The 17 Most Powerful 'Dragon Ball Z' Characters, Ranked By True Anime Fans (2024)

Goku

DBZ Debut: “The New Threat"

What He's About: Goku is a Saiyan and the primary protagonist of the franchise. His first appearance came in Dragon Ball, and the fans watched him grow and evolve into the man he is in Dragon Ball Z. When he was younger, a head injury sapped his memories, making him incapable of unleashing his true potential, which would see him conquer the planet. This amnesia ultimately helped Goku become one of Earth's greatest defenders. Throughout the franchise, Goku continuously trains and betters himself, making him one of the strongest characters in the whole franchise.

Why He's So Strong: Part of what makes Goku such a strong character is his willingness to continue learning. He constantly seeks out masters to learn their techniques; each time he does so, he becomes stronger and more powerful. Goku's thirst for learning was triggered by the concussion and amnesia he suffered after arriving on Earth. This effectively enabled him to absorb more abilities as time went on, making him progressively stronger than just about everyone else.

Vegeta

DBZ Debut: Cameo: "Reunions" / Full Appearance: "Gohan's Rage"

What He's About: Vegeta first came onto the scene as a villain, and over time, as his backstory developed, he changed. He went on to leave the Frieza Force to make a peaceful life for himself on Earth. Still, whenever he was needed to fight, he'd join Universe 7's most powerful players to protect the planet and the people he cared for. Many believe he surpassed Goku's power.

Why He's So Strong: Vegeta is a Saiyan who constantly trains his physical abilities to godlike levels. Like other Saiyans, he's naturally powerful, and Vegeta is the Saiyan Prince, which likely contributed to his immense strength. Also, Saiyans become stronger after surviving near-fatal injuries, which Vegeta has certainly done, so he's effectively upgraded himself throughout his adventures.

Frieza

DBZ Debut: "Brood of Evil"

What He's About: Frieza is one of the franchise's principal antagonists and the commander of the imperialist army as the emperor of Universe 7. Frieza tyrannically ruled over his empire and was feared across the cosmos. He is one of Goku's arch nemesis, and every time they fight, Frieza is more powerful. Frieza was also responsible for slaughtering nearly all of the Saiyans, so he's not exactly beloved by Goku and the other remaining Saiyans.

Why He's So Strong: Frieza is one of the strongest characters in the Dragon Ball franchise. He was born a mutant and is believed to be the strongest mortal ever born. Unlike the Saiyans, he doesn't need to train to improve his stats; instead, he is naturally strong and immensely powerful. That said, he eventually began to train himself to improve, as he couldn't beat his nemesis. Still, he's ridiculously OP in many ways and can effortlessly destroy whole worlds if he so chooses.

Gohan

DBZ Debut: "The New Threat"

What He's About: Gohan is the oldest son of Goku, making him half-Saiyan and half-human. He is also the older brother of Goten and father to Pan. Gohan doesn't share his father's passion for fighting and instead prefers to stick his nose in books, following his scholarly pursuits. Despite this, he's incredibly strong and skilled as a fighter, so when needed, he joins his father and other warriors in the defense of Earth. When push comes to shove, he can unleash the dormant depths of his intense power to sway the battle to Earth's side.

Why He's So Strong: There are several reasons why Gohan is so strong, and it's not solely due to his biology. While that's undoubtedly a part of it, he's also equipped with plenty of training to make him a powerful fighter. Additionally, because he's a hybrid, he can tap into his hybrid vigor, technically making him stronger than his parents. That's impressive, given the already-impressive power of his father, who began Gohan's training when he was just a child. Gohan's potential is limitless, and his unlocked power boosts further expand his strength.

Trunks

DBZ Debut: “The Mysterious Youth”

What He's About: Trunks is the firstborn son of Vegeta and Bulma, making him half-human/half-Saiyan. There are two versions of Trunks: present Trunks and future Trunks. Thanks to some time travel shenanigans, Trunks heads back in time to the present to warn Goku about the Androids and the Red Ribbon Army. During his upbringing, he was trained by Goku, so he's a skilled fighter who is incredibly strong and determined.

Why He's So Strong: Trunks is a hybrid, so he's got many of the qualities of a Saiyan while also possessing an infinite amount of potential. He's also able to tap into his hybrid vigor, making him stronger than most of the other characters in the franchise. On top of that, Future Trunks is older and had more training to get him to the point where he is when he arrives in Dragon Ball Z.

Android 17

DBZ Debut: "Nightmare Comes True"

What He's About: Android 17 was created by Dr. Gero but started life as a human named Lapis. He turned against his creator, killing him. He and Android 18 were meant to kill the Z-Fighters but preferred only to kill Goku, so they set out to make that happen. 17 was killed in a fight with Cell but returned with the help of some Dragon Balls. After that, he resolved to live a peaceful life. He was able to accomplish this, for the most part, but ultimately was dragged back into the action when Goku needed to put together his Spirit Bomb.

Why He's So Strong: Android 17 is strong because he's a bio-mechanical organism with cybernetic enhancements. These give him an unlimited supply of energy, so he never runs out of stamina and recovers from injuries quickly. On top of that, he's powered by a self-sustaining fusion reactor housed in his chest and has nanotechnology running throughout his body. Essentially, he was built to be excessively powerful, and other than killing his creator, he didn't disappoint.