How Many Dragon Ball Characters Can You Name In 2 Minutes Or Less?
- by Lucas Wesley
- – on
- in Movies and TV
Combining all the best elements of Japanese manga, American comic books, and martial arts films, the Dragon Ball series has arguably become the most popular anime in history. In particular, Dragon Ball Z was a global phenomenon throughout the 1990s, and the recent revival Dragon Ball Super is equally omnipresent with fans of the genre today.
Centered on the concept that seven magical dragon balls can grant virtually any wish a human could contrive, a power that could theoretically be used for either good or evil, part of what makes the Dragon Ball universe so popular is how comprehensive it it. Originally, the series was about a young Saiyan boy from Planet Vegeta suddenly arriving on Earth, and quite a few additional species and solar systems soon played a big role on the show, as well.
With this much diversity, there are obviously an incredible number of characters across the various Dragon Ball TV shows. While just about anyone can name the Super Saiyan who leads the program, and probably a good number of his closest friends and allies, to actually know every single person who ever crossed his path takes a level of fandom few possess. To test whether or not you’re truly an expert, keep reading and find out how many Dragon Ball characters you can name in 2 minutes or less.
Who is the star of the series?
It all begins when a young Saiyan boy wakes up on Earth without any memory of why he went there. All he knows is that he has a monkey tail and no one else does, but this doesn’t stop him from being an extremely cheery kid with a strong appreciation for humanity. Blessed with innate strength from the beginning, he grows older, the Saiyan gradually develops into an extremely powerful superhero, defending Earth and his friends against any potential threat it should encounter. If you’ve seen one episode of Dragon Ball, you know his name, so what is it?
Who is Goku’s oldest son?
If there were any Dragon Ball characters who could match Goku in popularity or power, it would likely be his eldest son. This is a bit ironic, considering the legendary Saiyan’s wife initially forbade their first child from practicing martial arts of any kind. This quickly proved to be impossible, and in due time, the kid was training to protect the Earth in his father’s stead. There have even been times when Goku was unable to fight any longer, only for his son to swoop in and save the day for his dad, and for everyone. What’s the boy’s name?
Who was Goku’s teacher?
While Goku was naturally gifted as a fighter from the start, a big crux of the Dragon Ball series relies on how he’s constantly training to become an even better warrior. The first man to teach Goku in the way of the fist was his adoptive Earth father, but later training from a reclusive eccentric would ultimately prove more important to his development. Although this sensei can be a bit goofy and even perverted when around women, there’s no denying he’s a genius when it comes to martial arts, and the innovator of Dragon Ball’s famous Kamehameha. Who is he?
Who is the Prince of Saiyans?
With Goku being from a foreign planet, it was only inevitable that someone from the homeland would come looking for him. This (not so) friendly rival wasn’t the first to seek out his former countryman, but he did stick around the longest, and for good reason—aside from Goku, he’s one of his planet’s last survivors, and also their highest ranking political figure after the death of his father, the king. At first, he wants nothing more than to see Goku dead, but in due time, they start fighting side by side. What’s his name?
Who is Vegeta’s wife?
Despite being a strong fighter and born warrior, Goku wasn’t the brightest kid in the world, blind to life’s mysteries and how social interaction was supposed to work. The first human to clue him in on human relations was actually a young girl who stumbled upon him while seeking out the legendary Dragon Balls. Though not much of a fighter herself, she and Goku soon become great friends, and she further ingratiates herself into the Saiyan bloodline by marrying Vegeta a little bit down the line. Do you know her name?
Who is Goku’s Namekian enemy turned friend?
The strange spawn of a demon lord trying to take over the world, this green goblin is originally introduced as Goku’s arch nemesis. It doesn’t take long for him to change his mind, though, realizing that saving the Earth may be more important than being it’s evil king. A big part of his transformation comes when he trains Goku’s son Gohan into the warrior he becomes, and he’s further humanized when Dragon Ball Z took him back to his home planet, Namek. Do you know the redeemed alien’s name?
Who is Goku’s brother?
Well before Vegeta comes along and checks up on Goku, there’s someone else with an even closer connection to the Saiyan interested in what he’s been up to: his brother. Unfortunately for planet Earth, this man has neither Goku’s positive attitude nor Vegeta’s capacity for redemption, and he decides to kill his own brother for refusing to share his destructive desires. The plus side is that he was no match for the combined powers of Goku and Piccolo, though he did manage to do a whole lot of damage in the little time he was around. What’s his name?
Who is Goku’s best friend?
Given how legendary Goku’s teacher Master Roshi is within the Dragon Ball universe, it was inevitable that the Saiyan wouldn’t be his only student. In fact, another young martial artist was looking for guidance at the same time, initially serving as Goku’s friendly rival. Because Roshi is such a tyrant, though, the two soon become the closest of friends, with the small statured human standing by Goku’s side during every ensuring battle. Though not as strong as Goku, he also happens to be a competent fighter himself, and a fellow master of the Kamehameha. What’s his name?
Who is the bandit that befriends Goku and becomes an ally?
For whatever reason, most of Goku’s closest allies started out as his enemies, and this desert bandit is no different. Originally, all he wanted was to rob Goku and Bulma as they drove through his area, becoming extra intrigued when he saw they had a few Dragon Balls. He was also intrigued by Bulma in general, soon beginning a relationship with her, though it wasn’t meant to be. In fact, it could be said this guy shouldn’t have been a fighter at all, and he eventually gives it up to start playing minor league baseball. What’s his name?
Which human does Goku meet during the World Martial Arts Tournament?
In due time, anyone to appear on Dragon Ball for more than an episode or two was bound to learn how to fly. Originally, though, only one man knew the Air Dance Technique, which along with his Solar Flare attack made him an early favorite to win the World Martial Arts tournament. Indeed, that’s exactly what he does, defeating Goku in the finals but deciding not to kill him out of respect for his power. From there, the man shares his techniques with Goku’s friends, soon becoming an ally in the fight against evil himself. What’s his name?
Who is Vegeta’s son?
When this slick, stylish, apparently powerful young man from the future first appears on Dragon Ball Z, his identity was as mysterious to the characters he interacts with as it was the viewers. After slicing a few bad guys to bits with his sword, a rarity for Dragon Ball already, he explains that he came from the future where he is the son of Vegeta and Bulma. Taking more after mom than dad, he travels through time to warn of evil and help fight it whenever he can. What’s his name?
Who is Goku’s younger son?
Upon the birth of Goku’s first son, his wife decided their children should never follow in their old man’s footsteps, eschewing the idea of fighting for much of Gohan’s life. Apparently, she changed her mind for baby number two, who she started training the second he could talk. Naturally, Goku later played a role in training the boy as well, along with his big brother Gohan and just about every person the two of them ever knew. Obviously, this made the kid an incredibly strong fighter in his own right. Do you know his name?
Who does Goku fight to save Planet Namek?
Of all the villains Goku battles throughout the Dragon Ball series, none play a bigger role in his life than this vicious alien warlord. Just after Goku was born, this monster killed his father and destroyed their home planet, and later planned to extent his path of destruction through Piccolo’s homeland, Namek. At that point, Goku was a full grown adult, and took it upon himself to stop the villain’s reign while getting a little revenge in the process. Of course, it would be a long battle before that could happen. What is Goku’s archrival’s name?
Who is Krillin’s inhuman wife?
Once a normal human, this powerful cyborg was presumably killed and turned robotic by a mad scientist, her one purpose being to form an army powerful enough to kill Goku. These plans don’t quite take, as her past humanity eventually overrides her stated goal and she starts fighting aside the Saiyan rather than against him. A big part of the transformation relates to meeting and falling in love with Goku’s best friend, Krillin, who she eventually marries and somehow has children with despite her semi-robotic state. What’s her name?
Who is Tien’s pint-sized best friend?
Floating around like an adorable pixie, this tiny friend of Tien is far more powerful than he lets on. Though not physically gifted in battle, the strange pale male has the power of telepathy, making him a formidable aide to Goku and friends after he and Tien decide to start helping them. When this happens, his telekinetic abilities often come in handy, though the childish mind controlling them can occasionally be reckless in how he uses this power, putting both himself and his friends in danger. What’s his name?
Who is Goku’s wife?
Being an all powerful superhero who repeatedly saves the world should theoretically make Goku pretty popular with the ladies. That may well be, but thanks to a misunderstanding with a large yet affable man early in Goku’s youth, his wife had been arranged before he even fought his first major battle. Luckily, the two were actually a pretty great fit together, with this young woman’s dominant attitude and respectable fighting skills making her a great match for the legendary Saiyan. These qualities also make her a great mother to future warriors like Gohan and Goten. What’s her name?
Who is Gohan’s wife?
The son of a legendary warrior and a strong fighter himself, Gohan gets a decent amount of attention from the ladies, just like his father. That might be underselling it a bit, as the woman who would become his started obsessively studying him from the moment she realized he had super powers after they met in high school. It wasn’t long before she had enough proof Goku had to come clean, followed by teaching her how to fly and fight like a super Saiyan. It wasn’t long after that the two heard wedding bells. What’s her name?
What modern Prometheus monster takes Gohan to his limit?
Considering how powerful all of Goku’s friends are on their own, to combine them all into one would create an outrageously powerful weapon. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a certain mad scientist was attempting to do when he built this monster, taking DNA from Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Frieza, and others to build the most destructive figure the world had yet seen. Thanks to an absorbing stinger, he could also take the life force of any living being and further add it to his own power. What was his name?
Who leads Frieza’s group of mercenaries?
Powerful as Frieza is, he’s a busy man, and small problems like Goku aren’t always part of his plan. In order to remove that nuisance, Frieza hires a strange group of mercenaries to do his evil bidding. Most eccentric of all is naturally the group’s leader, who nearly defeats Goku by injuring himself before using his unique power to switch bodies with any living creature. However, this backfires after Goku gets his body back, then foils a second switcheroo by throwing a frog into the line of fire and turning him into an amphibian. What’s his name?
Who guides Goku through the afterlife?
Constantly putting his life at risk, it was probably inevitable that Goku would get gravely injured in battle on multiple occasions. It just takes a Senzu bean to save him, but they aren’t always around, so sometimes the legendary Saiyan actually dies and travels through the afterlife. On the plus side, there’s a kind old man living in the heavens who happens to be an incredible martial artist and teacher, ready to offer further training to Goku and his friends should they fall in battle. This proves integral when he reveals the power of the Spirit Bomb. What’s he called?
What is Gohan’s superhero alter ego?
By and large, Goku’s battles to save humanity don’t get much media attention in the Dragon Ball world. This is because his fights with men like Piccolo, Vegeta, and Raditz all happen in secluded fields and rarely involve civilians, and the rest of his life is lived in relative seclusion. However, once Gohan goes to school and realizes city folk need a hero as well, he has to mask his identity in order to save them without garnering too much attention. What does he call the goofy superhero counterpart he uses to hide in plain sight?
Which Android number was this male robot?
Android 18 and Cell were hardly the only creations a certain mad scientist made to fight Goku. Obviously, as the female cyborg’s name implied, there were at least 17 others that came first, and a few more would come afterwards, as well. Aside from the two named monsters and their creator, the most important was probably 18’s brother, who initially fought by her side. As she fell in love with Krillin and found humanity, the brother robot started to get a little friendlier too, likewise turning into an ally. What’s his number?
Who is the original leader of the Namekian people?
Over 200 years old when he first meets Goku and friends, this plus-sized Namek is the Elder member of his species by quite a large margin. Tradition dictates this also made him their leader, something just about everyone on the planet was completely fine with thanks to his kind hearted nature. He also endeared himself to the world by creating the Namekian Dragon Balls, which may be even more powerful than the ones on Earth. On top of it all, he saved the planet from extinction by fathering almost every Namek around in the last 100 years. What’s his name?
What puffy pink marshmallow nearly destroys the Earth?
Leave it to Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama to make a giant puffball in love with chocolate one of the most menacing monsters in anime history. As the villain grew more powerful, he shed the puffy exterior for a more ripped albeit diminutive form, appropriately getting even stronger with each transformation. This pink menace is actually the first to succeed in destroying the Earth, leaving a permanent impact even after Goku and friends naturally find a way to bring it back and destroy him. What’s the beast called?
Who watches over Earth?
While King Kai is around to protect people from Earth in the afterlife, the living humans also need someone looking out for their interests. Thankfully, they have this pure good creature from the Planet Namek, who became a living god by expelling his evil half, thus creating Piccolo as a byproduct. It also allows the remaining goodness within him to create Earth’s Dragon Balls, arguably making him responsible for everything that happens in the series. What is this all important character’s name?
What plus sized human follows Goku around looking for food?
Even if they’re tasked with saving the world, everybody’s gotta eat. Because Goku is initially childlike and unaware of things like commerce, the young hero once stole a man’s fish, and it went on to affect his life for a long time to come. Turns out the guy he stole from really, really cares about his food, but he doesn’t always use this fact for greed alone. Later on, he learns of a mysterious Senzu Bean with restorative powers that happens to be incredibly tasty, and he decides to help out a farmer who makes them. What’s his name?
Who is the powerful assassin that nearly defeats a young Goku?
From a very young age, certain entities are well aware of Goku’s power, most notably the Red Ribbon Army. In order to stop the powerful young Saiyan before he gets too strong, and to steal his Dragon Balls, they hired this vicious killer for hire to murder the man when he was still just a child. Goku’s inexperience made him no match for the vicious assassin, but luckily the man was a little careless in his work, leaving the Saiyan alive and able to get payback in his own way. What’s the killer’s name?
Who is Gohan’s showboat father-in-law?
No matter how many times Goku and friends save the Earth, most humans living on it don’t really seem to notice the guy. This is a little strange, considering the World Martial Arts Tournament that Goku won as a child still happens every year, and its winners are often regarded as heroes. In particular, this repeat champion is practically treated like a rock star, heaped with praise everywhere he goes in honor of his immense strength. Little does the public know even a kid like Trunks could destroy him in one punch. What’s his name?
Who is Vegeta’s right hand man?
Being the Prince of all Saiyans, it should go without saying that even an all powerful warrior like Vegeta would have a bodyguard. That said, an elite fighter himself, this fellow Saiyan fighter was more of a second-in-command than a mere protector, sharing Vegeta’s goal of dominating the Earth after the learn their home planet has been destroyed. Unfortunately for him, Vegeta doesn’t quite appreciate the help, ultimately killing his own aide for refusing to accept they had been defeated. What was the doomed Saiyan’s name?
Which Ginyu Force member can freeze time?
Captain Ginyu is a formidable fighter in his own right, but Frieza doesn’t just hire the man in charge, he hires the entire Ginyu Force. Before Goku and friends have to deal with the leader, they have to take care of this weird little green subordinate who happens to have one of the most powerful abilities in the Dragon Ball universe in that he can control time. Of course, there’s a huge catch in that he can only do this while holding his breath, something he can’t pull off for all that long. What do the other Ginyus call him?
What is the Earth Dragon God’s name?
Technically speaking, just combining the Dragon Balls in one place doesn’t grant any wishes in and of itself. What it does is summon a gigantic and all powerful Dragon God, which has the power to do just that. Depending on which planet’s Dragon God we’re talking about, the exact powers are a little bit different, but suffice to say there are very few limitations on what they can do. This one in particular can bring people back to life en masse, a power that solves many crises caused by Goku’s enemies. What is the entity called?
Who created Cell and the Androids?
Still a child when his interaction with the Red Ribbon Army is over, Goku doesn’t think much about the assassins that once tried to kill him later on in life. This proves out to be a mistake when he learns a survivor of the organization has since become a mad scientist who never gave up on the idea of revenge. Too old to kill Goku himself, the evil genius builds the Androids to achieve his goal, also inventing the computer that ultimately creates Cell. What is the maniacal inventor named?
Who is the Earth God’s assistant?
The Dragon Ball universe is often about the power of friendship, with Goku and his allies always needing to work together and combine their strength in order to defeat true evil. With this in mind, it makes perfect sense that even the Earth god Kami would have an assistant, helping him out around his heavenly Lookout. It would also appear this man has some sort of strange power himself, able to train Goten and Trunks without taking any particular damage from their blows. What does the apparent genie call himself?
Who is the cat-like God of Destruction?
Having fought his fair share of monsters and men hell bent on world domination, it was only a matter of time before Goku was truly taken to the limit and tasked with fighting a true god. Being a deity of chaos and destruction, his goal in coming to Earth was to find the legendary Super Saiyan and challenge him to a fight, which he eventually won in definitive fashion. However, the otherwise destructive entity decided not to destroy Earth out of respect, forming an odd friendship with Goku after their battle ended. What does he call himself?
Who replaces Kami as Earth God?
Before Goku and his friends can stop Frieza from destroying Namek, the monstrous warlord wrecks a great deal of havoc on the green planet, killing many innocent victims. This young Namek child is nearly one of them, saved at the last minute by Gohan and Krillin. It’s a good thing the heroes happened upon him, as it’s soon revealed the kid possesses an amazing inner strength, one which eventually leads Kami to decide he should be the next god of Earth. What is the young deity’s name?
Who replaces Guru as the Namek’s leader?
While none on Planet Namek possess the personal strength to fight Frieza without Goku’s help, a few of them are pretty wily in slowing him down. In particular, this Namekian leader is able to destroy Frieza’s scouters, thereby making it much harder for him to find the Dragon Balls and further increase his power. Recognizing his protective nature and kind heart, his father Guru chooses him as successor to the throne as Elder and leader of Nameks. He later uses this position to help Goku select Dende as Earth’s new god. What is his name?
Who is the legendary ultra Saiyan?
Never once appearing in the official series, chances are not everyone will remember this Legendary Super Saiyan, but true fans have probably seen all three of the spin-off movies surrounded on his battles with Goku. The two could literally be described as born rivals, having spent time next to one another as babies growing in incubator tubes while their planet was at war with Frieza. Always annoyed by Goku’s crying, when this man became an adult, he decided to get the ultimate revenge by killing his entire family. What’s the most evil Saiyan around’s name?
Who does Goku battle in the first Dragon Ball movie?
Powerful as they are, Goku and Gohan are the sort of heroes who almost always need a little help from their friends. For this reason, an evil villain with the power to turn their allies against them could be their greatest challenge yet. That goes double if they happen to be unkillable, which this irritating imp with the power of the evil unlocking Black Water Mist managed to become with the power of the Dragon Balls. Luckily, Gohan finds a way to trap his power anyway and save the world from his spicy menace. What’s his name?
Who is the Namek’s Dragon God?
Considering Earth’s Dragon Balls were created by a man from Namek, it would make sense that planet has seven magical stones that were even more powerful. This strength is physically embodied in the Dragon God that possesses it, as he’s bigger, larger, and presumably stronger than the one granting wishes on Earth. His abilities in that regard are more powerful as well, in that he can grant three wishes at once, and there are no limits to his power of revival. What is this all powerful friendly beast’s name?
Who watches over the entire universe?
In a world with gods, Kais, and various overseers constantly watching over humanity and other races, it makes sense there would be one powerful being ranking above all others. Enter the king of all universes, a tiny but all-powerful being who even Beerus and his brother Champa deeply fear. The one person who isn’t scared is naturally Goku, leading to an unlikely friendship that ensures humanity will be temporarily saved from his destructive tendencies. Who is Goku’s strongest and perhaps silliest ally?