The series' most skilled martial artists, explained

Key insights

  • Master Roshi is an exceptional martial artist and a legendary trainer who developed iconic techniques such as the Kamehameha.
  • Although Krillin is not the strongest, he is a skilled tactician with powerful techniques such as the Destructo Disk.
  • Tien Shinhan is a hard-working human fighter with powerful techniques that close the gap on stronger opponents.



The Dragon Ball The franchise isn't exactly known for its groundbreaking storytelling, but rather focuses on the incredible action and fight sequences that have helped the series cement itself as a staple in the anime industry. Of course, because of this, an incredible amount of attention was paid to the action, as the series introduced many characters with many different abilities and fighting styles.

However, much to the complaint of many fans, especially in Dragon Ball SuperThe fighting style of most characters in the franchise doesn't allow for much in the way of skillful fighting and has more to do with everyone fighting the same way. However, aside from their Ki skills, some characters are exceptional martial artists, often due to the amazing mentorship they have received over the years and their knowledge of martial arts.


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Master Roshi has centuries of experience

A fighter who is around 300 years old

First appearance

Dragon BallEpisode 3, “The Nimbus Cloud of Roshi”

Debut date

March 12, 1986

Story arc

Emperor Pilaf Saga

Starting with one of Goku's original mentors in the series, Master Roshi is an extremely skilled martial artist who has been an active fighter for centuries and is highly respected throughout the world for his skills. Despite being one of the weaker Z-Fighters, he is still one of the strongest characters in all of Universe 7, as shown by his inclusion in his universe's team at the Tournament of Power.


Additionally, Roshi developed many remarkable martial arts techniques that have stood the test of time and remain among the most commonly used to this day, most notably the iconic Kamehameha. Roshi is such an incredible and legendary fighter that he is also the trainer of some of the most powerful and important characters in history, such as Goku and Krillin.

Always remember these words: Work hard, study well, and eat and sleep plenty! This is the turtle hermit species!

Notable Techniques of Roshi:

  • Kamehameha
  • Afterimage technology
  • Wave of Evil Containment
  • Max Power form

Krillin is incredibly skilled

Even though Krillin doesn't fight much, he is still very strong


First appearance

Dragon BallEpisode 14, “Goku’s Rival”

Debut date

May 28, 1986

Story arc

Tournament saga

One of the greatest supporting characters in all of anime, Krillin has been an integral part of the series since its inception and is associated with some of the most important moments in the entire story. Despite being Goku's best and closest friend since childhood, Krillin remains a very skilled fighter, often putting up a good fight against enemies who had a huge power gap between them.

Although he has never been the strongest character, Krillin's performances against Nappa, Piccolo, and even Goku have shown how brilliant he is as a tactician in battle and how skillful his counterattacks are, especially since his opponents often tend to underestimate him. Krillin's opponents, aside from Goku, usually find that they can only overwhelm him through sheer offensive prowess rather than surpassing him in skill, which really shows how impressive a martial artist he really is.


Didn't you know that everyone who is serious about martial arts shaves their head?!

Notable Krillin Techniques:

  • Destructo Disc
  • Kamehameha
  • Solar flare
  • Scattered ball

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Tien is one of the strongest people

Perhaps the most underrated fighter in Dragon Ball

First appearance

Dragon BallEpisode 82, “The Rampage of InoShikaCho”

Debut date

October 7, 1987

Story arc

Fortune teller Baba Saga


In the entire Z-Fighters cast, there are very few characters whose power-up fans want more than Tien Shinhan, a human who has been a recurring member of the cast ever since Dragon Ball. Tien started out as a villain but eventually ended up on the side of the heroes, proving his strength and pure skill as a martial artist against enemies far stronger than him.

Tien is incredibly hardworking and a very tough opponent for anyone who stands in his way, as shown in his fights against Goku, Vegeta, and even Cell. Just like Master Roshi, Tien has an incredible amount of knowledge about his powers, which has allowed him to develop many exceptionally powerful techniques, powerful enough to bridge the gap between himself and fighters much stronger than him.

There's a certain amount of luck involved in combat. But I can't rely on that. I have to train more.


Notable Techniques of Tien:

  • Three-jet
  • Dodon Ray
  • Four hex technique
  • Multiform

Goku is a martial arts prodigy

Goku's most skilled and talented fighter

First appearance

Dragon BallEpisode 1, “The Secret of the Dragon Balls”

Debut date

February 26, 1986

Story arc

Emperor Pilaf Saga

The main character of the Dragon Ball Franchise is also the greatest martial artist in the entire environment. From the very beginning, Goku has shown himself to be someone who is not only eager to learn as much as he can about combat, but also someone who is simply naturally talented at it and always uses it as a means to himself to improve as much as possible. Over the course of the series, Goku has proven how capable he is as a martial artist in his many battles against incredibly tough villains, receiving training from various martial arts masters from across the universe.


Since Dragon Ball Z Initially, Goku has shown that he can grasp and execute incredibly complex techniques very easily, such as how he learned Instant Transmission from the Yardrats or how he unlocked Ultra Instinct very quickly; a divine technique that even gods of destruction cannot master. Although Vegeta is currently as strong as Goku, he is a much more brash fighter, primarily focused on overpowering his opponents, while Goku seeks to refine his techniques and use his skills to outmaneuver his opponents with finesse and skill.

Power arises in response to a need, not a desire. You have to create this need.

Notable Techniques of Goku:

  • Kamehameha
  • Instant transfer
  • Ghost Bomb
  • Ultra Instinct

Dragon Ball can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

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Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball

Goku, a young, strong boy with a tail, spends his days hunting and living in the countryside. His life changes when he meets Bulma, a teenage genius who wants to collect seven magical Dragon Balls that will summon a dragon that can grant any wish. Together they embark on an adventure filled with powerful martial arts, fearsome enemies and unlikely alliances.

Release date
February 26, 1986

Creator
Akira Toriyama

Number of episodes
153

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