The characters of the iconic Dragon Ball universe are commonly noted as some of the strongest characters in the anime medium. The series' consistent storytelling tactic of always upping their power scaling with each new story arc means their main warriors are constantly becoming more powerful. But the debate of who is deemed the strongest of them all is a common topic among the fan base.
From where the Dragon Ball Super franchise left off recently, the power scaling of the series has changed drastically since the last Dragon Ball series in the timeline. Whether it be Gohan's Beast form featured in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero or the emergence of Golden Freiza, the rankings since the days of Dragon Ball Z are far different. Characters who were once at the top of the power ranking are in far different places than they once were, especially with the introduction of the rulers of the multiverse in Dragon Ball Super. So, who are the most powerful characters in Dragon Ball? The answer is not as easy as it might seem.
10 Jiren
Currently Played by Eiji Hanawa (Japanese) & Patrick Seitz (English)
CloseJiren is one of the main antagonists of Dragon Ball Super and one of the strongest characters in the multiverse. He's so strong that he actually overpowers his own universe's God of Destruction. Not even Goku, who would go on to beat Jiren, overpowers Beerus, his universe's God of Destruction. Jiren is a being who is wholeheartedly dedicated to justice, so much so that he won't kill his enemies.
He does not like teamwork and is completely against any sort of friendship; he even went the length of fighting all of his battles completely solo and even won most of them. Jiren was so powerful that his battle against Goku forced the Saiyan to pull out his Perfected Ultra Instinct transformation, his most powerful transformation to date, just to win. Jiren has a tragic backstory, which explains his highly individualistic behavior and commitment to being the best warrior out there.
9 Broly
Currently Played by Bin Shimada (Japanese) & Vic Mignogna (English)
CloseHaving been in the Dragon Ball franchise for years before his canon appearance, Broly has been a fan-favorite character for quite some time. Known commonly as one of the most powerful Saiyans, with some believing he may be more powerful than Goku and Vegeta, Broly is a deeply caring Saiyan who loves his friends. Broly was recently thrown into the spotlight through the film Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
Because he was believed to have a higher power level than Prince Vegeta, Broly was cast out of his planet, Vampa, as a child. While he may have a calm and collected demeanor on the surface, Broly can quickly shift into a violent and aggressive demeanor when faced with battle. This behavior can make him extremely powerful but also open to trickery, as he loses a lot of his better judgment to rage. Still, his skill in battle makes him a mighty opponent for even the most capable of fighters.
8 Vegeta
Currently Played by Ryo Horikawa (Japanese) & Christopher Sabat (English)
CloseAlso commonly known as Prince Vegeta due to his late father being the king of the endangered Saiyan race, Vegeta initially started as a villain for Goku to face early on. He was a ruthless, unsympathetic and cold-hearted man who had no problem killing others. After some time, he abandoned his old life to find peace on Earth and would go on to fight alongside Goku whenever the fate of the universe and his family, Bulma, Trunks and Bulla, was in danger.
In the past, Vegeta has consistently gone back and forth between being stronger and weaker than Goku, with both Saiyans constantly upgrading their power levels while trying to one-up each other. The fact remains that Vegeta is among the most powerful beings in the Dragon Ball universe. While he left his evil ways behind, he can often get set back by his pride, something he was not able to abandon.
7 Goku
Currently Played by Masako Nozawa (Japanese) & Sean Schemmel (English)
CloseBeing the main protagonist of the Dragon Ball franchise, Goku has to be pretty strong to win as many battles as he has. Persistently upgrading in power level, Goku's power scaling seems as if it'll never end. With the introduction of his newest transformation in Dragon Ball Super, the Ultra Instinct transformation, his max power level has skyrocketed far beyond what it's ever been. Goku is now more powerful than the multiverse's Gods of Destruction, given his easy defeat of Jiren from Universe 11.
Aside from his physical power level, Goku finds a ton of his strength in his mental power level. He's an incredibly determined fighter with seemingly endless willpower; at times, it even seems impossible to get Goku to willingly give up during a battle. He's got a great heart and sees the best in everyone, making him a true hero to the end. Goku loves a good fight, and his passion for battle and doing the right thing gives him more strength than any transformation ever could.
6 Frieza
Currently Played by Ryusei Nakao (Japanese) & Christopher Ayres (English)
CloseFrieza is commonly known as the main antagonist of the Dragon Ball franchise. After inheriting his father's empire, Frieza committed genocide against the Saiyan race and established himself as a merciless autocrat feared across all of Universe 7. Frieza is quite possibly the best villain in anime, always coming back to cause trouble for Goku and the other Universe 7 heroes, getting stronger with each battle.
Recently mastering his most powerful form yet in Dragon Ball Super, Golden Frieza'spower is almost unmatched, being able to go toe-to-toe with Super Saiyan Blue Goku before he'd even mastered the form. Goku himself even stated that Frieza would have been able to kill him if he had gotten serious. While his raw power may make him one of the strongest fighters in the Dragon Ball series, his boastful attitude can often become his downfall.
5 Gohan
Currently Played by Masako Nozawa
CloseGohan, son of Goku, is the strongest mortal in the entire Dragon Ball franchise. After the introduction of his newest form, Beast Gohan, while fighting Cell Max in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Gohan rose in the ranks of strongest heroes. Amidst this battle, Piccolo, who is currently almost as strong as Goku and Vegeta, states that Beast Gohan is stronger than Goku and Vegeta.
As if Piccolo's words and Beast Gohan's actions aren't proof enough, the series' late creator, Akira Toriyama, stated that Gohan is the strongest hero in Dragon Ball at the moment. It's quite difficult to deny the word of the series creator, who knows these characters better than the majority of people. But Gohan's biggest drawback is his disdain for fighting. Unlike his thrill-seeking family, he simply doesn't have an interest in it and wants to pursue a scholarly route in life.
4 Beerus
Currently Played by Koichi Yamadera (Japanese) & Jason Douglas (English)
CloseThe Universe 7 God of Destruction, Beerus, got his start in the Dragon Ball series as the main villain of the Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods movie. But, come Dragon Ball Super, Beerus becomes more of a supporting character akin to Master Roshi. Of all the Gods of Destruction of the twelve Universes, Beerus is commonly regarded as the strongest.
The power level gap between Beerus and the likes of Goku and Vegeta is astronomical. In a fight between Beerus and Goku in the first saga in the Dragon Ball Super anime, they almost destroyed the macrocosm, which consists of multiple universe-sized realms. As if that wasn't proof enough, Whis confirmed that Beerus was actually holding back against Goku in that fight, meaning his power level is far beyond the ability to destroy the macrocosm.
3 Whis
Currently Played by Masakazu Morita (Japanese) & Ian Sinclair (English)
CloseBeing the Guide Angel of Universe 7's God of Destruction, Beerus, Whis is considered the most powerful being in the 7th Universe as a whole. As a child of the Grand Minister, he was almost automatically assigned to the attendance of a God of Destruction, meaning it's not even a question that Whis would be more powerful than a being like Beerus.
Surprisingly, Whis has a very calm, detached and carefree attitude. It takes quite a lot to get him riled up, and typically, the only person who can and does is Beerus. Not only is Whis supposed to be Beerus' attendant, but he's also his martial arts teacher, meaning everything that Beerus can do was taught to him by Whis. He has no problem keeping Beerus on a leash, having knocked out Beerus, who was in an angry riot, with a mere chop to the neck.
2 The Grand Minister
Currently Played by Masaya Takatsuka (Japanese) & Jessie James Grelle (English)
CloseAlthough the Grand Minister has never actually physically fought anyone in Dragon Ball Super, there's no doubt that it would be borderline impossible for the likes of Goku, Vegeta or Gohan to step up to him in battle. He's a close advisor to the one and only Grand Zeno and the father of the thirteen Angels, including Whis.
Whis has openly admitted that his power is genuinely nothing compared to that of the Grand Minster. His power demands such authority that beings like the Gods of Destruction bow before him almost immediately upon seeing him. To be an attendant to the likes of Zeno requires a power unlike any other. He has abilities such as being able to wholly remove traits and abilities from a person and even teleport someone from across the multiverse to his location, which is no small feat.
1 Zeno
Currently Played by Satomi Korogi (Japanese) & Sarah Wiedenheft (English)
ClosePlain and simple, of all the characters in the Dragon Ball universe, no one is even remotely as powerful as Zeno. Although he may have a very childlike personality, he has power that is unlike anything any Dragon Ball character can accomplish. With the ability to destroy an entire universe with a simple flick of the wrist, Zeno once wiped out six of the original eighteen Universes on a whim because he was in a bad mood.
It's confirmed to be fully impossible for Zeno to be killed. In what is known as the Future Trunks timeline, the entire Universe was destroyed, but Zeno remained. If Zeno were to have it out for someone, there's absolutely no way they could escape without him simply granting them mercy. It's no wonder a being as powerful as Zeno has such a childlike demeanor, as he has nothing to worry about in life. He pretty much has complete control over all life surrounding him, a terrifying notion if ever there was any.
Dragon Ball is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
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