10 Best Dragon Ball Z Fights

If you were to know just one thing about Dragon Ball Z, then it would have to be the anime‘s drawn-out fights. The shonen series grew popular back in the 1990s as audiences around the world were riveted by the show’s intense action. Heroes like Son Goku and his fellow Z-Fighters displayed their awe-inspiring levels of power against foes such as Vegeta, Freeza, Cell, and more.

Well, except for Yamcha. The poor guy.

For plenty of fans, Dragon Ball Z is defined by its battle sequences, and there are dozens of them scattered throughout the series. Of course, there are some fights which stand out as much as a golden-haired Super Saiyan – and ComicBook.com is ready to count them down.

We’ve got our scouters finely tuned and are ready to point you all towards the ten best fights from Dragon Ball Z. So, it’s time for you to suit up, sit down, and get ready to stream some of the anime’s best moments.

Honorable Mention: Goku and Vegeta vs Golden Freiza

First, we pay homage to the series’ honorable mention. There are several full-length films tied into Dragon Ball Z, but it was one of the latest movies that caught the eyes of fans. Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ acted as a springboard for the on-going Dragon Ball Super anime, and it gave fans one hell of a Freiza fight. The tyrannical alien returned yet again to harass Goku, and he did so sporting a new color scheme. Introducing the world to Golden Freiza, the invader was basically able to acquire the power of a Super Saiyan God. The only thing that kept Goku alive during their face-off this time around was the fact that Super Saiyan God Vegeta stepped in at the nick of time. And, of course, Freiza had yet to adjust to his insanely powerful state.
 

 

Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Chiaotzu, Gohan vs Nappa

When the Earth was finally breached by Saiyans, the Z-Fighters knew they were in trouble. Raditz was terrifying enough, and the universe’s gods were correct in saying that both Vegeta and Nappa could easily destroy their world. When the pair reached earth, Z-Fighters like Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu felt confident with their odds. However, that feeling turned once Nappa chose to finish the team without Vegeta’s help. Yamcha, one of the team’s weakest members, was killed almost immediately thanks to the Saibamen and several others were quick to follow. The guerrilla fight showed fans just how powerful the Saiyans were, and it reminded fans of how much Goku was needed back on Earth.
 

 

Gohan vs Perfect Cell

The only reason this fight is not ranked higher has to do with its duration. The battle between Gohan and Cell was inevitable, and fans were eager to see what the hybrid Saiyan could do – and he showed it in spades. After the villain mercilessly killed Android 16 to harvest his power, Gohan was left shaken at the feet of Perfect Cell. It was then that Gohan unleashed part of his untapped potential and what resulted was the Super Saiyan 2 transformation. Imbued with even more power than his father Goku, the young boy used his new state to toy with the stunned Cell until the latter adapted to Gohan’s power level. The fight is downright brutal as it is fueled by unadulterated grief, and it ends with one of the best Kamehameha blasts of the entire franchise.

 

Future Trunks vs Mecha Freiza and King Cold

These days, Future Trunks is a beloved character in the Dragon Ball franchise, but his intro to the series left fans stunned years ago. The older boy was brought into the anime just ahead of the Cell Saga and did so by absolutely wailing on King Cold and Mecha Freiza. The latter villain was already well-known for being one of Goku’s strongest adversaries, and Future Trunks ended the reanimated baddie in mere minutes. As for King Cold, the overlord even went on his knees to beg for mercy, but Future Trunks wasn’t having any of that. Fans watched as the Super Saiyan obliterated the tyrant with ease, and Z-Fighters like Vegeta were left slack-jawed by the sight.
 

 

Goku vs Beerus

Sometimes, having a change of pace is a lovely thing. For Dragon Ball Z fans, it can be tiresome to watch villain after villain get raked over by warriors like Goku, so Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods was a nice change. The film introduced the character Beerus who acted as Universe 7’s God of Destruction. The title intrigued Goku who pleaded for the cat-like creature to fight him, and his wish was granted. Going Super Saiyan 3, Goku took on Beerus with confidence, and it ended with him leaving a crater in the ground. Beerus ultimately defeated Goku even after the latter went Super Saiyan God, and the God of Destruction confessed he hadn’t even used a fraction of his power during the battle.

 

Goku and Vegeta vs Kid Buu

The fandom around Dragon Ball Z likes to make jokes about the poor batting average of Spirit Bombs, but the all-powerful attack is wholly effective if it lands. Fans learned how deadly the attack really was during the Majin Buu Saga when Goku used the Super Spirit Bomb againt Kid Buu in a desperate bid for victory. The chaotic and unapologetically lethal villain was unlike any other baddie of the anime; There was no pride or superiority involved. Kid Buu only relished in universal torment, and he was ready to make good on his promise to destroy Earth. The villain left Goku and Vegeta without any other options, so they teamed up to take on Kid Buu. The former was tasked with creating an ultimate Spirit Bomb that could kill Kid Buu once and for all, but Goku’s success in doing so was only bolstered because they wished upon the Dragon Balls.
 

 

Goku vs Majin Vegeta

When fans met Vegeta, the princely character was a full-on villain looking to harvest Earth’s riches for profit. However, Dragon Ball Z worked to turn him into an anti-hero who even sacrificed his life for his family, but Vegeta is never fully on Goku’s side. In the anime, fans watched as the two went head-to-head with one another at the World Martial Arts Tournament. Vegeta forced Goku to battle after he mercilessly killed a crowd of spectators, and the two were on equal footing with their Super Saiyan 2 states. While the fight may be less flashy than its contemporaries, its heart is pumped full of emotions thanks to Vegeta and his years of pent-up agressive. Vegeta was declared the battle’s victor after Goku left himself open for an attack, but fans eventually learned the latter was holding back. Though it was not known at the time, Goku had already learned how to go Super Saiyan 3 by then.

 

Goku vs Perfect Cell

There are a slew of villains introduced in Dragon Ball Z, but few are as creepy as Cell. The synthetic baddie was created by Dr. Gero and housed abilities from his timeline’s greatest fighters. When Cell was introduced, fans could not have known the villain would turn into one of the anime’s most recognizable baddies, but his reputation is well-known now. Of course, Goku had a lot to do with Cell being made into such a fearsome figure, and the fight between the Saiyan and Perfect Cell shows why. Set during the Cell Games, fans watched as Goku’s Super Saiyan state puts him on par with Perfect Cell’s insane power and only continues to level up as a full-power Super Saiyan. The battle gives fans a glimpse at how powerful Cell truly is, and it left them on the edge of their seats.

 

Piccolo vs Android 17

In Dragon Ball, fans learned that Piccolo was not someone to underestimate, and the green-skinned alien reminded audiences of that in Dragon Ball Z with force. The villain-turned-comrade had his moment to shine during the Imperfect Cell Saga after he fused with Kami. Gifted with insane power, Piccolo agreed to fight the Androids in hopes that their defeat would keep Cell from perfecting his form. To kick things off, Piccolo takes on Android 17 and the two superior fighters give it all they’ve got in one of the franchise’s most action-packed showdowns.
 

 

Goku vs Vegeta

Dragon Ball Z may be defined by its fights, but it also characterized by its two leads: Goku and Vegeta. The two Saiyans are the franchise’s main protagonists, and they have a rather complicated relationship. In the series, fans were eager to see the two warriors face-off, and their wish was granted during the Saiyan Saga. Audiences watched as Goku returned to life to find his comrades dead and Earth heading towards destruction. Enraged, Goku took on Vegeta after having trained with King Kai, and the battle was filled with all sorts of tricks. It even gave viewers their first and last look at the Saiyan’s Great Ape state when Vegeta underwent the transformation. The first fight between Goku and Vegeta was one that truly test the former’s skills while laying out just what Vegeta could do in battle – and it was terrifyingly awesome to see.

 

Goku vs Final Freiza

For most fans, there is no villain from Dragon Ball Z more terrifying than Freiza. The villain is a feared galactic broker who wipes out planets to resell them, and Frieza will stop at nothing to keep his title at the universes’ most powerful fighters. Of course, Goku does not take too kindly to the baddie, and the anime follows the pair as they literally battle over Earth’s fate. Prior to their final battle, Frieza had showed he was more powerful than Goku, but that all changed once the villain killed Krillin and destroyed the planet Namek. Wrought with rage, Goku used his roiling emotions to enter the Super Saiyan state for the first time, and fans watched as the warrior finally overpowered Frieza for good. Well, until the baddie was resurrected, that is.