Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has made an impressive name for itself because Goku and the rest of Earth’s greatest heroes are such lovable characters. It’s comforting to know that these heroes will always rise to the occasion when the planet is in peril, but often an anime’s heroes are only as strong as the villains who challenge them. Dragon Ball is a franchise that’s rich in villains, but not all of these threats get the opportunity for substantial backstory and character development.
Dragon Ball sometimes operates under the impression that a striking design and incredible power is enough to make any villain interesting. Understandable motivations sometimes come second to intimidating transformations. Accordingly, Dragon Ball has introduced some rewarding villains – many of whom are still popular characters – that lack the necessary ingredients to advance their narrative and create empathy.
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Dabura’s Demon King Origins Are Ripe For A Deeper Dive in Future Dragon Ball Stories
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Episode 220, “The Wizard’s Curse”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Chapter 252 (Dragon Ball Chapter 446), “Bobbidi The Warlock”
Dabura is a Dragon Ball Z character who instantly makes a big impression and he’s the most intimidating Buu Saga player until Majin Buu himself awakens. Dabura looks like Dragon Ball‘s version of Satan and he held the prestigious title of King of the Demon Realm before he’s put under Babidi’s thrawl and becomes his minion. Dabura possesses extremely powerful attacks — including saliva that petrifies people into stone — but he faces a very unceremonious end when he’s eaten and killed by Buu.
Dragon Ball DAIMA has filled in some details regarding Dabura’s past that present him in a more sympathetic light and highlight his strategic skills. However, it still only feels like Dragon Ball has scratched Dabura’s surface. There are decades of Demon Realm villainy to explore and he’s exactly the sort of character who’s capable of leading a standalone TV special or manga one-shot.
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Captain Ginyu Has A Rich History Of Conquest & Combat
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Episode 60, “Bulma’s Big Day”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Chapter 78 (Dragon Ball Chapter 272), “The Ginyu Force”
The battle against Frieza becomes the heroes’ greatest struggle on Namek, but there are still some wildly entertaining antagonists beforehand who become genuine challenges. Frieza, tired of this Dragon Ball race, dispatches his top mercenary team – the Ginyu Force – to wipe out his competition. The Ginyu Force has endless personality and the ways in which they blend comical aloofness with frightening brutality really makes them memorable. The Ginyu Force is a lot of fun and the group’s unique powers and fighting styles help make up for shallow character development. Captain Ginyu, in particular, seems to have lived a rich life and it’s unclear if the body he’s in is even his original form.
There’s a lot to explore between Ginyu’s discovery of his body swap technique, who he’s used it on and how he’s acclimated to this process over time, and his recruitment process for the Ginyu Force. Dragon Ball Super even brings Captain Ginyu back and frees him from his amphibian prison, only for him to quickly be killed afterward. An anime like My Hero Academia would gleefully spend an entire episode on Ginyu’s backstory, but Dragon Ball prefers to keep him at a distance.
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Raditz’s Role As Goku’s Evil Brother Is Unfairly Shortchanged
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Episode 1, “The New Theat”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Chapter 1 (Dragon Ball Chapter 195), “The Mysterious Warrior From Space”
Dragon Ball Z kicks off with some massive changes that irrevocably expand the series’ scope through the knowledge that aliens don’t just exist, but that Goku is one. Goku is forced to reckon with his Saiyan roots, but he’s also presented with a malevolent ultimatum from Raditz, his estranged brother. Raditz is a crucial character, but he’s taken out of the picture surprisingly early. It’d be easy to picture Raditz sticking around for longer – or even being spared by Goku – if he came around later in Dragon Ball Z.
Raditz’s broad strokes are revealed, but he really just feels like a practice round for what’s to come with Nappa and Vegeta. Curiously, Raditz has been seen in a few flashbacks that are set on Planet Vegeta, but none of them do anything to expand upon his character. It’s as if remembering that Raditz exists is enough. Goku finding a rhythm with his redeemed warrior brother would be compelling material that actually does something with Raditz.
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Buyon Is A Destructive Monster Who Gets Distilled Into A Living Weapon
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball, Episode 40, “Horrifying Buyon”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball, Chapter 64, “The Horrible…Jiggler!”
Goku’s assault on Muscle Tower puts him up against some of Red Ribbon’s most resilient soldiers. One of the many safeguards that General White uses as a Muscle Tower safety precaution is Buyon, a carnivorous monster with electric properties. Buyon seems to have an infamous reputation and the bones that surround his lair indicate that he’s killed many previous intruders.
Dragon Ball reveals that Buyon is a Jiggler, an alien from a different planet, who winds up on Earth and is discovered by Red Ribbon. None of this is seen and even just a simple flashback that depicts the reasons behind Buyon leaving his home behind and his confusion upon reaching Earth would add so much depth to the character. A dynamic that’s akin to how Demon Slayer approaches its Demons would be the perfect vibe for Buyon. A wild monster is a fun idea, but there’s no reason why that can’t be pushed even further.
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Spopovich & Yamu Had Full Lives Before They Succumb To Babibi’s Majin Manipulation
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Episodes 213 & 214, “Big Trouble, Little Trunks” (Spopovich) & “Who Will Fight Who?” (Yamu); Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Chapter 244 (Dragon Ball Chapter 438), “The Finalists Are Chosen!”
Babidi is a dark wizard who is instrumental in Majin Buu’s awakening, which makes it tragically ironic that Buu is ultimately responsible for Babidi’s destruction. Babidi surrounds himself with powerful warriors who have been subjected to his hypnotic ensnarement and the darkness that’s born out of their Majin metamorphosis. Spopovich and Yamu are two burly disciples who do a lot of the early grunt work regarding energy collection. Spopovich viciously beats up Videl before Gohan intervenes, the likes of which leads to Spopovich and Yamu stealing his energy.
Babidi psychically annihilates both henchmen after they’ve served their purpose, which is an abrupt, brutal end to their stories. Dragon Ball Z highlights that Spopovich reached the finals of the 24th World Martial Arts Tournament and seemed to be a respected combatant in this community. Spopovich and Yamu’s deaths speak to Babidi’s villainy. However, it would have been fascinating to see these two survive and then have to live with their sins upon Babidi’s death. It’s rich, contemplative material that’s a natural fit for a redemption arc.
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5
Jiren Stagnates While His Unbelievable Strength Becomes His Defining Feature
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball Super, Episode 85, “The Universes Go Into Action — Each With Their Own Motives”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Super, Chapter 30, “The Man Named Jiren”
Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power introduces dozens of dangerous new characters from all across the multiverse. There are many worthy opponents that Team Universe 7 has to worry about, but Universe 11’s Jiren quickly stands out as the competition’s strongest fighter and their biggest obstacle. Jiren is undeniably strong, but he’s a rather stoic individual who barely says anything throughout the Tournament of Power.
The brief snippets of backstory that are provided for Jiren reveal that he wants to use the Super Dragon Ball wish to revive his mentor, Gicchin, who was killed by a Demon – along with his parents. This feeling of helplessness pushes Jiren to become a Pride Trooper and go past his limits. This is Jiren’s baseline and he doesn’t leave the Tournament of Power any different from where he began. He loses to Universe 7, but he doesn’t seemingly learn anything from the experience. Jiren will hopefully gain greater depth, if and when a rematch against Goku ever occurs.
Anime Debut: N/A; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Super, Chapter 68, “Granolah The Survivor”
Dragon Ball Super’s Granolah the Survivor Saga is a fascinating storyline that introduces many powerful, new players. Granolah, the last of the Cerealians, is presented as the initial villain, only for him to realize that the Heeter Force is his real enemy. The Heeter Force is a family of planetary brokers for the Fireze Force who act as intermediaries who help flip the planets that Frieza has already conquered. It’s implied that the Heeter Force has secretly been in Frieza’s shadow since Dragon Ball‘s start, despite how these characters have never been seen before.
The Heeters want to steal power from Frieza and flip their dynamic, but they don’t experience much growth or development beyond this introductory rivalry. Gas even lacks agency when Elec turns him into a powerful monster with the Dragon Balls, rather than it being something that he actually wants for himself. Granolah goes through exceptional character development in the same saga, so it’s too bad that the Heeter Force falls flat.
3
The Red Ribbon Army’s Leader, Commander Red, Is Presented As A Joke
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball, Episode 30, “Pilaf And The Mystery Force”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball, Chapter 56, “The Dragon Ball Scramble”
Goku faces his share of enemies before the Red Ribbon Army, but they’re an important turning point in his early adventures. Goku faces the collective wrath of a full military organization and manages to emerge as the victor. Red Ribbon subjects Goku to fierce fights against Major Metallitron, General Blue, and Mercenary Tao. These enemies are no doubt strong, but many of them lack clear motivations and personalities beyond the fact that they’re endlessly indebted to Red Ribbon.
This isn’t a dealbreaker when it comes to more ancillary soldiers, like Colonel Silver and Captain Yellow. However, it’s more of an issue when Red Ribbon’s leader and namesake – Commander Red – comes across as hollow and vain. His aspirations to use the Dragon Balls to become taller is a funny gag, albeit one that undercuts what he’s managed to accomplish with his illustrious army. Dragon Ball takes the easy way out with Commander Red, but it wouldn’t be hard to make him feel like more of a real person and not just a reactionary punchline.
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Pui Pui Becomes Early Cannon Fodder For A Touchy Vegeta
Anime Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Episode 220, “The Wizard’s Curse”; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Z, Chapter 252 (Dragon Ball Chapter 446), “Bobbidi The Warlock”
Dragon Ball loves to make its heroes test their skills against weaker threats before they’re given the privilege of finally facing the central villain. In the Buu Saga, this becomes an exciting opportunity for Goku, Vegeta, and Gohan to all prove how strong they’ve become in the seven years since they’ve all been together. Vegeta fights first and his opponent, Pui Pui from Planet Zoon, doesn’t last for very long.
Babidi is thrilled to list Pui Pui’s many advantages and his planet’s punishing conditions, but this is all irrelevant to Vegeta. Vegeta blasts Pui Pui out of his misery and is ready to move onto the next challenge. Pui Pui has such a distinct design, but there’s nothing there in terms of personality and character development. Dragon Ball Super’s manga actually finds an excuse to visit Planet Zoon. However, this doesn’t trigger any revealing backstory for Pui Pui.
1
Saganbo’s Past Crimes & Allegiance To Moro Is Largely Left To Mystery
Anime Debut: N/A; Manga Debut: Dragon Ball Super, Chapter 50, “Great Escape”
Planet-Eater Moro presents unprecedented power that would have completely destroyed the Earth – and quite possibly the galaxy – if not for Goku’s Perfected Ultra Instinct and Vegeta’s Forced Spirit Fission. Moro is extremely dangerous and incredibly proficient with magic, but he also instigates a massive jailbreak from the Galactic Patrol Prison that reunites him with his rebellious Bandit Brigade. Saganbo is the Bandit Brigade’s strongest member and Moro’s right-hand man.
He’s a burly, brutish fighter, the likes of which gets pushed to the extreme after Moro repeatedly transfers energy to his body until he can’t handle it any longer. It’s rather disturbing to see Saganbo’s body revolt against him and begin to break down from the influx of power. Saganbo’s death is so intense that it’s hard to forget about him, but it’s also frustrating that he doesn’t develop more of an arc beyond his greed for greater power.
Dragon Ball
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- First Film
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Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
- Latest Film
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Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
- First TV Show
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Dragon Ball
- Latest TV Show
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Dragon Ball DAIMA
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
