The series is filled with unforgettable personalities, whether they be villains, heroes, or inter-dimensional gods, they always bring something of value to the anime. More often than not, the characters in Dragon Ball go on a journey of discovering and drastically changing from their first appearance; while some change for the better, others change for the worst. Here are characters in the Dragon Ball anime who have changed the most.
8 Broly
Broly has been a long-standing fan favorite in the Dragon Ball universe since he first appeared in a movie of his own. He debuted as a mindless rage beast that could achieve the form of a true legendary Super Saiyan, possessing world-shattering strength and power that even the mightiest of the Z Warriors could not defeat.
While the original version of Broly appeared a number of times in movies, he was not canon inside the Dragon Ball franchise. However, he was refreshed, including receiving a new design and an updated story, and brought into Dragon Ball Super. He is set to appear in the new film, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero as a protagonist instead of his staple villain role.
7 Picollo
Picollo has gone through countless amount of changes from his first appearance in Dragon Ball. He has shifted from villain to anti-hero, mentor, and, finally, all the way to trusted Z Warrior and protector of Earth. Picollo started out as a true rival to Goku, but after a devastating fight against Raditz, he found himself in possession of Kakarot’s son with a looming threat on the horizon.
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Picollo trained Gohan and, in their time together, grew to care for the young Saiyan, which reshaped the Namekian into a much more noble warrior that would rise to fight alongside Goku on numerous occasions.
6 Yamcha
Yamcha is a veteran character in the Dragon Ball series, appearing in the original anime as a lowly bandit who joins Goku and Bulma on their journey to find the Dragon Balls. On the way, Yamcha engages in a short-lived romance with Bulma and becomes a stronger warrior, also being trained by Master Roshi and King Kai for a time.
However, in later iterations of the series, Yamcha fades to the background, somewhat giving up his training and fighting altogether, settling down into a simple life.
5 Trunks
The comparison between the first appearance of Trunks and the character he becomes in the latest installments of Dragon Ball is stark, to say the least. Trunks erupted on the scene as a Super Saiyan from the future, here to save the Z Warriors from the threat of the androids.
With a sword and trusty Capsule Corp jacket, he took the DBZ fandom by storm. The son of the prince of all Saiyans had big shoes to fill. As the series progressed and the dismal timeline of the androids was avoided, the need for Trunks to be the strongest he could be faded away, and he grew into a well-rounded young man who didn’t have the fate of the planet resting on his shoulders.
4 Krillin
Krillin is another veteran of the original Dragon Ball series who trained under King Kai and Master Roshi. Perhaps the strongest human on the planet, Krillin has always been by Goku’s side as a trusted friend and warrior.
It wasn’t until the end of the android threat that Krillin decided to put away his fighting Gi and retire from training. Krillin married Android 18, grew his hair out, had a child, and began to live his best life. But being the friend he is, when Goku asked him to participate in the Tournament of Power, he didn’t hesitate to stand by his friend.
3 Gohan
Gohan has gone through many stages in Dragon Ball. When he was introduced as a young child, he was timid and unsure of himself; however, he was gifted with an immense power that awakened when he grew angry.
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As Gohan progressed by training with Goku, Picollo, and even the Grand Kai, he somewhat became the next generation’s hope after Goku’s final battle. But with Goku’s return, Gohan resigned to being a family man, marrying Videl, and having children of his own, no longer the fighter he used to be.
2 Frieza
Frieza has perhaps undergone one of the most radical changes of all the characters in the entire series. The foe of the entire universe, Frieza has destroyed worlds, conquered galaxies, and been a long-time thorn in the side of Goku and Vegeta, the last living members of the Saiyan race that the villain wiped out.
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But as of late, with his resurrection, Frieza has assumed an odd role in the series, having fought alongside Goku and Vegeta in the Tournament of Power. Now the warlord sits as an ominous force, no longer making the extermination of earth his main agenda.
1 Vegeta
Vegeta has come a long way from being one of Frieza’s Saiyan lackeys who went from planet to planet doing the tyrant’s bidding. He has crossed the entire journey of villain and hero, settling somewhere in between before becoming a trusted protector of Earth.
Vegeta has fought alongside and against almost every character in Dragon Ball history, growing in popularity as one of the hardest-working characters in the series. Vegeta’s internal conflict between his good heart and his pride means the warrior can go from clutching his family one second to railing against them the next.
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