Some of the most common complaints that Dragon Ball gets these days are the lack of consequences and the impermanence of death in the series. The 'Deus Ex Machina' nature of the Dragon Balls and the otherworldy healing powers of some characters have made the franchise one of few lasting consequences, as the option of death makes for a much more impactful story.

However, despite death in Dragon Ball meaning very little now, the ends of characters in the past have made lasting impressions on the story and have even led to some of the most important character moments in all of anime! So, let's break down these incredible character deaths and see why they have had such a lasting impact on the series.

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Vegeta's Death on Namek

At this stage in the story, Vegeta is not the redeemed hero that fans know him as today. Instead, from the Saiyan Saga until the end of the Frieza/Namek Saga, Vegeta is a selfish and destructive villain, but despite this, his evil deeds and nature are quickly overshadowed by those of the Galactic Tyrant Frieza, who ends up killing the Saiyan Prince at his most vulnerable moment.

Why it's so Impactful

Even though Vegeta was introduced into the series as a ruthless killer, he still teamed up with Gohan and Krillin in the Namek arc, which showed the earliest instances of him wanting to change his ways. Even though he would eventually come back to life, Vegeta pleading with Goku to kill Frieza and avenge his fallen race while going on about why pride in the Saiyans is so important is a very poignant moment. This is followed by some exceptional imagery, as Goku is forced to bury the only other surviving member of his race in yet another dying world.

Krillin's Death Following the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament

Krillin is a character who is no stranger to death. In fact, Krillin dying at the slightest inconvenience has become one of the longest-standing jokes in the Dragon Ball community. However, his importance to the franchise cannot be ignored, as he has been Goku's best friend since the series started 40 years ago and has been at his side at some of the most pivotal moments in the series.

Why it's so Impactful

At the time Krillin's first death occurred in Dragon Ball, it was generally considered to be a light-hearted series for children. However, the sudden shock that viewers received when they saw Krillin dying in a relatively harmless Martial Arts Tournament shook them to their core. This was compounded by the imagery of a very young Goku holding the lifeless body of his best friend in his arms, which showed fans that death was a very real outcome in this world.

Android 16's Shocking Exit From the Cell Games

After realizing that they had a common goal of defeating Cell, the remaining Androids stopped their crusade of destruction and aligned themselves with the Z-Fighters to stop Cell's rampage. However, in an unsuccessful attempt to defeat Cell by self-destructing, Android 16 met his end, giving way to one of the most iconic moments in the franchise.

Why it's so Impactful

Despite being an android composed entirely of mechanical parts, #16 began to appreciate the beauty of nature and life, swearing himself to protect these things as best as he could. However, what truly makes this death memorable is the impact it had on Gohan, who felt pure rage at Cell's murder of someone he considered to be a friend. This was the trigger for Gohan to surpass everyone and unlock Super Saiyan 2, becoming the strongest fighter of them all.

Piccolo Making the Ultimate Sacrifice for Gohan

After Vegeta, perhaps the character that has undergone the greatest character development is Piccolo. Back in Dragon Ball, Piccolo was known as the Demon King and was a great force of evil that the world feared. However, he redeems himself and fights on the side of the Z-Fighters, eventually taking on Nappa and throwing himself in the way of his blast to protect Gohan.

Why it's so Impactful

Piccolo's death in the Saiyan Saga is one of the most important moments in the franchise, as it shows just how far he has come from the evil being that he used to be before. After taking the blast, he uses his dying words to thank Gohan for the trust and friendship he has given him, as well as explaining how much their time together meant to him. Piccolo dies as someone who protected the Earth, not as someone who wanted to destroy it.

Vegeta Atones For His Sins Against Majin Buu

Perhaps no other moment in all of Dragon Ball redeems and develops a character quite like Majin Vegeta's Final Explosion against Majin Buu. After giving himself to Babidi to be mind-controlled but later seeing the error of his ways, he knocks Goku out in an attempt to go and deal with Majin Buu on his own, however, his power proves to be futile against the monster. So, in a last-ditch effort to eradicate Buu, Vegeta releases all the power he has within himself in an explosion to wipe Buu off the face of the Earth.

Why it's so Impactful

Vegeta's sacrifice is similar to Piccolo's, in the sense that he does this to protect a planet he once hoped to destroy. This is the perfect character development for him because even though his body and mind were invaded by Babidi, he kept his pride, something which made him see where he went wrong. To atone for this, he decides that he needs to kill himself along with Buu, saying goodbye to his loved ones in doing so, including Goku.

Krillin's Death Leads to Anime's Most Iconic Transformation

After dispatching a Spirit Bomb onto Frieza, the Z-Fighters begin to celebrate their victory, only to be shocked to see the villain still alive. Frieza then gets his revenge by blowing Krillin up, killing him instantly, leading to the single most iconic moment in all of anime; Goku's transformation into the Super Saiyan.

Why it's so Impactful

The reason why this is perhaps the most important moment in the franchise is because it can be seen as the first instance that changed the entire trajectory of the series. Had it not been for Krillin dying in such a way and Goku unlocking Super Saiyan, the series may have turned out very differently. The way that the storytelling of the series exists now can be traced back to this moment, and all the power-ups and transformations that exist within Dragon Ball owe to Frieza killing Krillin.

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Dragon Ball Super

Release Date

July 5, 2015

Creator

Akira Toriyama

Studio

Toei Animation

Number of Episodes

131