Dragon Ball is one of the most iconic television shows and continues to grow to this day. Its characters helped define an entire shōnen anime and manga era with high-stakes battles and unforgettable transformations. The franchise’s longevity is nothing short of legendary. However, time wasn’t constantly on Dragon Ball’s side, and some characters didn’t age as gracefully as the rest of the series.

As the franchise expanded over the years, some characters began to show cracks, whether through outdated writing, stereotypes, or simply fading into the background as the narrative grew. What once felt fresh and entertaining now feels forgotten or even problematic. While Dragon Ball continues to be one of the greatest anime of all time, some characters didn’t follow suit.

10 Chi-Chi

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Chi-Chi started out as a strong addition to the original series as a fierce and capable fighter in her own right. As someone unafraid to stand her ground and as the daughter of the Ox-King, she was one of the strongest female characters in Dragon Ball. However, as the series shifted to Dragon Ball Z, she became little more than a nagging wife and an overbearing mother.

Over time, Chi-Chi’s portrayal became increasingly outdated, and she faded into the background. Her obsession with Gohan’s academic future and constant disapproval of fighting played into a stale stereotype. Despite starting out strong, the show stopped giving her moments to shine and ultimately sidelined her.

9 Master Roshi

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

As the wise old martial arts master, Master Roshi is an absolute cornerstone in Dragon Ball. He trained Goku and Krillin at the beginning of their journey and helped shape them into who they are today. The Kamehameha wave, the Turtle School philosophy, and his role in the World Martial Arts Tournament cemented his place in anime history as one of the greatest mentors.

However, despite his unforgettable contributions, it came with a constant stream of pervy behavior that hasn’t aged well at all. While it was done as a gag to get some laughs, his antics feel incredibly out of step with modern-day awareness, coming off as much more cringey and uncomfortable now. Despite being one of the staples in Dragon Ball, it’s hard to overlook his behavior.

8 Chiaotzu

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Chiaotzu entered the series as a mysterious and powerful psychic who stood alongside Tien as one of the students at the Crane school. His powers include telekinesis, paralyzing techniques, and his initial personality came off as eerie, giving him a unique edge in Dragon Ball. For a brief time, he was more than just a sidekick. He had impressive techniques that made him a formidable opponent in the ring.

However, this didn’t last long, as the series transitioned to Z, and his relevance faded fast. By the time the Saiyan Saga started, Chiaotzu was already more of a tagalong than a series contender. His sacrifice in Dragon Ball Z against Nappa was his final true contribution to the series and signaled his farewell before he faded into the background. Now, he is rarely seen, developed, and essentially forgotten in all but appearance.

7 Mr. Popo

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Mr. Popo entered the series as a quiet force of strength and guidance. As the loyal attendant to Earth’s Guardian, he played an important role in training the Z-Fighters and maintaining spiritual balance on the Lookout. He possesses vast knowledge and power that surprised fans when he was introduced. However, it didn’t take long for audiences to understand the problematic nature of his visual design and portrayal.

With jet-black skin, red oversized “donut lips,” and exaggerated features, his controversial design and imagery tie into vastly outdated stereotypes that are simply no longer acceptable today. In one version of Dragon Ball Z, Mr. Popo is even turned into an eye-straining blue that was poorly edited. While the original intent may not have been malicious, the outcome remains immensely uncomfortable, especially as the series grows and reaches broader audiences.

6 Ranfan

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Ranfan made her first appearance during the World Martial Arts Tournament arc in Dragon Ball. She seemed like she would be a powerful and confident character, but as the arc progressed, it was clear she would be reduced to a gimmick. Ranfan quickly caught the audience’s attention with her flirtatious and seductive fighting style, becoming little more than an object of desire and defined by her appearance.

The absurd gimmick of her role made her memorable, but the way she’s characterized hasn’t aged well. She is supposed to be a talented fighter, worthy enough to be in the World Martial Arts Tournament, and the series instead fell back on the idea that her attractiveness would be her defining asset. Ranfan’s time in the series is out of place and out of touch.

5 Old Kai

First Appeared in Dragon Ball Z

Old Kai first appeared during the Majin Buu saga and started off with a lot of potential through his wisdom and special techniques. His eccentric personality and quirky humor were initially a nice addition to the franchise, and his role as a mentor fit perfectly into the saga. Yet, it was soon overshadowed by his inappropriate behavior, similar to Master Roshi.

Old Kai was essentially a copy-paste of the Turtle Hermit. While he provided aid to the Z-Fighters, he became a tiresome character. His behavior was as egregious as it was outdated, especially as a Kaioshin. Old Kai had potential and an abundance to offer the series, but his personality and behavior were questionable.

4 Mai

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Mai first appeared as a young woman who aided Emperor Pilaf. She was a standard sidekick who obeyed his every order and worked alongside Shu to help him gain the seven Dragon Balls. In Super, the Pilaf gang manages to wish for youth, and they become children again, where Mai catches Trunks’ attention, and the story treats their characters as love interests, despite the massive and outrageous age gap.

Super may have added to her character, especially during the Future Trunks saga, where she took on a powerful leadership role. Even so, her relationship with Trunks was jarring and inconsistent with her earlier portrayals. Due to this, her evolution felt forced, and the fact that she’s an adult woman in a child’s body is a hard fact to ignore.

3 Yamcha

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Yamcha was once a formidable fighter and an intriguing character who was able to keep up with Goku. He was his first major rival, and his character had an edge that made him stand out compared to the rest of the cast. Yet, as the series grew, as with many other characters, Yamcha was another casualty of the escalating power scaling in the series.

His fighting capabilities were left in the dust as the show introduced stronger enemies, and he never recovered from the shift, instead taking up sports as his career. Throughout a majority of Dragon Ball Z, Yamcha ended up the butt of the joke and was often quickly defeated. He may have been a central character in the original series, but he quickly declined and slowly faded into the background as he became increasingly irrelevant.

2 Launch

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Launch was an unpredictable young woman with a dual personality and was an exciting addition to the story. She had a unique quirk that caused her to switch between a sweet-natured girl and a sharp-tongued, trigger-happy fighter. The story had opportune moments for humor and unpredictability whenever Launch was around, keeping it fresh and exciting for fans at home.

However, as the series shifted to Dragon Ball Z, she became sidelined and forgotten with little explanation other than chasing Tien Shinhan. Despite her narrative potential, Launch’s absence was hardly acknowledged both in and out of the series, and she never made another noteworthy appearance. Launch was a fun character, and fans had no idea what she might or might not do in every scene she was a part of, adding to the charm of the series. As a strong female character who represented both kindness and ferocity, Dragon Ball lost out when she disappeared.

1 Officer Black

First Appeared in Dragon Ball

Officer Black is a central antagonist in the original Dragon Ball series and served directly under Commander Red of the Red Ribbon Army. After discovering Red’s true desire to be taller rather than for world domination, Officer Black usurps his position and kills him to become Commander Black. He has proven to have a tactical mind and served as a formidable enemy. Had he faced off against anyone other than Goku, it’s no clue how the battle might have ended.

However, his character is marked by outdated stereotypes that are hard to overlook. As an intelligent and powerful figure, however, it’s also a shame that he was defeated without being given the chance to be revisited. Officer Black had potential, but unfortunately, Dragon Ball pushed him aside and characterized him with the same old, tactless depictions of dark-skinned characters in anime.