The Dragon Ball series features numerous powerful characters, and many people may wonder who the true strongest is. In this article, we will introduce the strongest characters from all series including the original, anime, and movies in a ranked format. We will provide an objective evaluation based on combat power values, in-character depictions, and official settings, so please read until the end.
For detailed character information, please see 【Related Articles】: Dragon Ball Complete Guide | All About Characters, Stories, Merchandise, and Anime Information.
We will introduce the strongest characters from the entire Dragon Ball series in ranked format. We evaluate not only the combat power values but also special abilities, in-character depictions, and official settings comprehensively for ranking.
Zeno is the absolute being in the Dragon Ball series and the supreme deity who rules over all 12 universes. He possesses the ability of "eradication," transcending the concept of fighting power, capable of wiping out entire universes in an instant. In the Tournament of Power, scenes of multiple universes being erased were depicted. Both Gods of Destruction and Angels are powerless before Zeno, who is clearly positioned as the strongest in the series. Though there are few battle depictions, his absolute authority and abilities make it indisputable that he is ranked first. Zeno's existence is an important character that fundamentally changed the concept of "strength" in Dragon Ball Super.
The Grand Priest is the highest-ranking angel serving Zeno and is also the father of all the angels.
According to Whis, he is regarded as "one of the five strongest warriors in the universe," with power that far exceeds that of a God of Destruction or a regular angel. While the series does not depict many combat scenes, he displayed overwhelming strength during the Tournament of Power. He can master angel-specific abilities such as time manipulation and space control at the highest level. He is the only one aside from the Grand Zeno who can manage the order of the entire universe, ranking him in second place due to his authority and power.
Whis and Vados are angels serving the Gods of Destruction of the 7th and 6th Universes, respectively. They possess abilities that far surpass that of Beerus, the God of Destruction, using techniques that exceed divine powers such as time reversal, instant teleportation, and automatic evasion. Whis is also the mentor of Goku and Vegeta, teaching them the prototype of Ultra Instinct. Vados is Whis’s sister, and Whis himself acknowledges, "Sister is a bit stronger." Angels do not fight seriously to maintain neutrality, but their potential is immeasurable. It is believed that all twelve angels have equal power, but Whis and Vados have been designated as third place representatives.
Jiren is the strongest member of the "Pride Troopers" led by the proud warrior Toppo of the 11th Universe and stood as a formidable foe against Goku and others until the very end of the Tournament of Power. His fighting power is explicitly stated to exceed that of a God of Destruction, and he has been officially recognized to possess power beyond Beerus. He overpowered Goku in his Ultra Instinct "Sign" state and pushed Team Universe 7 to the brink with strength beyond limits. He possesses unparalleled control of his energy heightened to the extreme through meditation and overwhelming power. He is among the strongest beings that are not divine, with potential that is beyond measure.
Gohan Beast is a new ultimate form of Son Gohan that debuted in the movie "Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero." He awakened this form during his battle with Cell Max from strong emotions driven by protecting his daughter Pan. In this form, his hair transforms to a silver-white color, exhibiting power that could rival or even surpass Goku’s Ultra Instinct "Perfected." He displayed overwhelming power to the extent that Piccolo remarked, "He might have surpassed Goku and Vegeta," defeating Cell Max with a single blow. This form has fully released his latent potential, and further growth is expected in the upcoming series.
Ultra Instinct "Perfected" is a divine technique that Goku acquired during the Tournament of Power. He has further mastered the "Ultra Instinct "Sign""—which allows the body to move in the optimal way unconsciously—reaching complete state in offensive aspects. In this form, his hair and eyes shine silver, and his aura turns silver-white. He demonstrated power that overwhelmingly surpassed Jiren, but it comes with a time limit, making it difficult to maintain for long periods. Goku has acquired techniques that angels use regularly, albeit for a short duration. He possesses power that exceeds even the level of Gods of Destruction and is recognized as one of the strongest warriors in the universe.
Ultra Ego is a form perfected by Vegeta, who independently acquired the techniques of the Gods of Destruction. While Ultra Instinct specializes in "evading," Ultra Ego specializes in "destruction."
By skillfully manipulating the destruction energy learned directly from Beerus, it is possible to forcibly destroy the opponent's ki and energy. Surrounded by a deep purple aura, the eyes also change to purple. In the Granola arc, he showed a battle that was equal to or greater than Goku's Ultra Instinct. This is a new power that has reached the realm of gods while adhering to Vegeta's aggressive style.
Broly (Super) is a legendary Super Saiyan that appears in the movie "Dragon Ball Super: Broly." He is depicted as a different character from the old Broly, maximizing the potential of pure Saiyans. He rapidly powers up during battle and overwhelms both Goku and Vegeta in their Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Blue) forms at the same time. Ultimately, he was defeated by Gogeta Blue, but his potential is immeasurable. With strength that is uncontrollable, Broly has the potential to rise even further depending on his future growth.
Vegito and Gogeta are the strongest warriors born from the fusion of Goku and Vegeta. Vegito is the result of a Potara fusion, while Gogeta comes from a Fusion dance, and both are said to possess equal power in their Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Blue) forms. Vegito Blue overwhelmed Fused Zamasu, while Gogeta Blue completely suppressed Broly. The increase in combat power through fusion is considered to be exponential, showing far greater strength than individual Goku or Vegeta. Although there is a time limit, their overwhelming power is believed to be on par with that of the Destroyers.
Destroyer God Beerus is the deity responsible for destruction in Universe 7, and is an important character first introduced in Dragon Ball Super. He fought on equal footing or better against Super Saiyan God Goku, and has since remained a goal for Goku and others. He wields destruction energy capable of annihilating planets in an instant and possesses the strength to compete with other Destroyer Gods. In official settings, it is said that he "hasn't yet gotten serious," and his true power remains unknown. While he may not match up to Angels, he boasts top-class strength among living beings and is the starting point for the inflation of strength in Dragon Ball Super.
If you are also curious about the popularity of the characters, please check 【Related Article】: Dragon Ball Character Popularity Ranking | Official Vote 2025.
The Dragon Ball series has seen the strongest characters change over its long history for each work. Here, we will look back at the strongest characters in each series' era and explain the history of strength inflation.
In the Dragon Ball original series, King Piccolo appeared as the strongest enemy. He was a being who was once one with God and a fearsome demon king plotting world domination. Although the concept of battle power had not yet been introduced in that era, it is estimated to be around 260. Considering that Master Roshi, Goku's teacher, had a battle power of 139 at full strength (Kamehameha), King Piccolo's strength was overwhelming for that time. After defeating King Piccolo, God became the strongest being on Earth. The strength from this era seems cute compared to current inflation, but it was an important period that laid the foundation for the story.
The Dragon Ball Z era introduced the three major bosses: Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. Frieza's final form was officially set at a battle power of 120 million, an unprecedented strength at the time. The subsequent Cell in his perfect form surpassed 5 billion, and Majin Buu demonstrated even greater strength in his pure state. Without a doubt, the strongest of the Z era is Pure Buu. Depicted as the most dangerous entity that moves solely on destructive impulse without a good heart, he was finally defeated through the fusion of Goku and Vegeta into Vegito and the Spirit Bomb. This era established the concept of Super Saiyans, and the inflation of strength entered full swing.
In Dragon Ball GT, a new transformation form called Super Saiyan 4 was introduced. The strongest character of the GT era is the One-Star Dragon, the most powerful among the evil dragons. He possessed strength that could only be matched by Gogeta 4, a fusion of Super Saiyan 4 Goku and Vegeta. The One-Star Dragon is a being crystallized from the negative energy of the seven Dragon Balls and has the power to destroy planets. GT is not considered part of the official canon at this time due to it being an anime-original work, but the design and concept of Super Saiyan 4 are still beloved by many fans.
In the Dragon Ball Super era, the concept of strength fundamentally changed. Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan (Blue), both representing godly realms, were introduced, and the hierarchy of gods such as Gods of Destruction, Angels, and Zeno became apparent. The strongest in the Super era is Zeno, who was ranked first as mentioned earlier. He possesses the ability to erase universes, and neither Gods of Destruction nor Angels can oppose him. He is depicted as an existence with absolute power that cannot be measured by numerical combat power. Furthermore, the pursuit of strength in technical aspects such as Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego began, creating a complex system of strength that cannot be explained by simple power comparisons.
For those who want to know more about the passage of time in each series, please refer to 【Related Articles】: Complete Explanation of the Dragon Ball Timeline | Summary of the Story Flow and Chronology.
In the Dragon Ball series, combat power was quantified using scouters up until the Frieza Saga. Here, we will explain the officially announced combat power data and later estimates.
The official combat powers of major characters up to the Frieza Saga are as follows: Master Roshi (normal state) is 139, King Piccolo is 260, and Raditz is 1,500. In the Saiyan Saga, Nappa is 4,000, Vegeta is 18,000 (before transformation), and Goku rose from 8,000 to temporarily 32,000 with Kaio-ken. In the Frieza Saga, Frieza's first form is officially listed as 530,000, and his final form as 12,000,000, which are astonishing figures. Goku, who awakened to Super Saiyan, is estimated to be 150,000,000, finally surpassing Frieza. These numbers are clearly detailed in official materials such as encyclopedias, making them reliable data. It can be seen that the inflation of combat power progressed at a scale of hundreds to thousands of times within just a few years of the story.
Since the Cell Saga, scouters have no longer appeared, thus no official numerical values for combat power have been announced. However, various estimates are circulating among fans. Perfect Cell is considered to be around 5 billion, and Majin Buu over 10 billion. As we entered the era of Dragon Ball Super, expressing power through numbers became difficult. Super Saiyan God possesses godly ki, rendering it unmeasurable by conventional methods. Beerus is officially stated to be "several times" stronger than Goku, but no specific numbers are available.
The Ultra Instinct and Jiren levels have reached a domain that can no longer be measured by the concept of combat power. The estimates are merely fan interpretations and are not official settings, but they serve as a reference for understanding the evolution of strength. In the current Dragon Ball series, qualitative strength such as techniques and divine abilities are prioritized over numerical values.
If you want to know more about the various transformation forms in Dragon Ball Super, please see Types of Super Saiyans in Dragon Ball | A Complete Explanation of Transformation Forms.
This section explains the criteria used to evaluate strength in creating this ranking. To maintain objectivity, a comprehensive judgment was made from multiple perspectives.
The most important evaluation criteria are the actual combat scenes. I analyzed who defeated whom, what techniques were effective, and how much advantage was held during battles in detail. For example, from the depiction of Goku in Ultra Instinct "Sign" overwhelming Jiren, it can be concluded that Goku reached a destruction god level. Moreover, the battle where Gogeta Blue unilaterally subdued Broly demonstrated the overwhelming strength of the fused warriors. Comparing characters who have not fought directly is challenging, but by comparing results against a common enemy, a certain hierarchy emerges. Combat depictions are the most persuasive evidence and serve as the foundation of the ranking.
Comments from the original creator Akira Toriyama, as well as information from official guidebooks and interviews, are also crucial judgment materials. For example, the official statement "Beerus is still not serious" and the setting that "Whis is stronger than Beerus" directly affect the rankings. The information that the Grand Priest is among the "five strongest in the universe" is also reliable as official settings. Additionally, the setting materials announced on official movie or anime websites are referred to as well. However, since there may be contradictions between official settings and in-story depictions, both are evaluated comprehensively. By respecting the author's intent while aligning it with actual depictions, I aimed for a more persuasive ranking.
For more detailed special moves and combat styles, please refer to List of Special Moves in Dragon Ball | Popular Techniques Ranking and Users.
The strongest character in the Dragon Ball series, without a doubt, is Zeno. He possesses absolute power capable of erasing the universe itself, depicted as a being of a dimension that no other character can reach. He can be considered the conceptual strongest, not measurable by conventional metrics of fighting power.
On the other hand, in terms of actual combat portrayals, candidates for the strongest include Goku with his Ultra Instinct "Sign", Gohan Beast, and Jiren. These characters possess power that exceeds that of the God of Destruction level, and further growth is expected in future series.
The Dragon Ball series has evolved its power levels from hundreds to infinity over its nearly 40-year history. In the future, new formidable foes and transformation forms will appear, and this ranking will continue to be updated. The definition of the strongest changes with the times, but that is one of the attractions of Dragon Ball. Each fan has their own ranking of the strongest, and debating it can also be considered a way to enjoy this work.
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