Top 10 Most Terrifying Dragon Ball Moments
Script written by Jonathan Alexander
Top 10 Terrifying Moments in Dragon Ball
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Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at the scariest scenes from across the “Dragon Ball” series.
#10: Gohan’s Nightmare
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What’s scarier, an overbearing mother, or a power-hungry android? If you ask Gohan, the answer is when the power-hungry android kills the overbearing mother! While training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Gohan dozes off and imagines his Mom has come to drag him off to his studies again. Chi-Chi doesn’t get very far when Cell appears out of nowhere and kills her with a single strike. Then, he does the same with Piccolo, and all the while, Gohan can only watch and scream. It may be a dream, but it’s still enough to remind you just how threatening Cell really is.
#9: Saiyans From the Past
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With two bloodthirsty Saiyans en route to Earth, Chiaotzu, Krillin, Yamcha, and Tien are sent to the past for a quick mental scrimmage. In reality, they end up walking straight to their deaths. Even outnumbering the ancient Saiyans two-to-one, none of the Earthlings can even put up a fight. They fall, one by one, each death more brutal than the last. Then, once it’s over, Kami drops the bombshell that these grunts are only half as powerful as real Saiyans. That spine-tingling display of strength begs the question, if this is what JV Saiyans can do, who knows what Nappa and Vegeta are capable of?
#8: Pan vs. Her Parents
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“Dragon Ball” has its fair share of nasty villains, and a good amount of barbaric fights to go with them. But, the most haunting one of all doesn’t actually involve a bad guy. When Baby infects the minds of everyone on Earth, he forces Gohan and Videl to fight for him. And who’s their target? None other than their own daughter, Pan. Part Saiyan or not, there’s something unspeakably dark about a child having to fight her parents. Especially when she knows they aren’t right in the head. It’s so horrifying that, even though Pan lives through it, odds are she won’t be forgetting this duel any time soon.
#7: Evil Buu Appears
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Anyone who thought Majin Buu was a menace has another thing coming. Then again, this is what you get for shooting an innocent dog, even if he does belong to a villain. Buu’s fury is so intense, it manifests a whole other him, complete with gray skin and a sinister disposition. Given how much destruction the original Buu caused, seeing him multiply is practically shriek-inducing. But, that’s not even the end of it, either. After a quick spar, the dark Buu literally eats his other self, creating the all-powerful Super Buu. From playfully chaotic to pure evil, these transformations ratchet up the threat level to new, bone-chilling heights.
#6: Fake Namek
Even if you’re powering up, in space, no one can hear you scream. Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma learned that firsthand when they crash-landed on a random planet. They were immediately greeted by Namekians offering them Dragon Balls, and if that sounds too good to be true, that’s because it is. These aren’t Namekians at all, they’re slimy alien illusionists with designs straight out of a horror film. What’s more, they planned on stealing the Z-Fighters’ ship and leaving them stranded on the lifeless planet. It’s saying something about the tone of this arc when Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma couldn’t even make it to Namek without almost losing their lives.
#5: Frieza’s Third Form
Most of the time, Frieza’s menace comes from his love of all things cruel and unusual. But, his third form doesn’t just continue that trend. It looks the part, too. In fact, the transformation scene alone is hard to watch. His scales protrude, his head contorts, and there’s enough bone-breaking sound effects to leave you nauseous. Frieza’s voice deepens to match the grotesque look, too. It’s all in favor of a design so disturbing, it may as well be his final form. Oh, and don’t even get us started on how jaw-droppingly powerful it is. With this transformation, Frieza isn’t just a villain anymore. He’s a monster.
#4: Gohan’s Saiyan Reunion on Namek
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Back on Earth, Vegeta played a major hand in murdering just about everyone Gohan knows and loves. Including his father-figure, Piccolo. So, when they reunited on Namek, you could say there was some lingering trauma. To really amp up the pressure, Gohan’s also hiding the Dragon Ball he just stole from the Prince’s stash. There’s no way of knowing whether Vegeta’s going to catch the theft, simply fly off, or end Gohan right there. As a result, you can practically feel the tension behind every word and gesture. Gohan’s hit with a knee to the gut, but considering how badly this confrontation could have gone, that’s getting off easy.
#3: Goku’s Nightmare
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Man, the Son family really has a thing for bad dreams, huh? While Goku’s recovering from his heart virus, he sleeps through a scenario where Androids 17 and 18 show up looking for trouble. Gohan and Krillin try to stop them, but a quick kick later, and they’re both dead. Just like that. Chi-Chi goes next. And then Trunks. Since the Androids are in his mind, Goku is utterly powerless to stop them from killing everyone he loves. It’s all the more frightening since 17 and 18 deliver each strike with that same, nonchalant smile. When their deathblow finally wakes Goku from this hellscape, it comes as a mercy.
#2: Zamasu Becomes the World
When immortality isn’t enough to guarantee his victory, fallen kai Zamasu pulls out the ultimate trump card. He becomes the world, and that’s no hyperbole. Using his godly powers, he manipulates time and space to merge his own consciousness with that of the entire universe. The team tries blowing him to smithereens, but you can’t beat what you can’t fight. While some may call it cheating, the fact of the matter is that Zamasu won. It’s a hair-rising pill to swallow, especially since Zamasu’s face is plastered in the sky as an omnipresent reminder of our heroes’ defeat. Good thing Grand Zeno can erase timelines, right?
#1: Cell’s Entrance
As early as his very first scene, it’s clear that Cell is a villain unlike anything “Dragon Ball” has ever seen before. See, he doesn’t just kill people. He eats them. To be more specific, Cell uses his tail to drain their insides until they’re melted husks of their former selves. Yes, it’s as disgusting as it sounds. Oh, and did we mention, drinking people also makes him stronger? Cell’s bottomless hunger turns each and every fight into a white-knuckled game of cat-and-mouse; one where losing equals death. You don’t just have to take our word for it, though. The fact that Cell’s appetite scares even Piccolo should tell you everything you need to know.
What “Dragon Ball” moment leaves you up at night? Let us know in the comments below!
