With the recent news of Akira’s passing, I thought I’d share my favorite Dragonball moments that I often rewatch whenever I need motivation in my own life. I hope they can inspire and motivate you as well. Without further ado, here are my top 8 Dragonball scenes.
1. Piccolo Saves Gohan
The first of my top 8 Dragonball scenes happens in the Saiyan Saga. The Z fighters were getting killed off one by one, stalling for time until Goku arrived. Gohan was in a deadly situation where Nappa was about to finish him off with his Bomber DX attack. But Piccolo heroically jumps in front to shield Gohan from the blast, saving him at the cost of his life.
This scene resonates with me because it shows the importance of friendship and how one kind act could change a person for the better. Piccolo was a demon king who wanted to rule over the world, but Gohan showed him the light and helped him become a hero. Since then, Piccolo has become a crucial part of the Z Fighters. Even though he’s not as powerful as the Saiyans, he offers his battle expertise to help find ways to take down powerful enemies.
My favorite line in this scene would have to be when Piccolo tells Gohan that he’s the son he never had. It’s funny because Piccolo does become a father figure in Gohan’s life, with Goku being absent in the series several times.
Piccolo even has a great relationship with Pan, Gohan’s daughter. But he gets annoyed that her family isn’t making time for her. You can see this in a funny gag in the new chapter where Goku forgets who Pan is, infuriating Piccolo.
2. Goku spares Vegeta’s life
By the end of the Saiyan saga, Krillin is about to kill Vegeta. But Goku tells him to let Vegeta go and show him what it means to be merciful. After seeing how much Piccolo changed after sparing his life, Goku believes Vegeta deserves the same chance.
I chose this scene because it’s so underrated among fans. In this moment where Goku shows compassion to Vegeta, he unknowingly saves the Earth several times. Vegeta played a crucial role in Dragonball Z from then on. Here are some of his accomplishments (with links to watch).
Vegeta’s Accomplishments:
- Teach Goku about his heritage and the legendary Super Saiyan transformation.
- Distract Cell long enough for Gohan to overpower and kill the android.
- Sacrifice himself to save the earth from Maajin Buu.
- Create a strategy to defeat Buu by using the earth’s energy to create a massive Spirit Bomb.
These are just some of the things Vegeta has accomplished in the series. I think Goku made a wise choice by sparing his life. It paid off tremendously.
3. Goku’s 20x Kaioken
Now fast-forward to the Frieza saga. Goku is no match for the tyrant. Frieza is only using half of his strength to manhandle the Saiyan. Goku has no choice but to use his 20x Kaioken on Frieza, where he becomes powerful enough to give him a run for his money.
It was an incredible scene because, at this point, it was clear that Goku didn’t stand a chance against Frieza. He must’ve been at least 100 times stronger than him, but Goku didn’t let that discourage him. Goku knew his family and friends were counting on him. Using his loved ones as motivation, he was able to summon enough strength to defeat Frieza. A reminder to anyone: do everything possible to protect those you love.
4. Vegeta in the rain
We’re now going into the Android saga. Vegeta is brutally defeated by 18. After being embarrassed, he leaves the Z fighters to be alone. He begins to question the purpose of his hard work. But he quickly realizes that his training shouldn’t stop because he’s become a Super Saiyan. Rather than moping around, he makes a declaration that he’ll ascend.
I love this scene because it reminds me to keep grinding when chasing a dream. It doesn’t matter how many obstacles you face. You’ve got to take those obstacles head-on and keep working if you want your dreams to come true. Whether you dream of being a professional athlete or becoming a famous actor, you keep working night and day to pay the rent and make your dreams a reality.
5. Gohan transforms into a Super Saiyan 2
During the Cell games, the tyrant becomes interested in unlocking Gohan’s hidden powers. Cell tests his limits by killing Android 16, pushing the Saiyan over the edge. Gohan is tired of all the senseless killing and decides to take matters into his own hands and transform into the Super Saiyan 2 form. He becomes the first Saiyan in history to achieve this transformation.
I love this scene because it was finally Gohan’s moment to shine. We’ve seen so many characters take the spotlight up to that point: Goku, Piccolo, Trunks, and even Vegeta. But never Gohan, despite having more potential than all of the fighters mentioned. This scene is a passing of the torch moment where Goku realizes that the earth would be okay without him since Gohan is stronger.
Funny enough, Akira Toriyama did want Gohan to become the earth’s savior after the Cell Saga. But fans loved Goku so much that he had to bring him back.
6. Vegeta’s Sacrifice
Fast forward seven years to when the Z fighters face the evil monster Majin Buu. After taking out powerful fighters like Gohan and Dabura with ease, Vegeta realizes that his family and home would be in danger if this continued, so he sacrifices himself to protect his loved ones.
I love this scene because Vegeta, much like Piccolo, gets his redemption. I never would’ve thought that the ruthless Saiyan Prince Vegeta from the Saiyan arc would become a protector of the planet Earth. It just goes to show how much a family can change a man. This moment made everyone see Vegeta as an ally they’d go to war with.
7. Goku beats Buu
It’s only natural that I pick this moment at the end of the Buu saga. With Vegeta’s plan in effect, Goku lands the finishing blow to kill the monster once and for all. I love seeing everyone’s reaction to this, especially Frieza, who wasn’t surprised. Goku also requests that Buu return as a better person, which is perfect. He always tries to see the good in people.
To me, this was a perfect way to end the original story. It was great seeing everyone come together to defeat Buu and restore peace to the earth. This moment also symbolizes Goku and Vegeta becoming friends. The Saiyans give each other a thumbs up at their victory and share a laugh. I loved this because they put their differences aside and realized they were stronger fighting together.
8. Goku admits defeat to Beerus
The final moment in my top 8 Dragonball scenes happens in the movie Battle of the Gods. After receiving a new Super Saiyan God transformation, Goku dukes it out with the destroyer Beerus in an epic fight. In the end, you hear Goku admit he’s no match for Beerus. But Beerus compliments him on his strength, calling him formidable.
Funny enough, Beerus chose not to destroy the planet because he took a liking to Goku. Showing that Goku makes friends with allies and enemies alike, winning everyone over with his carefree personality and love for fighting.
To me, this was an epic scene for a couple of reasons. It’d been nearly a decade since we got any Dragonball content. So, to see a movie in a packed theater with die-hard fans back in 2014 was pretty emotional. I’ve always dreamed of watching anime in a movie theater. It’s great that the dream is possible now.
For all of us, we knew that this was big for Goku. He’s won over 90% of the fights he’s ever been in. So, for him to openly admit that there was someone stronger than him is monumental. It shows that despite having a basic formula for Dragonball Z, Goku can still adapt and change.
What were your favorite scenes?
So overall, those were my top 8 dragonball scenes. I’ve watched each of these scene’s dozens of times for motivation in my own life. I hope they give you some motivation as well. What were some of your favorite moments of Dragonball growing up? Let me know in the comments. If you liked this post, check out my Akira Toriyama tribute post. Thank you so much for reading, and as always, until next time.
