I love Dragon Ball. It's easily one of the best shōnen series of all time and ranks high among the best anime series to ever air. There are a ton of reasons why I, and loads of other people around the world, hold the Dragon Ball Franchise so near to our hearts. The series has jaw-dropping fights, astounding transformations, and some of the best villains in any series. Each antagonist brings something different to the ongoing narrative. All characters in the franchise are defined by their attacks, adding an even deeper layer to uncover when learning about their motives.

The best villain in all of Dragon Ball is easily the galactic overlord Frieza himself. From the moment he first debuted, this diabolic mastermind proved he would rule over anyone weaker than him with an iron fish and punish any usurpers with utmost cruelty. Akira Toriyama’s inspiration behind Frieza was to model him after real-life wrong-doers who capitalize on the weakness of the system, making him stand out as a true villain through his defining legendary abilities that are memorable to this day.

Dragon Ball Is The Best Shōnen Series Because of its Attacks

The Kamehameha, Spirit Bomb, and Special Beam Cannon are Iconic

Dragon Ball is made iconic through its attacks. It seems like a simple concept that all shōnen do well in, but when you take a look at the genre, no other series nails this like Dragon Ball. Attacks like the Kamehameha, Spirit Bomb, and Special Beam Cannon are some of the most recognizable in the series. Few other anime have such memorable attacks. Naruto has the Rasengan and maybe Shadow Clone Jutsu, Yu Yu Hakusho has the Spirit Gun, but that's about it. Other anime will have one or two great attacks, but none stand out like Toriyama's series.

Not only are the attacks in Dragon Ball iconic, but they define the characters that use them. Goku gathers his amazing strength from the people around him, just like his textbook Spirit Bomb (which may or may not be successful). Vegeta is all about devastation and finality, just like his Big Bang Attack and his Final Flash. Gohan never wanted to be a fighter, which is why his best techniques are his father's Kamehameha and Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon, two attacks from the people who push him into battle the most.

Frieza is the Best Villain in Dragon Ball

He's a Character We All Love to Hate

There are a ton of Dragon Ball. From Emperor Pilaf and Mercenary Tao to King Gomah in Dragon Ball DAIMA, the series has a litany of top-tier terrors that give the Z Fighters someone to fight. Out of all the antagonists in the entire Dragon Ball franchise, none stands out more than Lord Frieza. As the leader of the Frieza Force, Frieza destroyed the Saiyan's home world without a second thought, even after subjugating them and turning them into his personal soldiers.

While all the villains in Dragon Ball usually have some sort of motive, Frieza is evil for the sake of it. He loves to commit war crimes just like Goku likes to eat tasty meals. There's nothing that Frieza enjoys more than to destroy and terrorize, making him my personal favorite villain in the series and a joy to hate. Cell was programmed to destroy, Buu is closer to a child than a logical adult, Beerus destroys because it's his job, and Broly was never really a villain in the first place.

The Fact That Frieza Has Multiple Forms is No Coincidence

Dragon Ball is Known For Amazing Transformations

Dragon Ball is known for a ton of things. Superfluous attacks, golden flowing hair, and above all, some of the best transformations in anime. Each of the villains has a multitude of forms as well. Cell has his Imperfect form, Semi-Perfect, Perfect, and his Super-Perfect form. Buu has his initial Majin form, Super Buu, Evil Buu, and finally, the devastating Kid Buu form.

Frieza has the most forms out of any villain in Dragon Ball, making him a perfect match for his ever-transforming Saiyan enemies. He has four forms in his base state, plus a 100% Muscular State that matches Super Saiyan Trunks' state and Super Vegeta. He also has his Golden and Black forms, matching the Super Saiyan God and the Ultra forms as well.

Frieza's Abilities Define Him as a Character

His Death Beam, Death Ball, and More Are Exceptionally Brutal

Like the heroes in Dragon Ball, the antagonists in the series have abilities that define them as well. As the best villain in Dragon Ball, Frieza has amazing abilities that perfectly define his character. Out of all the threats in Dragon Ball, there haven't been any that have scared me as much as Frieza. His first appearance on-screen didn't make him seem like much, as he was just floating in his little pod on Namek. His soldiers were beyond afraid to talk to him, giving him a certain undeniable aura that immediately caught my eye.

Frieza's attacks feel unfair and almost overpowered, but that's part of what makes him a great villain.

Frieza operates with a finality that no other character in anime can match. He walks around like death itself, carrying an unpredictability that threatens both his enemies and allies. With a single wave of his finger, he can use a Death Beam to shoot a laser through his target and end their lives before they've ed what happened.

Frieza's attacks feel unfair and almost overpowered, but that's part of what makes him a great villain. At the beginning of Dragon Ball, whenever Cell, Buu, or even Vegeta attacks, the Z Fighters are given a chance to defend themselves, even if they're not always able to. Frieza is different. He can and will kill an enemy before they even know they're being attacked, giving him a much more menacing presence than anyone else in the series.

There's Nobody More Evil Than Frieza

He's Cruel For the Fun of the Game

Frieza is both the best villain in Dragon Ball and my personal favorite. He's somehow both a lovable and hateable character at the exact same time, a feat that not many characters can pull off. When he comes to help Universe 7 in the Tournament of Power, it feels like unlocking the final boss of a video game and being able to use them on your second playthrough.

Frieza is a stellar antagonist. He loves causing havoc, being vicious towards everyone, allies and enemies included, and he’s probably the strongest in the entire series as he’s never seen to spend a single day training (until Dragon Ball Super.) I can't wait to see what Dragon Ball Super does with his character. He's already been a force to be reckoned with alongside Universe 7, and when his Black form finally hits the anime, it might just break the internet like Goku's Ultra Instinct did in his stunning fight against Jiren.