Dragon Ball Z’s penchant for lengthy battles has taken on a life of its own in recent years. It’s not unusual for Dragon Ball to be written off as a series where fights take forever and characters power up for episodes on end. While the latter isn’t based in any reality, the former is very much true: especially the longer Dragon Ball Z goes on. By the Namek arc, Dragon Ball Z was forced to drag out some of the manga’s best fights with filler episodes – an issue the anime never really recovered from. Dragon Ball Z isn’t as slow-paced as its detractors make it out to be, but some fights overstay their welcome in the anime.
Of course, viewers can always check out Dragon Ball Z Kai if they want to check out a more concise version of this legendary show, but there's something alluring about the series' original run that makes it infinitely watchable to this day. The sheer number of battles that have taken place in this series is mind-blowing, with many major battles taking numerous episodes to wrap up. The length is part of the reason why some of these battles are so epic, although they do feel rather drawn out at times on a few occasions that are pretty rare.
Updated on March 22, 2024, by Ritwik Mitra: Dragon Ball Z is one of the most beloved shonen anime ever made. The impact Toriyama's work had on pop culture as a whole is immense, and it's easy to see why fans were so emotional to learn about the passing of a great man who shaped many people's childhoods. His work has forever been immortalized, and more and more people are slowly getting into Dragon Ball because of the many ways this series has become accessible to new fans. The fights in this series are nothing short of spectacular, with some battles spanning multiple episodes that can be pretty engaging in their own right.
19 Z Warriors Vs Saibamen
Episodes: 22-24
- These bio-warriors put up a serious fight against the struggling Z Warriors
The Saiyan Saga is one of the biggest turning points in Dragon Ball, introducing a wealth of characters and showing just how weak the Z Warriors really are. Even before Nappa and Vegeta step into battle, the duo decide to amuse themselves by seeing the saviors of Earth struggle against warriors that can be grown.
The Saibamen are sinister-looking mindless creatures who exist only to serve the wishes of their master. The fact that one of the creatures caused Yamcha's death is proof enough of just how lethal these bio-warriors were, and the Z Warriors had to put everything on the line to take out these enemies before Nappa stepped into the fray.
Notable Moment:
Yamcha's death at the hands of a self-destructing Saibaman is a telling moment that shows that these Saiyans were not playing around. The other defenders of Earth mourn his loss before showing the Saibamen no mercy by flexing their strength, even if all of this is for naught once Nappa steps in and shows the sheer gulf of power that separates both groups.
18 Vegeta Vs Zarbon
Episodes: 53, 54, 57
- After being schooled by Zarbon in their first bout, Vegeta's Zenkai boost helps him easily overpower Frieza's lackey
The Zenkai boost has been conveniently forgotten in Dragon Ball Z with the advent of transformations. So, it's easy to forget how much Vegeta benefited from this power-up early on in the series.
After being beaten to the brink of death by a surprisingly powerful Zarbon, Vegeta healed up and schooled the warrior in a rematch, taking him out effortlessly. It was a scary moment that showed just how powerful the Saiyan Race could be, with their losses making them even stronger than before.
Notable Moment:
Zarbon's new form is a huge surprise to everyone, including Vegeta himself. He turns into a monster that beats Vegeta up, pushing the Saiyan to the very brink of death but failing to get the job done — a mistake that costs him dearly.
17 Future Trunks Vs The Frieza Force
Episodes: 119-121
- Showed off a new Super Saiyan who decimated the biggest threats in the series at that point
The introduction of Future Trunks is easily one of the greatest moments in the Dragon Ball Z anime, with this character becoming an instant fan-favorite courtesy of his striking character design and incredible power. His appearance as a Super Saiyan surprised everyone, with most people considering Goku to be the only fighter capable of unlocking this transformation. To make things even better, he actually had the guts to approach Frieza and King Cold on his own with no problems whatsoever.
What followed was an absolute massacre as Future Trunks completely decimated the Frieza Force before taking on Mecha-Frieza himself. The fight was short and sweet, with the evil Emperor being cleaved in half and obliterated by a blast in the most humiliating manner possible. King Cold tried to be crafty and use Trunks' sword against him, but this was a foolhardy endeavor that ended with his demise.
Notable Moment:
Trunks effortlessly spitting Frieza's body in half before unleashing one of the coldest one-arm ki blasts in the series' history makes for a fun watch indeed.
16 Goku & Vegeta Vs Android 19
Episodes: 128-130
- Vegeta's Super Saiyan form made quick work of the Android
The Android Saga marked the start of something special in Dragon Ball Z, with these cyborgs being pretty entertaining villains from the get-go. Both Android 19 and 20 seemed pretty powerful... But it took a single reveal of the Super Saiyan form to humble these two warriors and make Dr. Gero realize just how much of a mistake it was to not send his spy drone on Namek to gather data about this new transformation.
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However, while Goku could've easily wiped the floor with Android 19, his heart virus ended up debilitating his efforts to fight Android 19, causing him to be defeated in a humiliating manner. Thankfully, Vegeta stepped forward in the nick of time and revealed his Super Saiyan transformation, unveiling his patented Big Bang attack to completely decimate the cyborg and make it understand the true meaning of fear.
Notable Moment:
Vegeta asking Android 19 if he understands the definition of fear before unveiling his Super Saiyan transformation was a treat for fans of this prideful Saiyan.
15 Goku & Piccolo Vs Raditz
Episodes: 4-6
- A fight against a powerful Saiyan that could only be won after Goku sacrificed his life
It's only fitting that one of the first fights in the series that establishes the identity of Dragon Ball Z is also a rather lengthy fight in its own right.
Watching the grown-up cast of Dragon Ball is quite a treat, and the manner in which the duo of Goku and Piccolo take on the Saiyan Raditz makes it extremely clear that the formula of the series was going to be way different from its predecessor.
Notable Moment:
After holding Raditz down for the second time, Goku opted to sacrifice his life and died along with Raditz to save Earth from his powerful presence.
14 Majin Vegeta Vs Majin Buu
Episodes: 235-237
- Showed how much Vegeta had grown as a character, despite his thirst for power overpowering his sense of self
After realizing that he was nothing more than a pawn for Babidi, Vegeta decided to take matters into his own hands and broke through the mind control spell that the wizard had used on him.
The timing of this couldn't have been more perfect, with the new threat of Majin Buu looming over the earth. After realizing his mistake, Vegeta decides to take on this threat before it can destroy Earth and ultimately sacrifices himself in the process. However, this sacrifice was for naught, and Majin Buu escaped to terrorize Earth and its inhabitants.
Notable Moment:
After understanding the error of his ways, Vegeta acknowledges the people he grew to love and respect before sacrificing himself in a powerful attack that was meant to take Majin Buu out for good.
13 Trunks Vs Perfect Cell
Episodes: 163-165
- Despite an upgraded Super Saiyan form, Trunks' lack of speed cements his fate against Cell
After watching his arrogant father get the beatdown of his life at the hands of Perfect Cell, Trunks decides to unveil his power as well. Trunks tried to put the training of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to good use and end the threat of Cell once and for all.
However, regardless of how hard Trunks tried, he was no match for Perfect Cell's immense power. Using the power of Super Saiyan Third Grade proved to be the final nail in the coffin — his agility was extremely low, turning him into a plaything for Perfect Cell.
Notable Moment:
Trunks bulking up to a Super Saiyan Third Grade was great, but this came at the cost of his mobility. This allowed Perfect Cell to easily overpower and beat down Trunks without so much as a second thought.
12 Earthlings Vs Nappa
Episodes: 25-28
- A battle against the odds as Nappa displays the gulf in power between himself and the Z Warriors
Dragon Ball Z has a lot of adaptational problems that undersell the manga’s greatest qualities, but the Saiyan arc kicked off the series on a high that it was never able to recapture. The opening episodes do an excellent job of respecting the source material while actually bolstering the manga’s plot points.
The fight against Nappa is far more emotional in the anime, using each episode to highlight the rising stakes. Watching Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Tenshinhan, and Piccolo die back to back to back – across multiple episodes – carries more weight than their fast-paced deaths in the manga. The animation and Japanese voice work during this part of DBZ are also spectacular.
Notable Moment:
Tien, Nappa, and Piccolo sacrificed their lives against Nappa before Gohan tried his hardest to overpower the Saiyan. Before Goku's son would meet the same fate as his comrades, his father came to save the day.
11 Goku Vs Majin Vegeta
Episodes: 230-233
- The two Saiyans engage in a rematch for the ages after Vegeta succumbs to his pride as a warrior and lets Babidi unlock his latent powers
The rivalry between Goku and Vegeta is easily one of the most legendary in shonen history, and it's only befitting that their clashes have made this list twice. The fight between Goku and Majin Vegeta is quite a blast to witness firsthand, with both Saiyans giving it their all in a battle to satisfy both their hunger for battle and their pride. The latter was especially important for Vegeta, who even enslaved his mind to Babidi in a bid to gain more power and attain a leg-up over his rival.
Notable Moment:
Majin Vegeta talking about his growing issues on Earth before giving Goku the beatdown of his life was a great watch. Of course, this fight was interrupted by the revival of Majin Buu, marking the entry of the series' antagonist.
10 Goku Vs Perfect Cell
Episodes: 177-180
- A battle for the ages that ends on an unexpected note when Gohan is tagged in
Goku’s fight against Cell could have realistically been adapted in one airtight episode since splitting it up across four episodes does nothing to elevate it. Not only does the fight not need to be this long, but the anime also breaks up the pacing with shenanigans from Mr. Satan’s peanut gallery.
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Focus is taken off of one of Goku’s best battles in Dragon Ball and instead placed on comic relief that neither lands nor fits the tone of the arc.
Notable Moment:
Goku fired off an Instant Kamehameha against Cell, only for his top half to be completely obliterated. Of course, Cell could regenerate and was back into fighting form once again.