 16 used his final moments to inspire Gohan. This encouragement unlocked Gohan’s Super Saiyan 2 form, giving him the power to defeat Cell.
6) Future Trunks
A major surprise in the *Dragon Ball* series was the introduction of time travel, accomplished by Bulma and Vegeta’s son, Trunks. He traveled to the present to alert Goku and his friends about the dangerous Androids. When the Androids arrived, Trunks fought alongside them and trained with Vegeta in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, becoming incredibly powerful and even achieving the level of Super Saiyan 2.
Following his defeat, Cell went back to his own time and quickly defeated Androids 17 and 18, who were causing destruction there. But what really stands out is how effortlessly he defeated Frieza and King Cold, two villains who were once the most feared beings in the galaxy. Because Goku wasn’t present, no one else could have stopped them, making Future Trunks’ appearance a fortunate surprise.
5) Cell
Cell was already incredibly powerful, but absorbing Androids 17 and 18 made him nearly invincible. The Z Warriors couldn’t stand a chance against him, and they only had a chance to improve because of Cell’s challenge to the Cell Games. Even with that training, Goku couldn’t become strong enough to defeat Cell, so the world’s fate rested on Gohan, his eleven-year-old son. Cornered and refusing to lose, Cell attempted a final, desperate act – he blew himself up, hoping to destroy the entire planet.
Goku quickly transported himself to King Kai’s planet, but tragically died there – a pivotal moment in the story. He asked his friends not to use the Dragon Balls to revive him, hoping it would prevent future villains from targeting him again.
4) Vegeta
Vegeta, the proud Saiyan Prince, is fiercely determined to become stronger than everyone else. This is why he struggled with Goku, a Saiyan of lower status, constantly exceeding his power. During the Buu Saga, Vegeta’s relentless pursuit of strength led him to briefly embrace darkness, allowing Babidi to apply a Majin seal, hoping for a significant power boost. While the seal was intended to control him and make him obey Babidi, Vegeta stubbornly refused to be anyone’s puppet.
Vegeta was initially driven solely by his desire to surpass and defeat Goku, and he was willing to harm anyone who stood in his way. But when Majin Buu threatened the entire planet, Vegeta understood he needed to protect others. His ultimate sacrifice wasn’t just about saving people; it was also his way of making amends for the harm he’d caused. He poured all of his energy into one final, devastating attack – the Final Explosion – which destroyed his own body, with the hope of destroying Buu as well.
3) Gohan
From a very young age, Gohan displayed remarkable fighting ability, and Piccolo recognized this, deciding to train him. By the time of the Cell Games, Gohan was just eleven years old, yet he surpassed everyone else in strength, including his father. When Android 16 was killed, Gohan’s anger unleashed his Super Saiyan 2 transformation, and he quickly defeated Cell, astonishing all who witnessed it.
Gohan’s momentary lapse in focus and overconfidence allowed Cell to detonate himself, tragically killing Goku. Overwhelmed with guilt and despite being badly hurt, Gohan found the strength to surpass his limits. With a final boost from his father, he unleashed a devastating Kamehameha wave, finally destroying Cell.
2) Goku
Goku, the main character of the series, has accomplished so much. He broke a thousand-year record by being the first Saiyan to transform, reaching power levels never before seen by his people. While his Super Saiyan transformations, starting with his battle against Frieza and continuing through the Buu Saga with Super Saiyan 3, are all famous, many fans consider his greatest achievement in *Dragon Ball Z* to be gathering and throwing the massive Spirit Bomb at Super Buu.
With Mr. Satan’s help, Goku collected energy from everyone on Earth to create a huge Spirit Bomb. It was strong enough to destroy Super Buu completely. Although the power came from others, only Goku had the skill and strength to use it and save the world again.
1) Kid Buu
I remember watching Kid Buu appear and it was terrifying. He wasn’t just a mischievous troublemaker like the original Majin Buu; he was pure, unadulterated evil, the original form of the creature. He actually split off from the other Buu and became even more powerful, easily overpowering everyone. Even though he didn’t have a lot of screen time, it was clear the Z Warriors were in serious, serious trouble.
Kid Buu easily overpowered even Goku when he transformed into a Super Saiyan 3. What was truly surprising, though, was his ability to travel to the Sacred World of the Kais by copying Kibito Kai’s instant teleportation. Despite being defeated by Goku’s Spirit Bomb, Kid Buu remained a more powerful being throughout the original *Dragon Ball Z* series.
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2025-10-11 02:12