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Dragon Ball Z, is undoubtedly one of the most popular animes of all time. It has infected our culture and spawning memes, catchphrases, and slang along the way: Brolic, “Over 9000!”, “Ka-mah-ha-meh-haaaa!” With a slew of semi popular video games and the cultural nostalgia economy in full swing keeping favorites like Gohan alive, DBZ attempted a comeback in 2015. The series had a new storyline under the title dubbed Dragon Ball Super, which take place after the Buu saga but before Dragon Ball GT is supposed to have occurred.
Along with Sailor Moon and Cowboy Bebop, Dragon Ball Z helped introduce many American pre-teens to anime during the early 2000s when its English-dub experienced a successful run on Cartoon Network's Toonami block. It spawned a number of card games, video games, films, and thousands of cheap looking, fan-made GeoCities websites dedicated to the anime. Dragon Ball Super has been lucky to have creator Akira Toriyama, who wrote the original 1984 comic that the series was based on, involved. Toriyama was minimally involved in Dragon Ball GT, a previous sequel series that some say is overshadowed by the new series.
Though Dragon Ball Z had its faults—its seasons were often stretched too far, it overused cliffhangers, and scenes of eyes popping out under brow sweat went on too long—it still remains a fixture within popular culture. The series and its characters have been referenced in music, such as in Childish Gambino's "My Shine" ("Everything I'm sayin' I'm Super Saiyan like Goku") and Frank Ocean's "Pink Matter" ("That soft pink matter, cotton candy, Majin Buu"), to name a few. Oh, and don't forget the memes. For being decades old, Dragon Ball has aged gracefully on the Internet and the real-world.
With the Dragon Ball Super bringing back the action (and memories), we re-examined what made Dragon Ball Z so great and ranked its best episodes. Beware: there's a whole mess of spoilers ahead, obviously.
"Awakening" (Season 6, Episode 19)
With Android 16 having just been killed by Cell and watching his friends be pummeled to death by all the cell juniors hopping around Gohan’s fury finally erupts, pushing him to Super Saiyan 2. Up until this point no one had gone beyond Super Saiyan level and this really opened the doors of possibilities at the time. At first cell doesn’t think this matters and is even amused by it, but Gohan quickly shows him it is no laughing matter. Gohan snatches the life saving medicine from Cell’s hands before he can react and then seemingly transports next to a Cell junior. Just as cocky as Cell the junior moves to attack but before the smile even fades from his face Gohan slices him in half with one kick. Gohan then makes quick mincemeat of the other juniors.
This was not the first or the last time Gohan would show his potential to be the strongest character in the series. Throughout the series Gohan is constantly underrated for his strength but constantly the strongest, from defeating Vegeta, reaching SSJ2, killing Cell, obtaining mystic level, and reaching an Ultimate state outside of Super Saiyan mode.
“Goku Dies! There's Only One Last Chance" (Season 1, Episode 4)
As the episode title suggests, Goku dies and—spoiler—it wouldn’t be the last time that happened in the series. However, the way Goku dies secured his character as the self sacrificing savior of the world. Facing Raditz, the first major villain of the series, the Z Warriors were losing hard. As the episode opens Raditz is torturing Goku, which unsurprisingly pisses off his son who is trapped inside Raditz’ space ship. In a fit of rage Gohan explodes out of the ship headbutting Raditz and knocking him off balance. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough and Raditz turns his murderous intentions to the child Gohan. Although severely beaten, Goku’s dad instincts kick in and the grapples with Raditz getting him in a lock. Seeing no other way Goku yells at Piccolo to use his special beam cannon to kills Raditz and consequently himself too. Although reluctant Piccolo does. Raditz and Goku fall to earth, while Raditz last moments are spent taunting that more Saiyans are on their way, Goku’s are spent making sure that his friends are safe and alive.
"Cause A Miracle! Son Gohan, the Super Saiyan" (Season 1, Episode 26)
Before “going Super Saiyan” was the move, Saiyan warriors crushed their enemies was by transforming into the Oozaru. Lost in later seasons and almost never mentioned again until the GT series the Saiyan tail, and it’s ability to transform a Saiyan into a Rampage-esque King Kong lunatic when shown the full Moon (real or artificial), played an essential role in this episode. After surviving a direct hit from a spirit bomb Vegeta is poised to kill off all of the Z Warriors, starting with Gohan. However, Gohan’s tail, which had been cut off by Piccolo early in the season, had grown back. This was a problem because about two episodes earlier, Vegeta had deployed a Saiyan weapon which created an artificial moon in an attempt to transform himself into an Oozaru. Reunited with his tail and a full moon in the sky Gohan transforms into the mountain smashing gorilla. Guided by Goku’s telepathic voice, Oozaru Gohan starting pounding on Vegeta. After getting beat up, Vegeta manages to cut off the tail but Oozaru Gohan falls on top of Vegeta, pinning him underneath the slowing transforming body. Severely hurt, Vegeta crawls out from under the half-ape half-gohan towards his ship and blasts off into space.
After Gohan, half-saiyans no longer were born with tails. Creator Toriyama initially said that it was because the tail was a recessive gene. However, in Dragon Ball Super tails have been left out even for full Saiyan characters. When asked recently Toriyama admitted to dropping the tails was because trying to figure out how to practically dress a human with a tail drove him crazy.
"Goku's Ordeal" (Season 4, Episode 18)
Dragon Ball Z is notorious for having "filler" episodes, such as this one, that extend the season and contribute almost nothing to the narrative, but this episode was also a charming comedic break from the fighting that the series is known for. In it, Goku's wife, Chi-Chi, punks Goku and Piccolo into getting driver licenses after she's attacked by a boar while walking home with groceries. The warriors dress up in Goku's "normal" clothes, and Goku tries to make fun of Piccolo for his outfit—but Piccolo reminds him, "Your wife got them for me out of your closest." The duo heads to driving school, and they do horribly during their tests, but end up saving a bus full of kids from a bunch of boulders rolling down a hill. They fail, and Chi-Chi faints when she finds out. A classic.
"Gotenks Is Born" (Season 8, Episode 32)
"Gotenks Is Born" features the first non-Namekian fusion in Dragon Ball Z. After a few hilarious attempts of the fusion dance by Goten and Trunks, they finally get it right, and become the wisecracking and cocky Gotenks. While Gotenks is powerful, he still has Trunks and Goten's stubbornness and impatience, and goes off to fight Buu against Piccolo's wishes. He gets his ass kicked, and has to answer to Piccolo when he gets back. There's also a hilarious scene when Piccolo calls him "Trunkten" instead of Gotenks at the end of the episode.
"A Whole New Gohan" (Season 9, Episode 10)
One of the great things about having a series run for so long is that the audience can watch a character develop as he or she grows older. One of Gohan's obstacles as a child was learning to control his emotions and to properly tap into his powers. This was most prominent during the Cell Saga. "A Whole New Gohan" is a coming-of-age moment for teenage Gohan, who returns to battle Buu after improving since his previous fight.
Piccolo is taken aback by Gohan's new swagger. "I've known you since you were a boy Gohan, but I hardly recognize you," he says. "Your face, it's changed a little and your power's increased dramatically. But that's not it. It's your attitude, so different, so confident."
"Silent Warrior" (Season 5, Episode 12)
Android 16 reveals his true strength just in time to save Android 17 from Imperfect Cell. While he might not be the most stylish of the Androids (that haircut is awful, even for a hunk of bolts), "Silent Warrior" shows that 16 is actually a force to be reckoned with. "I will kill Cell," he tells Android 18. "This world is a good place. Cell wishes to destroy it. I will not let that happen."
"Life is good, but living in fear is not my idea of living," he continues. "I enjoyed the time we spent together. You guys are cool."
Android 16 then straight up rips off Cell's tail, which seems to be the end of the villain—until Cell regenerates it. While 16 isn't as important as many of the other Z Warriors, this episode sets him up as a strong, sympathetic character, far from the cold emotionless robot he could have been. This will prove important when he faces off with Cell for a final time.
"A Saiyan Duel!" (Season 1, Episode 23)
The fight between Goku and Vegeta is a tame one in comparison to future fights, but the significance of the fight (the last of the Saiyan race battling each other) is huge to the story, and ignites a rivalry between the two warriors. Also, the audience gets to see Vegeta's signature move, the "Galick Gun," go up against Goku's "Kamehameha" attack.
“Spirit Bomb Triumphant” (Season 9, Episode 33)
The Spirit Bomb is one of the iconic moves in Dragon Ball Z. To defeat Majin Buu, Goku had to summon a Super Spirit Bomb—but there are complications. Before Goku fires the blast, he sees injured Vegeta laying in the blast zone. Though Vegeta tells Goku to fire it anyway, Goku restrains himself, and Majin Buu uses that to his advantage. Good Buu emerges and attacks Majin Buu, giving Hercule enough time to retrieve Vegeta, and Goku unleashes the Super Spirit Bomb. But it isn't that easy.
Majin Buu has enough strength to hold it and send right back at Goku, who's energy is depleted. The Z Warriors use the Dragon Balls to wish Goku's energy back, just in time for Goku to turn Super Saiyan and send the Super Spirit Bomb back at Majin Buu, defeating him. After a hell of a saga that saw numerous deaths, a new Super Saiyan level, and a fight between Majin Vegeta and Goku, Goku and Vegeta give each other a thumbs up after the battle, accepting each other as friends after a long rivalry.
"Cell Returns!" (Season 6, Episode 24)
Just when Cell seems to be defeated, he reemerges, and gravely injures Trunks as the other Z Warriors look on. Vegeta goes berserk after seeing his son injured, and throws everything he's got at Cell in retaliation. Cell recovers and knocks out Vegeta, and just as he goes in for the kill with a blast, Gohan jumps in front of the beam and protects Vegeta, which breaks his arm. With Goku dead, Vegeta and Trunks done, and Gohan injured, things look dire. "Cell Returns!" is one of the bleakest episodes of the series by the time the credits roll.
"The End of Vegeta" (Season 3, Episode 12)
In "The End of Vegeta," Goku meets Frieza for the first time and challenges him. This is a big deal, since Frieza is in his final form and had just beat the hell out of Vegeta. Goku manages to land a kick in Frieza's face, and becomes the first person to harm Frieza at this stage of his power. Goku dodges Frieza's attacks, and Frieza ends up sending a fatal beam of energy right at Vegeta. With his last strength, Vegeta looks to Goku and tells him the true story of how the entire race of Saiyans and their home planet were destroyed; they were massacred by the hands of Frieza, who had enslaved them. Vegeta tells the merciful Goku not to show Frieza any mercy, and to stop him from wiping out more innocent people. "He made me who I am," he painfully whispers. Vegeta dies, and Goku buries him out of respect. This was the beginning of the epic battle between Goku and Frieza, which pushes Goku to new limits.
"Cell Juniors Attack" (Season 6, Episode 18)
During the fight against Perfect Cell, Gohan had been holding back his energy, or was just afraid to unleash it. When Android 16 gets decapitated by Cell, he tells Gohan, "Let it go. It is not a sin to fight for the right causes. There are those who words alone will not reach—Cell is such a being." Cell, disgusted by his words, walks over and crushes Android 16's head and destroys him. This act throws Gohan into a rage, and he unleashes a wave of energy. Android 16 made clear what Gohan has to do, and this event ignites what will become the end of the Cell Saga.
"Super Saiyan 3?!" (Season 8, Episode 26)
In one of the chillest demonstrations of Goku's power, Goku takes Buu and Babidi through his different stages of Saiyan, from his normal state, to Super Saiyan, to Super Saiyan 2. Buu and Babidi look on, unimpressed, but Goku reveals that he isn't through with his demonstration just yet. In fact, he's found a way to reach a third level of Super Saiyan, which no one previously thought possible. Buu and Goku fight, and it looks for the time being like Buu has finally found a match.
"Upgrade to Super Saiyan" (Season 4, Episode 22)
In a move that's exciting for Vegeta, but frightening for the Z Warriors, Vegeta reveals that he's reached Super Saiyan status, and transforms for the first time in battle. He says his motivation was to become better than Goku—who's the only fighter other than Future Trunks to have reached that status. Vegeta goes on to fight the Androids, but there's an ominous atmosphere now that aggressive Vegeta is more powerful.
"The Long Awaited Fight" (Season 8, Episode 11)
Majin Vegeta, armed with improved powers, takes on Goku. Though both are Super Saiyan 2, Goku lands on the edge of defeat several times at the hands of the hell-bent Vegeta. The fight between the two Saiyans is brutal and makes for one of the most exciting episodes of the series.
"Vegeta's Respect" (Season 9, Episode 26)
As the prideful Vegeta watches Goku fight Buu, he finally comes to terms with the fact that his arrogance and anger have blinded him. After years of trying to surpass Goku as the most powerful Saiyan, Vegeta can finally admit that his rival is better than him. For a moment,Vegeta watches Goku fight Buu, and he's filled with awe instead of jealously. This is an important event in Vegeta's arc.
"Goku’s Arrival” (Season 1 Episode 28)
"Goku's Arrival" opens with the first of two moments that make it memorable. As Piccolo and Gohan are under attack by Nappa and Vegeta, Nappa fires a blast at Gohan, and Piccolo jumps in front of it, taking the damage. Piccolo, injured, tells Gohan that he's the only real friend that he ever had, and he reminisces about watching Gohan grow up. Piccolo says good-bye and dies. It's a heartfelt moment for the insightful and intelligent Piccolo, who was Goku's enemy a short time before.
The second reason why the episode will go down in DBZ history is the now famous line, "It's over 9,000!" spoken by Vegeta when Goku finally arrives, which has turned into a meme and made an appearance on Ronda Rousey's shirt at WrestleMania.
"Another Super Saiyan?" (Season 4, Episode 13)
"Another Super Saiyan?" starts off with a mysterious sword-wielding character taking on Frieza and his father, King Cold. The character, Trunks, reveals himself to be a Super Saiyan, a level of Saiyan that the audience had only been introduced to in the previous season when Goku transformed into one to defeat Frieza.
Frieza panics when he sees that this young fighter has the same power as Goku, and he launches a wide array of attacks, but Trunks takes out his sword and easily slices Frieza in half. Mind you, this is after the hero of the series, Goku, walked the fine line between life and death to defeat this guy. The series upped the ante with this episode, and it was clear things were about to get crazier from here on out.
"A Hero's Farewell" (Season 6, Episode 22)
After Gohan wastes time by taunting Cell, who he could have defeated, Cell devises a plan to self-destruct and take out the entire planet. With no way to stop the impending explosion,Goku steps in and says good-bye to his son, and transports himself and Cell to King Kai's planet, sparing the Earth. It's a heroic act, but "A Hero's Farewell" ends with a twist—though Goku is dead, Cell survives, and is back on Earth. He announces his return by injuring Trunks with a power beam.
"Explosion of Anger" (Season 3, Episode 22)
"Explosion of Anger" is a showcase of Goku's ascension into Super Saiyan. He's able to deflect attacks from Frieza that would have otherwise badly injured him, and Frieza recognizes that Goku has turned into what he had feared all along. Trembling, Frieza asks Goku what he is. Goku responds, "I am the hope of the universe," and continues to give a poignant speech that will lead into his final confrontation with his arch-nemesis.
"Transformed at Last" (Season 3, Episode 21)
During the Frieza Saga, there was occasional talk of a Super Saiyan, but the audience had yet to see exactly who or what it was. "Transformed at Last" finally reveals it, but at a price. While the Z Warriors battle Frieza on Namek, Frieza wounds Piccolo and attacks Krillin, Goku's longtime best friend, blowing him into pieces. Krillin's death sends Goku into a rage, and the SuperSaiyan within him emerges for the first time. Goku now has the power to stop Frieza once and for all and avenge the death of his friend.
"Final Atonement" (Season 8, Episode 18)
Vegeta's storyline throughout the series is one of the most compelling (if not the most, depending who you ask). The Prince of Saiyans is a badass at heart, and he's consumed with being the best warrior in existence. Yet, time and time again, he's bested by enemies such as Frieza and Cell, and has to watch as Goku ends up saving the day. He's prideful, and doesn't show much compassion.
In "Final Atonement," the audience gets to see a calm and collected Vegeta express his feeling aloud to his son, Trunks, and say that he's "proud" of him. Vegeta knocks out both Trunks and Goten so that Piccolo can take them away before he continues his battle against Buu. Vegeta asks Piccolo if he'll see Goku in the afterlife, and Piccolo explains to him that, because of his selfishness, and the pain he's caused others, he won't be going to the same place as Goku did when he dies. Piccolo takes Trunks and Goten to safety, and as Buu approaches, Vegeta powers up. For a few moments, Vegeta is bathed in a heroic golden glow, and he dedicates the battle to his son, wife, and even Goku. Vegeta then emits a gargantuan blast that takes his own life, in the hopes of stopping Buu and protecting the others. It's a moment of redemption.
“Save the World” (Season 6, Episode 26)
“Save the World” is the finest episode in Dragon Ball Z's run thanks to the presentation of the episode's pivotal moment. An injured Gohan is all that stands between Perfect Cell and annihilation, and they're in a tug-of-war with each other. Goku urges Gohan to continue on, but Cell keeps the upper-hand. It's just not enough. The entire saga culminates in this moment, and the Z Warriors are out of options.
Just as Cell is on the brink of victory, a blast flies down from above and hits him from behind, slightly weakening him for a moment. A piano score plays, and the "camera" points to the sky where the blast originated. In a series of three cuts, the camera zooms closer, and it's revealed who fired the blast: a bruised and battered Vegeta, breathing heavily, using the last strength he has left. Goku shouts to Gohan that this is the chance he's waiting for, the music pulls back, then rises again, just as Gohan winds up and emits all of his remaining energy at Cell. The camera shifts to Cell's perspective, and the audience sees what he sees: Gohan, surrounded by a radiating light, moving toward him—Cell's fate had finally arrived.
Honorable Mention: “Broly—The Legendary Super Saiyan” (Movie)
Although Gohan, Gok, and Vegeta may be some of the strongest fighters in the universe it is not their names that are mentioned in the gyms across the world. Whether talking about human strength or broccoli stench the term “Brolic” invaded our culture long ago and has it’s origins from the DBZ character Broly. The movie (like much of DBZ) stretches out a back story of a Saiyan named Broly, but here is a brief summary.
Broly was born with amazing strength, having a power level of 10,000 (yes, yes, that’s over 9000) the likes of which has never been seen before. As fate would have it, he was born around the same time as Goku and was kept in the pod right next to him on Planet Vegeta. Unfortunately for Broly, baby Goku was a giant wimp and cried incessantly. After a series of events, the Z team and Broly are brought together. Having been permanently scarred by Goku’s whining, when Broly runs into Goku as an adult he vows to exact revenge. As the main fight begins, Broly, who is already twice the size of any other fighter, turns Legendary Super Saiyan and becomes even bigger. This level of Super Saiyan is said to be different than the simple SSJ, SSJ2, SSJ3, etc. the legendary mode allows Broly’s power to grow exponentially so long as he maintains it. In this state, Broly effortlessly beats up Super Saiyan Goku, Super Saiyan Gohan, and Super Saiyan Future Trunks, Super Namekian Piccolo, and Super Saiyan Vegeta. It is not until Goku convinces everyone to transfer their energy to him that he is able to deliver a blow to Broly that destroys him. Even then the punch only works because Goku makes a direct hit on a spot where Broly had been stabbed as a child, his Achilles’ heel. Brolic.