Out of all the entries in the Dragon Ball franchise, no single series stands out quite like Dragon Ball Z. It's the sequel to the anime adaptation of the original Dragon Ball, and it took the entire franchise to new heights. No other Dragon Ball series is as appreciated as much as Dragon Ball Z, and looking back at it, it's pretty easy to see why.

Dragon Ball Z set the standard for shōnen anime. The story featured Goku and the rest of the Z Fighters in an entirely new light, showcasing everyone's favorite characters with amazing transformations, unbelievable energy attacks, and some of the most motivating moments in anime. There are a few elements within Dragon Ball Z that make it stand out more than its other iterations, and while Dragon Ball Super might be looking more exciting than ever, there's no chance it reaches the same highs as its predecessor.

10 Dragon Ball Z Set The Standard For Shōnen Anime

There Are So Many Elements That Dragon Ball Z Made Mainstays Of The Genre

There are so many elements attributed to modern-day shōnen series that many people think are synonymous with the genre, and they all started with Dragon Ball Z. No other anime laid the groundwork for modern anime quite like Dragon Ball Z, and it's clear to see within every popular anime series.

Q: Oda sensei, please explain how you feel about Toriyama sensei?

Oda: Of course, he's god! He is in an entirely different dimension. All in all, he's just too good at drawing!

the highest-selling manga of all time looks at Toriyama in an entirely different light than anyone else.

9 Goku Always Arrives Right On Time

Goku Is Great At Showing Up When He's Needed Most

Goku has almost always been Dragon Ball. As the protagonist, it's important story-wise that Goku doesn't arrive on the battlefield too early. If he does, there really isn't a struggle at all, as Goku more often than not dominates his opponents in a fight.

Dragon Ball Z was one of the first series that showed its protagonist arriving in the nick of time. Goku was always there when his friends needed them, and he was never late. One of the best examples of this came on Namek when Goku came to save his friends from the Ginyu Force when it looked like everything was lost.

8 Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks Was Hilarious

Dragon Ball Z Was Great With Humor And Action

The original Dragon Ball focused on comedy more than action, and Dragon Ball Z did the opposite. It placed battles and action sequences at the top of the priority list, and it worked well. Dragon Ball Z still had its funny moments, however, and there aren't many better examples than Super Saiyan 3 Gotenks.

Goten and Trunks were already amusing characters, but when they combined, it took their comedy to another level. Gotenks had all of Trunks' confidence and every bit of Goten's hilarious blasé attitude. They are also the youngest characters to achieve Super Saiyan 3, showing that even though the fusion is funny, Gotenks isn't someone to be taken lightly.

7 Death Only Makes Goku Stronger

Goku Was Ahead Of One Of The Biggest Tropes In Anime

Death isn't enough to truly defeat the strongest anime characters around. Characters like Anos Voldigoad from The Misfit of Demon King Academy, Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling, and even Natsuki Subaru from Re:Zero are only made stronger after they die, and it all started with Goku.

Goku has died twice in the main timeline of Dragon Ball Z (three times, counting Goku's death in Future Trunks' timeline). Each time Goku has died, he's come back immensely stronger. After his death to Cell, he trained in the Other World for seven years, unlocking the powerful Super Saiyan 3 form.

6 Piccolo Invented Aura

Piccolo Radiates Aura Like The Sun Radiates Light

Aura has become a popular meme in modern anime, and especially outside of it. Characters like Sung Jinwoo from Solo Leveling have some of the most aura in anime, but Piccolo started it all, and he never even meant to. A character with aura is a character almost accidentally showing off, displaying just how cool they are without even trying.

Piccolo has the most aura out of every character in Dragon Ball. Every time he enters a battle, he's standing on top of some tall structure, looking like he already knew what was going to happen. He also has a cool line or two ready for the villain he's facing, showing that nobody can get under the Namekian's skin.

5 Gohan Steps Up vs. Cell

Gohan's Peak Might Have Been During The Cell Saga

Gohan has always been a controversial character in Dragon Ball. He's one of the strongest fighters around, but he doesn't necessarily want to be. Instead of wanting to fight like his dad or Vegeta, Gohan would rather spend his time studying, making him a complicated character to root for.

Even though Gohan may not always want to fight, he recognizes when he's needed most. During the Cell Saga, Goku sees that out of every Z Fighter, none have Gohan's potential to become powerful. He forces his son to step up to the plate, and luckily, Gohan does. His character arc is one of the best reasons to watch Dragon Ball Z, and why the series can't ever be topped.

4 Frieza Is The Best Villain In Anime

The Evil Space Emperor Is An Evil Joy Every Time He's On-Screen

Frieza is in a league of his own. There are few characters as strong, evil, or maniacal as the space emperor. He's the best villain in all of Dragon Ball and easily the best villain in anime. Frieza still plays a major role in Dragon Ball Super, and while his inclusion certainly makes the series better, nothing will top his introduction to the franchise.

Frieza was the first villain in Dragon Ball Z to feel genuinely scary. Other villains were powerful and could push the Z Fighters to their limits, but Frieza was different. He could kill Namekians with a single breath, and with one flick of his finger, he immediately took out one of the strongest of the Z Fighters, Piccolo.

3 The Most Iconic Attack In Anime

Dragon Ball Debuted The Kamehameha: Dragon Ball Z Perfected It

The Kamehameha is the most iconic attack in anime. Out of every attack in Dragon Ball and outside of it, no attack is more recognizable than the Kamehameha. While the legendary Energy Wave attack made its debut in the original Dragon Ball, it was Dragon Ball Z that elevated it to its current status.

There are so many different Kamehamehas in Dragon Ball Z that stand out: Goku's Instantaneous Kamehameha vs. Cell, Gohan's Father-Son Kamehameha, and Goku's final Kamehameha vs. Buu are just a few.

2 Vegeta's Final Atonement

Vegeta's Sacrifice vs. Majin Buu Was The Peak Of His Character Arc

Vegeta is a staple of Dragon Ball Z. His character arc is nothing short of a monumental addition to the series, and his Final Atonement is the peak of his character arc. Vegeta started the series as a villain, turning into an anti-hero, before eventually becoming something close to a true hero.

During the Buu Saga, however, Vegeta regressed: he turned into a villain once again. After realizing what he did was wrong, Vegeta chose to sacrifice himself to atone for his poor decisions and to try and save the world. It's one of the greatest moments in Dragon Ball Z and a moment that can never be recreated.

1 Goku's First Transformation As A Super Saiyan

Nothing Tops Goku vs. Frieza On Namek

Goku's transformation into the Super Saiyan form for the very first time is the best transformation in anime history. Goku's transformation on Namek showed that to be exceptional, shōnen series needed to include transformations.

There are few other series that don't feature their main characters transforming. One Piece's Luffy has his Gears, Black Clover's Asta has his Black forms, and Naruto has his Tailed Beasts forms, to name a few. Goku's first transformation is known the world over, and even people who don't watch anime recognize spiky gold hair a mile away.