8 Best Dragon Ball Characters Akira Toriyama Didn't Create

Published Oct 3, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT

Vanessa Piña has been writing as a journalist for over two years. As a senior writer, she focuses on timely coverage of the latest anime releases and popular comic franchises.

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Akira Toriyama is the brilliant mind behind Dragon Ball, acclaimed not only for his character designs and incredible manga panels, which remain subjects of study decades later due to their dynamism and composition, but also for the vast array of iconic heroes and villains he created for the franchise. Although his characters made the leap to numerous films and animated series, the process of creating new content and designs for the Dragon Ball franchise wasn't solely Toriyama's work.

Toriyama supervised and reviewed the designs, offering suggestions and corrections for original anime characters who became fan favorites, such as Pikkon, Tapion or Cooler, with some, like Broly, even becoming part of the manga canon. However, there are also highly popular Dragon Ball characters that didn't rely on Toriyama's creative input to stand out and become some of the franchise's greatest icons.

Kale

Akira Toriyama wasn't behind the creation of every new character in Dragon Ball Super. The idea for Kale, from Universe 6, came from Toei Animation during the scriptwriting process of the Tournament of Power. Due to Broly's popularity, Kale was created with the aim of producing a similar character, though a female Super Saiyan was chosen to set her apart. Toriyama approved Kale's design and created Caulifla in response. What makes her such a great character is how the two complement each other, making Kale a shy girl who deeply admires Caulifla instead of a traditional underling.

Dragon Ball · Character Profile Which Dragon Ball Character Are You? “Power comes in response to a need, not a desire.”

👊 Goku The Fighter

👑 Vegeta The Prince

🧘 Piccolo The Mentor

POWER UP →

01

A powerful new enemy appears. What’s your first reaction?

AThis is amazing! I can’t wait to fight them and see how strong they are! BI’ll defeat them myself. No one else is worthy of the challenge. CWe need a plan. Rushing in blindly is how people get killed.

NEXT →

02

How do you train for an upcoming battle?

AFind the strongest sparring partner I can and push myself past my limits every day BTrain alone in isolation — I don’t need anyone holding me back CMeditate, study the enemy’s weaknesses, and train the younger fighters so they’re ready too

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03

Your team is losing a fight. What do you do?

AJump in front of everyone — I’ll take the hits so my friends can regroup BGet angry. I refuse to lose — my pride won’t allow it. I’ll surpass my limits right here. CFall back and coordinate — someone needs to think clearly while everyone else is panicking

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04

A rival challenges you to a one-on-one fight. How do you respond?

AAbsolutely! Let’s go right now — no holding back! BFinally, a chance to prove I am the strongest. I accept — and I will crush you. CIf it serves a purpose, fine. But pointless fighting is a waste of energy.

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05

An old enemy offers to join your side. What do you do?

AI don’t trust them — once an enemy, always an enemy. They’ll betray us. BSure! Everyone deserves a second chance. The more friends the better! CI’ll allow it, but I’m watching them closely. Trust is earned, not given.

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06

What’s your biggest weakness?

AI’m too trusting and sometimes let enemies power up just for the thrill of the fight BMy pride — I’d rather die than accept help from someone else CI keep everyone at arm’s length — caring about people is a liability I struggle with

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07

You sense a massive power level approaching Earth. What’s your move?

AFly straight toward it — I want to meet them first and see what they’re made of BPrepare myself — if this threat is real, I’ll be the one to destroy it CGather the fighters, assess the threat, and make sure the people I protect are safe first

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08

What drives you more than anything?

AProtecting those who can’t protect themselves — someone has to be the responsible one BThe thrill of getting stronger — there’s always a new level to reach, a new challenge to find CProving my worth — I am the Prince of all Saiyans, and I will surpass everyone

REVEAL MY CHARACTER →

Power Level Scanned Your Dragon Ball Identity

👊

Goku

“I am the hope of the universe. I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace.” You’re a pure-hearted warrior who lives for the thrill of the fight. Every challenge is an opportunity, every enemy a potential friend, and every defeat just fuel to come back stronger. People are drawn to your infectious optimism and unbreakable spirit, even when your naivety drives them crazy. You’d give your last Senzu Bean to a stranger and charge headfirst into a battle you can’t win — not because you’re reckless, but because you genuinely believe that pushing past your limits is the only way to grow. Like Goku, your greatest power isn’t your ki — it’s your ability to inspire everyone around you to be better.

Pure-Hearted Fearless Limitless Inspiring

👑

Vegeta

“I do not fear this new challenge. Rather like a true warrior, I will rise to meet it.” You carry yourself with the pride of royalty and the ferocity of a born warrior. Second place is not in your vocabulary, and you’d rather break your body than your spirit. People might call you arrogant, but beneath that iron exterior lies someone who has learned to fight not just for themselves, but for the people they’ve quietly grown to love. Your journey is one of evolution — from cold-blooded conqueror to Earth’s fiercest protector — and every scar you carry is proof that pride and love can coexist. Like Vegeta, you don’t just want to be the strongest — you need to earn it on your own terms.

Proud Relentless Fierce Evolving

🧘

Piccolo

“Sometimes, we have to look beyond what we want and do what’s best.” You’re the one everyone depends on when things fall apart — the calm center in the middle of chaos. While others charge in recklessly or let their ego do the talking, you see the bigger picture and make the hard calls that need making. You didn’t choose to care about people, but somewhere along the way it happened, and now you’d sacrifice everything for those you’ve taken under your wing. Stoic on the surface, deeply loyal underneath, you’re the mentor, the strategist, and the last line of defense all in one. Like Piccolo, your true strength is wisdom — and the courage to do what’s right even when no one is watching.

Wise Tactical Protective Stoic

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A surge of emotion drives Kale to go berserk, granting her incredible power. She ultimately masters her destructive Super Saiyan form, becoming one of the greatest fighters of Universe 6. Unlike Broly, who had an abusive upbringing, Kale is more of a parallel figure whose extreme emotions stem from her own insecurities. Her evolution, in which she regains control through Caulifla’s support, gives her a unique appeal centered on self-worth, making her feel like a whole distinct character rather than a fan-service homage to Broly.

Baby

Dragon Ball GT was an original anime that went beyond Akira Toriyama's material. While Toriyama contributed some character designs, villains like Baby were created entirely by Toei Animation's team. Baby was designed by Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru, and although the saga received criticism, the character is undoubtedly one of the standouts of Dragon Ball GT. As an artificial parasite whose race was wiped out by the Saiyans, Baby's quest for revenge provided a compelling backstory tied to Goku's origins, and he became a genuine threat after possessing Vegeta's body.

Baby's character confronts the atrocities committed by the Saiyans, a concept also explored with more recent manga-canon figures like Granolah. Baby achieved significant feats; he managed to brainwash Earth's population and turn the Z Fighters' loved ones against them while also forcing Goku to reach a higher level of power and achieve the Super Saiyan 4 form. Baby also followed the pattern of an antagonist with different forms, possessing all the ingredients of a good Dragon Ball villain, even if the series' execution was more of a mixed bag for fans.

Janemba

Akira Toriyama is credited with designing many characters for Dragon Ball movies, such as Bojack and Tapion. In Janemba's case, though, he was designed by Tadayoshi Yamamuro and revised by Toriyama. Janemba embodies the concept of evil, being born when the negative energy accumulated within the Soul Cleansing Machine in the Other World leaked out. Janemba's main weapon was a dimensional sword that allowed him to unleash slicing energy waves and create portals, making his attacks difficult to predict and leading to a battle of attrition against Goku, Vegeta, and Pikkon.

His immense combat power is one of the highlights of Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn, and it contrasts sharply with his vulnerability to insults, especially given that the character doesn't even speak. Even so, Janemba stands out as the strongest villain among the original Dragon Ball Z movies. Not even Goku’s strongest form at the time, Super Saiyan 3, could defeat him. He was only destroyed after Goku fused with Vegeta, which demonstrates Janemba's power. Proof of his status as a popular villain is that Janemba frequently appears among the characters fans wish to see integrated into Dragon Ball's canon.

Moro

Dragon Ball Super artist Toyotarou gained greater creative freedom during the manga's most recent arcs, conceptualizing and creating the Galactic Patrol Prisoner saga himself, under Akira Toriyama's general supervision and approval. However, even though the main villain, Moro, stems from another creator's artistic vision, he respects the essence of the franchise, presenting himself as an ancient, powerful, and utterly ruthless evil antagonist, in the vein of King Piccolo.

Known as Planet-Eater Moro, he is a goat-like wizard who was imprisoned in the Galactic Prison before finally escaping. He is an egocentric foe with the ability to forcibly drain energy from others, growing younger and stronger each time. In a way, Moro inherited traits from other franchise's villains, being ruthless like Frieza, growing stronger by absorbing others like Cell, and stealing the abilities of those he absorbs like Majin Buu. Ultimately, Moro succeeds as a menacing villain who fans cannot wait to see animated in the upcoming Dragon Ball Super anime.

Granolah

Toyotarou was also the creative force behind the Granolah the Survivor saga. This story arc introduced Granolah, a survivor from Planet Cereal who harbors resentment toward Saiyans due to the destruction of his home world. He's one of the strongest fighters in the entire Dragon Ball franchise, having used the Dragon Balls to wish for the greatest combat power in the universe, at the cost of sacrificing 150 years of his lifespan.

He surpassed Goku and Vegeta in strength, demonstrating superior abilities during their first encounter. Although he shares a history of hatred toward the Saiyans similar to that of the villain Baby, what makes Granolah interesting is that his primary motivation is survival and gaining the strength to fight, rather than being driven by blind vengeance. Despite the tragedy of facing a shortened lifespan, Granolah undergoes a fascinating character arc, shifting from opposing Goku and Vegeta to becoming an ally and sharing a relationship of mutual respect.

Gogeta

Although Akira Toriyama introduced Vegito in the Majin Buu saga, Gogeta was not created by the author. He first debuted in the movie Fusion Reborn, designed by animator Tadayoshi Yamamuro, and later appeared in Dragon Ball GT. However, it wasn't until Dragon Ball Super: Broly that Toriyama provided his own interpretation of Gogeta, effectively making the character part of the series' canon.

Gogeta has a highly appealing design that incorporates traits from both Saiyans, and for a long time, he was considered the franchise's most powerful character in his Super Saiyan 4 form. In the official canon, having achieved the Super Saiyan Blue form, Gogeta easily defeated Broly, standing as a fusion that can only grow stronger as Goku and Vegeta increase their powers, so there is still no limit to his combat potential.

Bardock

Goku and Raditz's father, Bardock, is one of the most striking characters who didn't originate from Toriyama's own pen. He was originally a concept assigned to animator Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru for the 1990 TV special Dragon Ball Z: Bardock - The Father of Goku. While Akira Toriyama reviewed the character design, Bardock remained largely unchanged, only making significant alterations to his crew members. This suggests that Toriyama really liked Bardock, as he later incorporated the character into the manga.

Akira Toriyama's version of Bardock was featured in the bonus manga Dragon Ball Minus, which was adapted into the film Dragon Ball Super: Broly. This marked a shift in Bardock's personality. He went from displaying a harsh temper and showing little affection toward his son, whom he had tasked with avenging Planet Vegeta following Frieza's betrayal, to becoming an empathetic father concerned about Goku's future. Bardock was a low-level warrior, but his backstory highlights his fierce determination to resist Frieza to the very end and the importance he placed on his comrades and his race.

Super Saiyan 4

The iconic Super Saiyan 4 form was created by Toei Animation's Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru for Dragon Ball GT, and although it looked quite different compared to Goku's other transformations, it managed to win over the fans. The Super Saiyan 4 design celebrates Goku's Saiyan traits by linking back to the Great Ape form; he regains his tail, and his body is covered in red fur.

Super Saiyan 4 is popular even among viewers who didn't like Dragon Ball GT. It breaks the visual mold of previous transformations by building upon the Saiyans' overwhelming destructive power and inherent ferocity, pushing their bodies to the absolute limit, which is why it has been compared to later forms such as Super Saiyan Blue. Although it took decades for it to be recognized within the series' canon, Toriyama made a few tweaks to Super Saiyan 4 in Dragon Ball Daima with his own version of the character.