Dragon Ball is a series that needs no introduction. The exploits of Goku and his friends have been well-documented for everyone to see, with everyone's favorite Saiyan playing a focal role in the series' many arcs and saving the world time and time again. A big reason for the many conflicts on Earth stemmed from the Dragon Balls, with these wish-granting orbs being used by many people for both noble and nefarious purposes.
Most people would assume that the powers of an almighty wish-granting dragon would not be used for trivial purposes... but these people are in for a surprise. After all, both Shenron and Porunga haven't really been used wisely in the series, with the following wishes being proof of just how horribly their powers have been abused across the course of the Dragon Ball series.
7 Oolong Wishing For The Softest Pair Of Panties
It's funny how the first-ever wish made with the Dragon Balls in the series was so completely ridiculous. The first arc dealt with the atrocities of King Pilaf and how he wanted to use the wish-granting balls to attain immortality.
In fact, the gang was about to fail in their goal of stopping Pilaf, since Shenron had already been summoned. This prompted Oolong to make a last-ditch effort and sprint towards the dragon, pushing Pilaf away and swiftly wishing for a pair of the softest panties ever. It was a hilarious moment, although it did lead to Goku and the gang being imprisoned the night before a full moon.
6 Krillin Using Shenron's Powers To Remove The Explosives From Both Androids
The powers of a wish-granting dragon should ideally be used to safeguard the Earth from any threats. However, it seems that love is really blind, and Krillin decided to use Shenron's powers to ensure that his infatuation, Android 18, would finally be able to live a normal life on Earth.
Given the events of Dragon Ball Z, it seems that this decision was ultimately for the best. After all, Krillin ended up marrying Android 18 and both characters have had a pretty fulfilling married life. However, at that moment, no one could've argued against the fact that the Androids were still highly-threatening individuals that could've decimated Earth if they wished for it... and that's not even taking into account the looming threat of Android 17 as well!
5 The Pilaf Gang Wishing For Their Youth Back... With Highly Effective Results
Before Beerus made his official appearance and landed on Earth, the Pilaf Gang had made a comeback once again. This time, the trio was mainly used for comedic purposes and didn't really play a major role in the story. However, they still had their moment when they managed to get the Dragon Balls to wish for their youth back.
However, they worded their wish poorly, and Shenron jumped upon this opportunity to grant their wish literally. So, in a hilarious turn of events, the Pilaf Gang were turned into a bunch of kids and have to carry out their exploits of dominating the world while appearing like mere toddlers.
4 Shu, One Of The Members Of The Pilaf Gang, Wishing For A Million Zeni
Dragon Ball Super had its fair share of filler episodes, so it's easy to see why most people might not know about the very existence of this wish itself. While this wish might be practical in its own way, it's still quite materialistic and ultimately pointless to wish for unlimited riches.
Whether Shu will put this money to good use or not is a dumb query that no one really cares about. As a result, this entire wish becomes nothing more than pointless filler that the show could've done without.
3 Mai Asking For The World's Best Ice Cream
However, regardless of how useless Shu's wish might be from a narrative standpoint, there's no denying that it would ultimately serve a purpose for the character later down the line. Meanwhile, the wish made by his compatriot, Mai, is so bone-headed that it boggles the mind as to why anyone would use the powers of a wish-granting dragon for such a useless purpose.
For some reason, Mai looks at the powerful Shenron and thinks that asking this god for the tastiest ice cream around is somehow a sound decision to make. Aside from comedic purposes, this moment is completely useless and makes the Dragon Balls a complete joke.
2 Using The Dragon Balls To Remove Riches From The Land
This is a wish that was carried out in the original Dragon Ball, and that too in one of the movies! Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies is a serviceable movie, although most fans have either never heard of this film or given it a hard pass due to how inconsequential this movie really is.
The movie centers around a conflict where untold riches have led to King Gurumes savaging his kingdom in search of these blood rubies. These gems cause no end of problems, and Shenron's wish is used to remove these cursed blood rubies for good. It doesn't make for a great conclusion and is ultimately a pretty boring watch.
1 An Accident That Turned Goku Back Into A Child
Dragon Ball GT is a series that has split fans down the middle when it comes to its quality. Some people just loved the idea of more Dragon Ball content, while others weren't happy with the shift in tone present in this series.
This can be seen from the get-go when Emperor Pilaf accidentally uses the Dark Dragon Balls in GT to turn Goku into a kid. It sets up a convoluted premise that is ultimately discarded in favor of large-scale battles.