One of the highest-regarded anime, Dragon Ball paved the way for a plethora of shows. It introduced the idea of “powering up” and getting stronger through rage, training, and convenient plot devices. Without Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, there wouldn’t be shows like Naruto, Bleach, Yu Yu Hakusho, and a hundred more. With the expected return of Dragon Ball Super, it looks like the franchise will never end.

Goku and the rest of the Z Fighters are not the only ones who enhance the series. With an incredible rogues gallery made up of bizarre aliens and interdimensional monsters, there’s never a shortage of someone to fight. Over the years, Goku’s fights have gotten more extreme. Goku's biggest concern used to be facing someone powerful enough to destroy a city. Now he deals with enemies strong enough to destroy the universe. Who are the strongest Dragon Ball villains Goku and friends have faced thus far?

Updated by Sage Ashford on February 4th, 2024: This list has been updated to add more information about all the most powerful villains in Dragon Ball.

20 Emperor Pilaf Came From A More Comedic Era Of Dragon Ball

Emperor Pilaf is by far the weakest mainstream villain from the Dragon Ball franchise. However, Pilaf, Mai, and Shu were never meant to be "strong" in the conventional sense. Emperor Pilaf sought the Dragon Balls with plans of world domination. When the character was introduced, Dragon Ball was not a series about godlike aliens trying to destroy the universe.

Dragon Ball was an adventure series written like a comedy. As Goku and his allies grew more powerful, the series outgrew Pilaf and his more humorous antics. The villain and his partners do frequently return in Dragon Ball Super, mostly played for laughs. With him wielding no special powers, it makes sense for him to be considered the weakest villain in Dragon Ball history.

19 The Red Ribbon Army Relied On Numbers And Technology

In the early days of Dragon Ball, supernatural elements were still few and far in-between. While transformations and ki were still around, they weren't as abundant. This meant that a powerful human army could pose a threat.

The original Red Ribbon Army is composed of mostly human enemies whose abilities pale in comparison to Goku except for a few like Mercenary Tao and General Blue. However, their technology still poses a terrifying threat. The Red Ribbon Army has continued to lurk, first through Dr. Gero's continued Android development and later when the organization was fully revived by Magenta in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

18 King Piccolo Began The More Serious Era Of Dragon Ball

The original Dragon Ball anime was fairly lighthearted for the first couple of seasons. Goku met his best friends and adventured, collecting the Dragon Balls and introducing fans to his incredible world. The series' tone shifted dramatically when King Piccolo entered the scene.

King Piccolo succeeds in taking over the world, using an army of minions and monsters, defeating Goku, and killing many martial artists in the world. He's even responsible for taking Krillin's life, forcing Goku to rely on the Dragon Balls to bring him back. Goku must unleash his full power to defeat King Piccolo, but not before the king plays one last card, creating an egg containing his offspring.

17 Piccolo Proved To Be Even More Dangerous Than His Father

A fan-favorite, Piccolo joined the Dragon Ball universe in the last arc of the original Dragon Ball anime. His father, King Piccolo, was one of Goku’s toughest foes, giving the child hero the hardest fight of his young career. After a brutal battle, Goku killed King Piccolo. Before he died, however, the demon lord birthed Piccolo, imbuing him with all his hatred, so he’d one day kill Goku and subjugate humanity.

When Piccolo first met Goku in the World Martial Arts Tournament, he had every intention of doing that. Despite years of training Goku received from Kami, Piccolo proved more than a match for the young warrior. Only through trickery and some luck did Goku prevail. For years, Piccolo continued his training in silence, intending to defeat Goku and take over the world. However, the arrival of the Saiyans forced him to begin working with Goku and his allies, even training Gohan in an attempt to bring out his hidden potential.

16 The Saiyans Forced All The Z Warriors To Up Their Game

After Goku’s Saiyan brother Raditz arrived, a whole new world opened in Dragon Ball Z. Goku discovered he was from a race of super-powerful warriors who not only spent lifetimes conquering worlds but were among the strongest species in the cosmos. Forced to battle his brother after Raditz kidnapped Gohan, Goku teamed up with Piccolo. Together, they beat Raditz, but at the cost of Goku’s life. A year later Nappa and Vegeta arrived on Earth.

Again, the arrival of Vegeta would mark a milestone in Dragon Ball Z, and anime in general, as it fostered the notion of beginning as enemies and moving on to amicable life-long rivals. Yet before Goku and Vegeta developed mutual respect and became allies, Vegeta and Nappa killed most of Goku’s friends.

15 The Ginyu Force Was Frieza's Most Powerful Special Force

After Goku fought Vegeta, there was a question about who or what could possibly come next. After all, Vegeta boasted about being able to destroy a planet. This kicked the series into overdrive; anyone they now faced would have to be planet-busters and above. In their quest to the planet Namek for their set of Dragon Balls, Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma learn about the evil intergalactic dictator, Frieza. They also discover he hired the Ginyu Force to acquire the mystical orbs. Though Frieza is considered the mightiest in the universe, he delegates matters of killing to those beneath him.

The Z Fighters formed a tenuous alliance with Vegeta. Despite being stronger than when he first fought Goku, Vegeta loses to the Ginyus. The Ginyu Force outclasses Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin, leading to some of the most brutal fights in Dragon Ball to date. Only a newly empowered Goku could beat them. Despite that, each member of the Ginyu Force was actually killed by Vegeta.

14 Garlic Jr. Attained Immortality Itself

Garlic Jr. is noteworthy for having an anime saga that serves as a sequel to a movie. Garlic Jr. made his DBZ debut in the very first DBZ movie Dead Zone. In Dead Zone, which is set before the Saiyan Saga, Garlic Jr. desires revenge for Kami sealing his father away. In order to get that revenge, Garlic Jr. collects the Dragon Balls and wishes for immortality.

Garlic Jr. was sealed away at the conclusion of Dead Zone. He, however, returned in an anime filler arc. The Garlic Jr. Saga, which is set between the Frieza and Trunks Sagas involves Garlic. Jr escaping the Dead Zone and plunging the world into a brainwashed apocalypse with the Black Water Mist. Without the help of Goku and Vegeta, Gohan, Piccolo, and Krillin successfully send Garlic Jr. back to the Dead Zone where he has yet to return. If he does, he'll find himself far outclassed.

13 Cooler Sought Revenge On The Super Saiyan Who Finished His Brother

There is some debate about whether Frieza’s brother Cooler is canon or not. On the off chance that Cooler is canon, it’s an opportunity to check out another side of Frieza’s dysfunctional family. In their younger days, Frieza and Cooler hated each other, but after hearing Frieza died at the hands of a Saiyan from Earth, Cooler needed to avenge his family.

When he arrived, Cooler’s appearance was nearly identical to his brother’s. In this form, Goku does well, but Cooler reveals that, unlike his brother, he can transform one more time. Goku hero goes Super Saiyan. Overwhelmed, just like his brother before him, Cooler refuses to back down and nearly destroys the Earth with a Death Ball, but gets rebounded back by Goku’s Kamehameha. Of course, Cooler returned later, remade by the power of the Big Getty Star, but even that wasn't enough to stop two Super Saiyans at once.

12 Dr. Gero's Androids Wanted Revenge For Goku's Destruction Of The Red Ribbon Army

The arrival of Trunks set the stage for some of Dragon Ball Z’s most pivotal moments. After traveling through time, Trunks warns Goku and his friends that in three years' time, a pair of androids will kill them. Taking the warning to heart, Goku and the Z Fighters train harder than ever before to prepare for the threat.

The first androids to appear are Android 19 and Android 20. Even though Goku loses, due to preexisting heart problems, Vegeta and Piccolo beat the mechanical duo. Little do the heroes know that Trunks inadvertently messed up the timeline and Android 19 and 20 are not the real threat. In fact, it’s Androids 17 and 18; once they’re activated, they kill Dr. Gero and defeat the rest of the Z Fighters before later being absorbed by Cell.

11 Broly (Dragon Ball Z) Showed The Dangers Of A Berserker Saiyan

Often referred to as the Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly’s power was staggering even when he was only a baby. Vegeta had always heard the myth of the Legendary Super Saiyan and thought it was nothing more than a yarn.

Upon encountering the fearsome villain, Vegeta changes his mind altogether, sinking in fear, realizing that despite him, Goku, Gohan, and Trunks are all capable of turning Super Saiyan, they’re nothing before Broly. Seemingly getting stronger with each passing second, Broly’s limits aren’t entirely known. Only through DBZ shenanigans, the Z Fighters lending their energy, does Goku win.

10 Cell Was Created To Become The Perfect Lifeform

The Androids might have been bad, but they were nothing compared to Cell and his awesome might. Created by Dr. Gero, Cell possessed the DNA of Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, Frieza, and other great warriors. While this made him fearsome, Cell’s absorption of Android 17 and 18 allowed him to reach his Perfect form, transforming him into a being capable of wiping out solar systems.

With Cell, it wasn’t just the planet that was at stake, but the universe. If the Z Fighters lost, Cell would destroy the world and move on throughout the cosmos, destroying world after world. At first, it seemed like no one could stop him, but Cell’s machination eventually brought Gohan’s latent power to the fold, turning him into a Super Saiyan 2. Regardless, Cell nearly achieves victory; his power set the bar for every character to come. That said, despite his energy, he couldn't hold a candle to enemies that came later like Majin Buu, or the gods of destruction.

9 Janemba Was The Personification Of Evil

Nearly as powerful as Majin Buu, Janemba was literally the living definition of evil. The central antagonist in the Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn movie, Janemba is a plague not just to Earth, but his existence threatens all reality, including the afterlife.

Janemba had two forms and though Goku could defeat the first form by transforming into Super Saiyan 3, Janemba’s second form still proved too much for both him and Vegeta. With the ability to manipulate reality, essentially using time and space as his weapons, Janemba was incredibly fearsome. His only real weakness was insults thrown at him; they would temporarily catch him off guard. He would have destroyed the universe if not for Goku and Vegeta fusing into Gogeta. The fused Saiyan successfully destroyed the demon by purifying his evil energy with a special attack.

8 Majin Buu Destroyed A Large Part Of The Universe

Created by the evil wizard Bibidi, Majin Buu was a malevolent djinn and the most powerful villain in the entirety of Dragon Ball Z. Upon getting resurrected by Bibidi’s son Babidi, Buu goes on a rampage, tearing through the Earth’s protectors. Buu’s power is so great he kills Super Saiyan 2 Vegeta and destroys Earth, and Goku is forced to go Super Saiyan 3 for the first time.

While viewers had seen other villains with the ability to transform, Buu’s power to transform was especially unique. He would absorb warriors, which boosted his strength and would alter his appearance and mental state. Each Buu was more deadly than the last. Buu became stronger than Super Saiyan 3 Goku, forcing Goku and Vegeta to fuse into Vegito. Despite everything, it took Goku charging the biggest Spirit Bomb he’d ever produced to bring an end to the strongest DBZ villain.

7 Goku Black Combined The Power Of Saiyans With Godlike Beings

Goku Black's horrifying and intense introduction marked a darker shift in Dragon Ball Super. Goku Black was the Supreme Kai apprentice from the 10th Universe, Zamasu, from an unaltered main timeline. Zamasu used the Super Dragon Balls to steal the body of that timeline's Goku to become Goku Black. Goku Black then teamed up with his future self, Future Zamasu, and attempted to wipe out all mortals in the multiverse.

Having seized control of Goku’s body, Goku Black’s power was a combination of a Supreme Kai’s power and the Saiyan’s strength. This allowed him to get stronger at a much faster rate than any Saiyan. While he couldn’t turn into a traditional Super Saiyan, Goku Black had his own variation of the technique, transforming into a Super Saiyan Rose. This single transformation was easily capable of taking on Goku or Vegeta in Super Saiyan Blue, their strongest form.

6 Cell Max Improved On The Cell Design But Lost Intelligence

The Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero movie introduced many new elements to the world of Dragon Ball including new androids, new transformations, and even a new Cell. The Red Ribbon Army resurrects a monstrous version of Cell. Making matters worse, Goku and Vegeta are off-world training with Beerus, Whis, and Broly. This leads Gohan and Piccolo to step up and each achieve new forms.

Cell Max is even stronger than the original Perfect Cell and requires Gohan to tap into yet another hidden form to defeat him. Cell Max also has very few weaknesses with the top of his head being a soft spot that the heroes target.

5 Fused Zamasu Proved The Danger Of Real Immortality In Villains

The power of Fused Zamasu was so great, that not only did his strength menace one reality, but it leaked over to other dimensions and timelines, threatening to wipe them out too. After Zamasu and Goku Black had been fighting Goku and Vegeta, the evil duo realized they shouldn’t underestimate their opponents any longer and fused. Revealing their secret weapon to be a set of Potara earrings, they became the being known as Fused Zamasu.

Taking on the combined assault of two Super Saiyan Blues, Fused Zamasu dominated Goku and Vegeta with minimal effort. It all looked rather hopeless, as nothing, not even Super Saiyan Blue Vegeto or Trunk’s Spirit Bomb Sword could put him down permanently. In fact, destroying his body only released greater power. Only Zen-Oh, who is effectively God, was able to kill him, wiping all traces of the villain from existence.

4 Broly (Dragon Ball Super) Took A Fused Super Saiyan Blue To Stop

The Broly that appeared in the Legendary Super Saiyan movie was never considered canon, like most of the DBZ films. However, in 2018, with the release of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, Akira Toriyama introduced a new Broly, retconning the old version.

This new Broly combined the powers of the Saiyan's ape form with Super Saiyan, earning a transformation more powerful than Goku or Vegeta's Super Saiyan Blue forms. Broly is powered by unyielding rage, but that is also his downfall. What he has in raw strength, he lacks in intelligence and strategy. After Goku and Vegeta fuse into Gogeta, the fight is incredibly one-sided in the heroes' favor. However, Broly's potential is evident as Goku and Vegeta seek to cultivate it in the form of a powerful and reliable ally.

3 Jiren Represented Strength Itself

Unlike nearly every character, Jiren is the only antagonist who was never a villain at any point. Jiren's existence was a rumor in other universes; he’s considered the only mortal that a God of Destruction cannot defeat. Jiren has a staggeringly long list of incredible feats.

Jiren's presence unleashed such intense ki it shook the entire World of Void, a realm of infinite size. He’s beaten every form in Goku’s arsenal easily, deflected Goku’s Universe 7 Spirit Bomb with just a glare, and broke out of Hit's time prison by flexing, with an observation made that Jiren’s power transcends time itself. Goku, in his Ultra Instinct form, defeated Jiren, but only temporarily. A weathered Goku, Frieza, and Android 17 defeated an equally exhausted Jiren, barely winning the tournament.

2 Frieza Continued His Training To Surpass Even Goku And Vegeta Again

Frieza reappeared in the Dragon Ball franchise. He “died” already twice before, but each time the writers figured out sneaky ways to bring him back. When Frieza’s henchmen resurrect him, the interstellar warlord wants to kill Goku. Realizing his foe is stronger than ever before, Frieza decides to train for the first time in his life.

When Frieza attacks Earth a second time, he comes with a new transformation, turning him into Golden Frieza. Nearly beaten by Frieza’s might, Goku only prevails by tricking Frieza into expending his energy. Frieza, while retaining his body in the afterlife due to being incapable of repenting, continued to mentally train, which helped him become a key player in the Tournament of Power. However, his biggest jump came in the manga, where he trained within a place similar to the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and achieved power far beyond Goku and Vegeta's Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego forms. Currently, Frieza is the most powerful active villain in the series.

1 Beerus Represents The Endless Imperative To Improve

Goku’s first enemy in Dragon Ball Super was Beerus, the God of Destruction. When Beerus hears of Goku’s achievement in beating Frieza and going Super Saiyan, the god hopes the warrior will be able to satiate his own lust for battle. Wanting to find the Super Saiyan God, based on a dream he had, Beerus confronts Goku. After beating Goku in just two hits, Beerus heads to Earth and decimates the rest of the Z Fighters.

Later, thanks to the Eternal Dragon and some borrowed energy from his Saiyan friends and family, he reaches the level of Super Saiyan God and battles Beerus. Even with the newfound power and throwing punches capable of being felt across the universe, Goku loses. After the fight, Beerus exclaimed he was holding back the whole time. Beerus has been set as the ultimate obstacle, and so far no matter how strong Goku has gotten, Beerus is always seen as just a little bit stronger. Since Goku has defeated nearly all of his enemies, it makes sense that Beerus ranks higher than everyone else in the franchise.