- 7 months ago
Dragon Ball has given us some of the most unforgettable anime moments ever.
Welcome to WatchMojo,world, where we’re counting down the Top 20 most iconic Dragon Ball moments, from jaw-dropping fights to legendary transformations that defined the series.
Which Dragon Ball moment is your favorite? Share it in the comments!
Welcome to WatchMojo,world, where we’re counting down the Top 20 most iconic Dragon Ball moments, from jaw-dropping fights to legendary transformations that defined the series.
Which Dragon Ball moment is your favorite? Share it in the comments!
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Short filmTranscript
00:00You guys done yet? Or you want a hug too? Nothing would repulse me more!
00:05Welcome to WatchMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most memorable moments from the Dragon Ball franchise.
00:12To be clear, we won't be including entire fights.
00:15Everyone get down! Take cover! Get moving! Goku's releasing the Kamehameha!
00:23Number 20. Goku's first great ape transformation, Dragon Ball.
00:28Goku seems like an open book with no secrets.
00:34That is, until he and his friends are captured by Emperor Pilaf for the second time.
00:39Trapped in a prison with thick walls, yet with a view of the sky, Goku worries about a monster coming out during the full moon.
00:46He relates that his grandpa was killed by such a creature, though he's never seen it himself, as he wasn't allowed to look at the full moon.
00:54Everyone else is able to put two and two together, but Goku looks at the moon anyway.
01:02And the little monkey boy turns into a huge grey ape, or Uzaru.
01:06It's technically Goku's first transformation and foreshadows his Saiyan heritage.
01:12Number 19. Bardock charges Freeza.
01:18Dragon Ball Z Bardock, the father of Goku.
01:21Like Cassandra of Greek mythology, Bardock's warnings of future doom fail to reach his people.
01:27So, Goku's dad decides to take the fight to Freeza by himself.
01:31The Saiyan warrior charges Freeza's ship, assaulted by dozens of the tyrant's men.
01:38Here, have it!
01:42Despite getting tackled mid-air and attacked from all angles, Bardock refuses to go down.
01:47He ultimately confronts Freeza and gives him a piece of his mind and launches an attack at him.
01:52Unfortunately, the frosty space emperor puts a halt to Bardock's dream of freeing his people with a single finger.
01:59Yes!
02:00I...
02:01See...
02:02Now...
02:03It's you, my son.
02:06You are the one who will defeat Freeza!
02:08Yet, even if it's ultimately futile, Bardock's proud last stand still gives us chills.
02:14I only wish I could have held you in my arms when I had the chance.
02:18Goodbye, my son.
02:20Number 18.
02:21Gohan Beast.
02:22Dragon Ball Super Superhero.
02:24Son Gohan doesn't get many chances to shine in the Dragon Ball Super era.
02:29But this movie changed that in a big way.
02:35During he and Mr. Piccolo's battle against the enormous Cell Max, Cell 2.0 uses an attack
02:42that seemingly kills Gohan's mentor.
02:44This prompts a powerful and mysterious new transformation from Gohan that unleashes his
02:49inner beast, which constitutes red eyes and spikier white hair.
03:03The form doesn't last long, but seeing Gohan stop Cell Max in his tracks and fire off Piccolo's
03:11signature special beam cannon to finish off the villain is immensely satisfying.
03:16Plus, the sheer aura of the transformation is downright beastly.
03:20Special.
03:21Beam.
03:22Canon.
03:23It's over 9000.
03:24Dragon Ball Z.
03:25Some people may not be on board with anime dubs, but they've given us some of the anime
03:40fandom's greatest memes.
03:42Vegeta!
03:43What did you say his power level is?
03:46It's over 9000!
03:48Uhhh!
03:499000?!
03:50Case in point, this line from the Ocean dub of Dragon Ball Z.
03:54When Goku returns to life and arrives to fight Nappa and Vegeta, he powers up to reveal his
03:59true strength.
04:00Nappa, incredulous at the drastic increase, asks Vegeta what Goku's power level is, according
04:06to the Scouter.
04:07Although the original script calls for the line to be that it's over 8000, the Ocean dub famously
04:13changed the line to, say it with us, it's over 9000.
04:17Vegeta!
04:18What does the Scouter say about his power level?
04:21The angry line reading and Nappa's disbelieving response have become one of the internet's
04:26most celebrated memes.
04:28It's over 9000!
04:31Number 16.
04:32Instant Transmission Kamehameha – Dragon Ball Z.
04:36Goku's match against Cell has a ton of cool moves and memorable set pieces, but this one
04:41takes the cake.
04:42Kaaaaaame…
04:46He begins charging up a Kamehameha while in mid-air, which has everyone, from his friends,
04:51to Cell, thinking that he'll blow up the planet if he lets it fly.
04:55Goku wouldn't dare him at the Kamehameha wave attack from there!
04:59He'll destroy the Earth if he does!
05:01However, at the last moment, Goku performs an instant transmission to teleport directly
05:06in front of Cell.
05:08The ensuing blast is fired upwards and vaporizes the upper half of Cell's body.
05:17Cell might regenerate soon afterwards, but the clever and badass application of some of
05:23Goku's moves help make this a very memorable sequence.
05:26Number 15.
05:27Piccolo's Sacrifice – Dragon Ball Z.
05:30Although well-established as a hero now, Piccolo begins the series as a villain.
05:35After kidnapping Gohan to train for a year, the Demon King's son teams up with the Z fighters
05:40to battle the Saiyans when they arrive on Earth.
05:42Something's changed.
05:43No matter what happens to you, Gohan, I will always be there to protect you.
05:50However, Piccolo has more heart than his dad and bonds with Gohan during that year spent
05:55together.
05:56So when Gohan's life is in danger from one of Nappa's attacks, he rushes to stand in the
06:01way, taking the attack for his young protege.
06:04Dying to save his surrogate son is the ultimate culmination of Piccolo's character development,
06:14and it has left a lasting impression on both him and the fans.
06:19You're like the son I never had.
06:33I'm proud of you.
06:34No!
06:35Please!
06:36Goodbye, my friend.
06:37Number 14.
06:38Goku Goes Super Saiyan 4 – Dragon Ball GT Most of the Super Saiyan transformations look
06:39alike.
06:40Spikey hair of various colors and length.
06:42Wash.
06:43Rinse.
06:44Repeat.
06:45Goku took a different route.
06:46After transforming into a golden great ape while battling baby, Goku loses control of
06:52himself.
06:53It's only through Pan's efforts and a photo of his friends and family that he's able
06:57to regain his sense of self.
06:59This also sparks a new transformation, which sees Goku obtain a black, spiky-haired, red-feared
07:05form dubbed Super Saiyan 4.
07:08The form's embrace of the monkey design for the Saiyans and unique color scheme truly helps
07:13it stand out and it left a big impact.
07:15I did notice good ol' Goku's gotten much stronger!
07:19While GT has a lot of issues, this transformation isn't one of them.
07:24You've gone too far.
07:25Now you've got to deal with me.
07:31Number 13.
07:32Vegito Is Born – Dragon Ball Z
07:35Getting Vegeta to help Goku usually proves a Herculean task, no matter the situation.
07:40What do you call a Vegeta and a Goku?
07:43Vegito sounds alright.
07:45However, with their friends and family dead at Buu's hands, Goku is able to unbend his
07:50rival's pride to get him to fuse together using the Potara earrings, if only for the
07:55sake of avenging them.
07:57The resulting fusion, who dubs himself Vegito, then goes on to battle Super Buu.
08:02Would you look at me?
08:04I'm setting records!
08:06Goku and Vegeta are perhaps two of the most popular DBZ characters, so seeing them combine
08:11into one person is truly a you've got chocolate in my peanut butter moment.
08:16If you mean am I superior to you in every way, then yes!
08:20Number 12.
08:21Goku's First Death – Dragon Ball Z
08:24Dying is practically a rite of passage for Dragon Ball characters, but it never gets
08:41easier seeing our favorites get killed.
08:44Goku may be the franchise's protagonist, but it isn't until Z that he joins the club,
08:49so to speak.
08:50Raditz proves the most powerful opponent he has faced until that point, with not even
08:54he and Piccolo working together, able to easily defeat his Saiyan brother.
08:59However, Goku is willing to take Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon too, if it means stopping
09:04Raditz and saving the world.
09:10Long-time viewers lamented Goku's death, while everyone who started with DBZ was shocked
09:16that the apparent hero dies in the first few episodes, and neither group is likely to
09:21forget.
09:22I'll see you… soon…
09:28Number 11.
09:29Goku goes Super Saiyan 3 – Dragon Ball Z
09:32This is a Super Saiyan.
09:36And this…
09:38This is what is known as a Super Saiyan that has ascended past a Super Saiyan.
09:44Or you could just call this a Super Saiyan 2.
09:48Usually when there's a new Super Saiyan form, Goku's the one who debuts it first.
09:53Although he isn't the first to go Super Saiyan 2 – more on that later – he is the first
09:57to reach the next stage.
09:59Goku explains the stages of Super Saiyan to Buu and Babidi while facing them, demonstrating
10:04each in turn.
10:06And then he starts powering up at the cost of his remaining time on Earth.
10:10As Goku screams louder and louder, the whole world shakes from the power coming off of him.
10:26Finally, he's revealed to have even longer Super Saiyan hair and starts trancing Buu
10:31with his incredible power.
10:33There are a lot of great transformation scenes, but this one managed to go even further beyond
10:38our expectations.
10:41I'm sorry that took so much longer than the others.
10:44But I haven't had much occasion to practice this one.
10:47This is what I call a Super Saiyan 3.
10:50Number 10.
10:51Goku defeats King Piccolo
10:53Dragon Ball
10:55I will never stop until I've defeated you.
10:57Arguably the strongest foe that Goku faces as a child is King Piccolo.
11:02The vile Namekian battles the young fighter as his previous opponent, Tien Shenhan, watches.
11:09I have you now!
11:15However, after Goku proves surprisingly strong, Piccolo resorts to taking Tien hostage.
11:22This allows him to break or injure nearly all of Goku's limbs.
11:25We say nearly because Goku's right arm remains unharmed.
11:31King Piccolo is confident in his victory.
11:34But Goku manages to propel himself using a Kamehameha to punch straight through his opponent.
11:39Not only is this a brutal and creative finish, but this moment also marks the birth of Goku's rival and later ally, Piccolo Jr.
12:01Number 9.
12:02Father Son Kamehameha
12:04Dragon Ball Z
12:05Speaking of finishing moves, DBZ has its fair share of memorable ones, too.
12:10Now you die!
12:17In the finale of the Cell Saga, Gohan is engaged in a beam struggle against Cell.
12:24The green monstrosity is stronger than ever after his resurrection, and Gohan can only use one arm.
12:30However, with some coaching from his late papa Goku, Gohan delivers a Kamehameha that overcomes Cell and vaporizes him for good.
12:40Let it out Gohan!
12:41Do it now!
12:42Any time multiple characters do a Kamehameha is cool, but the fact that one of them is a ghost, and it's done to defeat a big bad as bad as Cell ensured that fans would never forget it.
13:01It left us hungry for more.
13:13Enough to eat a horse, in fact.
13:15Number 8.
13:16Goku's Goodbye
13:18Dragon Ball GT
13:20Cheatsy gets a lot of flack.
13:22But we'll give it this.
13:23It knew how to do an ending.
13:25I have more crazy relatives than I'll ever know what to do with.
13:29And they're all heroes.
13:31In the future, after all the other Dragon Warriors or Z fighters have passed on, we see Goku's granddaughter Pan at a tournament.
13:39She spots her grandfather in the crowd.
13:42And while she loses him, we follow Goku as flashbacks from throughout the Dragon Ball franchise play.
13:49Grandpa?
13:50Let me through, please!
13:52After seeing how far we've come, the narrator assures us that should the world need him again, Goku will return.
14:01The dub even has Goku signing off himself.
14:04As he flies away on Nimbus, power pole in hand, the franchise has come full circle.
14:09While we did meet again, we couldn't hope for a more fitting ending than this one.
14:14Till we meet again, guys!
14:17Number 7.
14:18The first Kamehameha – Dragon Ball
14:21In the annals of anime attacks, the Kamehameha is among the most iconic.
14:27Which is why its debut all the way back in Dragon Ball remains close to fans' hearts.
14:32Goku and company call on Master Roshi to put out a fire on Fire Mountain.
14:37Now watch this!
14:38It's the master's Kamehameha wave!
14:42While the odd man appears doddering and incapable at first, Roshi soon bulks up and lets loose
14:48his famous beam attack, putting out the fire and destroying the mountain.
14:53Goku is quite impressed and decides to try it out for himself, managing it easily.
14:58And the rest is history.
15:08Number 6.
15:09Trunks Slices Freeza – Dragon Ball Z.
15:15The introduction of Trunks into the series is among the most impactful and memorable in
15:25the show.
15:26Freeza has arrived on Earth, his dad in tow, and seemingly stronger with his cyborg modifications.
15:33And then Trunks shows up, a mysterious youth with a sword.
15:37Not only that, but he's Super Saiyan as well.
15:40Excuse me, is this yours?
15:55After tanking a massive attack from Freeza, Trunks tosses an overly dramatic shot at the
16:01Space Emperor, only to surprise him from behind with his sword.
16:05Hey, Freeza!
16:15Watching Trunks turn the franchise's biggest villain to this point into mincemeat instantly
16:20made an impression.
16:22It also made fans everywhere immediately label him as one of the coolest characters ever.
16:28Number 5.
16:29Vegeta's Sacrifice – Dragon Ball Z.
16:32Vegeta is a character defined by his pride.
16:35After once again turning to evil in his attempt to surpass Goku, Vegeta finally returns to his
16:41senses during the battle with Majin Buu.
16:44He bids farewell to his son, Trunks, even knocking him out to prevent him from fighting.
16:50Even Piccolo telling Vegeta he'll go to hell isn't enough to deter him.
16:55You, on the other hand, have spent your life in pursuit of your own selfish desires.
16:59You've caused too much pain.
17:02When you die, you will not receive the same reward.
17:08Oh well.
17:10So be it.
17:11With one last blast, the Prince of All Saiyans makes one final atonement in death in his attempt
17:17to kill Buu.
17:27This may not be the end for Vegeta, but it does mark a major turning point for his character,
17:32at last becoming a proper hero.
17:35Even the narrator came back to pay respects.
17:39And so, one of the Earth's greatest warriors has vanished in a blinding flash of light,
17:45having made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of his loved ones.
17:50His name was Vegeta, a proud Saiyan prince.
17:55Number 4, Goku and Vegeta's beam clash, Dragon Ball Z.
18:01There are beam struggles, and then there's this.
18:04Vegeta and Goku's first battle is loaded with iconic moments,
18:09but this is easily the one everybody thinks of first.
18:13Goku goes all out with Kaioken, which puts his body on the line, managing to overwhelm Vegeta.
18:19This shouldn't be happening.
18:21I don't understand.
18:22I am a super elite.
18:24Now he's sealed his fate.
18:26This planet is history.
18:28I'll destroy everything.
18:30Everything.
18:31Do you hear me, Kakarot?
18:33Insulted that a lower-class foe has injured him, Vegeta decides to blow up the planet with
18:39his Galic Gun.
18:41With no other option, Goku fires a Kamehameha to meet it.
18:46Goku pushes his Kaioken even further to come out on top, in this exchange at least.
19:07The image of their two attacks meeting is burned into Dragon Ball fans' brains, like Vegeta's
19:13anger at Goku.
19:40Number 3.
19:41Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 transformation.
19:44Dragon Ball Z.
19:45New transformations always make a big splash.
19:49Gohan's battle against Cell looks dire, as he's thrown against the cyborg Bugman with
19:55little preamble.
19:56And when Cell unleashes his brood of Cell Jr's against Gohan's friends, the young fighter can
20:03only watch.
20:04Please.
20:05Drop your restraints.
20:08Protect the life I loved.
20:10You have the strength.
20:12My scanners sensed it.
20:14Just... let it go.
20:17An emotional speech from Android 16, hoping to inspire Gohan, takes a dark turn as Cell stumps
20:24on the cybernetic man's head, killing 16.
20:28Turns out that was enough to push Gohan over the edge.
20:31I won't watch this anymore!
20:42With a haunting cry and plenty of tears, Gohan reaches Super Saiyan 2.
20:48With the crackle of lightning and the drying of tears, we know that the son has surpassed
20:53the father.
20:54For the moment, at least.
20:562.
20:57Ultra Instinct.
20:58Dragon Ball Super.
21:00The Tournament of Power has plenty of hype moments, but the one that literally broke the
21:05internet was this one.
21:07Seriously, multiple streaming sites went down.
21:18During Goku's fight with Jiren, our hero is on the cusp of mastering Ultra Instinct,
21:24a technique that allows him to dodge attacks effortlessly.
21:27It's the whole attacking back part that Goku struggles with.
21:32But as Jiren aims to ring Goku out, the Saiyan fighter's power continues to rise, and
21:38he eventually starts hitting back with his aura and hair taking on a divinely shimmering
21:44light.
21:45This is the true power, complete in all its majesty.
21:50As far as modern Dragon Ball goes, it doesn't get much more hype than this.
21:55That's why we have to go back.
21:57This is Autonomous Ultra Instinct!
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22:241.
22:25Goku Goes Super Saiyan Dragon Ball Z
22:28When it comes to anime transformations, Super Saiyan is arguably the most iconic of all,
22:35and the debut rocked the Dragon Ball fandom and is still making waves decades later.
22:40Goku and company believe they've finally defeated Freeza.
22:43If you think that your little friends can escape me, you're sadly mistaken.
22:48Unfortunately, they're wrong.
22:50The evil tyrant reappears and kills Krillin.
22:53The death of his best friend sends Goku into a rage so great that his power skyrockets.
23:09The weather changes and his hair turns golden.
23:12Freeza isn't dealing with the average Saiyan warrior anymore.
23:25And fans weren't dealing with the average Dragon Ball either.
23:28This is peak Dragon Ball.
23:31Is there a Dragon Ball moment we forgot?
23:33Raise your hands and deliver a spirit bomb to those comments below.
23:37Stay tuned for scenes from the next action-packed episode of Dragon Ball Z.
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