Anime boasts many powerful villains, and Dragon Ball is a major source of them. Characters like Frieza, Cell, Zamasu, and Moro are famous examples, but the antagonists from the very first Dragon Ball series are often forgotten, despite being incredibly strong opponents for the heroes.
As characters in Dragon Ball Z and Super become incredibly powerful, the earlier villains seem much less threatening by comparison. However, it’s still worth remembering how genuinely dangerous those first villains were when the series began.
Emperor Pilaf
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Emperor Pilaf was always more of a trickster than a powerful warrior, and he quickly became a comedic villain in the original Dragon Ball series. While he was clever enough to try and outsmart characters like Goku and Yamcha, Pilaf and his henchmen, Mai and Shu, rarely posed a real threat in a fight, especially as the series progressed. His plans rarely succeeded.
Pilaf often gets underestimated because he’s not physically strong. While he and his crew have reappeared as supporting characters in Super, it’s difficult to imagine them playing a major role now that the series includes actual gods. Nevertheless, he was a memorable villain early in the series.
Commander Red & The Red Ribbon Army
The Red Ribbon Army was a much tougher opponent for young Goku than any he’d faced before. When they appeared in the series, the battles weren’t yet the over-the-top power displays the show would become famous for. Because of this, the Army – a well-equipped military group with strong fighters and dangerous weapons – was a real threat to Goku.
Commander Red, similar to Pilaf, prefers to have others do his dirty work. However, his soldiers were far more skilled and threatening than Pilaf’s. The Red Ribbon Army, with powerful members like General Blue, General White, Colonel Silver, Ninja Murasaki, and Staff Officer Black, provided some of the first serious challenges for Goku, really pushing his abilities as a child. While Goku was still stronger, they definitely made things difficult for him at the beginning.
Mercenary Tao
Goku had never faced anyone quite like Mercenary Tao. While previous opponents like Pilaf’s Gang and the Red Ribbon Army relied on technology and numbers, Tao was a truly gifted martial artist and a dangerous assassin. As the younger brother of Master Shen, Tao foreshadowed the series’ increasing focus on intense, skill-based combat.
TopMob Quiz
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Results
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When Tao Pai Pai first appeared, he was far stronger than anyone Goku had fought before. He quickly defeated General Blue and climbed Korin Tower surprisingly easily (especially in the animated series). Tao was also much faster and more powerful than a typical human. While later opponents would prove to be much stronger, Tao was a significant challenge for Goku at the beginning of his journey.
Tien Shinhan
Tien began as a rival to Goku, even being considered his equal at one point. He initially appeared as a villain alongside his teacher, Shen, and partner, Chiaotzu, during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, but later became an ally.
Tien once admired Mercenary Tao, but he became a more powerful fighter after meeting Goku. During the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, Tien was incredibly strong, even surpassing experienced fighters like Master Roshi and Yamcha. His fight with Goku was extremely close, pushing both of them to their breaking points, and was ultimately decided by a minor detail.
King Piccolo
King Piccolo is often considered the most memorable villain from the earlier part of Dragon Ball. Before him, the series hadn’t faced a threat quite so capable of destroying the world. Along with his evil offspring, known as the Demon Clan, King Piccolo wreaked havoc on Earth. A particularly shocking moment occurred when one of his children, Tambourine, killed Krillin.
When King Piccolo first appeared, he was the most powerful warrior on Earth. While Kami believed King Piccolo (and perhaps even Mr. Popo) was the stronger part of the original Namekian, he was far stronger than Goku and Master Roshi at the beginning of his story. After regaining his youth, Piccolo became an even bigger danger to Goku, but ultimately couldn’t overcome Goku’s determination and was defeated.
Piccolo
I remember watching Piccolo and Goku’s fight at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament – it was incredible. Piccolo really pushed Goku, forcing him to fight at his absolute best. What was really surprising was how strong Piccolo had become. He was far more powerful than his father ever was, and he could actually keep up with Goku, who had been training for years and was already a very skilled fighter, despite Piccolo only having a few years of training himself.
Piccolo grew more powerful throughout the Dragon Ball series, but by the time the Saiyans appeared, other characters had surpassed him, shifting his role to more of a supporting one. Despite this, as the final villain of the original Dragon Ball story, Piccolo made a lasting impact on fans and became a key character in the ongoing series.
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2026-02-26 15:35