Dragon Ball is the most popular anime series to date. Having started its run in 1984, Dragon Ball has seen many spinoffs, films, video games, and iterations. Even among other popular media today, Dragon Ball has been seen or referenced more often than not, and it’s hard not to recognize its impact on anime and Japanese culture. Even globally, Dragon Ball has made a huge impact, and most people know its name.
As is with such long-spanning series, there are plenty of characters in the Dragon Ball series. Many have funny names—Bibidi, Babbidi, and Buu, for example—and others have odder names like Granolah or Cooler. But despite this, Akira Toriyama has managed to make all the characters interesting to a certain degree. However, as Goku traverses the planet and universe, his allies increase in number, as do his enemies. And some such characters viewers and fans will never see again due to their irrelevance or simply because they can no longer keep up with the powerful and mighty Goku. With this in mind, here’s to some of the weakest characters in the series.
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10 Yamcha
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ ‘Dragon Ball GT’
Yamcha is a recurring character from Dragon Ball. Once a woman-fearing bandit and Goku’s enemy, Yamcha quickly befriended Goku as they collected the remaining dragon balls together. Eventually, Yamcha and Bulma date, though their quarrels never end, and so, thus, ending their relationship. Still, throughout the Dragon Ball series, Yamcha and Goku remain allies.
Yamcha was once a powerful foe in the Dragon Ball series; though he was never truly Goku’s equal, he could stand on equal ground as Krillin, Tien, Chiatzu, and many other human fighters. He even stood strong against Vegeta and Nappa’s invasion of planet Earth. However, despite keeping up with his training—especially with King Kai—Yamcha has long since retired from the martial arts world, being unable to keep up with Goku and the universe-destroying foes that exist beyond their realm. Because he still trains and grows even more powerful, he is far from the weakest character in Dragon Ball.
9 Raditz
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball GT‘
Goku’s older brother and the first Saiyan that Dragon Ball‘s cast meets, Raditz comes to planet Earth to recruit Goku as part of Frieza’s forces, though he learned quickly that Goku had no interest in conquering planets. Despite this, he provided the necessary exposition to understand where Goku came from and who he truly was.
Though dying early on, Raditz proved himself to be a formidable foe at the beginning of Dragon Ball Z. He showcased the unimaginable power that Saiyans had, though he faced his demise against Piccolo when Goku restrained him, costing them both their lives in the process. Though one of the weaker Saiyans in the series, he was still far from the weakest.
8 Chiaotzu
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ ‘Dragon Ball GT‘
Tien’s partner and friend, he is a former student of Master Shen. Though he was an enemy of Goku and his friends during the Tien Saga, he soon became an ally soon after, and he frequently joins Tien and Goku in the many battles against foes.
Chiaotzu, though a sneaky kind of powerful, is one of the weaker comrades of Goku’s allies. That’s not to say he isn’t strong; rather, he just can’t seem to keep up with the other characters. He also has unique abilities, like attaching himself to an enemy and exploding, though it is through sacrificial means. He has the spirit of the fighter, just not quite the ability or talent.
7 Yajirobe
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super’
Yajirobe is an old friend of Goku’s introduced in the Dragon Ball series during the King Piccolo saga. He is a recurring character who, despite butting heads with Goku, helps out when needed, though he rarely, truly, wants to.
During the King Piccolo saga, he helped young Goku and was even capable of taking out one of King Piccolo’s henchmen, Cymbal. While Yajirobe is actually a somewhat powerful ally of Goku’s, he spends most of his time with Korrin in Korrin’s tower, and he rarely shows up to a fight (unless said fight is absolutely necessary). Often lazy, he seems to rarely train, and his fear and hesitation hardly make him a formidable foe, though he can be a powerful ally when putting forth the effort.
6 Videl
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ ‘Dragon Ball GT‘
The current wife of Gohan, mother to Pan, and the daughter of the great Hercule Satan, Videl is another powerful human in the Dragon Ball Z series. Videl has proven herself to be a strong human who could compete in the Martial Arts tournament.
Though she was overpowered and brutally beaten by fellow competitor Spopovich, Videl manages to stay strong through most of it, showing true perseverance and resolve. Full of bravery and confidence, Videl is a far superior fighter compared to her father, Hercule Satan.
5 Hercule Satan
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super‘
Otherwise known as Mr. Satan, Hercule Satan is the reigning World Martial Arts Champion, and he declares himself to be one of Cell’s slayers, alongside the Fighter Z gang. Though his feats seem impressive, he is a well-known liar. While he is strong for winning the World Martial Arts tournament, this was done at a time when none of the more powerful previous attendees could attend.
His strength is no match for Goku, Piccolo, or any of the Fighter Z gang. However, while stronger than most humans, when compared to the Z Fighters, Hercule is one of the weaker characters, and his weakness is especially visible through his cowardice. Throughout the Buu Saga, instead of fighting him, he made friends with Majin Buu, which turned out to be the better solution long-term. However, this does not change the fact that Hercule is weak.
4 Android 19
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ ‘Dragon Ball GT‘
Though separate beings, both Android 19 and 20 worked together as a unit to fight and take down the Z Fighters. Android 19 is one of Dr. Gero’s creations, and he is the last one to be made of synthetic material. A semi-powerful foe, though weaker than Androids 16 and 17, Android 19 is capable of absorbing energy and storing it in himself to create additional power for himself.
Only after absorbing Goku’s Super Saiyan energy was he able to defeat Goku, but even after absorbing some of Vegeta’s Super Saiyan energy, he was defeated at long last. In the Android and Cell Saga, Android 19 was far weaker than any other opponent.
3 Mercenary Tao
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super’
One of the stronger antagonists in Dragon Ball, Mercenary Tao, also known as Tao Pai Pai, is an assassin and the younger brother of Master Shen. He also served as a mentor to Tien, who is now one of Goku’s allies. Before Goku faced intense and strong enemies like King Piccolo and Frieza, Goku had once faced and found a challenge in Mercenary Shao, who was sent after him by the commander of the Red Ribbon Army. As a highly skilled and trained assassin, Mercenary Shao has shown extremely quick reflexes and attack speed.
He even killed General Blue of the Red Ribbon Army using his tongue. More proudly, Mercenary Shao is the first antagonist who really posed a serious threat to Goku. Though Mercenary Shao was once a challenging opponent, this was long before Goku knew much of his powers and way before he started training, proving him to be quite the weak opponent when Goku was still learning his own powers. He admittedly wouldn’t stand a chance against Goku or his allies in the current state of the series.
2 Oolong
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ ‘Dragon Ball GT‘
Oolong is one of Goku’s first enemies and current ally. He is a shapeshifting pig who befriended Goku and Bulma during their quest to find all seven Dragon Balls. Oolong is by far one of the weaker characters in the show.
Though he tried to face off against Bulma and Goku during their hunt for Dragon Balls, he has failed to prove his strength. More so, despite having an impressive ability, he hardly uses it, and when he does, it is for comedic relief. He has never been a fighter, and he has always proven to be a coward when it comes to fighting.
1 Emperor Pilaf
Appears in: ‘Dragon Ball,’ ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super,’ ‘Dragon Ball Super‘
Emperor Pilaf is the first main protagonist in the Dragon Ball series. Assisted by his subordinates, Shu and Mai, he is the only other person set on collecting the Dragon Balls early in the Dragon Ball series.
Emperor Pilaf is a joke at this point in the series. Though he was never truly strong or formidable in Dragon Ball, after he collected all the Dragon Balls, there was some room for concern and challenges for Goku and his comrades. However, he still proved to be the weakest of all the antagonists and foes.
