35 DBZ Characters That 90s Kids Can't Seem To Get Right
- by Danielle Lasher
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Being a 90's kid is fantastic. It came with so many perks—we were the first kids to grow up and use computers, and don’t even get me started on the overalls. Although we 90's kids were blessed in many ways, being able to keep track of the many fantastic characters of the Dragon Ball Z universe wasn't one of them. Dragon Ball Z is a Japanese TV show which put the anime genre on the radar in the United States. It followed the original Dragon Ball manga—a Japanese style comic book or graphic novel suitable for both children and adults—which was adapted into an animated series. It was dubbed into English among several other languages in 1996, and the craze began.
The series follows the adventures of the brave warrior Goku and the few that can fight by his side against a vast array of villains intent on destroying the world. Dragon Ball started in Goku’s childhood, and Dragon Ball Z brought us through his adult life and the lives of his sons who become warriors themselves.
The Dragon Ball universe was so wildly successful in Japan, the U.S. and around the world that they have created numerous releases covering the same characters, including 17 moves, 148 video games and two sequel series.
What character is this?
This character can always be counted on to go into battle no matter the situation—although his power is never fully equal to the Saiyan warriors. He is in almost every fight in DBZ and used the Special Beam Cannon to kill Goku. This character had the unique quality of some personal growth during the series, unlike many others. He began as a villain and became Goku’s rival, then through the series, he became more and more friendly. He helped raise Gohan when Goku was dead. What character is this?
What character is this?
This character is the BFF and training partner of Goku. He may not have had the strength and power as his comrade but he is never one to sit on the sidelines despite risking injury. He is notorious for his many close-calls and deaths, most memorably caused by Frieza. He did hold a grudge about this for some time—although it did spark Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation. Who is this character who may not be the strongest but is always brave and loyal?
What character is this?
Beginning the series as a Prince, this character is one of the very few characters to see personal growth throughout the story. Due to an attack on earth by Frieza and a rescue by Goku, this character starts an evolution from his original stormy ways to an ally to Goku in the mission to protect Earth. This character can be grumpy and will never give up trying to be the strongest—even among his allies. He is still waiting for his real moment in the spotlight. Who is he?
What character is this?
Let’s talk about the ladies of DBZ! Originally appearing in Dragon Ball, this character is the daughter of the Great Ox King. She has the qualities of a stereotypical shonen mother—overbearing and worrying. She is one of the most powerful women in the world and fights well beyond the level of the average human. This being said, her strength is almost nothing compared to most of the Z fighters. She often yells at Goku about fighting too much, and at Gohan over doing his homework. Who is she?
What character is this?
This character was a Dragon Ball original who continued on DBZ but in a much-reduced role. He appears as a pig whose greatest strength is shapeshifting. Although in battle he isn’t always the quickest thinker. He thoughtlessly tried to use the dragon balls to kill the Saiyans Vegeta and Nappa rather than using them to wish Goku back to life that would have easily ended the battle. He is a fun character providing comic relief. Who is this goofy pig?
What character is this?
This Saiyan warrior fell to Earth and lost his memory—but luckily for Earth is the strongest fighter in the universe. His drive to overcome all obstacles keeps the world save but also inspires others to strive to be better too. He is constantly stretching the boundaries and finding the new limits his power can reach. One of the most recognizable manga characters of our time. If we haven’t guessed it yet—his signature move is the Kamehameha. Who is this guy?
What character is this?
This fantastic villain is the most evil of the Dragon Ball villains. He is the ruler of a Space Empire along with his family. We find out that he is the destroyer of Planet Vegeta—home of the Saiyans—along with many other worlds and millions of other people. He is often found torturing people to obtain their Dragon Balls and in an attempt to kill Goku destroys the planet Namek. There is nothing but ruthlessness and evil in this character. Who is he?
What character is this?
This psychic lady has a small roll in DBZ but acts in crucial moments to assist in filling in the story. She is clairvoyant and often shows us key battles with her crystal ball. Her greatest contribution to the story was allowing a dead Goku to return to earth and meet his son Goten for the first time. She is the sister of Master Roshi, the inventor of Kamehameha. Who is this mysterious psychic who is there only in times of need?
What character is this?
This character has strength given to him at birth and has the potential to become the strongest fighter of the whole series. We see a few moments that demonstrate his immense potential—becoming the first Super Saiyan 2 and becoming the first to go into an Ultimate form—when he need arises. This all goes unused however because this character is a pacifist. He will only fight in times of need. How could the first son of Goku not be a warrior? Who is he?
What character is this?
This hum is the daughter of Hercule Satan—and happens to be one of the strongest humans on earth outside of the human members of the Z Fighters. She fights criminals to keep the earth safe. She attends high school with Gohan where she notices he acts strangely until she figures out he is the Great Saiyaman. She threatens to reveal his identity if he doesn’t agree to train her to do what he does. He teaches her to fly and they fall in love. Who is this tricky lady?
What character is this?
This character is the leader of the Ginyu Force—a team of elite mercenaries. He is also the most powerful of the Force. He is a bit mysterious because of his unique ability which allows him to change bodies with his opponent in battle when they are hit with a certain beam. Because of this trait, we don’t know if the body we meet him in is his original body. Goku defeats this opponent by throwing a frog into his body transformation beam—Who is this one-villain-turned-frog?
What character is this?
This member of the evil space dynasty is the older brother of Frieza. He has a similar temper to his brother, although not to such extremes as Frieza. He is much less of a dramatic character because of this. He is a little bit cooler and calculating, which makes him all the more destructive to the Z fighters because he is so ruthless and so efficient. His signature fighting technique is the supernova and has power level up to 470,000,000. Who is this super frosty fighter?
What character is this?
This character takes after his father. He can hold his own on the battlefield and can go Super Saiyan at almost any time without trouble. He holds a higher purpose within the show though—along with his friend Trunks he is the lighthearted comic relief. He will never hesitate to take an adventure or fight someone who deserves punishment but he keeps the tone light and silly. Most notable for his mispronounced “KameKameha” This character is very unlike his older brother. Who is this?
What character is this?
This femme fatale became a minor character during Dragon Ball Z where most of her time on screen was spent sneezing and quickly changing in and out of her good form. Her unusual fighting technique is superhuman strength she can use when she’s a blonde, and power level eighteen. Her regular form is a darker haired woman. She occasionally filled the rotating spot of love interest to martial arts champion Tien. What mysterious lady gains strength as she changes her hair?
What character is this?
This exotic handyman is Frieza’s right-hand man. Although he can easily defeat opponents like Vegeta—before he is healed in the rejuvenation chamber by Frieza—his increased power transforms him into a reptilian beast similar to his master Frieza. He is very vain and cares about his appearance so he is often reluctant to make the change even when he needs the increase in strength and power. He helps his master on Namek to search for Dragon Balls. Who is this handsome henchman?
What character is this?
This character is not seen in the TV series but is featured in the movies and other literature. He is a Saiyan and learns of the looming demise of his entire race and home. He nobly attempts to save his people and fight the evil emperor who is after them. He gives his all to save the race of the Saiyan, but he is not able to and sadly fails. We hope to see him with his very famous son. Who is he?
What character is this?
This character makes a brief appearance in the Dragon Ball saga but makes his official entrance during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. His teacher is Master Shen, who is similar to—but a rival or—Master Roshi. This character defeats Yamcha In the contest to show his brutality, then fights a disguised Master Roshi and wins. He ends up defeating Goku but this character has now made a decision to be good rather than evil. Who is this fighter who strives to be like Goku?
What character is this?
This young daughter of Videl and granddaughter of Goku begins her life during DBZ and becomes the main character in Dragon Ball GT. She does not reveal a fighting technique nor a power level throughout DBZ—she is a young carefree child most of the time. She does get a chance to show off her formidable determination and strength when she holds her own against her uncle Goten as the series comes to an end. Who is the understated heir of Goku?
What character is this?
This skilled fighter who prefers the sword is known for sitting out of most battles. He would rather eat snacks that participate in the fights. He is responsible for introducing the senzu bean to the Dragon Ball Z universe. His time to shine is when Vegeta attacks Goku in his Giant Ape form and he finally overcomes his fear of fighting to cut off Giant Ape’s tail which causes him to rever to his original form—Vegeta—and allowing Goku to win and save the earth. Who is this secret swordsman?
What character is this?
This son of Vegeta and Bulma is a powerfully strong fighter. In this reality, he is goofy and adventures with his friend—in an alternate reality he sees the world destroyed by Android 17 and Android 18 and goes back in time to save it. This alternate reality version of this character warns the world of the evil Androids and saves his best friend’s life giving him a huge responsibility. He is 50% of what becomes Gotenks. Who is he?
What character is this?
This Dragon Ball movie character is a huge, intimidating villain. Although he is powerful the thing that really makes him so terrifying is his size. He encounters Goku and the others and easily kicks them around as if they were small children. We find out the root of his evil ways comes from his Saiyan childhood, listening to baby Goku cry in the next cradle and slowly letting it drive him crazy. He is searching for revenge. Defeated by Goku, Gohan, and Goten. Who is he?
What character is this?
This villain appeared in many forms. At one point he loved chocolate and wasn’t interested in the battle. He went through some transformations and became a version of himself that was a formidable enemy. His final transformation brought him to his most purely evil state and it was only through the most creative and challenging ways that Goku and Vegeta were able to defeat him with help from every living person on earth. He pushed the heroes beyond the limits they thought they had. Who is he?
What character is this?
This villain Is a creation of Dr. Gero. He prefers to fight heroes of the earth when they are at their full potential so he will wait—almost as if he were stalling—for them to become their most powerful selves before he begins the fight. One of the best scenes of the series is his battle against Teen Gohan, where Gohan still struggles to reconcile his peaceful nature with his warrior potential. Goku gives Gohan the encouragement he needs and this villain is destroyed. Who is he?
What character is this?
One of the human Z fighters, this character began as a villain but soon befriended Goku and joined the Z fighters during the Dragon Ball saga. He was killed several times alongside Goku and became the love interest of Bulma. His wolf-fang-fist and spirit ball are some of the signature moves, but he can also perform Goku’s signature Kamehameha. He is both a skilled fighter and pro baseball player. He fights Cell, but then gives up fighting and fades into the background. Who is this man?
What character is this?
Another wise animal who can speak like humans, this character is over 800 years old and is a martial arts master. His time is spent cultivating the Senzu Beans and living in a very tall tower. The Senzu Beans are important because they can heal wounds and give people strength. This unique creator has the ability to command lightning from the sky during battle. Although he looks adorable, he is known for being very wise. Who is the cutest martial arts master of them all?
What character is this?
This purple guy is the only of her kind to be featured during the show. He is able to use teleportation and has a power level up to a billion. He gains his title when all other of his kind are killed or consumed by Majin Buu. He is willing to seek help from others to keep control of Majin Buu and is known for being rational. He gets most screen time in the Babidi and Buu sagas. Who is this super-powerful Buu-fighting man?
What character is this?
This elite Saiyan warrior comes to earth with Vegeta in search of Dragon balls so they can become immortal. He leaves destruction everywhere in his wake, exhibiting the typical love of fighting and aggression of the Saiyan. He defeats Tien, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo in battle and shows that elite fighters don’t have the same weaknesses as lower class warriors. He is eventually defeated by Goku who was brought back to life after training with King Kai in the afterlife. Who is this fighter?
What character is this?
This character is one of many children of Elder Guru. His home was destroyed and he was saved by Gohan and Krillin. This character eventually discovers his true power as a healer. He plays a critical role in evacuating the Namekians from Namek to Earth before the planet is destroyed. He becomes Earth’s new God once Piccolo fuses with Kami, so Goku travels to the New Namek to get this character to resurrect Shenron and become the new God. Who is this unique healer?
What character is this?
This Saiyan comes to Earth to check on his younger brother Goku. He notices that he has not destroyed Earth as he had expected but instead was helping the inhabitants. He kidnaps his nephew Gohan to try and force him into destroying Earth as planned. Both Goku and this mystery brother are killed by Piccolo although not before Goku gets a message out to Nappa and Vegeta informing them of the existence of Dragon Balls on planet Earth. Who is this angry older brother?
What character is this?
This non-human character has a signature Rocket Punch which fires his fist at the opponent. With power level 30,000,000 he is an interesting combination of human and non-human. Created by Dr. Gero he has no attributes of a human but develops a friendly personality and tries to self-destruct in order to destroy Cell. He is an interesting commentary on what makes something human and is a replica of Dr. Gero’s deceased son. Who is this robot with a heart and conscience?
What character is this?
This warrior is a sidekick to Tien although he does much more than most other sidekicks do. He trains with Kami during the Saiyan Saga. He is not afraid to speak his opinion with Tian which leads to some arguments. He becomes a stronger fighter after attempting a suicidal destruction of Nappa and failing. He trains with King Kai and eventually defeats Guldo of the Ginyu Force. He is able to use psychokinesis during battle and begins at power level 130 and increasing to 19,000. Who is this strong sidekick?
What character is this?
This super smart young lady is first seen in search of the legendary Dragon Balls so that she can wish for the perfect boyfriend. She finds Son Goku, and they continue the search for Dragon Balls together. She becomes most well-known for her inventions including the Dragon Rada, copies of Saiyan Armor and many more. She begins the Dragon Ball Z series in a relationship with Yamcha, but soon gets together with Vegeta, marries, and has children. Who is this turquoise-haired woman?
What character is this?
This character is a force of positivity. He has been around longer than anyone would suspect. Although he is fun and funny, he is known to occasionally power up and deliver a Kamehameha—a move that he invented—and do some serious damage. He would prefer not to participate in the battle and let the others defend Earth. He is especially known for his love of the ladies—attempting to catch the women of Dragon Ball Z in compromising positions. Who is this both lovable and creepy character?
What character is this?
This villain was defeated by Goku while he was with the Red Ribbon Army. This forced him to work in secrecy to develop several Androids whose purpose was to destroy Goku for revenge. Although he appears as a weak old man with long hair and beard, he is extremely powerful and can absorb energy from bodies or blasts into his palms. He is such a brilliant scientist he has made himself immortal. He created many versions of the Androids and Cell. Who is this mastermind?
What character is this?
This little guy is a quiet hero. A longtime companion of Master Roshi, he helps protect women and only gets angry when Master Roshi acts too creepy. He is very friendly and is said to be at least 1,000 years old. He is not a fighter but does so to protect Maron from to men trying to take advantage of her. Goku rescues him and releases him into the sea, but he returns to Master Roshi. Who is this noble yet peaceful sidekick?