This list contains the weakest villains in Dragon Ball.

Dragon Ball has spent decades pushing its power levels into increasingly ridiculous territory. Frieza is able to destroy planets long before the characters are pitted against the gods, after which their enemies become powerful enough to threaten the entire universe. Contrary to this kind of rivalry, some of the earliest villains in the franchise not only seem harmless, but that doesn't mean they're always safe.

Many of these enemies were legitimate threats when they first appeared, especially against the younger Goku. Others relied more on supernatural abilities, armies or manipulation than actual combat power. The big difference between the earlier Dragon Ball and all that followed is that naturally, the bottom half of the villain ranking was dominated by characters from Goku's childhood.

Babidi's magic is more dangerous than her body.

Bubdi proves that being weak and not dangerous are two completely different things. Physically, the evil wizard is almost nothing to him. He's a small and fragile warrior who can totally outdo any of his competitors in Majin Buu Saga.

In one of the most important battles in Dragon Ball Z, Vegeta finally allows Bábadi's magic to work on her.

Although he is unable to engage in a duel with Goku, getting close to him does not automatically guarantee victory; but removing his magic leaves very little.

Toei Animation's visuals add to the diversity. The future Babidi was shown with a frightening smile in Dragon Ball Super.

Mercenary Tao was frightening until Dragon Ball's energy levels exploded.

There was a time when Mercenary Tao seemed invincible. The Red Ribbon Army hired him precisely because their own soldiers couldn't handle Goku.

Goku survives only because the four-star Dragon Ball can absorb enough of his attacks to prevent him from being killed. Tao's conventional abilities show that he is no higher than ordinary humans.

Tao later returns as a cyborg with enhanced abilities, and finds that the attackers around him have improved even more. The decline becomes even more dramatic when Dragon Ball Z begins: Saiyans, Namekians, Androids, and supernatural demons act on a scale beyond Tao's reach. An image from Toei Animation depicts Mercenary Tao in an obscene manner in Dragon Ball, reminding of a time when it seemed like an impossible solution for Goku.

General Blue's mental strength masked the great power disparity.

Blue can stroke an enemy by simply focusing on them. He uses the technique to compete with Goku, and then retains their Dragon Balls before escaping. A Toei animated image shows General Blue drawing power for his psychic eye technology.

This is a legitimately risky capability, but JUST also hides the limitations of Blue.

After his commander Red instructs an officer to prove the murder, Mercenary Tao kills Blue without any effort. Although Blue is relatively dangerous compared to most of the Red Ribbon soldiers and can threaten early Goku through psychic control, he's nowhere near even the best fighters during the original Dragon Ball era.

Monster Carrot has an incredible ability, and the rest is almost nothing.

Monster Carrot possesses one of the most bizarre technologies in the entire game. Anyone who touches him can turn into a carrot, and on paper this ability seems ridiculously powerful, so to have a villain that completely transcends endurance should be frightening.

Once Goku realizes that touching him is dangerous, the rabbit pack leader has little choice. After losing this advantage, he quickly defeats it. There is no energy transmission or transformation.

Monster Carrot has a devastating gimmick that primarily involves an unremarkable combatant. It is enough to encounter someone carelessly in order to shake hands, which can not be achieved when compared with the high speed, distance and extremely powerful weapons that later define Dragon Ball. Toei Animation's animated version also features monster carrot and its mobile carrot.

Commander Red needed the entire army to be dangerous.

Commander Red was in charge of one of the largest military organizations on Earth, and it would be interesting if he didn't have to do anything himself.

Red sits at the top of everything, but his own combat skills are almost irrelevant. He uses the Red Ribbon Army Saga by sending people after Goku. The funniest part is that he isn't even motivated by Red's quest to take over the world.

When Commander Black discovers that he has wasted a lot of life and resources because of this, their argument ends with the shooting of Black Rod. He can command people who are significantly stronger than him; without them, he is an entire threat. The image by Toei Animation shows Commander Red on his table with a cigarette case, pointing out that much of its danger comes from the organization behind it, not himself.

Emperor Pilaf is the least threatening winner of Dragon Ball.

Emperor Pilaf is historically significant as he was able to collect all seven Black Star Dragon Balls in Dragon Ball GT and successfully retrieve Shenron. He also nearly succeeded.

Oolong is the first to shout out his own stupid wish, and his dreams are shattered. This plot essentially summarizes Pilaf's entire career: he builds traps and obtains machines, but real combat is another matter; even in an early part of Dragon Ball, Pilaf needs technology and detailed planning to threaten Goku.

After Goku transforms into a giant ape, Pilaf's palace is destroyed and he himself can do nothing. He becomes overly ambitious to resurrect the creatures that are capable of taking over Earth.

What does this mean for the history of Dragon Ball's villains?

The enduring value of these early villains is not that they can compete with later attackers. They show how Dragon Ball's threats have changed as the series has expanded. Some rely on magic, mind control, shapeshifting, armies or dragon balls; others are primarily dangerous due to their younger surroundings.

The realistic assumption for readers is that the bottom of Dragon Ball's villain ranking isn't just a list of useless characters, but also documents the early scale of the franchise: Younger Goku, with simpler adventures and enemies more dangerous depending on the world in which they appeared. That world has been replaced by planetary destruction and battles that threaten the universe, leaving behind these many figures whose qualities once made them fearsome.

Cited by Cast

The Dragon Ball cast includes Masako Nozawa as the voice of Son Goku, and Mayumi Tanaka as Krillin.