Highlights
- Turles, a ruthless villain resembling Goku, appeared in the Tree of Might film, using the tree’s power to overpower Goku.
- Cooler, Frieza’s older brother, sought revenge on Goku in Cooler’s Revenge, showcasing a calculating personality and incredible transformation.
- Baby, a Tuffle with a deep hatred for Saiyans, and the Shadow Dragons, born from the overuse of the Dragon Balls, are other memorable non-canon villains in the Dragon Ball franchise.
The Dragon Ball franchise has always been home to some of the most iconic villains in anime. From destructive alien tyrants that eliminate entire civilizations in their spare time to incredibly powerful bio-androids engineered for the specific purpose of killing the heroes, the villains in the series have set their mark on the anime industry as some of the best and most iconic bad guys to ever exist in the art form.
However, some of Dragon Ball’s best villains are those that don’t even exist within the canon of the series! Whether they belong to the various non-canon Z movies or the non-canon shows of the franchise, these villains have certainly made an impact on the fans because of their actions. So, let’s take a look at the best non-canon villains in the entire Dragon Ball franchise.
Turles
Goku’s Evil Doppelgänger
|
First Appearance |
Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might |
|---|---|
|
Debut Date |
July 7, 1990 |
Turles was introduced in the sixth Dragon Ball film, where he was shown as a former member of the Frieza Force who had gone rogue. Upon sending a probe to Earth, it was revealed that the planet’s soil was suitable for planting a mysterious tree called the Tree of Might, whose fruits can greatly boost the power of any who eats them. Turles ate a fruit, due to which he was able to easily overpower Kaioken x10 Goku.
Kakarot, you are a disgrace to your people! Thousands of years of evolution – and you cast it aside for a multitude of weaklings!
The reason why Turles is remembered so fondly to this day is essentially because he looks like Goku but has the ruthless attitude of Saiyan-Saga Vegeta. There were also some psychological aspects to his character, as he managed to fool Goku’s friends and family that he was Goku himself, only to dish out cruel punishment to anyone who wasn’t on his side.
Cooler
Frieza’s Temperamental Older Brother
|
First Appearance |
Dragon Ball Z: Cooler’s Revenge |
|---|---|
|
Debut Date |
July 20, 1991 |
Cooler was shown to be the older brother of Frieza in his first appearance and the one directly responsible for letting Goku’s shuttle escape Planet Vegeta as a means of punishing his brother. Eventually, he came to Earth to enact his revenge on the Saiyan, where he fought Goku in a great fight that had some of the coolest moments in the history of Dragon Ball Z!
I am the supreme master of this universe! I am the great destroyer, the taker of life! It is my will that this planet and everyone on it, be annihilated!
Cooler was a villain that remains in the hearts of most fans of the franchise. He was so popular that he was brought back in another movie and, many years after his initial appearance, was reintroduced in Super Dragon Ball Heroes. Though not as powerful as Frieza, he won the hearts of fans with his cold but calculating personality and demeanor, at times even seeming more understanding than Frieza. However, this just hid a far more sinister side that came to light with his incredible transformation and repeated appearances!
Baby
The Ghost Of The Saiyan’s Past
|
First Appearance |
Dragon Ball GT, Episode 22, “The Baby Secret” |
|---|---|
|
Debut Date |
August 21, 1996 |
Baby is regarded by many fans of the series to be the best non-canon villain in the entire Dragon Ball franchise! This character was a Tuffle, who were the original inhabitants of Planet Sadala but were wiped out in a brutal war by the Saiyans they had originally sheltered on their homeworld. Due to this, Baby held a deep hatred for all Saiyans, which was shown by everything he did to defeat the heroes in the first arc of Dragon Ball GT.
My friends, what the Saiyans have destroyed, we will rebuild. This is it!
This kind of villain was something that the series had scarcely seen before, as he was someone with a tragic backstory, of whom fans could understand why Baby would want revenge as he had everything taken away from them. However, his way of getting revenge was very cerebral and violent, as Baby took over the bodies of everyone Goku loves to turn them against him, cementing him as one of the best villains in all of Dragon Ball.
The Shadow Dragons
The Result Of The Overuse Of The Dragon Balls
|
First Appearance |
Dragon Ball GT, Episode 47, “The Greatest Surprise” |
|---|---|
|
Debut Date |
June 4, 1997 |
While the Shadow Dragons may not have been exceptional villains when looked at individually, their presence as a collective is the perfect one for the final arc of the franchise! This is because, from the very first episode of the original Dragon Ball series, the Dragon Balls themselves have been coveted by millions across the universe due to their wish-granting powers, leading to their gross overuse throughout the decades.
We’re here because of you. All the Shadow Dragons were born because you misused the Dragon Balls, remember?
This overuse eventually filled the Dragon Balls with negative energy, causing them to crack and form the Shadow Dragons. This was a brilliant idea for the story, as the things that everyone depended on for safety and the central focus of the series became the same objects that led to untold destruction. Each of the Shadow Dragons was based around a specific wish, so they held an even deeper emotional meaning to the heroes, which is why they had to be brought down!
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