Dragon Ball is a legendary series that needs no introduction. The amazing and powerful battles coupled with a litany of awe-inspiring transformations have made this show iconic in its own right. Of course, it would be impossible to talk about the many reasons why fans love Dragon Ball without mentioning its vast and diverse cast of characters, many of whom have become just as iconic as the series itself.
One such character that has recently become the butt of all jokes is Krillin, which is a shame since there was a time when he and Goku used to have an entertaining rivalry that made the original Dragon Ball anime such a fun watch. That being said, Krillin has still enjoyed his fair share of memorable moments in the anime, with the most notable instances being mentioned below.
1 Becoming A Student Of Master Roshi Along With Goku
After witnessing Master Roshi perform the Kamehameha, Goku decided to join the Turtle School and enhance his strength. However, what he didn't know is that Roshi already had another student called Krillin, who ended up forming an antagonistic relationship with Goku and declaring him to be his rival.
For what it's worth, this rivalry pushed both fighters to new heights and enabled them to grow even stronger. Krillin's rivalry with Goku slowly abated over time, leading to both characters becoming fast friends who would go on to fight through thick and thin together.
2 Dying In One Of The Most Saddening Scenes From The Original Dragon Ball Anime
The original Dragon Ball anime is a show that many fans of the series haven't seen, which is a shame since it has several iconic moments of its own. One of these instances comes when the tyrant King Piccolo sends his lackey Tambourine to kill off any strong martial artists who could stop his plans for world domination.
This led to Krillin having his neck snapped after a particularly vicious kick from Tambourine. While this death was reversed with a wish from the Dragon Balls, it was this moment that strengthened Goku's resolve to take out King Piccolo and stop this evil being from killing off anyone else.
3 Throwing The Spirit Bomb At Vegeta
The Spirit Bomb is one of the most powerful attacks that can only be used by people with a pure heart, causing a ton of damage to anyone who is evil to their very core. So, when Goku summons this powerful attack to use against Vegeta, it's a shame that his body is completely crushed when Vegeta manages to grab him in his Great Ape form.
However, Goku doesn't lose hope and entrusts this energy to Krillin, who is able to wield and throw the Spirit Bomb since he's also pure of heart. While this throw misses following Yajirobe's erroneous participation, Gohan manages to bounce this energy attack back and destroy Vegeta once and for all.
4 Dying At Frieza's Hands After Everyone Assumed That The Tyrant Had Been Vanquished
The battle against Frieza is one of the best moments in Dragon Ball Z, with Goku and his friends putting it all on the line to battle against this seemingly unstoppable foe. In his final form, Frieza is an imposing villain who makes short work of Goku as well, forcing the Saiyan to pull off his iconic Spirit Bomb attack after charging it for the longest time.
This attack hits the mark and makes everyone think that Frieza has been taken out for good, only for this villain to resurface and decide to pick off Goku's friends one by one. The first casualty is Krillin, sending Goku into a rage that finally leads to him transforming into the legendary Super Saiyan.
5 Being Fooled By Maron Into Thinking He'd Found His One True Love
Krillin has goofed up quite a bit throughout the series, becoming the butt of many jokes after essentially turning into a side character with little to no power whatsoever. One of the more memorable jokes at his expense in Dragon Ball comes directly after the Frieza arc when he supposedly falls in love with a character named Maron.
However, it becomes clear that Maron is extremely shallow and not really great for Krillin. Everyone realizes this but Krillin himself, who states that he needs to leave Maron since she's apparently too good for him. What makes this moment hilarious is that Maron wastes no time in leaving Krillin, leaving him for some shallow dude who seems rich and can take care of her.
6 Refusing To Destroy Android 18
Krillin's romantic ventures have always been a source of great interest in Dragon Ball Z for one reason or another. Perhaps the most inappropriate time when Krillin develops a crush is during the Android Saga when Krillin refuses to destroy Android 18 heartlessly and implores her to escape instead.
This moment obviously backfires, with Semi-Perfect Cell finally able to absorb Android 18 and reach his Perfect Form. While this causes no end of problems for the Z Warriors, this move does pay off for Krillin in the long run since he ends up marrying Android 18 after the time skip.
7 Taking Part In The Tournament Of Power
Apart from the one time when he plays a major role to change the events of the story during the Android Saga, Krillin accomplishes absolutely nothing later on and loses what little strength he had. However, this changes following the events of Dragon Ball Super, where Krillin decides to get back to his training and somehow manages to hold his own against Goku's Super Saiyan Blue form.
This leads to Krillin becoming a part of the legendary group of warriors who participate in the Tournament of Power, which is a pretty notable achievement in its own right. Of course, this accomplishment is somewhat dampened after he becomes the first character to be taken out during the tournament, which is a shame.