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10. Nappa
Kicking off this list is the best-abridged character of all time, but this is that serious version that you can’t stop laughing at because TeamFourStar ruined him for you. One of the only surviving Saiyans after the destruction of his planet, Nappa is the short-tempered and overly violent big boy sidekick of none other than Vegeta. And unsurprisingly, the lack of hair is just one of many reasons you have to fear him. When Nappa first arrived, people went into catatonic shock! Not only was he the strongest character the series had ever had at that point, but he did the one thing that no reader ever thought was possible; Went on a massacre of beloved characters! If you count Yamcha like I certainly do, then Nappa was responsible for 4 major deaths within one battle! All the training and hard work they went through, and Nappa made them all jokes. An irredeemable monster, Nappa’s only seeming weaknesses were his stupidity, his temper, and his superior boss Vegeta. The heroes all tried so hard, but in the end, Nappa could only be stopped by Son Goku and the Kaioken. If this was just a list of personality or complexity, Nappa would probably not have made it to this list. However, he is a terrifying machine of murder, and that’s worthy of your attention.
9. Broly
Fine, let’s get this one out the way. Broly is the “Legendary Super Saiyan”, and the only character on this list you could consider non-canon. That feat alone is impressive. A fan favorite, Broly is probably here due to peer pressure more than anything else, since I often feel that people get either hateful or defensive about him. My personal opinion. I’m somewhere in the middle. I suppose what makes Broly so unique and popular is his amazing design and brutality in fight scenes. At first, he’s mostly a glum mute who looks like he could use a hug and some hair gel for when he gets to listening to Linkin Park. That swiftly changes however when he transforms twice, the second time revealing his well-known freakshow of a villain. Hearing the phrase “Kakkarot” screamed by Vig Mignogna is terrifying on its own, but then having it come out of this tank? That will make your boxers heavy… with poo… because you crap yourself. While I refuse to defend Broly’s films or at least the sequels, I think Broly is a great example of huge potential. Did the films give him a poor excuse for his rage? Yes. Did the films forget to put in more personality? Yes. However, people love seeing this guy in pure action and he’s a perfect example of how much the Dragon Ball franchise doesn’t like to hold back in its violence. If Broly ever does somehow dare to show his face again, let’s hope he picked up a dictionary and learned a few more words.
8. The Androids
A little bit of a cheat here, but one I feel you can understand. The trio of Androids known as 16, 17, and 18 are hard to talk about apart, so it’s best to keep them together and judge them as a group rather than singular villains. (Remember that for the next entry on this list). And if you need me to pick a favorite to appease the inner goddess of rage inside your belly… I’ll say 18. She’s hot. Created by Dr. Gero, who later becomes Android 20 after making a robot mime known as 19, the trio was “born” with the obsession of killing Son Goku, to avenge a past victory when he destroyed the entire Red Ribbon Army years ago. After rebelling like sexy teenagers, the three go off in a pink van and search for Goku by themselves. They enjoy each other’s company, birds, cars… Different loves for different androids, but all of them get along great. And that’s why they’re so appealing. It’s interesting to note that the Androids are one of the few entries here that are enjoyable because of how they change. While other villains are amazing because of what they do to the goodies or their methods, the Androids are just loads of fun and surprisingly heartfelt at times. Android 16 in particular has beautiful scenes, and it helps to capture all our attention. I adore the Cell Saga, and the Androids are a huge reason for that. They’re sexy, they’re powerful, they’re brutal, and they are not just machines.
7. The Ginyu Force
God damn. I love these guys. I love them so much. I love their designs. I love their personalities. I love their voices. I love their poses. I just simply love the Ginyu Force. Led by the great Captain Ginyu, we have Jeice, Recoome, Burter, and Guldo! Five Power Rangers who work for their lord Frieza as his greatest elites, and can take on any challenge he so wishes… or can they? Yes to my dismay, even the Ginyu Force could not survive the wrath of Vegeta and Goku, the former of whom has killed all five of them. (Thanks to Super for allowing Vegeta to get that 5th bastard that was missing on his record). However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t a significant force. With the amazing powers they have, the Force was the first to ever put Vegeta to such a near-death state so easily, and it was so entertaining that I was nearly rooting for them. Personality is always important when writing a villain, and these dudes had personality in spades. They made jokes, they argued amongst themselves, they laughed, they cried… They even played games to decide who commits murder first! It’d be impossible to talk about these five as much as they deserve, so I’ll just say this: Watch them yourself, damn it! And for every view, this article gets, I will unleash the Dance of Joy!
6. King Piccolo
You didn’t think I’d forget King Piccolo, did you? Yes, he’s not from the Z or the Super leagues, but there was a time when aliens were a rarity and the idea of destroying planets was not only ridiculous, it was impossible. Back then, the full level of evil was King Piccolo, father of Piccolo Jr and the cause of Krillin’s first-ever death. Talk about dark! Sealed away long ago, King Piccolo is a Namekian from the planet Namek and has the power to throw up new kids which can then go off and break Krillin’s neck or get eaten by Yajirobe or beat Tien down… even his kids are not going to have nice lives. Ever since the King’s appearance, the entire tone of the arc goes massively dark as horrors and hardships are pushed upon Goku and his friends. The defeat of King Piccolo is iconic and is glorious. This was a character who caused the deaths of Krillin, Master Roshi, Shenron, Chiaotzu, and more. A character who betrayed everyone he came by, and changed the way we would look at the franchise forever. And thanks to Goku’s amazing fisting abilities, a character we will most likely never see again. Such a shame.
5. Super Buu
I was hesitant to put a form of Buu on this list, as you could argue that all of Buu should be here, but I feel like Super Buu is a Special Buu. A better Buu. I found Fat Buu an annoyance, and while Kid Buu is tons of fun, he lacks the staying power and ambition of Super Buu. Remember, this is the villain that can turn you into candy so he can… play with his food! The outcome of what happens when Buu’s evil side overshadows the light, this is almost what you could consider the “Darth Buu” of the saga. Dark and determined, without any mercy except for Mr. Satan, Super Buu is nothing short of ugly, but in the best possible way. What do I mean by that? He wiped out 99.9999% of humanity with one attack! That is sickeningly awesome! Absorbing heroes to get smarter and stronger at the same time, stealing their abilities for his gain, laughing like a diabolical lunatic when he’s having the time of his life, yet destroying everything in his path as soon as he doesn’t get his way… Pick your favorite attribute of Super Buu. For me, it’s the pink tentacle thing. I don’t know what it does or why it’s there but it’s so beautiful!
4. Beerus
Aww hell yes! Beerus the almighty God of Destruction, and don’t anybody try to tell me he’s not a supreme badass worthy of the name! We’re talking about someone who destroys planets when he accidentally sneezes out a genocidal attack, yet can also be utterly adorable and complex in his manner of thinking and motivation. Is Beerus ever truly on your side? ‘F no! He’s on his side, and he will make sure you know it. He’s a God, the second most powerful character in the universe, and probably more ancient than the majority of the planets out there. His first appearance is so special for the franchise, as it not only introduces a wonderful and enjoyable character but expands the mythology of the universe itself. What was once seen as a series that only Goku could win was so swiftly changed by Beerus? Goku cannot defeat Beerus, despite his training. He’s not even close to winning in a battle against this God, and that’s amazing. In lesser hands, a character like this would be an unbearable frustration that only serves to put the drills in our temples. Instead, Beerus is godly. Damn, these jokes are fantastic.
3. Vegeta
Probably the greatest rival in anime history, Vegeta is the best character in the Dragon Ball franchise. However, since this is a villains list, he is slightly lower than 1st place. Don’t misunderstand me though. Vegeta as a villain is iconic in both anime, and our childhoods. Whether he’s wearing a red scouter or an “M” tramp stamp, he is still one sexy badass. It’s almost impossible to think of what else to say about Vegeta that nobody else has. His development is arguably the best in the series, but his time as a villain is unforgettable. Whether he’s screaming “IT’S OVER 9000!” or blowing up his own life partner Nappa for failing to kill Goku, every scene is owned by the short Saiyan. His standoff with Goku is such an icon to fighting. The fighting stance, the tension, and the pace are all perfect. Vegeta is undefeated, and Goku needs to change that. Vegeta kills time and time again, and he does it without regret. And yes, I do love Majin Vegeta dearly, but I think Scouter Vegeta is just slightly better. Maybe it’s because his first appearance was such a turn-on, or maybe I just hate tattoos.
2. Cell
Aah, perfection. As a perfect being myself, I can fully understand Cell’s quest. He wants to be like me so much he will drink everyone dry for it, and I do sympathize. I’m surprised because I never thought bugs were perfect. Cell proved me wrong though, and he did it so well that the cold sweat running down my spine was just as sudden as the time it would take him to kill you. Created by Dr. Gero, Cell went back in time from the future so he could absorb Androids 17 and 18, thereby making himself perfect and complete. Obsessed with the prospect of obtaining his true self, Cell will stop at nothing! Neither time, nor space, nor even Goku will get in his way! There is only one hope for us all! Send in the little underage blonde boy! While Imperfect Cell is a purely terrifying yet genius piece of work, and Semi-Perfect Cell is an ugly eyesore, Perfect Cell just has to be my favorite. The charisma and charm that just oozes out of his voice, coupled alongside his expressions, attitude, confident smirk, and Perfect Kamehameha, make him so damn enjoyable. And it’s too bad that he’s not number one. It must… bug him!
1. Frieza
There could be no other! Some things just cannot be negotiated. I am awesome. Pizza is the best food of them all. Freddie Mercury was a treasure. And Frieza is the best Dragon Ball villain of them all. It’s in the Bible, look it up. (Don’t look it up). And honestly, do I even need to explain why? Frieza is evil. Maybe not entirely complex, but an utter inspiration of villainy. Orochimaru and Aizen and probably even that blue-haired bitch from Toradora can all give credit to Frieza for being the reason they exist today. His reign over his armies, his condescension, and superiority over entire species, his sadistic torturing of his victims, and his fantastic voice in both Sub and recent Dub (I prefer recent Dub to 90s), all make him just utterly gorgeous on the evil score. I mean, why else would he wear lipstick? He is the culmination of Akira Toriyama’s fears. The epitome of cruel. He’s like the Grinch, the Penguin, and Emperor Palpatine all rolled into one transforming alien bastard. Killer of Krillin, initiator of the first-ever Super Saiyan attack, and star of the latest DBZ film, Frieza is the ruler of villainy. So why aren’t you already prostrating yourself?
Honorable Mentions:
Raditz Janemba Pilaf Gang Zarbon Kid Buu
