Best Team Battles In Dragon Ball

Summary

• Goku sometimes has to share the spotlight for victories with his allies in group battles.
• Various characters join forces in epic team battles to save the world in the Dragon Ball series.
• Collaborative battles showcase character development and unexpected alliances against powerful foes.

As one of the strongest characters in anime, Goku is known for swooping in and saving the day when things look bleak throughout the Dragon Ball franchise. The character has evolved in so many ways since the start of the original anime, going from a strong kid to having god-like powers, consistently saving the world time and time again. Yet, while he gets credit for a lot of the victories, the protagonist sometimes has to share the credit for saving everyone.

Throughout the many Dragon Ball series, Goku made many friends, starting with Bulma and, later on, Krillin, Yamcha and so many others. Not only that, Goku’s strength and charisma have also converted many enemies into friends, slowly making up the group known as the Dragon Team. While each of the characters has their strength, there have been some occasions where they had to join forces to save the day, giving other characters the spotlight. From tactical alliances to true friendships, there have been some incredible group fights throughout the anime franchise that stand out among the many great battles.

8

Krillin, Gohan, And Vegeta VS. Recoome

A Hopeless Battle Brings On Hopeful Alliance

• Dragon Ball Z
• Episodes: 64-66

Krillin is known for his many demises throughout the franchise, but that is mostly because Goku’s best friend has been at the forefront time and time against enemies he is not entirely fit to fight. As one of the best Krillin fights, his teaming up with Gohan and Vegeta against Recoome certainly comes with certain highlights.

While it is true the characters are mostly buying time until Goku arrives, this fight is incredibly enjoyable, showing how these three characters come together against overwhelming odds. Because Recoome is one of the many secondary villains of the arc, this fight did not stand out as much as other battles, despite being an enjoyable watch.

7

Goku and Trunks VS. Zamasu & Black Goku

An Unforgettable Yet Quick Two Vs Two Battle

• Dragon Ball Super
• Episodes: 56-57

After Goku Black defeats Vegeta, Goku takes over the fight, but it is not long until he is overwhelmed by Black and Zamasu. That’s when Trunks jumps in, joining the fight and giving fans one of the best two vs. two battles that served to really depict Zamasu and Goku Black’s strength.

While it quickly ended with Goku and Trunks barely escaping with their lives, this still felt like an unforgettable team battle, featuring two of the franchise’s best characters. As one of the few great two VS two fights of the franchise, this is definitely a highlight even if its quick nature made it feel a bit flat in comparison to longer and bigger group confrontations.

6

Krillin, Gohan, Piccolo, And Vegeta VS. Frieza

The Underdogs Unite In A Hopeless Situation

• Dragon Ball Z
• Episodes: 79-86

As one of the best villains in the franchise, Frieza puts up quite a fight, resulting in a long battle that involves a variety of team-ups. Up until Goku arrives, the Dragon Team is focused only on surviving, as winning against Frieza feels like an impossible feat, especially without the protagonist.

Despite the hopelessness of the situation, Krillin and Gohan take the lead, managing to do some minimal damage to the enemy and, more importantly, buying more time for Piccolo and Goku to arrive. While Vegeta and Piccolo also participate in the action in some moments, the underdogs Krillin and Gohan are the ones who really rise to the occasion, despite being outmatched. With thrilling moments and high stakes, this battle is filled with highs, but it feels a bit pointless as it ends with Goku having to step in and save the day once again.

5

Piccolo & Goku VS. Raditz

A Pivotal Alliance With A Shocking End

• Dragon Ball Z
• Episodes: 3-5

When Goku’s older brother, Raditz, arrives on Earth, revealing the mystery behind Goku’s origin and the danger of the Saiyan threat, the protagonist has no choice but to ask his previous enemy for an alliance. Having the two strongest characters at that point join forces allowed for a powerful team-up that featured Gohan’s immense yet unstable power.

At this point, Piccolo was still considered an enemy and this showcased his first step into becoming a Z fighter and joining Goku on his quest to save the world. With a shocking ending as Goku sacrifices himself and Piccolo kills both Saiyans, this battle also has an epic conclusion on top of some unforgettable moments, despite being a simple duo alliance.

4

Goku, Vegeta, Mr. Satan, And Good Buu VS. Kid Buu

An Unexpected Group Joins Forces To Save The World

• Dragon Ball Z
• Episodes: 281-286

Goku, Mr. Satan, Good Buu, and Vegeta might feel like a weird pairing, but they all work together to defeat Kid Buu, even if they are not all fighting at the same time. Not only offering a great combo of characters who are all different, this group battle mixes humor, emotion, and epicness, having the whole world help defeat this source of evil.

While Mr. Satan is not able to do much physical damage, his relationship with Good Buu is strengthened, and his actions are decisive, yet what really makes this a great group fight is Vegeta’s participation. Acknowledging Goku’s superiority and sacrificing himself to allow Goku time to finish his Genki Dama and succeed gives the Saiyan Prince the redemption and recognition he deserves in an unforgettable battle. However, this group fight can feel like multiple individual battles as most of the characters get their one-on-one moment with the antagonist as Goku prepares for the final attack in the background.

3

Z Warriors VS. Nappa

An Entertaining Yet Long Fight Featuring A Big Discrepancy In Power

• Dragon Ball Z
• Episodes: 24-28

In hindsight, Nappa is one of the weakest Saiyans in the franchise, yet during his first appearance he felt like an undefeatable foe. As Gohan, Piccolo, Chiaotzu and Tien join forces to defeat the brute, Nappa is easily able to dominate all of them despite their collective power.

Considering the discrepancy of power between the Z Warriors, this fight had very few dull moments with a variety of different attacks that really made it a dynamic fight, albeit a long one that ended in somewhat of a defeat.

2

Goku, Yajirobe, And Krillin VS. Great Ape Vegeta

An Unexpected Intervention That Saves The Day

• Dragon Ball Z
• Episodes: 31-34

While not common, every once in a while, the Z warriors need to intervene in a fight to help Goku against a formidable enemy. This is the case when Vegeta reveals his powerful Great Ape transformation, regaining control of the fight and overpowering Goku.

Despite being weaker than Goku, Krillin jumps in to save his best friend, making this a battle ruled by emotion rather than technique. More importantly, it ends with swift yet crucial participation from Yajirobe, who saves the day by cutting Vegeta’s tail in an unexpected turn of events. Yet, the confrontation was composed of separate individual and unexpected efforts instead of a consistent force fighting together.

1

Goku, Android 17, And Frieza VS. Jiren

An Epic And Unexpected Alliance Necessary To Finish Off A Strong Opponent

• Dragon Ball Super
• Episodes: 130-131

Jiren is probably one of the strongest opponents Goku has ever faced and, despite getting the upper hand with the Ultra Instinct transformation, the protagonist eventually needs some assistance to defeat the foe. With the entire universe’s existence on the line, Goku gets help from where he least expected.

Being for his own selfish reasons or not, Frieza joins the fight, battling Jiren alongside Goku and Android 17, another previous series antagonist. Despite being usually on opposite sides, the three of them throw coordinated attacks that make up an entertaining battle that, although short, has a thrill like no other, opening the future of Dragon Ball for more collaborative battles. Overall, this final confrontation had all the elements of a true group fight, featuring individual attacks coupled with group efforts that came together smoothly in a victory that took the strength of Goku, Frieza, and Android 17 combined.