Dragon Ballis an anime about fighting. It stands to reason that it’d have its share of brutal moments. Even by those standards, though, some moments still manage to shock the most jaded of fans.
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TheDragon Ballseries sometimes surpasses even itself when it comes to gruesome imagery. They showcase techniques or injuries sure to send chills down spines. Unsurprisingly, these usually end with death. Those who grew up with the show probably had nightmares following these sequences. At least they left an impression, though — something that’s hard say for many series shown to kids. A little animated trauma is good for them.
8Tambourine Kills Krillin — Dragon Ball
The originalDragon Ballseries had dealt with death before, but never with a main character. It was even more of a shock given that this scene comes right after a wholesome gathering of friends. While eating a hard-earned, post-tournament meal, Goku senses something wrong. He soon findshis best friend, Krillin, lying dead on the floor. He’s the latest victim of the villainous Tambourine, minion of Demon King Piccolo.
The act itself is plenty disturbing, but the visual is what sells the sadness. When mostDragon Ballcharacters die, they get blasted into oblivion. Krillin just lies there with a bit of blood and a blank expression on his face. From that perspective, it’s like looking at a real corpse. This is exactly the slap in the face needed to jumpstart the Piccolo saga.
7Nappa Disarms Tien — Dragon Ball Z
As members of a warrior race, Saiyans usually like to draw out a battle. They slowly break down their opponents until they keel over. However, few Saiyans crave carnage like Nappa inDragon Ball Z. This muscle-head pounds Earth’s defenders to a pulp. It’s all painful to watch, but no blow hurts like the one he gives Tien.
Nappa rushes the hero at full speed. Tien blocks the strike, but his hand flies off from the sheer force. He predictablyscreams his head off(not literally). To add insult to injury, he can’t grow his limbs back like Piccolo, so that bloody stump sticks around for the remainder of the fight. It’s hard not to see it as a losing battle, though, as he desperately flails at his enemy. This grisly image cements the battle as one of the series' most brutal.
6Frieza Impales Krillin — Dragon Ball Z
This cueball can’t catch a break. As the malevolent Frieza assumes his super-sized second form, one of his first acts is to charge Krillin like a missile. Those horns aren’t just for show, as the villain swiftly impales the little guy. The hero sports the same blank disbelief as his earlier death, achieving the same eerie effect. That’s not the end, though.
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Frieza then shakes his head, causing his victim to flop like a ragdoll. The morbidity merely amuses him anddrives home his tyrannical nature. It creeps out even fans who might have become jaded from all the martial arts violence.
5Androids Kill The Z-Fighters — Dragon Ball Z
This is unsettling for what it implies, more than what it shows. Upon arriving in a time machine, Trunks reveals thata pair of evil androids will emerge and ravage the Earth in the future. The Z-fighters try to resist, but ultimately perish in the process. Viewers see flashbacks of this throughout the series.
Not much is shown, but the smallest glimpses are haunting. Each of the heroes meets an unpleasant end at the androids' hands. TheHistory of Trunksmovie expands this tale with an adult version of Gohan. Acting as Trunks’s mentor, the Saiyan loses his arm and his life in sadistic fashion. This is essentiallyDragon Ball’s spin on theTerminatorpremise. It’s only natural to play on the same feelings of tragedy and hopelessness.
4Android 20 Ambushes Yamcha — Dragon Ball Z
These first two androids may look silly, but they make a terrifying first impression. As the Z-fighters frantically search the city for the prophesied antagonists, Yamcha draws the short straw. Android 20 grabs him and starts sapping his energy. Just when the former desert bandit starts to black out, the mechanized menace impales him with his bare hand.
The gruesome nature of this scene speaks of itself. The method is such a stark contrast from otherDragon Ballvillains, who like to tear the heroes down physically and psychologically. The impersonal efficiency here is bound to leave fans dumbstruck. Android 20’s stoicism and the fiery destruction in the background do wonders for the hellish atmosphere, once again callingTerminatorto mind. On the outset, the evil robots seem to live up to Trunks’s twisted timeline.
3Cell Sucks Up Ginger Town — Dragon Ball Z
When Piccolo investigates a disturbance in Ginger Town, fans' first guess as to the culprit would be the androids. However, it quickly becomes clear that this is something worse. The town is empty except for discarded clothes, laid out as if the people vanished right out of them. The uncanny sights and silence build suspense, but more frightening is when Piccolo finally finds the perpetrator.
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It’s an insectoid creature named Cell,who immediately demonstrates his absorption technique on the town’s last resident. He jabs the man with his tail and slowly sucks him up. The sequence is different from the usual gore. His skin droops and folds in on itself, as if his body’s internal contents are literally draining. It’s a disgusting bit of body horror which creepily illustrates Cell’s parasitic penchant.
2Hunter’s Shoot Buu’s Dog — Dragon Ball Z
Oftentimes, Man is the most monstrous menace of all. As Majin Buu frolics with his newfound puppy, a pair of hunters come to kill the pink blob for a pretty penny. The more aggressive one shoots the dog. The animal goes limp and lies motionless, and Buu freezes in shock, doubtless contemplating his innerJohn Wick.
It’s a cheap move, but an effective one. Animal cruelty is always hard to witness, and that remains the case here. Once again, the image forgoes flashiness and comes out painfully authentic. Seeing the puppy’s body recalls the grim images sometimes seen in real life (such as those in animal adoption ads). Suffice it to say, it’s immensely satisfying whenMr. Satan beats the hunters into submission.
1Baby Infects The Saiyans — Dragon Ball GT
Of allDragon Ball GT’s lackluster baddies, Baby is the most inspired. He’s a member of the Tuffles: an alien race eradicated by the Saiyans years before. Considering most of the main characters have Saiyan blood, Baby comes to Earth to wage war on them and their loved ones. He doesn’t kill them, though. Rather, he invades their bodies and makes them thralls in his army. The vengeful Tuffle hunts them one by one, bringing a sense of foreboding by the time he finally gets to Vegeta. Of course, this leads to several scary scenarios, including Baby’s visage speaking through Vegeta’s face.
The more elemental scenes, though, are the more affecting. A great example is when Gohan and Videl attack their daughter, Pan.Dragon Ball’s circle of friends and family has expanded vastly by this point, but Baby’s invasion takes a hatchet to that. For the first time in years, Goku and the remaining heroes feel truly alone. It’s a powerful eye-opener which makes this one of the bleakest arcs. Baby couldn’t have concocted a better revenge.
