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A shonen anime is often only as good as its villains and Dragon Ball is certainly no exception. Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is responsible for countless heroes who have become pop culture icons. Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo have inspired many other celebrated anime characters, but Dragon Ball has put just as much effort into its intimidating antagonists. It’s not always easy to create a captivating Dragon Ball villain because they need to possess remarkable power, but also have depth and dimension beyond this.
Certain Dragon Ball villains are interesting because they live in shades of grey and are conflicted over their feelings. Alternatively, there are other enemies in the series who unabashedly love to be evil. These villains are so wicked that one can’t help but be entertained by their stereotypically sinister schemes. Out of all of Dragon Ball’s vicious villains, there are some characters who are just so much fun to hate.
10 Emperor Pilaf Is A Consistent Thorn In The Heroes’ Side Who Suffers From Delusions Of Grandeur
Emperor Pilaf has the honor of being Dragon Ball’s first central villain even though he’s an enemy who lacks any physical strength of his own. Instead, Pilaf benefits from endless resources and loyal lackeys who do his dirty work for him, all in his pursuit of the Dragon Balls. Pilaf is humbled rather quickly, but he continues to cause major problems throughout Dragon Ball and is even technically responsible for Demon King Piccolo’s release. Pilaf and his entire gang repeat the same schtick and function as an easy obstacle for Goku and company to overcome.
The Pilaf Gang has snuck their way into the heroes’ good graces in Dragon Ball Super, but Pilaf still fills the same annoying niche. He’s responsible for Goku’s child-like transformation in Dragon Ball GT, which beautifully distills the character’s compulsion to cause problems and then disappear. Hate may be a strong word when it comes to Emperor Pilaf, but Dragon Ball definitely embraces the character’s frustrating habits and leans into them for comedic effect.
9 Ninja Murasaki’s Slapstick Shenanigans Overstay Their Welcome
Goku’s decimation of the Red Ribbon Army is an impressive accomplishment for anyone, let alone a child. Goku goes up against a wide range of skilled soldiers, mercenaries, killers, and even Androids, who are committed to his defeat. Plenty of these villains are genuinely frightening, such as Major Metallitron, Buyon, Colonel Silver, and Mercenary Tao. However, Ninja Murasaki – General White’s second-in-command at Muscle Tower – is a frustrating misfire who pushes Dragon Ball into extremely silly territory.
Ninja Murasaki has genuine ninja skills and he also turns to his four brothers to deliver a weapons-based tag team strike on Goku. Ninja Murasaki gets a lot of grace and survives much longer than one would expect, but this merely becomes an opportunity to further humiliate the villain. Ninja Murasaki’s broad antics make it easy to hate him while the audience wishes for a more serious style of combat. This isn’t helped by the fact that Murasaki is a nuisance in multiple episodes. He’d be an easier pill to swallow if he was just around for a single installment.
8 Spopovich's Beatdown of Videl Is One Of The Most Savage Moments in Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z’s Buu Saga is a particularly terrifying time for the Earth. Babidi’s efforts to awaken Majin Buu are successful, but not before he uses his manipulation sorcery to surround himself with loyal Majin minions. Spopovich and Yamu are two of Babidi’s human helpers who are tasked with sapping energy from powerful individuals in service of Buu. This leads to one of Dragon Ball’s most upsetting fights that’s intentionally meant to push the audience’s buttons. Spopovich, without restraint, brutalizes Videl during the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament.
Videl is a capable martial artist, but Spopovich is already more than twice her size before his empathy is disabled by Babidi. Spopovich doesn’t hold back and his extreme violence against Videl is enough to pull Gohan out of the woodwork and get the Majin helpers what they’re after. Spopovich is executed by Babidi shortly after and he’s not given the opportunity to evolve beyond this one fight where he’s intentionally the worst.
7 Universe 6’s Frost Carries Frieza’s Most Frustrating & Destructive Traits
Dragon Ball Super gets a lot of mileage out of the similarities shared between Universes 7 and 6 in the broader multiverse. Frieza doesn’t exist in Universe 6, but they do have Frost, who appears to be their analogue to this galactic tyrant. Dragon Ball Super initially teases the idea that Frost is actually Frieza’s polar opposite and that he’s an altruistic individual, rather than an antagonist. It soon comes to light that Frost’s heroic act was merely subterfuge to trick his opponents and get away with poisoning them.
Frost also makes a big splash in the Tournament of Power when he reverses Roshi’s Evil Containment Wave and temporarily traps Vegeta in a jar. There’s also a tense moment when it looks like Frost’s wicked ways have gotten through to Frieza and that they’ve formed an alliance. Frieza thankfully gets the last laugh here and it’s genuinely satisfying to see this detestable villain get betrayed. Frost’s tendency to cheat his way to success makes him a controversial figure who many fans have seen enough of at this point.
6 OG Dragon Ball Fans Will Inherently Hate Nappa’s Massacre
Dragon Ball Z really hits the ground running with its villains. Raditz is only around for a few episodes, but he successfully establishes Saiyans to possess unprecedented power, the likes of which are further explored by Nappa and Vegeta. Raditz and Vegeta make strong impressions, but Nappa is a truly hated figure because of how many beloved characters he kills. Nappa is responsible for Chiaotzu, Tien, and Piccolo’s deaths and some of these characters never fully bounce back from this loss.
Nappa doesn’t just mercilessly kill these heroes, but he’s jubilant at the violence that he inflicts on others. Nappa even takes a brief break from beating up the Z-Fighters to destroy the world’s army. Nappa is cocky about his power and he has zero reservations when it comes to flaunting this strength over weaker individuals. Nappa is purely evil with no redeeming qualities to fall back on, but this is also why he’s become such a coveted character who fans love to hate.
5 Planet-Eater Moro Operates With Reckless Abandon To Get What He Wants
It’s always exciting when Dragon Ball reveals an ancient evil has been awakened and is ready to disrupt existence’s status quo. Frieza, Majin Buu, and Beerus are all tremendous threats, but Dragon Ball Super’s Galactic Patrol Prisoner Saga shines a light on Moro, an ancient magic user who has spent millions of years in captivity. Moro meticulously hatches a brilliant plan that restores his power, distracts the heroes, and sets him up to become even stronger. Moro drains the life from entire planets, hence his “Planet-Eater” nickname, which has led to the extinction of entire star systems of planets.
Moro’s selfishness carries over into consistent betrayals of those who have helped him return to power. Moro overloads Saganbo with energy until his body literally gives out on him. Alternatively, Moro uses Seven-Three as bait and eventually consumes him to steal his skills. The many lives that Moro takes – including innocent Namekians – make him progressively evil and easier to hate. Moro’s malevolence knows no bounds and it’s quite fitting that his own destruction is the result of his endless greed. His long-awaited death is one of the manga’s most rewarding moments.
4 Goku Black & Future Zamasu Nearly Wipe Out All Mortals
Dragon Ball has featured its share of megalomaniacal villains, but Future Zamasu and Goku Black take pettiness to new heights. Goku Black is actually Zamasu, Universe 10’s Supreme Kai apprentice, who has become increasingly disillusioned with humanity. Zamasu uses the Super Dragon Balls to steal Goku’s body from his timeline and then teams up with his future counterpart, who succeeds in acquiring immortality.
Goku Black and Future Zamasu work together to enact their “Zero Mortals Plan,” which is even more insidious than Super Buu’s Human Extinction Attack. These two villains have no scruples when it comes to the eradication of billions of lives. They become progressively cartoonish throughout the “Future” Trunks Saga, right down to fusing into one truly deluded enemy, Fused Zamasu. Fused Zamasu is such a hyperbolized take on villainy that makes him someone who is strangely fun to root for.
3 Babidi Throws Around His Weight As He Burns Vital Bridges
Babidi doesn’t always get enough credit for just how much damage he causes – including the Earth’s destruction – as the instigator behind the Buu Saga’s events. Babidi isn’t physically fit, but his magic is nearly unparalleled and this allows him a unique means of protection. Babidi grows so cocky in his power and success after Buu’s awakening that he freely runs his mouth without any fear of repercussions. Babidi equates Buu’s awakening with his own success and that it’s impossible for him to lose at this point.
Babidi stays out of harm’s way, yet still finds ways to insult everyone and verbalize his disappointment. Babidi’s annoying complaints become too much for Piccolo to endure, so the Namekian slices the wizard in half. Babidi uses his magic to recover from this intense blow, only for Buu to grow tired of Babidi’s insolence. Buu’s evisceration of Babidi is a welcome reprieve from the Buu Saga’s growing darkness.
2 Gomah Becomes A Demon Realm Disgrace As He Steals The Throne
Dragon Ball’s Demon Realm has been discussed on multiple occasions, but it’s not until Dragon Ball DAIMA that the franchise properly explores this cryptic destination. Dragon Ball DAIMA functions as a sequel of sorts to Dragon Ball Z’s Buu Saga. The death of Dabura, the former Demon King, causes a power struggle in the Demon Realm and the unjust Gomah takes the throne and begins his corrupt plans. To make sure that he doesn’t suffer the same fate as Dabura, Gomah uses Earth’s Dragon Balls to transform Goku and the rest of Earth’s heroes into children.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t deter them from heading to Gomah’s home turf and taking him down. Gomah shares a lot in common with Pilaf and he’s a villain who is easy to hate because he never actually does anything of value. Gomah steals the Demon Realm’s throne and then repeatedly yells at people like Degesu and the Gendarmerie Force to solve his problems for him. Even the drastic power boost that Gomah receives from the Evil Third Eye is acquired through happenstance. Gomah continually fails upward, right down to an overpowered upgrade that unfairly turns him into one of Dragon Ball’s strongest villains.
1 Frieza Has Caused More Collective Trauma Than Any Other Dragon Ball Villain
Frieza is the closest thing that Dragon Ball has to an ultimate villain. His evil actions are responsible for the deaths of not just Goku and Vegeta’s parents, but the majority of the Saiyan race. Frieza proceeds to hurt the people who Goku cares about the most on Planet Namek, which triggers his inaugural Super Saiyan transformation. Frieza repeatedly proves that he can’t be trusted and he’ll always turn back to his evil ways and prioritize himself.
Frieza has received more second chances than any other Dragon Ball villain, which has earned him back his mortality and resulted in him becoming Universe 7’s strongest villain. Black Frieza’s power is incalculable and the result of a dedicated decade of training. Many fans have seen enough of Frieza and would prefer for Dragon Ball to finally move on from him for good. That being said, it’s hard not to smirk whenever he shows up, stronger than ever, with a new trick up his sleeve.
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