The BEST episodes of Dragon Ball Z

Every episode of Dragon Ball Z ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Dragon Ball Z!

Many years have passed since Goku first searched for the Dragon Balls. He is a grown man, with a wife and son. He and his friends have settled into their own lives and, for the most part, things are rather peaceful. Then one day, Goku learns he is really a Saiyan and comes from another planet. Now begins new adventures for Goku and his friends as they defend their home against new, more powerful threats.

Last Updated: 1/13/2024Network: Fuji TVStatus: Ended
Share:
The End of Vegeta
star
9.76
278 votes

#1 - The End of Vegeta

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 4/17/1991

Goku has entered the battlefield stronger than ever and prepares to fight Frieza alone. It seems that Goku might become a Super Saiyan, as he easily deflects Frieza's energy attacks. As Vegeta taunts Frieza, the tyrant easily finishes him off with a cruel bout of laughter. With his last breath, Vegeta tells Goku of what Frieza has done to him and his people. Can Goku be able to defeat Frieza, the one person no one else has beaten?

Watch Now:Amazon
Namek's Explosion...Goku's End?
star
9.73
276 votes

#2 - Namek's Explosion...Goku's End?

Season 3 - Episode 32 - Aired 9/4/1991

With Frieza gone, Goku flies to Frieza's spaceship to escape from Namek, but it looks like the ship doesn't work. Even though it looks like Goku is gone, Bulma and the others have an idea that could work; using the Namekian Dragon Balls, once restored, to bring everyone else back.

Watch Now:Amazon
Mystery Revealed
star
9.68
195 votes

#3 - Mystery Revealed

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/15/1992

Goku finally arrives to Earth, but wonders who this mysterious man is. The young swordsman asks Goku to speak to him privately. Once he and Goku are out of nearly everyone's earshot, his identity is finally revealed, and he is from the future. But why is he here, and what news does he bring?

Watch Now:Amazon
Transformed At Last
star
9.54
304 votes

#4 - Transformed At Last

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 6/19/1991

It looks like the battle is over, as Frieza seems to be defeated and the Ginyu Force has fallen down to Hell. As everyone celebrates, Frieza reappears and spares no time knocking Piccolo out and killing Krillin. Fueled by rage, Goku's power increases exponentially. Has Goku finally fulfilled the Super Saiyan legend?

Watch Now:Amazon
Goku vs. Cell
star
9.52
303 votes

#5 - Goku vs. Cell

Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/10/1993

The main event begins! Now free of distraction, Goku steps into the ring to face Cell. The earth shakes and the heavens tremble as these two mighty super-powers collide! And that's just the warm up!

Watch Now:Amazon
Mighty Blast Of Rage
star
9.48
298 votes

#6 - Mighty Blast Of Rage

Season 3 - Episode 31 - Aired 8/28/1991

As Guru enjoys seeing his people alive on Earth, the time has come for him to go, but gave his powers to Moori, as the next Eldest Namek. Back on Namek, Frieza has been cut in half by his own energy disk from behind, but Goku, being the kind person he is, gives Frieza some of his power to escape. However, Frieza will not accept defeat, as he uses the given power to finish Goku off, but Goku finishes off Freiza with a mighty attack.

Watch Now:Amazon
Free the Future
star
9.39
327 votes

#7 - Free the Future

Season 6 - Episode 29 - Aired 7/21/1993

Even though peace and order have been re-established on Earth in the present, Trunks' future world is still a place of darkness and despair! Androids 17 and 18 are on a rampage, wreaking havoc on the defenseless citizens. But when Trunks arrives, the future is forever changed!

Watch Now:Amazon
Frieza Defeated!
star
9.35
248 votes

#8 - Frieza Defeated!

Season 3 - Episode 30 - Aired 8/21/1991

Frieza fires two copies of Krillin's Destructo Disk that will follow Goku until it hits him or anything else. Even so, Goku has the situation under control as the battle draws to a close and the mighty villain is going to lose.

Watch Now:Amazon
Cell's Bag of Tricks
star
9.31
328 votes

#9 - Cell's Bag of Tricks

Season 6 - Episode 13 - Aired 3/17/1993

Cell attacks Goku with a dazzling array of moves: the Destructo Disk, the Special Beam Cannon, even the Kamehameha Wave! So far, Goku has been able to match Cell blow for blow, but how will the Super Saiyan fare against such a lethal arsenal?

Watch Now:Amazon
The Fight is Over
star
9.31
354 votes

#10 - The Fight is Over

Season 6 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/7/1993

Victory! Goku blasts Cell with a Kamehameha Wave that reduces the android to a pile of cinders. But Goku's triumph is short-lived. Cell proves his resiliency by fully regenerating himself! The fight continues!?or does it?

Watch Now:Amazon
Pathos Of Frieza
star
9.30
165 votes

#11 - Pathos Of Frieza

Season 3 - Episode 29 - Aired 8/14/1991

As Namek gets closer to explosion it looks like Goku can beat Frieza with ease as his power keeps increasing. Finally, Goku decides to leave, knowing that he's more than a match for Frieza, but the tyrant won't give up that easily.

Watch Now:Amazon
Déjà vu
star
9.29
220 votes

#12 - Déjà vu

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/13/1991

Piccolo arrives to the battlefield preparing to fight Frieza alone. Everyone thinks he's making his death wish, but Piccolo seems to hold his own and anticipates Frieza's moves, thanks to his fusion with Nail. But will it be enough?

Watch Now:Amazon
Vegeta's Pride
star
9.25
356 votes

#13 - Vegeta's Pride

Season 8 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/15/1994

The possessed Vegeta gives Goku an ultimatum: fight with him, or watch him annihilate more innocent lives! Goku vows to settle the score between them once and for all, but the Supreme Kai steps between the Saiyans with a bold declaration. To fight Vegeta, Goku will have to destroy the Supreme Kai first!

Watch Now:Amazon
Explosion Of Anger
star
9.25
245 votes

#14 - Explosion Of Anger

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 6/26/1991

Goku's hair has turned blonde and his eyes blue, as he is surrounded by a gold aura; the fuel of this power being his anger towards Frieza. As Gohan takes Piccolo to Goku's ship, our hero starts to pound on Frieza as the tyrant fires back, but none of his attacks are working against Goku now that he is a Super Saiyan. It looks like Frieza will finally be defeated.

Watch Now:Amazon
Save the World
star
9.23
356 votes

#15 - Save the World

Season 6 - Episode 26 - Aired 6/30/1993

The final showdown begins! Cell has returned more powerful than ever, and it's all up to Gohan to put him down! While Goku coaches him telepathically from the Other World, the Z Fighters jump in for a five-sided attack! Gohan may have the potential inside him, but can Goku show him how to bring it out?

Watch Now:Amazon
No More Rules
star
9.22
353 votes

#16 - No More Rules

Season 6 - Episode 14 - Aired 3/31/1993

As the battle intensifies, Cell quickly becomes tired of the rules he has imposed on the tournament. With a flick of his finger, he destroys the fighting ring. Now there's only one way to win the Cell Games...it's a fight to the finish!

Watch Now:Amazon
A Hero's Farewell!
star
9.17
329 votes

#17 - A Hero's Farewell!

Season 6 - Episode 23 - Aired 6/2/1993

Clearly outmatched by the powered-up Gohan, Cell initiates his last line of defense: a self-destruct program that will blow up the entire planet! With only seconds to act, Goku uses his Instant Transmission technique to transport Cell away from the Earth. The planet is saved, but at what cost?

Watch Now:Amazon
Z Warriors Prepare
star
9.16
247 votes

#18 - Z Warriors Prepare

Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/29/1992

As Goku and Piccolo train with Gohan, Vegeta trains under very high gravity levels in an effort to become a Super Saiyan, but can he survive it?

Watch Now:Amazon
Super Saiyan 3?!
star
9.15
409 votes

#19 - Super Saiyan 3?!

Season 8 - Episode 26 - Aired 11/9/1994

Trunks searches frantically for the lost Dragon Radar, as Goku powers-up to an unimaginable level...Super Saiyan 3! But will this newfound strength be enough to stop Majin Buu from destroying West City?

Watch Now:Amazon
Final Atonement
star
9.14
409 votes

#20 - Final Atonement

Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 8/24/1994

Trunks and Goten save Vegeta from a savage beating, but the headstrong Super Saiyan is determined to destroy Majin Buu by himself. Vegeta is prepared to risk everything to defeat this foe, but is he really ready to give up his own life?

Watch Now:Amazon
Vegeta's Respect
star
9.13
380 votes

#21 - Vegeta's Respect

Season 9 - Episode 27 - Aired 10/18/1995

Goku and Buu continue to fight, each taking powerful blows from each other. Buu tries his ball trick again, and hits Goku hard. Goku puts all of his energy into a massive Kamehameha, but Buu just reforms afterward. Goku powers down to his normal state and collapses. Vegeta steps in, but he is no match for Buu. Buu cleans his clock, and just as he's about to give Vegeta his finishing blow, Goku pushes him out of the way. He then powers back up to Super Saiyan 3 and continues their furious fight. Vegeta reminisces about all of the fights he and Goku were in. He finally admits that Goku is better.

Watch Now:Amazon
Cell Juniors Attack!
star
9.13
327 votes

#22 - Cell Juniors Attack!

Season 6 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/5/1993

Gohan simmers with rage as the impish Cell Juniors wreak havoc on the other Z Fighters. Still, the young Super Saiyan refuses to bend to Cell's will and fight. Be careful Cell, Gohan is a powder-keg waiting to explode, and Android 16 just may have the spark that lights the fuse!

Watch Now:Amazon
Bold And Fearless
star
9.11
218 votes

#23 - Bold And Fearless

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 5/15/1991

To ensure Goku is defeated, Frieza powers up to 50% of his maximum and it seems that not even Goku can handle it. Captain Ginyu finds the other heroes in Bulma's body and prepares to have his revenge. Can the others see through Ginyu's trickery?

Watch Now:Amazon
Piccolo the Super-Namek
star
9.11
245 votes

#24 - Piccolo the Super-Namek

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 3/6/1991

Krillin is healed, thanks to Dende's special powers, and then he distracts Frieza long enough for little Namekian to heal Gohan as Vegeta just stands there in awe. The three warriors fire at Frieza with everything they got, but it seems that they can't win, but an old friend is just moments away.

Watch Now:Amazon
Lesson Number One
star
9.10
246 votes

#25 - Lesson Number One

Season 1 - Episode 29 - Aired 12/6/1989

Locked in the final battle with Earth's Saiyan attackers, Goku begins to demonstrate the skills and training he received from King Kai beginning with a devastating attack on Nappa. But when Nappa concedes defeat under the command of Vegeta, he turns on Gohan and Krillin only to be stopped by Goku's Kaio-Ken attack. Broken and defeated, Nappa is finally vanquished by Vegeta leaving Goku to face him alone.

Watch Now:Amazon