706z87″ title=”akira”>Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has celebrated more than three decades of ongoing shonen success, yet there’s still no end in sight for the action-packed series. Dragon Ball remains such an evergreen hit because it understands how to evolve with the times through fresh ideas, albeit ones that are still faithful to the series’ core values.
The climactic combat in Dragon Ball means that death is always a possibility, and there have been some tragic losses throughout the franchise, despite the heroes’ impressive strength. Death has become an important catalyst and learning experience for some of Dragon Ball’s characters, and particular casualties aren’t afraid to visit dark, depressing places.
10 Nappa
Vegeta Betrays Nappa
Nappa is a ruthless Saiyan responsible for some vicious deaths early on in Dragon Ball Z. That being said, Nappa’s own execution is particularly nihilistic, and it beautifully establishes Vegeta to be a harsher threat who doesn’t hold anything sacred at the cost of success.
Goku effortlessly disarms Nappa through his freshly-learned Kaio-Ken technique, but Vegeta’s disappointment in his inferior partner results in Nappa’s explosive finish. This death shocked everyone, and it’s such a grim execution because it’s completely avoidable. Vegeta would rather take out the trash than have an embarrassing sidekick.
9 Android 16
Perfect Cell Crushes Android 16
Evil Androids have become a running trend throughout Dragon Ball, but this artificial obstacle intensifies during Cell’s pursuit of perfection. Androids 17-20 are all focused on the destruction of humanity, but Android 16 stands out as a more pacifistic sort who relishes nature and Earth’s beauty.
Android 16’s inspirational outlook touches Gohan’s heart and becomes a crucial catalyst in his ascension to becoming the first Super Saiyan 2. The final trigger is when Perfect Cell stomps on Android 16’s severed head as the former reflects a calm energy, even in his final moments. Android 16 is harmless as a head, and Cell’s decision to destroy him is purely to hurt Gohan.
8 Smitty
Super Buu Makes Smitty Explode From The Inside-Out
Majin Buu is one of Dragon Ball Z’s most vile and versatile villains, but the character’s unique physique poses many problems for the heroes. Buu’s malleable body gives the Majin menace a lot of advantages, and any incomplete destruction will just result in regeneration or more of him.
Super Buu’s genesis is marked by one of the most macabre deaths in the franchise. Super Buu becomes a fluid substance that enters the body of a reckless criminal. Buu then proceeds to inflate himself in the victim’s body to the point that he explodes. It’s a maneuver that Buu attempts on Vegito, which speaks to this character’s power and resilience.
7 Goku
Perfect Cell’s Self-Destruction Turns Goku Into A Sacrifice
No one is immune to death in Dragon Ball, not even Goku himself, who’s perished on multiple occasions for the greater good. The heroes seem to have the upper hand against Perfect Cell until he puts into motion a self-destruct sequence.
Goku, desperate to save Earth and the people he loves, has just enough time to use Instant Transmission to take the exploding Cell to King Kai’s Planet, but not to return. It’s moments like this that underscore Goku’s heroic nature, but it’s such a dark loss because Cell happens to survive the self-destruction, and is now stronger than ever, which invalidates Goku’s sacrifice.
6 Krillin
Tambourine, Frieza, & Super 17 Make Krillin A Casualty
Krillin initially appears in Dragon Ball as a petty rival for Goku, but it’s not long before they become best friends. Their relationship is one of the sweetest bonds in the series. Unfortunately, Krillin has died several times, all equally tragic and have long-lasting repercussions. Krillin’s death at the hands of Tambourine is one of the first real losses that Goku experiences.
Frieza’s psychic destruction of Krillin triggers Goku’s first Super Saiyan transformation. Even in Dragon Ball GT, Super 17’s malicious murder of Krillin is a gutting loss for Android 18 and Goku. Every time Krillin dies, it’s played for maximum emotional impact.
5 Chiaotzu
Chiaotzu’s Gambit Against Nappa Is All For Naught
Raditz’s warning of Nappa and Vegeta’s looming invasion pushes Earth’s heroes to train harder than ever before the Saiyans’ arrival. Many lives are lost before Goku returns to turn the tables on the enemy. Nappa’s superior Saiyan strength proves to be too much for everyone, and the casualties he’s responsible for are devastating.
Convinced that he won’t be able to defeat Nappa under any other means, Chiaotzu channels all of his energy into a self-destructive explosion of power. It’s a tragic decision that he makes in the heat of the moment that only becomes darker when it’s revealed that the hero’s sacrifice barely scathes Nappa.
4 Vegeta
Frieza Humiliates & Exterminates Vegeta
The battle against Frieza on Planet Namek requires cooperation from everyone involved, and even then, it’s not until a new transformation is stumbled upon that the heroes can properly hold their own against this galactic tyrant. Vegeta is convinced that he’s not only the mythical Super Saiyan, but that he’ll be the one who eliminates Frieza.
Frieza’s final form is far too strong for Vegeta, and the villain rubs salt in the wound before he kills the Saiyan Prince. Frieza emphasizes how Vegeta has failed his people, just like his father, and that he’s nothing special. He breaks the Saiyan’s pride before he sends him to the afterlife.
3 Future Trunks
Perfect Cell Returns To Snipe Future Trunks
The battle against Cell requires help from everyone imaginable, but the villain’s defeat would be impossible without the strength and intel that’s provided by Future Trunks. Future Trunks teaches this timeline about his world’s threats, but Goku and Vegeta also help him drastically improve as a fighter.
Future Trunks seems destined to return home successfully, but the hero is suddenly sniped by an energy beam that belongs to Cell. This execution comes out of nowhere, proving that the heroes still have a tall task ahead. The hopelessness of this attack, plus the pain that Vegeta experiences from watching his (future) son die, are deeply moving.
2 Most Of Earth
Super Buu’s Human Extinction Attack Wipes Out Earth’s Population
Each of Majin Buu’s different forms is uniquely intimidating. Super Buu isn’t the villain’s final form, but he’s arguably the most threatening and the one who does the most damage.
Super Buu is responsible for one of the darkest moments in all of Dragon Ball when his Human Extinction Attack wipes out most of the planet’s population, something that would be an irrevocable loss if not for the restorative powers of the Dragon Balls. These deaths are depicted without a filter, but it’s also quite grim when Super Buu transforms Chi-Chi into an egg, which he proceeds to smash. In the moment, it feels like the end of this classic character.
1 Chi-Chi & Goten
Goku Black Kills A Confused Chi-Chi & Goten
Dragon Ball Super weaves a legitimately engaging mystery during the start of its Goku Black arc before the audience understands the true circumstances behind this wicked Saiyan doppelgänger. Future Zamasu pulls off quite a complex scheme involving him using the Super Dragon Balls to swap bodies with his timeline’s Goku.
Upon completing this wish, a confused Chi-Chi and Goten only have a few seconds to process what’s happening before they see their trusted family member take them out. It’s a death so dark that Dragon Ball Super can’t even depict its specifics. It’s too morbid to watch any version of Goku execute his family.
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