Main Characters of Dragon Ball Z

Despite their superhuman strengths, each of the characters brought to life by Dragon Ball Z remained grounded and relatable. This is one of the reasons why its audience fell in love with them and embraced not just their positive attributes, but also their flaws and weaknesses.

Dragon Ball first aired in Japanese television in 1985. It follows the story of Goku, a powerful warrior, and an alien from a different planet with superhuman strength. Goku was sent to earth to conquer it and eradicate its human existence but he is different. Goku is kind, gentle, affectionate, and funny. His appearance as a whole is very striking as well with his unique hair and martial arts uniform. He instantly gained the hearts of many.

 

Goku may be the face of the original series but there are many other characters that Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z introduced that the audience from all over the globe welcomed and loved. Some of these characters became even more popular than Goku.

Here is a rundown of the most loved characters from Dragon Ball Z.
 

Bulma.

Bulma was introduced along with Goku at the beginning of the series. Everybody loved her cute character and her green hair.

Bulma is an intelligent, precise, and feisty scientist and inventor. She was the one who introduced Goku to earth and also the one who asked Goku to search for the seven dragon balls because she wanted to wish for a boyfriend. Fun, right? Along the way, Bulma became an even more central character in the story, guiding Goku with her technical know-how. She invented the dragon radar, a tool to detect dragon balls.
 

Master Roshi.

This fun and light character is a master of martial arts and was the one responsible for training Gohan, Ox-King, Goku, Krillin, and Yamcha. He was perceived as a hermit yet pervert which made most of his scenes in the series really funny. He has a really bizarre fashion sense too. 

Master Roshi is always seen wearing his trademark sunglasses and his beach clothes. He is bald and usually walks around with a stick.

Vegeta. Vegeta is the husband of Bulma and the father of Trunks. He is a Saiyan Prince. He used to be a snob and arrogant and was originally depicted as a villain helping the bad Frieza but he eventually became an ally of Goku as he helped him defend and protect the earth.
 

Vegeta.

being an interesting character was well accepted by many Dragon Ball fanatics. He was absolutely unpredictable. While he helped Goku and settled here on earth to build a family, he had a thirst for being greater than Goku. He would find ways to grow his strength to fight Goku.
 

Trunks.

Trunks was another interesting character because he came from the future. He tracked down Goku from his past to save him from dying of heart disease and also to save the earth from being destroyed. It was fascinating how he was revealed as Vegeta and Bulma’s son in the story. His hair is cute too!

Krillin.

Krillin was first introduced as Goku’s rival but later on, became his best friend. He has one of the most amazing character development in the series, just like Vegeta.

Krillin started as a cheater and selfish student who wanted to be trained by Master Roshi, along the way, the audience saw his transformation as he became more kind and humble. It was also revealed that Krillin almost always acted arrogantly because he was bullied by other monks for his height and appearance. Krillin also became one of the strongest characters in Dragon Ball.

Piccolo.

Piccolo is notable for his green color. Even non-Dragon Ball fans recognize him and know his name. But before he became the Piccolo that many fans loved, he was originally known as Demon King Piccolo.

He used to be an ancient evil half of the guardian of earth, Kami, who was sealed weirdly in a rice cooker until he was set free by Emperor Pilaf. But then he rained as a king and brought about death and destruction. But of course, Goku defeated him but instead of killing him, he spared his life.

Piccolo’s character development was also unique. He still had his own beliefs but it was not about himself anymore. He was also the one who trained Goku’s son Gohan because he saw his potentials. While the training started rough, Picollo learned to care for the young Saiyan.
 

Son Gohan.

Gohan is the second main character of the series. While Goku had his own storyline, some of the series’ plots focused on Gohan and his own character development.

Unlike his father who craved to be the best martial artist, Gohan started out as an innocent and sweet child who had no desire to fight and train. He preferred to study and read books. But when he encountered the villain Raditz, it was discovered that he has a hidden power that was waiting to escape from him. He often feels this power whenever his loved ones are hurt.

Gohan knew his power and he knew it was strong. Goku even acknowledges this. But Gohan’s heart was not for fighting. He feared that when his power was unleashed he cannot control it.

Eventually, Gohan became the strongest character in the series.

The characters as an integral part of the series

Apart from the main characters, many of the villains in Dragon Ball Z like Raditz, Cell, Frieza, and Majin Buu, have interesting characteristics as well. They make the audience think out of the box. But while Goku and Gohan were perceived to be the face of the Dragon Ball series, it is evident that there was actually no central or main character in it. It is composed of many interesting characters with interesting and beautiful character developments and they were the ones who make the series a legend.

Up until today, Dragonball Z figures, and accessories, filled hundreds of shelves in toy stores worldwide. They are widely celebrated and recognized even by people who are not actually fans of the series.