5 Most Incompetent Villains In Dragon Ball, Ranked

Dragon Ball is a series that needs no introduction, with the stellar work of the late great Akira Toriyama on this masterpiece enticing an entire generation of anime fans to check out more of what this medium has to offer. While the series started as an adventure manga where people sought out wish-granting Dragon Balls for heroic or selfish purposes, the focus of the series shifted to a battle-oriented approach. This turned out to be a masterstroke that elevated the series to new heights and turned it into a household name.

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There are many villains in Dragon Ball that have gone a long way in ensuring that the heroes train to enhance their powers and tackle these massive threats. The vast majority of antagonists in the series have been quite competent and gave the Z Warriors a run for their money, but there are some Dragon Ball villains that are laughably stupid and barely pose a threat, either serving as fodder for the heroes to show off their strength or being disposed of so that the true villain of the series can play a central role.

5 Babidi

Got Killed By The Minion Who Was Supposedly Under His Control

Dragon Ball Z Babidi standing in front of Dabura

Manga Debut: Chapter 446 (Bobbidi the Warlock)
Anime Debut: Episode 220 of Dragon Ball Z (The Wizard’s Curse)

After the Peaceful World saga lulled both the Z Fighters and the viewers into a false sense of security, Babidi’s minions flipped the script and introduced another world-ending threat that the heroes had to tackle by any means necessary. This evil wizard didn’t look all that intimidating, but the fact that he was able to place Vegeta under his control and gave rise to the threat of Majin Buu made him a force to be reckoned with during the first few episodes of this promising arc.

So, it was hilarious to see how Babidi assumed that someone as threatening as Buu was under his control, only to be put in his place when his minion defied his orders and turned on him. The evil wizard was done away with in no time, showing just how ineffective and incompetent he was in comparison to Buu’s supreme might.

4 Captain Ginyu

The Body-Switch Technique Didn’t Work Out In His Favor

Dragon Ball Z Screenshot Of Captain Ginyu

Manga Debut: Chapter 272 (The Ginyu Force)
Anime Debut: Episode 60 of Dragon Ball Z (Bulma’s Big Day)

From the very moment they’re introduced, it can be easy to laugh at the Ginyu Force. Their Power Rangers-esque entrance has become iconic and set them up to be goofballs, only for their power to far exceed anyone’s expectations. The trio of Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan are put in a spot of trouble time and time again by this group until Goku comes to save the day.

Even Ginyu himself is no match for the souped-up Saiyan warrior, so he decides to go down a cowardly route and use the Body Switch technique to take over the Saiyan’s body. However, he fails to realize that taking over someone’s body doesn’t allow him to channel their full power and is brutalized until he tries to switch bodies again, only for Goku to reinhabit his vessel. A frustrated Ginyu triggers this technique for the third time but fails again and cements himself as one of the most incompetent villains in Dragon Ball after being stuck in the body of a frog for good.

3 Cui

Failed To Make An Impression As An Adversary

Manga Debut: Chapter 246 (The Return of Vegeta)
Anime Debut: Episode 40 of Dragon Ball Z (Held Captive)

The members of the Frieza Force may be fodder for the protagonists, but Cui was placed in a position of importance that made it seem like he would be a force to be reckoned with. The revelation that he’s on par with Vegeta’s power when he was sent to Earth was surprising, but his confidence is shattered when Vegeta reveals that the Zenkai boost he received after being on the verge of death on the planet made him way stronger than Cui assumed.

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What follows is a one-sided beatdown that shows Vegeta’s ruthless side, making short work of Pui and obliterating him in a manner so humiliating that most people forget about this character’s existence. It takes a special level of incompetency to reach a point where viewers

2 King Cold

Died Mere Moments After Being Introduced

Manga Debut: Chapter 329 (Where is Goku?)
Anime Debut: Episode 118 of Dragon Ball Z (Frieza’s Counterattack)

The news that Frieza and King Cold were landing on Earth shortly after the Frieza Saga wrapped up struck fear in the hearts of the Z Warriors, and for good reason. The tyrant was a pain to deal with, and Goku had to unlock a brand new transformation to surpass Frieza’s strength. The idea of having to fight this villain and his father without Goku’s help was horrible news, but fate smiled on the Z Warriors when a mysterious Super Saiyan came into the picture and made short work of the cyborg.

This left King Cold, and fans wondered whether Frieza’s father could whip out a new level of power to fight Trunks on equal footing. This wasn’t the case, with his underhanded tactics being nowhere near enough to take out the Super Saiyan. Mere moments after he was introduced, King Cold bit the dust and hasn’t been seen in the series, even after his son was brought back in Dragon Ball Super.

1 Emperor Pilaf

Turned Into A Gag Character

Manga Debut: Chapter 18 (Who’s Got My Balls?!)
Anime Debut: Episode 1 of Dragon Ball (The Secret of the Dragon Balls)

As the first villain of the series, Pilaf was put in a tough spot from the get-go. There was no way this antagonist had a chance of fulfilling his wish, but the manner in which he’s humiliated by the fledgling gang of adventurers that stand in his way cements him as the most incompetent villain in Dragon Ball. He had the heroes captured and Shenron right in front of him, only for Oolong to stop him and make a lewd wish that prevented his plans of being immortal from being a reality.

Goku’s rampaging Great Ape form destroyed what little hope this villain had of enjoying a redemption arc, relegating him to a gag character by the time Dragon Ball Super came around. He’s easily the most incompetent Dragon Ball villain by a country mile.