Goku is the most popular character in anime history.
He’s also really, really strong, but we believe there are other figures that could beat him.
After being humiliated by Goku and completely outmatched, Nappa begged Vegeta for help.
There was no hesitation, no second thought, just a cold-blooded execution.
It was a brutal way to show Vegetas true nature early in the series.
9Future Gohan
The Catalyst For Trunks Super Saiyan Transformation
Future Gohans death was straight-up heartbreaking.
He took Trunks under his wing, training him to survive and turn into a Super Saiyan.
But when the time came,Gohan faced Androids 17 and 18 alone and was absolutely overwhelmed.
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His death wasnt tragic, but it was so humiliating, to the point of shocking fans.
The little green dude jumped on him and self-destructed, leaving Yamcha face-down in a crater.
His lifeless body, arms spread out, became the most meme-worthy death in anime history.
It wasnt the saddest, but it was definitely the most iconic in the worst way possible.
During the battle against Nappa, Chaiotzu made a desperate move.
He latched onto Nappas back and self-destructed, hoping to kamikaze him out of existence.
It was supposed to be a noble sacrifice to save his friends, except it didnt work at all.
His healing abilities gave them a fighting chance against Frieza and helped power up Vegeta through a Zenkai boost.
Thats why Frieza killed Dende in an instant, just to stop him from healing the Z fighters.
Frieza just casually lifted a finger and erased him, with no qualms over Dende being a child.
He was back and full of rage, ready to destroy Earth.
If that wasnt enough, Trunks then took down King Cold just as easily.
Yep, specifically Z, because this is the one I see the most heated debate over.
Too much good stuff thereafter, including plenty from Super.
Fortunately,Goku teleports the exploding cell away from the earth at the expense of his own life.
After Gohan pushed Cell to the edge, he decided to blow himself up and take everyone with him.
With no other option, Goku made the ultimate sacrifice.
He teleported Cell to King Kais planet, taking the full force of the explosion with him.
What madethis death hit hard was how unexpectedly calm Goku was about this death.
He smiled, reassured Gohan, and then vanished, dying once again.
Its even more shocking when you realize that the sacrifice was for nothing as Cell regenerated himself.
What made this moment so chilling was how effortless it all was.
There was no buildup, no heroic last stand.
It was one of the rare times when Dragon Ball Z truly made a villain feel unstoppable.
Rich worlds, presented beautifully.
