9. King Kai
This martial arts mentor/jokester is one of Dragon Ball Z’s coolest characters — from his stunna shades to his pet monkey.
8. Majin Buu
Frank Ocean and André 3000 referenced this big blob of a villain on their classic duet “Pink Matter.”
7. Goku
DBZ’s lovable main protagonist is also an absentee father who chose training with a hated rival (albeit to save the world) over raising his kid. Your fave would never!
6. Frieza
The series’ most habitual line-stepper — through death, resurrection, hell, and back again.
5. Trunks
The heir to the Saiyan throne is not only the most humble savior of the universe; he’s also Dragon Ball Z’s drip gawd.
4. Krillin
In a saga dominated by alien bruisers, the world’s strongest pure human takes his many L’s in stride — he’s got a blinging baldie and bagged the baddest android this side of West City.
3. Gohan
The bruhs love a come-up story, and this human-Saiyan hybrid did so in a way that even surpassed his legendary pops.
2. Vegeta
Vegeta’s traumas are as deep as his widow’s peak, but Dragon Ball Z’s prideful warrior displays the most epic 180 of the entire series. Character development over 9,000!
1. Piccolo
Dragon Ball Z’s green gangsta is arguably the most celebrated Black-adjacent character in anime thanks to his swagged-out headwrap-cape combo and unshakable cool — even when dropping into a fight that he’ll honorably lose.
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