Dragon Balls: Z Fighter Death Count

The Dragon Ball series is notorious for killing off its major characters (the Z fighters/Dragon Team) and bringing them back with the Dragon Balls. The show is often criticized for this because it lowers the risk factor. Deaths won’t have that big of an impact if characters are just regularly brought back to life.

And while I do agree, at the same time, it provides a unique plot dynamic wherein we can get awesome, world-shattering fight scenes without having to worry about the consequences (as long as the Dragon Balls remain intact that is). Not many shows have the luxury of having grand battles without having to make irrevocable changes, good or bad.

But just exactly how many times have Earth’s protectors bitten the dust? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out.

First things first though, who exactly classifies as a Z fighter? Well, there isn’t really a definitive answer. Some people might say Videl counts as one since she technically knows Ki control and can fight (though just not anywhere near the level of the others), and some might even consider Frieza as a member since he helped fight in the Tournament of power.

So, to remain objective, I’ll only be including the characters that the Dragon Ball Fandom/Wiki classifies as a Z fighter. Though I will make some exceptions and remove Pan and Uub from the list since Dragon Ball GT is no longer canon, so their official Z fighter lives haven’t started yet (I will only be including deaths within the canon manga and anime, not the movies or games). You can check out the Wiki page I based the Z fighter list on here.

Also, I won’t be including the deaths of an alternate version of the character. For example, the Goku from Future Trunks’ timeline dying from heart disease will not be counted.

The List From Most Deaths To Least show

Chiaotzu – 3 Deaths (Arguably 4)

Occurring in the original Dragon Ball anime, back when the Demon King Piccolo was trying to conquer Earth, one of the casualties that fell to his reign of terror was Chiaotzu who was killed by his ki blast.
Chiaotzu blew himself up trying to take down the Saiyan Nappa.
Chiaotzu was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Whether or not this death counts, however, is debatable. It was reversed with Whis’ Temporal Do-Over Technique which is different from regular time travel as it does not create branching timelines. So it’s as if it never happened. It depends on how you’re gonna count the deaths personally.

Krillin – 3 Deaths

Another death from the first series, Krillin is killed by Tambourine whose kick snaps his neck. Hope you weren’t eating just now.
An enraged Frieza blows Krillin on Namek.
Krillin is among those who got turned to chocolate by Super Buu after he left the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

Getting turned into food and eaten is different from getting absorbed by Buu’s pink goo. The former kills the person eaten while the latter keeps them alive and grants Buu their strength and power. The only exception to this rule is Good Buu who survived even though he got turned into chocolate and eaten. The reasons for this are vague.

Piccolo – 3 Deaths

Piccolo sacrifices himself for Gohan by taking a hit from Nappa’s fatal attack.
Piccolo was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.
Piccolo sacrifices himself for Gohan *shocked Pikachu meme*, by taking a hit from Frieza’s Death Beam.

Android 17 – 2 Deaths (Arguably 3)

Semi-Perfect Cell self-destructs with Android 17 still in him OR if you believe Android 17 survives that, he is killed along with Super Perfect Cell by Gohan.
Android 17 was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Son Goku – 2 Deaths (Arguably 3)

Goku sacrifices himself by holding Raditz in place so that Piccolo can charge up the Special Beam Cannon which kills them both.
Goku uses Instant Transmission to bring a suicidal Cell to King Kai’s planet. Cell blows up, taking everyone there with him.
(Arguable) Hit is contracted to assassinate Goku and is successful.

Whether or not Goku actually “died” is debatable, he is soon revived by a ki blast he himself fired into the air in anticipation of him “dying”. Whether you consider temporary clinical death due to cardiac arrest as actual death is up to you.

Vegeta – 2 Deaths (Arguably 3)

Frieza fires a Death Beam that kills Vegeta on Namek.
Majin Vegeta sacrificed himself by blowing himself up in the hopes of killing Majin Buu.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Yamcha – 2 Deaths (Arguably 3)

The all-powerful Yamcha is killed by a self-destructing Saibaman. It was a fluke I assure you.
Yamcha is among those who got turned to chocolate by Super Buu after he left the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. He was probably just tired after mastering Ultra Instinct and got caught off guard.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment. As we all know though, Yamcha’s ki is so huge that it generates its own gravitational field and atmosphere so he probably survived.

Master Roshi – 2 Deaths

Roshi dies when a failed Evil Containment Wave attempt on King Piccolo drains his life force.
Master Roshi is among those who got turned to chocolate by Super Buu after he left the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.

Tien Shinhan – 2 Deaths

Tien drains his life force while trying to take down the Saiyan Nappa with a Tri-beam.
Tien was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.

Android 18 – 1 Death (Arguably 2)

Android 18 is among those who got turned to chocolate by Super Buu after he left the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Goten – 1 Death (Arguably 2)

Goten was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Trunks – 1 Death (Arguably 2)

Trunks was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Yajirobe – 1 Death (Arguably 2)

Yajirobe was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.
(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Gohan – 1 Death

Gohan was one of the casualties when Kid Buu destroyed Earth.

Future Trunks – 1 Death

Super Perfect Cell immediately kills Future Trunks with a Full Power Death Beam after he returns to Earth.

Good Buu – 0 Deaths (Arguably 1)

(Arguable) Upon realizing that he couldn’t beat Vegeta, Frieza destroyed the Earth and potentially kills everyone who wasn’t near Whis at the moment.

Good Buu is the most likely to survive among the Z Fighters who were caught in this blast because not only can he regenerate, he can survive in the vacuum of space. Though it isn’t confirmed, Buu probably didn’t die here.

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