Dragon Ballboasts one of the strongest casts in anime and manga history, with several characters capable of overpowering or at least hanging in with some of the other most popular heroes to come fromShōnen Jump. At the forefront of that lineup is the instantly recognizable and endlessly endearing Goku.
The series protagonist has come a long way since his debut as a strange, tailed boy in the mountains, now acting as the unofficial mascot of the shōnen battle genre. His feats of strength have been wildly impressive for decades,but the strongest fighter inDragon Ballhe is not, and it’s been that way for quite some time.
It’s Been a Long Time Since Goku Was Dragon Ball’s Strongest Fighter
Goku’s Reign at the Top Was Shorter Than Dragon Ball Fans Might Think
Goku isDragon Ball’s main character,and the series is at its best that way. His carefree and kind-hearted nature makes him incredibly easy to root for, and makes moments where he gets serious and comes away from battle victorious all the more entertaining to watch.
However, he’s spent less time as the series' strongest fighter than fans might think. Despite having by far the most victories over major villains, Goku was rarely able to win on his own.The defeat of Demon King Piccolo, and later Piccolo Jr. came largely or directly at the hands of Goku. He then got a lot of help from Gohan, Krillin, and Yajirobe during the Saiyan Saga.
The Saiyan’s defeat of Frieza was entirely his own, but Gohan later took the win over Cell.The Buu Saga, like the Saiyan Saga, included more of a group effort, in which Vegeta and Hercule did some heavy lifting to allow Goku to get the Spirit Bomb off.
It’s rare that a series can boast so many strongly written fan-favorite characters, but Akira Toriyama had a gift for crafting powerful, likable fighters, and then giving them some time to shine.
During all that time, he was likely only the undisputed number one from the time Piccolo was defeated to the Androids' arrival.Since then, he’s never again been the strongest. Among the main lineup of heroes, Goku reclaimed the throne when becoming Super Saiyan God, and later again when he used Ultra Instinct.
However, by then,the introduction of gods and angelskept him a tier belowDragon Ball’s most powerful characters. And now, even the heroes have caught up to him. Gohan’s Beast form was shown to be on-par with Goku’s Ultra Instinct when they last sparred on Beerus' planet, and Vegeta’s Ultra Ego puts him on relatively equal footing as well.Dragon Ballis better that way, though.
Dragon Ball Doesn’t Need Goku to Be Its Strongest Fighter
Dragon Ball’s Cast Is Strong Enough to Get By
Goku should dominate the majority of the screen time inDragon Ball, as the narrative always has and will continue to always move because of his presence. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he should always be the only character in the spotlight. The rest ofDragon Ball’s cast, its Saiyan, Namekian and human members alike,are iconic in their own right.
It’s rare that a series can boast so many strongly written fan-favorite characters, but Akira Toriyama had a gift for crafting powerful, likable fighters, and then giving them some time to shine. Gohan played a major role in theDragon Ball Zportion of the series, while Vegeta carried his weight and then some inDragon Ball Super.
As of recently,the Saiyan prince has been essential in the series' biggest fights, fusing with Goku into Gogeta to take Broly down.
Each major battle before the introduction of God Ki featuredDragon Ball’s wide cast of characters in some way, even if a few of them were little more than punching bags for the villain. After Goku and Vegeta ascended far beyond their friends and family, though, that changed somewhat. It became rare that anyone but them mattered at all on the battlefield.
Fortunately,Dragon Ball Super: Super Heromade Gohan and Piccolo relevant againwith all-new, flashy, ultra-powerful transformations, while the manga brought Broly over to the side of the heroes. Once again, the series features a main cast capable of doing quite a bit of damage in battle, allowing them to get by even if Goku isn’t the strongest.
Dragon Ball Is Better When Its Entire Cast Is Strong
The Series' Iconic Cast Deserves More Room to Shine
Teamwork has always been central toDragon Ball. Goku wouldn’t be half the fighter he’s become without the influence of friends, loved ones, and rivals, and wouldn’t have been able to score nearly as many victories in battle without some help.Dragon Ballis better when its entire cast is active, rather than having Goku or Vegeta miles ahead of everyone else.
It seemsDragon Ball Superhasset itself up for exactly that in future arcs, with its newest dream team of fighters all packing some serious punch. Unfortunately, however, the series has remained on hiatus since Akira Toriyama’s passing in 2024, and doesn’t appear to be returning any time soon.
Goku is one of the most iconic characters to have ever come from the legendaryWeekly Shōnen Jumplineup, and his strength rivals some of the strongest characters in anime and manga history. However, it’s been some time since he’s been the most powerful being in his own story, andDragon Ballis so much better that way.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
