Being a series about fighting at its core, Dragon Ball understandably has its times where characters absolutely humiliate their opponents. While the series’ core protagonists are usually the ones doing the humiliating, this isn’t always the case.
Whether the humiliation is a fight ending instantly or being purposely drawn out, Dragon Ball has examples of both and everything in between. Surprisingly, considering Dragon Ball’s target demographic, there are plenty of examples of combat sadism throughout the series.
These ten Dragon Ball characters absolutely embarrass their opponents
1) Vegeta vs. Android 19
One of the most disrespectful moments in all of Dragon Ball Z, Vegeta makes a fool of Android 19 during the Android saga. After debuting his Super Saiyan form here, Vegeta is grabbed by Android 19 who is sucking Vegeta’s energy away.
Vegeta tells the Android to hold on tight before pushing back on the Android’s face. Moments later, 19’s hands are ripped off and the Android begins running around in complete and utter fear. It doesn’t get much more humiliating than quite literally teaching your enemy the meaning of fear.
2) Goku vs. Golden Frieza
Until being sneak attacked by Sorbet, Goku is totally and utterly in control in his fight against Golden Frieza. In both the movie and Dragon Ball Super anime versions, Goku is shown to be toying with Golden Frieza and just having fun. Even by the end of the fight, Goku merely has some scuffs on him while Frieza is bleeding and seemingly seriously hurt.
3) Android 18 vs. Vegeta
When Vegeta first meets Android 18 in Dragon Ball Z, the cocky Prince of Saiyans talks a big game to her. He even goes as far as to say he can beat 18 in one-on-one combat. Unfortunately, Vegeta speaks too soon and is dominated by 18 shortly thereafter. The battle even ends with Vegeta being given a broken arm and flying off in a mix of shame, anger, and hopelessness.
4) Vegeta vs. Frost
On a much happier note for the Prince of Saiyans, Vegeta is typically the one doing the humiliating in Dragon Ball Super. This especially rings true during the Frost fight, where Vegeta finds himself incredibly angry at Frost’s cheating.
In their subsequent matchup, Vegeta spends roughly a minute and a half dodging every one of Frost’s attacks. Finally, Vegeta turns base Super Saiyan and eliminates Frost with one punch, totally embarrassing the Universe 6 combatant.
5) Vegeta vs. Golden Frieza
Speaking of Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta is also given the opportunity for some revenge on Frieza for the humiliation Vegeta suffered on Namek. Becoming deadly serious upon entering combat with the newly revived Frieza, Vegeta takes control of the fight instantly and doesn’t let up. Frieza even resorts to his old tactics to defeat Vegeta and destroys the Earth, killing everyone present but Goku, Whis, and Beerus.
6) Teen Gohan vs. Perfect Cell
After finally awakening his hidden power, Gohan becomes the first Super Saiyan 2 in Dragon Ball Z’s Cell Games saga. Incredibly angry at Cell for toying with his friends, Gohan begins to dominate Cell yet never finishing the job, wanting to torture him.
Despite multiple warnings by Goku and everyone else, Gohan continues to humiliate Cell in every way, shape, and form. While Gohan’s cockiness eventually has a price, he nevertheless humiliates Cell up to that point.
7) Broly vs. Golden Frieza
Although short, this fight from the Dragon Ball Super: Broly movie is incredibly one-sided on Broly’s part. After becoming Golden Frieza, he gets about ten seconds of offense before Broly completely takes over. By the fight’s end, Frieza finds himself lodged in a cliff-face staring at a recently arrived Gogeta who likely saved Frieza’s life with his arrival.
8) Future Trunks vs. Semi-Perfect Cell
After exiting the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Vegeta and Trunks go to confront Cell, where the former initially dominates a Semi-Perfect Cell. However, thanks to Cell stroking Vegeta’s ego and battlelust, Vegeta allows Cell to achieve his Perfect form.
Trunks thankfully intervenes, sending Vegeta flying with a Ki blast before absolutely dominating the Semi-Perfect Cell. While Vegeta eventually arrives and fights against Trunks due to wanting to fight Perfect Cell, Trunks absolutely humiliates Cell up to this point. Throughout the entire fight, all Cell can do is fly away and search for Android 18 while a Super Saiyan Trunks is in close pursuit.
9) Perfect Cell vs. Vegeta
When Cell finally does get the opportunity to absorb Android 18 and achieve perfection, his first opponent is Vegeta who previously dominated him. Unfortunately for Vegeta, Cell’s promise of Perfection equating to domination was not empty words. Cell proceeds to toy with Vegeta for a few minutes, culminating in Vegeta’s Final Flash actually wounding Perfect Cell.
However, Cell reveals he was only kidding before using Piccolo’s Namekian genes to regrow the right part of his torso and his right arm. Vegeta’s spirit breaks at this point, prompting Cell to close the gap between the two and break Vegeta’s body as well.
10) Jiren vs. Hit
One of the less memorable fights from Dragon Ball Super’s Tournament of Power, Jiren makes it clear from the start that Hit has no chance. From the start, Hit uses the Time-Skip to fight Jiren (it is his most powerful technique).
However, an unaffected Jiren is able to predict where Hit will appear and is staring right at Hit every time the Assassin tries to make a move. Eventually, Hit just backs off of Jiren after realizing Jiren is too much of a challenge for him, even more humiliating than being defeated in battle.