10 Most Popular Dragon Ball Characters According To Fans (So Far)

In celebration of Dragon Ball’s 40th anniversary, a worldwide popularity poll was launched for the first time in late November; once per day, fans could vote for their favorite manga character out of over 200 until, eventually, one was crowned the most popular character in the history of Dragon Ball.

Voting for Dragon Ball’s worldwide popularity poll has officially closed, and the final results won’t be announced until late January, but fans can still look at what the most recent rankings for the poll are, and sure enough, they paint a clear picture of which characters have defined Dragon Ball for decades, especially when it comes to the top 10.

10) Frieza

Frieza is one of the main villains of the Dragon Ball franchise. Frieza was the leader of the planet-conquering aliens that Vegeta once worked for, despite the irony of Frieza destroying the Saiyan race years prior, and in his first appearance, he sought to use the Namekian Dragon Balls to become immortal and take over the universe.

Frieza was always one of Dragon Ball’s best villains for his sadistic nature, overwhelming power, and the cathartic nature of his defeat, and his return in Dragon Ball Super only made him better by how much those traits were emphasized. The Black Frieza Saga should still be in development, and once it releases, Frieza will be even bigger than ever.

9) Cell

Cell is the main antagonist of Dragon Ball’s Android Saga. Cell is a bio-android from an alternate timeline with the mission to absorb Androids 17 and 18 to achieve an all-powerful, perfect form, but with the androids of his time destroyed, he traveled to the main timeline to absorb the androids there and kill everyone who gets in his way.

Whether it’s as a horrifying, bug-like monstrosity or as an affable and intimidating man, Cell is easily one of Dragon Ball’s most unique and entertaining villains, right down to the very nature of his existence. In the grand scheme of things, Cell is one of the least important villains in Dragon Ball, but that hasn’t made him any less iconic.

8) Android 18

Android 18 is one of the original antagonists of Dragon Ball’s Android Saga. Android 18 was one of the androids Trunks believed would destroy the world, but unlike the Androids in his timeline, 18 wasn’t outright evil, and she would eventually join the Z Warriors and even marry Krillin and start a family with him.

Android 18 immediately left a great impression with her cool design and how effortlessly she defeated Vegeta, and with her great appearances in Dragon Ball Super and her heartwarming relationship with Krillin, she’s only gotten more popular over time. Dragon Ball isn’t typically known for having great female characters, but it’s clear that it has more than succeeded with 18.

7) Bardock

Bardock is the father of Goku and the one responsible for sending him to Earth as a baby. Bardock is best known as the star of the non-canon movie Bardock: The Father of Goku, but Dragon Ball Super would introduce a canon take on Bardock that greatly fleshed out his character and what he means to Goku, even in adulthood.

Bardock was always one of Dragon Ball’s most popular characters, and while the canon version of him in Dragon Ball Super is incredibly different, the added depth that pays respect to the original is still great to see. Akira Toriyama might not have created Bardock, but it’s hard to imagine Dragon Ball existing without him in any form.

6) Future Trunks

Future Trunks is, appropriately, an adult version of Vegeta and Bulma’s son from an alternate future. In Trunks’ timeline, the world was destroyed by a pair of ruthless androids created by the Red Ribbon Army, so with Bulma’s time machine, Trunks went back in time to warn Goku and his friends so they could change the future.

Future Trunks has always been popular for his cool and tragic character, and with how iconic the Android Saga is, that, in turn, made him one of Dragon Ball’s most iconic characters for decades. The Future Trunks Saga of Dragon Ball Super didn’t do his character justice, but overall, it’s easy to see why he’s still so beloved.

5) Vegito

Vegito is the Potara fusion of Goku and Vegeta in Dragon Ball. In the Buu Saga, after Super Buu absorbed Gohan and became stronger than ever, Goku found the deceased Vegeta and fused with him to become Vegito, and the new fighter was strong enough to easily destroy Super Buu in their fight.

It’s one thing for Vegito to be one of the strongest characters in Dragon Ball, but the immense charisma that goes along with that power makes every fight with Vegito one of the best Dragon Ball fights to watch. Vegito might not appear much, but with how great his fights are, it’s easy to see why he’s so popular.

4) Piccolo

Piccolo is one of Goku’s oldest rivals in Dragon Ball. As the reincarnation and son of King Piccolo, Piccolo initially sought to continue his father’s work, but the threat of the Saiyans forced him into an alliance with Earth’s heroes, and after bonding with Gohan, Piccolo had a change of heart and became one of Earth’s strongest defenders.

Between Piccolo’s heartwarming relationship with Gohan, his surprising amount of character development, and the way he’s always at the center of massive aura farming, Piccolo is a character who’s always fun to watch, no matter the context. Piccolo was allegedly one of Akira Toriyama’s favorite characters, and that makes it all the more fitting for him to be so popular.

3) Son Gohan

Son Gohan is Goku’s eldest son, introduced at the beginning of Dragon Ball Z. Originally a timid and spoiled child, Gohan’s adventures to help save the world gradually force him to come out of his shell and unlock his hidden potential, and it isn’t long before he becomes one of the strongest of the heroes, if not the strongest.

While Gohan’s development is often inconsistent, seeing him constantly try to become strong enough to protect his loved ones is always a highlight, especially with how far it’s gone in recent years. There have always been rumors that Gohan was unpopular with Japanese audiences, but if anything, this poll should prove there was never any merit to them.

2) Vegeta

Vegeta is the deuteragonist of Dragon Ball and, at one point, one of its biggest villains. Vegeta was once an arrogant warrior who only worked with Goku through circumstance, but by the end of the original series, Vegeta grew to genuinely care about the Earth and became a true ally, although he never abandoned his fierce rivalry with Goku.

Between his delightfully smug persona and having one of the clearest and best-developed arcs in the franchise, Vegeta has always been one of Dragon Ball’s most iconic characters to the point of essentially setting the standard for shonen rivals. Vegeta’s popularity even saved him from being killed off in his debut, and if anything, that’s only grown larger with time.

1) Son Goku

Son Goku is, of course, the protagonist of Dragon Ball and its various sequels. Goku is introduced as an odd boy with a monkey tail and a love for fighting, and as Goku grows into adulthood, he learns of his true identity as an alien called a Saiyan, and the scale of his battles has gotten increasingly large ever since.

Calling Goku popular would be an understatement, as he’s essentially become the face of anime and manga and the inspiration for countless heroes of every medium. With his fun, kindhearted personality and the immense power behind it, Goku is one of the most popular characters in anime, and it’s only fitting that he’s also Dragon Ball’s most popular character.

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