The Best Dragon Ball Villains Of All Time

Few series have had quite as big an impact on the world as Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball. It first appeared as a manga back in 1984 and has since gone on to spawn a hugely popular anime, multiple movies, and plenty of great video game adaptations. Its varied cast of heroes is one of the many things that have contributed towards this prolonged success, although many will argue that the antagonists are every bit as important; if not more so.

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Some of the series' villains serve as little more than plot devices with which to push the heroes to new and exciting heights. Others, however, bring a lot more to the table than just brute strength and obnoxious threats. Whether because of their excellent writing or their unique motivations, the best Dragon Ball villains are as memorable as they are deadly and have played a pivotal role in the franchise's continued success over the years.

Updated September 10, 2024, by Tom Bowen: When it comes to creating memorable villains, few series have been as consistent as Dragon Ball. Granted, not all of the villains have managed to hit the mark, nor have they all been utilized quite as well as they could have been. When the series does get it right, though, which is far more often than not, the results really do speak for themselves. The best Dragon Ball villains are as unforgettable as the series' heroes and are a big part of what makes Akira Toriyama's creation so popular with fans. In remembrance of the man who created these iconic characters and as a reminder of his brilliance, this piece has been updated to include more of the best Dragon Ball villains.

22 Emperor Pilaf

First Appearance: The Emperor Pilaf Saga (Dragon Ball Z)

Before it became a series about a bunch of spiky-haired Saiyans protecting the world from aliens with god-like abilities, Dragon Ball was an adventure series with comedy elements and a sprinkling of martial arts on top. It was during this era that Emperor Pilaf made his debut, making a lasting impression on series fans in the process.

Emperor Pilaf doesn't have any special powers and serves more as comic relief than anything else. It could be argued that much of Dragon Ball's success came after discarding characters like him and replacing them with more intimidating foes, and while this is probably true, Pilaf is remembered fondly by fans and still shows up from time to time.

21 Zarbon

First Appearance: The Namek Saga (Dragon Ball Z)

When Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma first arrive on Planet Namek, neither they nor fans of the series have any idea what to expect. It doesn't take too long for them to get a taste of what Frieza and his henchmen are all about though, with Cui, Dodoria, and Zarbon being the first of many threats that the Z Fighters are forced to overcome. Ultimately, though, this trio serves more as a plot device to explore Vegeta's backstory a little more and show just how much he's grown since his defeat on planet Earth.

Cui and Dodoria end up falling fairly quickly (though the latter is explored in more detail later on when it comes to the fate of Goku's father Bardock and his team), but Zarbon puts up much more of a fight. It's through him that the idea of transformations beyond turning into a great ape or growing larger is properly introduced, which perfectly lays the groundwork for Frieza's many transformations a little later on in the saga.

20 Master Shen

First Appearance: The Tien Shinhan Saga (Dragon Ball)

Founded by Master Shen following the death of Mutaito, the Crane School is the main rival of Master Roshi's Turtle School and served as one of the main antagonistic factions during the Red Ribbon Army saga of the original Dragon Ball anime and manga. Much like his older brother Mercenary Tao, Shen is nowhere near as evil as the villains that would eventually follow, yet remains an excellent antagonist nonetheless.

It's through the Crane School that Tien and Chaozu are first introduced to fans and thanks in large to the training they received there that the duo were able to cause Goku so much trouble at the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. What makes the school and Shen in particular so compelling is that he was once friends with Master Roshi, but completely changed after the death of their master at the hands of King Piccolo.

19 Raditz

First Appearance: The Raditz Saga (Dragon Ball Z)

Thanks to Toonami and Cartoon Network, most Dragon Ball fans probably began watching the series from the beginning of Dragon Ball Z. As a result, Raditz was likely the first main villain to whom most were introduced. The fact that he arrives on Earth from outer space and then drops the bombshell that Goku is actually his brother is inherently cool, but it's his raw power and cold persona that makes Raditz such a great Dragon Ball villain.

The ease with which Raditz is able to fend off the simultaneous attacks of Goku and Piccolo really is quite frightening, with Goku ultimately having to sacrifice himself in order to get the victory. If that weren't enough, with his final breath, Raditz reveals that two more Saiyans are en route to Earth and that both of them are far more powerful than him. It could perhaps be argued that he's little more than an appetizer, but he fills that role perfectly and leaves viewers desperately wanting more.

18 Tien

First Appearance: The Fortuneteller Baba Saga (Dragon Ball)

Tien Shinhan has been a big part of Dragon Ball since 1987 and is considered by most to be one of the series' main characters. Though he's nowhere near as strong as the likes of Goku and Vegeta these days, the Tournament of Power showed that Tien is still a force to be reckoned with. He hasn't always been a good guy though, with the three-eyed earthling having initially served as one of Dragon Ball's earliest and best villains.

Tien trained under Mercenary Tao and Master Shen at the Crane Martial Arts School and came up against Goku in the final of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. The resulting fight is exceptionally well choreographed and Tien's arrogant and cocky nature helps to make him feel like a true villain. The pair eventually earn each other's respect, however, which leads to Tien and Goku becoming much more friendly in subsequent arcs.

17 Mercenary Tao

First Appearance: The Commander Red Saga (Dragon Ball)

Mercenary Tao may not have blown up any planets or absorbed any populations, but he was one of the first Dragon Ball villains to end somebody's life. He kills Bora when the mercenary shows up to assassinate Goku and is able to take down General Blue from the Red Ribbon Army using nothing but his tongue. He also murders his tailor just to avoid having to pay him.

Although a lot of younger Dragon Ball fans probably won't know who he is, Mercenary Tao is remembered fondly by a large portion of the fanbase and is emblematic of a period when Dragon Ball focussed more on martial arts than it did on ki blasts. His deadly pressure-point attacks made him every bit as intimidating as some of the many antagonists that followed and helped to cement his place among the very best Dragon Ball villains.

16 Omega Shenron

First Appearance: The Shadow Dragons Saga (Dragon Ball GT)

For decades, Goku and his friends used the immeasurable power of the titular Dragon Balls with very few consequences. That all changed in Dragon Ball GT though, when a build-up of negative energy caused by the overuse of the little orange balls led to the creation of the Shadow Dragons: seven powerful creatures hellbent on committing evil acts across the planet.

The most powerful and most sinister of these dragons is Syn Shenron, who transforms into Omega Shenron after absorbing all seven of the Dragon Balls. He's considerably more powerful than both Goku and Vegeta, with the pair needing to fuse together into Super Saiyan 4 Gogeta in order to get the better of him. However, they end up defusing before they can land the finishing blow, forcing Goku to summon a Universal Spirit Bomb to get the job done.

15 Garlic Junior

First Appearance: Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone

Although Garlic Junior's first appearance came in the Dragon Ball Z movie, Dead Zone, most viewers will have first encountered him during the Garlic Junior saga of Dragon Ball Z. At the time, his introduction was perhaps a little underwhelming, although, in retrospect, it was arguably exactly what the anime needed at the time.

Having just come out of the Frieza Saga and with both the androids and Cell still to come, the change of pace allowed viewers a much-needed moment to catch their breath. The speed with which the stakes were suddenly raised, however, caught a lot of people by surprise and the final showdown with Garlic Jr. Is just as epic as some of the series' other great set-piece moments as a result.

14 Moro

First Appearance: Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga (Dragon Ball Super Manga)

Moro has been around in the Dragon Ball Super manga for quite some time now but is still to make his anime or movie debut. Whether he'll show up in the upcoming movie remains to be seen, although if he doesn't, it seems something of a certainty that he'll feature in the follow-up to Dragon Ball Super in some capacity when it finally arrives.

The planet-eating wizard was sentenced to death after the Grand Supreme Kai sealed away his magic, although there wasn't anybody strong enough to actually carry out the sentence As a result, he was locked away for ten million years, but eventually escapes and begins terrorizing the universe once again. Were it not for Goku's Ultra Instinct, all life in Universe 7 may have perished at his hands.

13 Baby

First Appearance: The Baby Saga (Dragon Ball GT)

For as disappointing as it is when compared to its predecessors, Dragon Ball GT does have one or two great villains. The Shadow Dragons, in particular, provide some truly epic moments. However, none of them quite compare to Baby, especially when it comes to sheer malice and intimidation. Of course, the historical bad blood between the Tuffles and the Saiyans also contributes a lot to his effectiveness as an antagonist.

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By  Sacha Chesaux Presburger

That he is able to infect Goku's friends and family is a little reminiscent of Buu's candy-making powers, although having to fight against his loved ones is perhaps a lot more difficult for Goku than having to watch them die. Baby doesn't hide behind traditional henchmen either, nor does his saga drag on for anywhere near as long as some of those that preceded it.