Dragon Ballis a series that isn’t afraid of death. While there are plenty of deaths inDragon Ball,only some of them stand out for their sadness. Characters inDragon Ballusually die in the middle of battle, and their deaths can be cold and brutal. Most of the Z Fighters have died at least once, with some of them dying multiple times. Even though characters like Vegeta are now more than acquainted with the afterlife, it doesn’t make his deaths any less sad.
Dragon Balldoes a great job of treating character’s deaths meaningfully.When one of Goku’s friends dies in front of him, he’s probably going to go berserk, leading to some of the greatest transformations in anime.
10Chiaotzu’s (Inconsequential) Self-Sacrifice vs. Nappa
Chiaotzu Tried To Stop the Saiyan Threat
Chiaotzu’s death has become a bit of a joke in the anime community.He unfortunately sacrificed himself for nothing when he was trying to kill Nappa. While his intentions were pure, his efforts just weren’t enough. Vegeta and Nappa came to the Earth and were unstoppable. They destroyed everything they touched, and the Z Fighters didn’t stand a chance against them. Feeling like he’d ran out of options, Chiaotzu snuck onto Nappa’s back to self-detonate.
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Nappa ran Chiaotzu into numerous mountains to try and get him off. To Chiaotzu’s credit, he never let go, and was determined to see his plan come together. He stored up enough energy to blow himself up, trying to take the Saiyan with him. When the smoke cleared,Chiaotzu hadn’t even left a dent in Nappa’s armor,creating one of the saddest moments in the series.
9Future Trunks vs. Cell
A One-Shot Kill Out of Nowhere
Future Trunk’s death is sad for a couple of different reasons.First, it’s sad because it shows that Goku died for nothing, and second, Future Trunks wasn’t even supposed to be part of this timeline in the first place. When Cell threatened to blow up the world, Goku made the noble choice to teleport himself and Cell somewhere far away. He did just that, saving the Earth once again. Cell was stronger than the Z Fighters expected though, and he came back even stronger than before.
When he teleported back to Earth, he launched a death beam towards his opponents. It hit Future Trunks square in the chest, mortally wounding him instantly.Future Trunks later succumbs to his wounds,making Vegeta go berserk and giving Gohan another reason to dig deep and defeat his mortal enemy.
8Piccolo Saves Gohan
Piccolo’s First Moments as a Hero
Piccolo was the best hero that nobody could have expected.He was a powerful villain inDragon Ball,but ended up becomingone of the best father figures in animeto Goku’s son inDragon Ball Z.When the Saiyans came to Earth, more than Chiaotzu bit the dust. Nappa was more powerful than any of Earth’s warriors could have seen coming, and they didn’t stand a chance against them. In a swift move, Nappa sent a blast toward Gohan who froze. Piccolo saw the situation unfolding and jumped between Gohan and the blast.
Piccolo was actually Akira Toriyama’s favoriteDragon Ballcharacter.
He took the brunt of the damage, saving Gohan’s life. Piccolo’s heroic sacrifice cost him his life. He spent his final moments reflecting on the irony of saving his rival’s son, and also thanked Gohan for being a son of his own.He said Gohan was his first friend before passing away.
7Goku Saves the Earth
Goku Sacrifices Himself vs. Cell
Cell is one of the most dangerous characters inDragon Ball Z.He’s malicious, smart, and strong enough to bring the Dragon Team to their knees. When he loses against them towards the beginning of the Cell Games, he devises a dastardly plan. He begins to fill himself with energy, so much so that if anybody attacks him, he’ll blow up the Earth. It’s a hard spot for Gohan and his friends to be in, as no matter what they do, Cell will destroy the Earth.
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In a moment of quick thinking, Goku realizes he can save the planet.He says goodbye to his friends and family before teleporting to Cell. He touches the villain, connecting him to his Instant Transmission technique, and takes the living bomb to King Kai’s planet where no living people will be harmed.
6Chi-Chi and Goten vs. Goku Black
Goku Black was Merciless
Goten and Chi-Chi’s deaths inDragon Ball Superare some of the most chilling.While their deaths are certainly sad, they’re also cold and brutal. Zamasu wanted to be the strongest person in the universe, wishing upon the Dragon Balls to make it happen. When he switched bodies with Goku, his wish was granted. He decided to get rid of anyone who would get in his way, including the Goku inside his old body and Goku’s family.
While most deaths come at the end of a hard-fought battle inDragon Ball,Goten and Chi-Chi are executed in cold blood. Zamasu kills them in their father and husband’s body respectively, making their deaths even more harrowing. Once Universe 7’s Goku heard about this, heflew into a rage, pummeling Goku Blackand gaining an edge in their fight.
5Majin Vegeta
The Pinnacle of Vegeta’s Character Arc
Vegeta is one of the best characters inDragon Ball.While Majin Vegeta is still technically Vegeta, he’s a version of the Saiyan Prince that sold his soul to the proverbial devil, in this case the evil wizard Babidi. He’s abandoned the pride that made him the man he once was for a chance at fighting Kakarot as an equal.It’s both Vegeta’s lowest moment in the series and his highest.When he realizes the error of his ways and how much he really does value the life he built for himself, he goes to defeat Majin Buu.
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In a move that turned out to be similar to Chiaotzu, Vegeta decided to blow himself up to try and end Buu. It doesn’t work, as Vegeta dies, but Majin Buu doesn’t. It’s one of the saddest deaths in the series becauseby the time Vegeta realizes what he’s going to be leaving behind, it’s already too late.
4Krillin’s Death on Namek
Unfortunate Fuel for a Super Saiyan Transformation
Krillin has been the brunt of most of the pain inDragon Ball.He’s constantly being hit by punches, blasted by energy beams, or even impaled by space-faring warlords. His death on Namek was one of the most jaw-dropping moments in the series, as it seemingly came out of nowhere. Frieza had enough of Goku and wanted to take out his anger on the Saiyan’s friends. Normally, he would’ve used a Death Beam, but he wanted to make a show of Krillin.
He flicked his finger at Krillin and landed a tiny ability, gaining control over Krillin through telekinesis. Frieza then floats Krillin in the air before making him implode. Krillin screamed for Goku to no avail. It’s a shocking death that isn’t like any others inDragon Ball,as most characters get a fighting chance.Krillin, on the other hand, looked like a cheap piñata that Frieza got bored with.
3Android 16 vs. Cell
The Android Found His Humanity
Android 16 was a surprising ally towards the end of the Cell Games. He was programmed with only one thing in mind: killing Son Goku. When he was able to develop his own personality,he became kind-hearted, self-aware, and a wellspring of patience for Gohan.At this point in the series, Gohan is the strongest character, but he doesn’t want to be. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, even evil beings like Cell. Android 16 empathizes with him, citing his own distaste for violence.
Gohan is taken aback by the Android’s words and understands where he’s coming from. Before he can fully thank the Android, Cell comes over and stomps his head out like an old fire. Android 16’s death is unceremonious, especially given the amazing speech he gives Gohan.Gohan then finds the logic he needs to exact his revenge on Cell.
2Vegeta’s Death on Namek
Vegeta Opened up to Goku for the First Time
Vegeta’s first death at the hands of Frieza is one of the most one-sided beat downs in anime. Frieza toyed with him until the end, never respecting Vegeta or seeing him as more than a bump in the road. When Goku arrives at the scene of the battle,Vegeta is utterly defeated both physically and spiritually.He confides in Kakarot for the first time in the series. He tells Goku that Frieza is all the horrors he claims to be. He’s the one responsible for the enslavement and eventual fall of their empire.
He tells Goku that Frieza made Vegeta who he is, and he asks that Goku stop him from continuing his onslaught. Vegeta then passes away, with Frieza making even more disrespectful comments.It’s one of the saddest deaths and an eye-opening moment for Vegeta, Goku, and everyone else who has to fight the Emperor.
1Future Gohan vs. The Androids
Future Gohan Died Horrifically
Future Gohan’s death is easily the saddest in all ofDragon Ball.While Gohan’s entire timeline is bleak, nothing is worse than his demise. Future Gohan exists in a timeline where the Androids have essentially won. They’ve killed Goku, Vegeta, and anyone else who might stand up to them.
Gohan and Trunks are the only two defenders left, and they’re not enough.
Gohan knows the Androids are closing in on him and Trunks, and in a noble move of self-sacrifice, he goes to take them on alone. Android 17 and 18 then toy with Gohan while they kill him. They make fun of him for only having one arm, which is even worse considering they’re the ones who took his other arm. They end Gohan with a series of brutal energy blasts,leaving him for dead in a puddle.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
