If you want to make two characters push each other beyond their limits, you need to make them rivals. Dragon Ball has become infamous with several different rivalries throughout the series. We've come to see a lot of heroes and villains fight it out so they can see who is the best. So, with Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot coming out on Friday, we decided to look back at the five best rivalries in DB history, as well as five that made no sense what so ever.
10 Best Rivals: Goku and Frieza
Frieza and Goku maybe arch-enemies, but that doesn't mean they don't use each other to get better. Before the two crossed paths, Frieza just wanted to conquer the entire universe and was doing that with no one challenging him. It wasn't until he was brought back to life that Frieza realized he couldn't just go to earth and crush that darn monkey. He had to train to beat him. After Frieza was resurrected for a second time, Goku continues to get stronger so that he can make sure Frieza doesn't beat him. If that ever happened, the universe would be doomed.
9 Worst Rivals: Goku and Beerus
Goku and Beerus's rivalry doesn't seem that complex or exciting when you think about it. After their battle on earth, Goku is training so that one day he can defeat the mighty God of Destruction. However, Beerus is shown to be able to destroy anything with little effort. While Whis claims that Super Saiyan God Goku made Beerus use 70% of his strength, he wasn't that worried or interested when Goku achieved Super Saiyan Blue. The "rivalry" these two have is what happens when the strongest gust of wind tries to push an immovable wall.
8 Best Rivals: Goku/Vegeta and Broly
Goku, Vegeta, and Broly are some of the last surviving members of their entire race, but that doesn't mean that they'll get along right out of the box. Broly isn't a fan of Vegeta since his dad was the one who banished him to another planet. Meanwhile, Goku thought that his strength had reached its peak, but then Broly went Super Saiyan and easily overpowered Goku and Vegeta. Now, Goku sees Broly as a way to push himself farther than ever before, maybe even beyond Ultra Instinct. It's a better motivation than Broly being angry at Goku for waking him up, as a baby.
7 Worst Rivals: Goten and Trunks
Unlike their dads, Goten and Trunks aren't one of DBZ's best rivals. We know why Goku and Vegeta are always trying to one-up the other, but Goten and Trunks are just kids having fun with their martial arts. Neither of the two boys are pushing the other and are more contempt with being best friends, rather than be like their fathers. If anything, the two boys are a little more like how their moms get along. Sure, once and a while, they may fight, but they remain on good terms.
6 Best Rivals: Goku and Hit
Hit is the assassin that has never left his contracts unfulfilled. When he's hired, you better believe that he'll eliminate his targets... all except for Goku. Since they fought in the Tournament of Destroyers, Goku has trained continuously so that he could have a re-match against the universe's greatest assassin in combat. Hit, on the other hand, see's Goku as the ultimate target, someone that he can use to better his time-skip and reality shifting powers. Maybe someday Hit will fulfill his contract on Goku... it's just a shame that Goku was the one who put that contract out on himself.
5 Worst Rivals: Goku and Krillin
Goku and Krillin are best friends, but that wasn't the case when they first met. While Goku was his usual cheery self, Krillin was far more selfish and only got Roshi to train him cause he gave him a dirty magazine. As a friend, Krillin is just the best, always supporting his BFF and helping out whatever way he can. As a rival, Krillin didn't do much to bother or push Goku to be better. Goku just laughed it off and didn't even notice that Krillin was always out to win.
4 Best Rivals: Goku and Piccolo
Back in the original Dragon Ball, after Goku killed King Piccolo, the demon king created an offspring in Piccolo Jr. to continue his dreams of world domination. Since Goku and Jr. first met, the two were enemies. However, after Piccolo began training Gohan, Piccolo has become one of Goku's closest allies. While the two don't see each other as enemies, that doesn't mean that they won't stop training to fight one another. Even though Piccolo will never become as strong as Goku, he won't stop that from getting better.
3 Worst Rivals: Vegeta and Cui
Remind us, who is Cui, and why did he consider himself Vegeta's archrival? That's the problem with this "Rivalry" between Cui and Vegeta. We don't know why they hate each other, and we're never given enough backstory to care. Cui's just a smug prick who belittles the Prince of all Saiyans because he's a jerk. Thankfully, Vegeta blows him up in only a few minutes, and we never hear about Cui ever again.
2 Best Rivals: Goku and Vegeta
Were you expecting any other rivalry to top this list? Since the two have met, Goku and Vegeta have done nothing but get stronger to fight one another. Just when you think Goku has surpassed Vegeta, the Prince of All Saiyans closes that gap. Even now, with Goku being able to tap into the power of Ultra Instinct, it's only a matter of time when Vegeta can transform into this godly form or find another way to beat that blasted Kakarot once and for all. Goku and Vegeta's rivalry isn't just the pinnacle of DBZ; it's what every anime rivalry strives to be.
1 Worst Rivals: anyone and Yamcha
Who even needs Yamcha as a rival? Since the very beginning, Yamcha has been the whipping boy of the franchise, always getting a beating by everyone and their grandma. Sure, he has a few preliminary fights under his belt, but never once has he actually beat'en an opponent we care about unless it was filler like when He, Tien, and Chiaotzu fought the Ginyu Force. Maybe someday Yamcha will catch a break... Nah, he'll always be the ultimate loser, and we wouldn't have it any other way.