Dragon Ball Zintroduced the iconic rivalry betweenGokuandVegetathat many fans can’t get enough of, even if some of their battles across the franchise are lacking compared to the heights theirbest fightsreach. The two Saiyans began their relationship as brutal enemies, but they transformed into more powerful warriors, rivals, and some would even say friends throughoutDragon Ball Z,Super, andGT. Friends that often punch, kick, and shoot lasers at each other for the entertainment of fans.
The super-powered rivals have battled many times since Vegeta was introduced in the firstarcs ofDragon Ball Z.Dragon Ball Superhad the pair training among gods and sparring with each other consistently, but fivebattles between Goku and Vegeta rankedamong some of the franchise’s best fights. However, some of those fights have been caused by exterior forces manipulating Vegeta’s considerable power, and it’s been up to Goku to set things straight.
5Goku’s Deadly Duel With Duplicate Vegeta Disappointed
Battle Took Place InDragon Ball SuperEpisodes #45 - #46
Dragon Ball Super’s smaller arcs felt like filler material, with one having alien criminals accidentally unleash a parasitic jelly that steals people’s life force. It creates a duplicate that absorbs the host’s strength until they are no more. Vegeta arrives on the foreign planet to help his son Trunks but is taken by surprise by the jelly, resulting in his strength being stolen and Duplicate Vegeta being born. And only one warrior was strong enough to fight the purple copy of Vegeta. However, the battle didn’t come close to being the best clash between the Saiyan rivals.
The Duplicates create a purple copy of their victims, who gain their abilities, personalities, and eventually all of their strength, causing the original body to vanish completely. Goku was the only fighter capable of dealing with the Duplicate Vegeta, and when their battle began, it was apparent that the doppelganger was just as strong as the real Vegeta, who was not excited to see his other self fighting his longtime rival.
The English dub ofDragon Ball Super’s anime cast Brian Drummond, who voiced Vegeta in the Ocean dub, to reprise his voice for the role as Duplicate Vegeta.
Goku’s fight against Duplicate Vegeta ranks as the pair’s worst battlebecause the episode’s budget, direction, and animation did not do the confrontation justice. Fans had not yet seen how the powers of the twoSuper Saiyan Gods directly compared throughout theDragon Ball Superseries, so anticipation for the mock battle was high once the possibility presented itself. However, the fight presented no new techniques or developments for the two characters, making this particular Goku versus Vegeta bout easy to skip.
4A Body Snatcher’s Revenge Gave Fans Goku and Vegeta’s Biggest Battle Yet
The Battle Takes Place InDragon Ball GTEpisodes #33 - #39
TheDragon Ball GTanime remains one of themost controversial series in theDragon Ballfranchise, and while it has its faults, several of its arcs, characters, and transformations remain to be cherished decades after their debut. One ofDBGT’s best arcs introduced a dangerous parasitic foe named Baby who successfully took over the bodies of Earth’s residents, including Goku’s family and rival Vegeta, providing the series a chance to see the two battle again in some form, and it was a battle that required the unlocking of Super Saiyan 4 and one of the franchises most deserving beat downs.
Dragon Ball GTstarted with an accidental wish on some Dragon Balls that turned Goku’s body back into his younger self, which proved unable to access the same levels of power he once wielded. That unfortunate truth meant that Goku stood almost no chance of defeating Baby Vegeta, whom Gohan, Goten, and Trunks also assisted. However, after being saved and trained by the Kais, Goku regained his tail, which helped him unlock the iconic SS4 transformation. The primal form made short work of the powered-up Baby Vegeta, who soon grew desperate to unlock his own monstrous power boost.
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Thebattle between SS4 Goku and Golden Ape Baby Vegeta showcased planet-breaking attacksand an overwhelming confidence that allowed the once-low-class Saiyan to dominate the fight. Still, after having to tank a powerful attack from Baby that would have wiped out Earth, Goku once again needed the help of his friends and family to shut arguablyDBGT’s most interesting villain down for good. Even though the fight was entertaining, Baby’s personality completely removed Vegeta’s, which also removed some of the enjoyment of this particular Goku versus Vegeta clash.
3Back To Basics In A Base Form Battle For The Ages
The Battle Took Place in theDragon Ball Super: Super HeroMovie
Long-timefans who’ve been enjoying theDragon Ballfranchise and its layered character relationships for decades found much to enjoy in 2022’sDragon Ball Super: Super Heromovie. While it did give Piccolo and Gohan many incredible moments to shine, the film also spoiled fans with a brilliant sparring match that challenged Goku and Vegeta to face off once again, but this time without the help of any of their vast collection of transformations or special attacks like the Kamehameha Wave or the Saiyan Prince’s Final Flash.
Along with the latestDragon Ballmovie’s striking CGI animation, which was executed so well that it turned viewers resistant to the art style into fans, the choreography of the Saiyan rival’s base-form battle was able to focus on their hand-to-hand combat skills much more effectively thanks to the limitations set by their heavenly instructor, Whis. It was a fight that saw the return of several fighting techniques that hadn’t been displayed in a long time and a much more stoicVegeta finally pulling out a win over Kakarot.
2Majin Vegeta Made His Tension With Goku Everyone’s Problem
The Battle Took Place InDragon Ball ZEpisodes #230 - #233
Vegeta’s reconciliation with Earth’s Z Warriors after the events on Namek may have earned the heroes an incredibly powerful ally, but the tension growing between him and Goku did not disappear. After his initial defeat duringGoku and Vegeta’s greatest battle, the Prince of all Saiyans was forced to reconsider his worldview, which eventually led him to mature significantly as a character. But before that could happen,Goku’s ability to outshine Vegeta grew into a frustration that, thanks to the evil Wizard Babidi, finally explodedinto one of theDragon Ballfranchises and anime medium’s greatest battles.
After sensing Vegeta’s jealousy of Kakarot and struggling to adapt to his new domesticated lifestyle, Babidi took advantage of the former antagonists' desire for power. By becoming a follower of the evil Wizard, Vegeta received a power boost that saw the return of the Saiyan’s ruthless nature as well as the ending of several innocent lives at the World Martial Arts Tournament. Much to the glee of the wizard, Goku had no choice but to confront Majin Vegeta after he blew up part of the event’s populated bleachers.
The resurrection of Majin Buu required a vast amount of energy that Babidi and his followers hoped to siphon from the warriors and battles they produced on Earth. With the planet’s strongest warriors clashing in a long-desired grudge match, events couldn’t have been more perfect for the power-hungry villain and viewers anxious to see Goku and Vegeta fight again years after their fateful first meeting. Some ofDBZ’s most talented animators helped make the Super Saiyan bout a clash fans will never forget, but there is only one other battle that surpasses the one between SS2 Goku and Majin Vegeta.
1Goku and Vegeta’s Greatest Battle Is Still Their First
The Battle Took Place InDragon Ball ZEpisodes #30 - #32
One of the anime medium’s most iconic battles is undoubtedlyGoku’s first battle against Vegeta inDragon Ball Z’sSaiyan Saga. The battle’s pacing, exquisite choreography, and brilliant character writing stand the test of time and still have the power to captivate even viewers who are unfamiliar withDragon Ballstorylines. With Vegeta representing the naturally gifted and Goku the results of hard work, their first battle worked on several levels that helped propel the franchise to earth-shattering heights.
After his first death, Goku received special training in the afterlife from King Kai, one of the universe’s best teachers. With only a short time before Earth would be once again threatened by elite members of the Saiyan warrior race, the dead Saiyan worked hard to master both the Spirit Bomb and Kaio-Ken techniques before getting resurrected to help fight the invading Saiyan, Nappa, and Vegeta. While both abilities proved vital in the battles to come, the dangerous side effects they presented helped fuel arguably Goku and Vegeta’s greatest battle.
While the Prince of All Saiyan’s attitude eventually grew into one of Vegeta’s most enduring traits, Akira Toriyama introduced his character as someone who could not be more full of themselves. His formidable pride and selfish nature were a direct contrast to Goku, which alone was compelling enough to make the confrontation entertaining. Still, the risks that Goku’s Kaio-ken technique put on his body added even more layers of dramatic tension that eventually shattered the Elite Saiyan’s pride and Goku’s body with the Kaio-ken times four Kamahemeha Wave in a fightDragon Ball Zfans will never forget.
