10 Strongest Dragon Ball Super Characters as of 2026, Ranked

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With 2026 potentially bringing a return to familiar storylines, now is a great time to assess the most powerful characters in the Dragon Ball anime and manga. The recent Granolah the Survivor and Super Hero arcs have significantly shifted the power dynamics within the Dragon Ball universe, creating a very different landscape than before.

Several of the most powerful fighters in Dragon Ball Super have either died or become weaker, but others have gotten even stronger. To make things more focused, this list excludes characters like Zeno, the Grand Priest, the Angels, and the Gods of Destruction, as they’re all far more powerful than everyone else. We’re also leaving out fusions and characters who are no longer alive.

Top Was the Second-Strongest Mortal at the Beginning of the Tournament of Power

Top, the leader of the Pride Troopers, is Universe 11’s strongest and most honorable hero, and is being trained to eventually become the new God of Destruction, replacing Belmod. Even in his normal state, he’s as powerful as fighters like Hit and Kale, but when he unlocks his destructive power, he becomes a much greater threat than either of Universe 6’s strongest warriors when they aren’t fused.

Before the Tournament of Power, Top was an incredibly powerful God of Destruction, surpassing even all of Universe 7’s team. Goku was the only one who could match his base level, and Vegeta couldn’t compete until he used the Final Explosion. If Top had continued training, or if Belmod was no longer active, he could have become even more powerful than he already was.

Jiren is Stronger Than His Universe’s God of Destruction

Although Top commands the Pride Troopers, Jiren is their most powerful member. At the start of the Tournament of Power, no other mortal in the universe could even hope to compete with him – Goku, Hit, and Kale all learned that the hard way. He was even stronger than Belmod.

Even after the Tournament of Power, Jiren remained the strongest mortal being. It took the combined power of Goku in his perfected Ultra Instinct form, Vegeta with his evolved Super Saiyan Blue, Frieza, and Android 17 to finally defeat him. He might still be the most powerful mortal if he’s continued training, and could be a major force if he ever returns.

Gamma 1 Was Designed to Be as Powerful as Goku and Vegeta

Even though Gamma 1 looks a bit goofy, he’s incredibly powerful – much stronger than Androids 17 and 18, and even Agnilasa. Dr. Hedo created him to be as strong as Goku and Vegeta, and his true power is demonstrated through his brother, Gamma 2, who easily beats Piccolo – the same Piccolo who once fought Seven-Three.

Gamma 2 sadly didn’t survive the fight with Cell Max, but Gamma 1 made it through to the end of the Super Hero Saga and continues living on Earth. If another Tournament of Power ever happens, Gamma 1 would be a much better choice to join the team than any of the humans or Androids who fought alongside Universe 7 before.

Granolah Wished to Be the Strongest Warrior in Universe 7

Granolah definitely takes the prize for being the biggest shortcut-taker in Dragon Ball. He didn’t train or earn his incredible power – he simply wished for it. Originally a fairly weak fighter, Granolah used the Dragon Balls to become the strongest in Universe 7, but this came at the cost of his own life expectancy.

Throughout his storyline, Granolah powerfully defeats Goku and Vegeta, the same fighters who had recently overcome Moro. Even by the arc’s conclusion, neither Ultra Instinct Goku nor Ultra Ego Vegeta can win against him; it takes Gas and Black Frieza to finally defeat him.

Piccolo Surpassed the Gamma Androids With His ‘Orange’ Transformation

In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Piccolo made a powerful comeback after years of being less involved in major battles. He transformed into Orange Piccolo, becoming the strongest Namekian ever, and managed to defeat Gamma 2, a powerful Android who rivaled Goku and Vegeta. He even held his own against the formidable Cell Max.

Although Piccolo loses to the strongest Android, it’s not because he’s weaker than other top fighters. According to Toyotarou, Piccolo’s power level is actually comparable to Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and even Broly.

Vegeta Uses Ultra Ego to Gain More Raw Power Than Goku and Piccolo

Throughout Dragon Ball Super, Vegeta consistently pushed himself to stay just behind Goku, always striving to become stronger than him. It’s ironic, then, that even now – when Vegeta’s base power and offensive transformations are actually better – he still hasn’t managed to surpass his rival.

In the Super Hero Saga, Vegeta manages to defeat Goku in a straight-up fight while both are in their base forms. He’s also mastered Forced Spirit Fission, a valuable skill Goku hasn’t learned. Although Vegeta’s Ultra Ego form is more powerful than Goku’s Ultra Instinct, Vegeta struggles to fully control it because his personality clashes with the destructive mindset the power requires.

Broly Lives Up to His Reputation as the Legendary Super Saiyan

Broly was born with incredible potential, making him the strongest Saiyan in Universe 7. Even without transforming into a Super Saiyan in his first movie, he easily overpowered Goku, Vegeta, and Frieza. Goku and Vegeta were only able to withstand his attacks in their Super Saiyan God forms while he was still in his base form.

Man, Broly as the Legendary Super Saiyan was just unstoppable! It took everything the strongest mortal had to offer to finally bring him down. And even later, during the Super Hero Saga, everyone – Goku, Vegeta, even Goten and Trunks – still really wanted to test their skills against him! It’s awesome that he’s found a place for himself on Beerus’ planet, though. He’s just that powerful and everyone knows it!

Gohan is the Most Powerful Z-Fighter in His ‘Beast’ Form

Right now, Gohan is the strongest of all the Z-Fighters. Although the top five are fairly evenly matched, Gohan easily defeated Cell Max after Orange Piccolo couldn’t, and a practice fight with Goku showed he has a lot more power than everyone else.

Now that Gohan has transformed into the Beast, he’s overcome his biggest flaw – the tendency to lose control and become arrogant when using his incredible power. However, despite his strength, Gohan still isn’t as skilled a fighter as Goku, Vegeta, or Piccolo, and doesn’t have their wide range of techniques.

Goku’s Unrivaled Martial Arts Talents Are Perfectly Complemented by Ultra Instinct

While characters like Gohan, Broly, and Vegeta might be physically stronger than Goku, he’s still considered the most powerful Saiyan overall. The power difference between these top-tier fighters is small, but Goku’s superior fighting skills and his perfected Ultra Instinct form give him a significant edge over his rivals, making his transformation more effective than theirs.

Goku has mastered a defensive technique called Autonomous Ultra Instinct, similar to what the Angels use. This allows his body to react instantly and automatically, dodging attacks without him needing to consciously think. This makes it a more valuable ability than simply increasing size or splitting apart fused fighters, and it highlights how Gohan often relies on raw power rather than strategy in battle.

Frieza is the Strongest Mortal in the Multiverse

Although characters like Zeno and his attendants diminish Frieza’s claim to being the strongest being in the universe, his power remains undeniable. Frieza made a spectacular return to form – similar to when Future Trunks first defeated him – by unleashing his new “Black” form at the end of the Granolah the Survivor Saga. With this power, he quickly defeated both Ultra Instinct Goku and Ultra Ego Vegeta after eliminating Gas.

After a decade of intense training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Black Frieza is now far more powerful than anyone who has ever fought him. But he’s not ready to rule the entire multiverse yet. Beerus is already stronger, and even more powerful beings – the Angels – exist beyond him.

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2026-01-19 05:45