3 Most Frustrating Losses in Dragon Ball Z
It’s been over four decades since the world of Shonen took a major turn after the debut of Akira Toriyama’s iconic Dragon Ball manga in the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine by Shueisha. The franchise continues to influence countless series within the Shonen demographic, moulding it into what we see today. Dragon Ball has forever etched its name in history not only because of its intense battles and hype moments but also for introducing several tropes that continue to inspire countless mangakas and popular shows. Released in 1989, Dragon Ball Z is the continuation of the main story as it takes place a few years after the original anime. It centers around Goku, who is now living a peaceful life with his wife Chi-Chi and four-year-old son Gohan.
Unfortunately, trouble always seems to find him, since his peaceful days are short-lived when Saiyans, a warrior race from another planet, reveal his true origins. As the story continues, Goku and all the Z Fighters continue to combat any threat that comes their way. While iconic fights such as Goku vs. Frieza and many more took all the spotlight, DBZ featured several exciting battles that left fans frustrated when the heroes let victory slip past their fingers.
3) Gohan Toyed With Perfect Cell and Paid The Price For It
Despite being only 11 years old, Gohan was burdened with the responsibility of saving the world from the villain. Cell was so overwhelmingly powerful that even Goku admitted he couldn’t defeat the villain, but his son could. However, Cell relished in torturing Gohan emotionally by targeting his friends and brutally destroying Android 16 in front of him. That was the boy’s breaking point, which forced him to reach another level of the Super Saiyan transformation and easily overpower Cell. Fueled by rage and grief, Gohan became the first Saiyan to unlock the Super Saiyan 2 stage.
What followed was one of the most satisfying moments in the series as Cell kept getting bashed by a kid he looked down on. However, his power-up also led him to get overconfident since he didn’t finish the villain when he had the chance. In order to make Cell pay for the atrocities he committed, Gohan kept toying with him and showing him the difference in their power. This gave Cell an opening to self-destruct, and Goku had to sacrifice himself. Gohan always regretted his actions even after he saved the planet from Cell.
2) Vegeta Allowed Cell to Reach His Perfect Form
After his training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Vegeta and Future Trunks had surpassed Cell’s Imperfect Form, a form the villain gained after consuming Android 17. Vegeta had more than enough opportunities to deal with the villain and save the planet, but he prioritized testing the limit of his abilities more. At the time, Vegeta wasn’t focused on saving those around him, but rather surpassing Goku, who became a Super Saiyan before him. Saiyans always grow stronger after each battle, which means there’s basically no limit to how powerful they can become.
This is why, when granted an opportunity to fight against such a power, Vegeta was thrilled. Unfortunately, he let Cell consume Android 18 and reach his perfect form. Despite Future Trunks’ pleas, Vegeta didn’t stop and brought a major disaster on the planet. It goes without saying that he paid a hefty price for his arrogance, since the villain turned out to be several times more powerful than he had imagined.
1) Gohan Didn’t Finish Off Super Buu When He Should Have
In the Buu Saga, thanks to the help of Elder Kai, Gohan unlocked his full latent potential, surpassing even his father’s Super Saiyan 3 form. Among all the villains in the main story, Buu gave them the most trouble, especially after his evil self was separated from his body. Once again, the hopes of many rested on Gohan’s shoulders. Although he lost his touch after not training for several years, his latent potential couldn’t be diminished due to lack of training.
Not only that, his new strength didn’t require him to transform at all in order to defeat Super Buu. Although this form of Gohan is commonly known as “Mystic Gohan,” officially called “Ultimate Gohan.” Gohan could have easily defeated the villain all by himself, but his lack of experience and a moment of carelessness resulted in a frustrating defeat. The villain’s rampage became even worse after that, and Goku had to utilize the power of the entire planet to defeat him with a Spirit Bomb.
