Top 20 BRUTAL Dragon Ball Deaths
#9: King Piccolo
“Dragon Ball” (1986-89)
As one of the nastiest villains Goku has ever faced, there’s no doubt King Piccolo deserved to be knocked off his throne. We just didn’t expect it to involve Goku punching straight through him. We’re not talking about a measly fist, either. We mean Goku’s whole body blows right through King Piccolo’s midsection, leaving behind a hole big enough for even Shenron to fit through! While there’s not much in terms of blood and guts, the hollowed-out image is still more than enough to prove this wasn’t a merciful way to go. But, as we said, King Piccolo definitely had it coming.
#8: Naturon Shenron
“Dragon Ball GT” (1996-97)
In a rather poetic turn of events, Goku ensures Naturon Shenron’s last moments are spent feeling the exact same pain of his victims. But, where the Shadow Dragon absorbed innocent lives to feast upon their energy, Goku’s approach is a bit more grounded. Meaning, he punches Naturon. A lot! It’s not everyday you see Goku in such a bloodthirsty mood, and it’s almost enough to make you feel bad for the Shadow Dragon. Almost. Never one to toy with his food for long, Goku seals the deal with a mid-air Kamehameha, vaporizing the schmuck into atoms. It’s what he gets for threatening Pan.
#7: Recoome & Burter
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)
If you dare to threaten the pride of the Saiyan Prince, he won’t just beat you unconscious, he’ll beat you dead. Just look at Recoome and Burter! Goku’s the one who knocked them out, but Vegeta still takes full advantage of the situation. First, it’s a knee-drop on Burter’s windpipe, eliciting a crunch sound that would make even a Saiyan shudder. Then, before Goku can even begin to argue, Vegeta’s sent a blast in Recoome's direction, too. It’s a quick and ruthless way to dispatch two enemies. But, doing it when they’re already down for the count feels particularly heartless, even for Vegeta.
#6: The Residents of Gingertown
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)
Villains kill people. It’s the reality of a show with power levels as high as “Dragon Ball.” But, it’s one thing to blow up a town with an energy beam, or send a stray blast careening towards a distant planet. It’s another to see Cell extend his tail and quite literally drink people from the inside out. When Piccolo arrives in poor Gingertown, the only leftovers of Cell’s feast are a pile of worn clothing. The cybernetic fiend reveals himself soon after and, well, if you ever wanted to see someone practically melt onscreen, look no further. There’s no better evidence that Cell isn’t just a villain; he’s a full-on monster.
#5: Eis Shenron
“Dragon Ball GT” (1996-97)
Man, Goku really has a thing for punching through villains, huh? First it was King Piccolo, and then all the way in “GT,” his iconic Dragon Fist struck once again. This time, his five fingers curled into a blow that went clean through Eis Shenron! It’s a wicked shot, and somehow, that’s not even what puts the Shadow Dragon down for good. Once he’s helpless, Goku delivers the finisher in the form of an even cooler punch, this one spawning flames and a golden dragon, just for that added dramatic flair. After this, you can consider Eis Shenron totally melted.
#4: Guldo
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)
Another day, another member of the Ginyu Force sent to an early grave because of Vegeta. The saddest part? Guldo wasn’t even supposed to be fighting the Saiyan Prince! His bout was with Gohan and Krillin, but when the green psychic gained the upper hand, Vegeta cut in. Kind of literally. Let’s just say Guldo lost his head in rage… and in a few other ways, too. Afterwards, Vegeta doesn’t even give Guldo the satisfaction of rotting, instead opting to blow his remains to smithereens. It’s gnarly, abrupt, and all kinds of intense. But, from Vegeta, we shouldn’t even be surprised.
#3: Smitty
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)
Gross. Disturbing. Vomit-inducing. Take your pick; there’s really no other way to describe the horrifying way Super Buu wrecks Smitty. That’s right, he doesn’t kill him, he actively destroys the unlucky shmuck. It all starts with a heaping dose of Super Buu, who dives into Smitty’s mouth and makes him chug until he’s inflated like a balloon. Then, like anything else filled to the brim, the only thing left for Smitty to do is go pop. Super Buu definitely gets points for creativity. Sadly, he immediately loses them all on account of how he gives every “Z” viewer nightmares for decades.
#2: Android 16
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)
Artificial or not, losing your body in a botched self-sacrifice has gotta sting. And then there’s what Cell does next. Even though Android 16 is nothing more than a helpless head at that point, the ultimate lifeform proceeds to walk all over him, and that’s putting it nicely. Gohan’s devastated reaction is on the money. While seeing 16’s head break apart is all kinds of gruesome, it’s just as intense emotionally. He was a kind-hearted android who wanted to learn and grow. He didn’t deserve to die, especially in such a despicable fashion. If there’s any silver lining, it’s that Gohan avenged 16 with a transformation scene like no other.
#1: Mecha Frieza
“Dragon Ball Z” (1989-96)
The most twisted part of this whole exchange is that Frieza strolled up to Earth in his new body really thinking he’d get revenge on Goku. Well, not only did he fail to get back at his Saiyan nemesis, he didn’t even live past the very first obstacle! It’s all thanks to Trunks, who shows up, brushes off Frieza’s ultimate attack, and then gets to work with his sword. A few trims here and there, and voila, Frieza, the intergalactic tyrant, is nothing more than homemade finger food. Evisceration via sword is definitely up there in terms of painful ends. But, something tells us it’s Frieza’s ego that took the biggest beating here.
Which of these deaths do you think was the most brutal? Let us know in the comments below!