Dragon Ball is undoubtedly one of the most influential, if not the most influential, anime of all time. A big part of that influence comes from its fight sequences, which totally redefined anime and showed what the medium could be capable of. Since then, many anime series have elevated the medium even higher, using Dragon Ball's blueprint as a reliable foundation.
Dragon Ball's intense action and unbelievably powerful characters empowered anime to differentiate itself from other forms of entertainment around the world and truly enter the international consciousness. Thanks to a few specific battles in Dragon Ball, the entirety of anime was changed forever, and the whole of animated television has never been the same since.
10 Roshi Vs. Kid Goku Hinted At The Scale Of Power Dragon Ball Would Have
The fight that showed the true power of the legendary Kamehameha to the world, Goku and Master Roshi's fight during the World Tournament set the precedent for what was to come in the future of the series. Great choreography and the master-student dynamic between the two combatants made this fight one of the best yet, and a classic in Dragon Ball history.
In one of Roshi's greatest feats to date, he used a Kamehameha to destroy the moon in order to quell Goku's rage in his Oozaru form. This was one of the most amazing moves in all of anime at that time and was only the start of the extreme power levels to come.
9 Goku Vs. Piccolo Jr Solidified Goku's Place As The World's Strongest
Goku's fight against King Piccolo's son introduced what would be one of the most beloved characters in anime to the world. Not only that, but it was definitely the most epic fight in the original Dragon Ball series and signified what was to come in DBZ.
Goku's victory over Piccolo was also climactic for another reason: it was his first championship victory in the World Tournament. This solidified Goku's place as the strongest martial artist in the world, setting the stage for him to later on become the strongest in the universe.
8 The Z Warriors Vs. Raditz Raised Dragon Ball's Stakes
Goku's death during the fight with Raditz set the tone for the series from then on. While Goku was still the main character, it displayed how other characters would be made to shine and set a precedent for Goku's consistent deaths throughout the remainder of Z.
In addition, Gohan's hidden strength was hinted at during this first of many fights, though the true depths of it were yet to be shown. Raditz also gave fans the first real indication of Goku's Saiyan ancestry, a fact which would lead to making him a more full and dynamic character than ever before.
7 Goku Vs. Vegeta Introduced The Most Iconic Anime Rivalry
Goku and Vegeta are by far the most recognizable rivals in anime. That fact alone makes their first interaction one of the most iconic battles in anime. However, even without their future relationship, Goku and Vegeta's all-out fight was still one of truly epic proportions.
In addition to the sheer action and story, Goku's final Kamehameha combined with the Kaioken is one of the most recognizable moments in the series. Not only was it an awesome display of willpower and strength, but it also helped define the trajectory of what would become the "beam fight" for many other anime series in the future.
6 Frieza Vs. Goku Is The Greatest Fight In Anime History
Anime fans often consider Goku's fight with Frieza in Dragon Ball Z as the greatest fight in anime history. It's really hard to debate that fact, as Goku and Frieza's incredible high-powered combat led to the destruction of the entire planet they fought on and the realization of Goku's legendary Super Saiyan form.
Not only was Goku and Frieza's bout an epic thing to witness, but it was also one of the longest anime fights ever, continuing for over four hours and spanning over 19 episodes. While many anime fights since Goku and Frieza first crossed paths have certainly built on their foundation, Goku and Frieza's fight will always be the greatest fight of all time for its sheer influence alone.
5 Trunks Vs. Frieza & King Cold Introduced One Of Anime's Best Characters
Trunks' first appearance in DBZ as a mysterious Super Saiyan with a sword was by far the most iconic character introduction in anime. After Frieza's historic battle with Goku, Frieza once again made his way to planet Earth as a cyborg bent on revenge.
The terrifying reality that the Z Fighters would have to face Frieza a second time without Goku was a suspenseful moment for fans, but all those worries were gone in an instant when Trunks appeared. By making quick work of Frieza, Trunks demonstrated the next level of power that Dragon Ball would ascend to, and the show's heroes and villains haven't stopped getting stronger since.
4 Gohan Vs. Cell Made Gohan The MC
Gohan was famously supposed to be made the main character of Dragon Ball Z after Goku's death against Raditz. However, Akira Toriyama felt that he wasn't ready and Goku was too strong of a character to leave behind, proving to be the right decision during the Frieza arc. Still, Gohan would finally get his time to shine against another legendary Dragon Ball villain: Cell.
Cell was by far the strongest enemy the Z Warriors had faced up to that point. His awesome design would also go on to be a clear influence on other great shonen anime villains, such as Meruem from Hunter x Hunter.
3 Gotenks Vs. Buu Introduced The Next Generation Of Z Fighters
Introducing Trunks and Goten to the world solidified their place as the next generation of Z Warriors. Many other series have emerged since that have continued the story of the younger generation of characters following the heroic exploits of their parents, but Goten and Trunks have been fighting villains longer than any other.
Their role in Dragon Ball Super has renewed Goten and Trunks' influence and brought new life to the series as a whole. Gotenks also introduced the concept of the fusion to Dragon Ball, which would prove to be one of the coolest — and most controversial — aspects of the series.
2 Goku Vs. Beerus Raised The Bar In Terms Of Power Levels
Goku's altercation with Beerus is one that has left ripples across the anime universe in more ways than one. Not only was this as incredible a Dragon Ball fight as any, but the sheer feats accomplished in this battle would be the root of tons of debate in the anime community.
Goku was already seen as the most powerful shonen anime hero. However, his clash with an actual God of Destruction took him to even greater heights than ever before and raised the bar for anime once again.
1 Goku, Android 17, & Frieza Vs. Jiren Proved That Dragon Ball's Not Done Innovating
Goku's newly unlocked Ultra Instinct form against Jiren in the Tournament of Power was already epic enough. However, his teaming up with two of his greatest enemies of all time during that fight is what took it to iconic status.
Android 17 and Frieza were two of Dragon Ball's most powerful and evil villains. So when they teamed up with Goku in order to take down Jiren, fans couldn't help but feel things had gone full circle. Though some have seen Super as living in the shadow of Z, fights like Goku vs. Jiren serve as a reminder that Dragon Ball still has more incredible moments left in its arsenal.