Besides the exhilarating fights, legendary transformations, and great plot, Dragon Ball Z‘s best characters rank among the greatest in anime history. The cast is so iconic that even relatively minor characters have devoted fanbases. While some of that interest is due to how powerful Dragon Ball Z‘s characters are, a lot of appeal also lies in their development and characterization.

Though Dragon Ball Z might not have a reputation as the deepest anime, part of the draw has always been watching its characters grow over time. Far from static characters who just exist to throw a few punches or energy blasts, Dragon Ball Z‘s heroes and villains show real development over the course of the series.

Almost all of Dragon Ball Z‘s best characters rank so highly among fans because of their personal growth and interesting characterization. And this list culminates the best the series has to offer within its run.

Chiaotzu

As another character that was once an antagonist but is now a friend of the main cast, Chiaotzu was an endearing telekinetic gremlin who picked on Goku and Krillin alongside his friend and fellow disciple, Tien. As members of the Crane School, they considered the Turtle School their greatest rivals until Master Shen revealed his ugly side.

Despite clearly wielding some potent abilities both in strength and telekinesis, Chiaotzu, like most of the cast, can be childish and petty, as evidenced by his feud with Krillin. But when it comes to his friends, he’s unwilling to harm Tien and aids Goku in finding the Dragon Balls to summon Shenron after Krillin is killed by the Demon King.

Majin Buu

Majin Buu is the final villain Goku and his friends face in Dragon Ball Z, and though he isn’t as fondly remembered as Frieza or Cell, he’s still a great character in his own right. Part of what makes Buu great is how multifaceted he is. Multiple forms were an important element, but Buu took the concept to another level.

Ultimately, Evil Buu’s power is impressive, and he manages to accomplish something few other villains could when he kills most of humanity with one of Dragon Ball’s most powerful attacks. Regardless of how fans feel about him, his raw strength and interesting powerset cemented Majin Buu as an all-time great Dragon Ball character.

Mr. Satan

Given Akira Toriyama’s history with gag manga, like Dr. Slump, it’s no surprise that one of Dragon Ball‘s best characters would also be one of the most hilarious. Mr. Satan (or Hercule as he’s known in the English dub) is a total braggart who gets all the credit for stopping Cell.

Though Mr. Satan’s antics during the Cell Games arc lead to some of the funniest moments in Dragon Ball history, it is his role in the Majin Buu arc that truly made him a memorable character. Mr. Satan starts as a morally questionable person, but eventually, his friendship with Majin Buu and their dog Bee makes him a better man.

He’s funny, charismatic, and surprisingly, has a good-natured personality. At the end of the day, he’s also the perfect embodiment of what makes Dragon Ball so special, balancing equal parts goofy, light-heartedness, and the occasional maturity.

Yamcha

Though Yamcha generally doesn’t have much plot relevance in Dragon Ball Z, he is still an incredibly memorable character who often represents the very real threat posed to humans by the series’ biggest villains. Like most of the cast, Yamcha has special abilities and can fly, serving as the best symbol of a normal person among the fighters.

Unfortunately, this infamously leads to Yamcha getting severely beaten, either dying or coming very close to it at several points. At some point, it’s a gag, and other times, it’s used to underline the power level of the opposition, but when it comes to Yamcha, there are other characters to gauge that limit.

Still, despite his poor battle record and deaths, Yamcha’s outgoing personality and general affability make him an essential part of Dragon Ball Z. His popularity made him such a standout that he actually stars in Dragon Ball’s own official isekai spinoff, having debuted in 2016.

Videl

Though Videl is most famous for being Gohan’s love interest and Pan’s mother, she’s also a competent fighter in her own right. Much like many of the franchise’s women, Videl’s strong will and fierce personality make her a great match for the more calm and reserved Gohan.

One thing that sets Videl apart from many other supporting characters in Dragon Ball is that she takes a far more active role. Videl actually discovers Gohan’s secret identity as the Great Saiyaman (not that it was too difficult) and gets training from him. Videl develops incredibly fast, learning to fly with relative ease.

Though fans are quick to assume that Gohan being Pan’s father is why she is such a strong Sayian, it’s clear that Videl is no slouch either. Given all this, it’s only right that Videl earns a spot among Dragon Ball Z’s best characters.

Android 17

Android 17 is a character that continues to grow with each new installment in the Dragon Ball series, but that all culminated in his initial debut within Dragon Ball Z. Although he considered his task to eliminate Goku to be a game, this was mainly because of Dr. Gero’s commands preset within him.

But even as a machine, his morality continued to govern much of his actions, maintaining a love of nature from back when he was once human. And what was most astounding was his ability to fight back against Dr. Gero’s control to maintain his sense of self and help with Android 18’s activation of 16.

When he was saved after being absorbed by Perfect Cell, Android 17 chose a life of peace, where he ended up getting married and building a family by adopting two children. At the end of Dragon Ball Z, when Goku was struggling against his final foe, Android 17 would show up to help fuel the Spirit Bomb.

Master Roshi

Much like Yamcha before him, Roshi is another character from classic Dragon Ball who wasn’t nearly as relevant in the series’ second part as he was in the first. Still, as the mentor of Goku and Krillin, Roshi has a very relevant place in Dragon Ball Z.

Despite some of the most common recurring Roshi gags throughout Dragon Ball not aging particularly well, Roshi’s quirky personality, combined with his serious power, makes him a fan-favorite character for good reason. It could even be argued that Roshi represents Dragon Ball’s themes better than Goku, making a natural inclusion among the series’ best characters.

Android 16

Android 16 isn’t remembered so much for his potency in battle like many other characters in Dragon Ball Z, but rather for his gentle nature, both with the environment and animals, as well as with Gohan. Initially, Dr. Gero didn’t want to activate him, probably knowing about his ‘defects’ beforehand and that he would be unable to properly fight Goku.

His interactions with Gohan are quite telling as they show that he was actually quietly evaluating the young Saiyan and his potential as a valuable fighter in the upcoming battle. His supportive and kind-hearted nature would serve as inspiration after his sacrifice, fueling Gohan’s determination to unlock his true abilities.

Krillin

Krillin is possibly the most courageous character in Dragon Ball Z. He is a human and yet still accompanies the Z-Fighters on dangerous journeys to fight against powerful enemies. Krillin ranks as Dragon Ball Z’s strongest human, as he has trained alongside Goku and was even once his rival.

His character design is instantly recognizable, showcasing his personality well and to the point. Despite being one of the weaker members of the Z-Fighters at the end of the series, Krillin’s impact is monumental. Besides being a great warrior, he is also a family man, and that stuck with many fans.

Android 18

Android 18 is yet another villain turned hero. She, along with Android 17, served as the main villain in Dragon Ball Z’s much-beloved Android Saga. Created by Dr. Gero, she is powerful enough to push even battle-hardened fighters like Vegeta to their absolute limit.

Much like many other Dagon Ball Z characters, though, Android 18 is more than just her fighting capabilities. According to Future Trunks, she and Android 17 should have been evil, but that was far from the case.

After ending her days as a villain, she married Krillin and had a child with him. Although a powerful ally of the Z-Fighters, she was always willing to help whenever she was needed, and would otherwise spend most of her days at the Kame house raising her child.