The legendary Dragon Ball Z has become one of the biggest anime titles of the medium and it’s practically emblematic of action anime as a whole. The resilience of the Dragon Ball franchise has lasted for decades and there’s truly no end in sight at this point. Many of the ideas and the structure present in Dragon Ball Z have also helped influence the shonen genre and push it to evolve.
There are plenty of reasons to love Dragon Ball Z, but a major factor is the entertaining roster of villains that have appeared. Cell is an important antagonist that doesn’t always get his due, but in many ways he’s actually the superior Dragon Ball Z villain.
10 After He Kills Future Trunks & Makes Vegeta Snap
There are plenty of enemies in Dragon Ball Z that can talk big and inflict lots of damage, but have difficulty actually following through when it comes to the execution of the anime’s beloved heroes.
One of the most exciting things about Cell is how he reaches an enlightened level of recklessness after he reassembles himself in his Super Perfect form. He marks the occasion with a deadly energy beam that unexpectedly kills Future Trunks and sends Vegeta into a rage that’s still ultimately not enough to defeat the enemy. It’s a truly villainous moment.
9 During The Terror He Causes In The City With His Imperfect Form
It becomes a bit of a running theme throughout Dragon Ball Z that the various villains have multiple forms or transformations before they achieve their best and most dangerous selves. Cell is still extremely unnerving even before he achieves perfection.
His initial Imperfect form is the scariest of the lot and he makes his debut by attacking the city and sucking everyone dry of their energy with his tail. It’s arguably the first time that Dragon Ball Z dips into real horror and it’s an introduction that’s actually frightening.
8 When He Uses The Z Warriors' Own Attacks Against Them
One of the more interesting details about Cell is that he’s an experimental creation by Dr. Gero, much like the Androids. Cell is formed from the DNA of all of the Z Warriors, which adds a disturbing element to this new threat.
Cell isn’t just powerful, but the characters seem genuinely hurt when their signature attacks like the Kamehameha, Special Beam Cannon, and Solar Flare are used against them. It’s a level of mockery that’s rare in Dragon Ball Z’s villains and it’s a clever way to turn these heroic symbols into tools of destruction.
7 When He Creates The Cell Juniors & Ostensibly Duplicates Himself
Dragon Ball Z never struggles to come up with ways for its villains to prolong a battle and show the heroes that matters are far from over. A new transformation is to be expected, but Cell pulls off an even more dangerous maneuver with the manifestation of the Cell Juniors.
Cell spawns a pack of Cell Juniors to fight in his stead in the Cell Games and even though they’re tiny, it’s made clear that they’re still as strong as Cell. The Cell Juniors are extremely dangerous and Dragon Ball Super’s manga indicates that some are still out there.
6 After He Succeeds In Killing Goku
A villain’s master plan can become so unfeasible that they’re satisfied to merely eliminate Goku as a revenge-fueled consolation prize. Death is rampant in Dragon Ball and not even Goku is invincible. Any antagonist deserves serious bragging rights for being able to successfully kill Goku, and Cell is one of the very few that qualifies.
Cell enacts a desperate self-destruct maneuver and Goku applies some quick thinking via Instant Transmission to minimize the casualties. Cell’s explosion doesn’t just kill Goku, but Cell is also able to endure the blast and come back even stronger.
5 The Creation Of The Cell Games & Turning Death Into Entertainment
There are an endless amount of powerful heroes and villains in Dragon Ball Z and so it’s not that surprising that tournaments become a regular event throughout the series. The majority of these competitions are officially sanctioned and have proper safeguards to prevent anyone from getting fatally wounded.
Cell, in an extreme demonstration of hubris, announces that he wants to continue combat via the Cell Games, a televised tournament of his own devising that turns his attack on the planet into sick entertainment. It demonstrates a new level of sociopathic behavior for a Dragon Ball Z villain.
4 When He Has No Shame In Taking Goku's Senzu Beans
There’s no question that Goku is one of the strongest individuals in the universe and the Earth would likely be rubble at this point if it wasn’t for his help. However, he’s far from perfect, and his naïve, negligent attitude is sometimes nearly as destructive as his acts of villainy.
One habit that Goku can’t seem to break is that he gives the enemy a Senzu Bean to heal them and provide a more balanced challenge. Sometimes a villain’s pride will prevent this, but Cell gleefully abuses Goku’s good sportsmanship and then gloats over his strength once he’s healed.
3 When He Escapes From Hell
Death is significant in the Dragon Ball universe, but it’s definitely a loose concept that’s far from permanent. Villains have a tendency to reappear and get another chance in the spotlight, yet Cell is a big enemy that hasn’t gotten the same treatment and has only reappeared in smaller doses.
Despite the brevity of Cell’s return, it’s still a testament to the character’s impact and resilience. The Dragon Ball Z movie, Fusion Reborn, features many lost souls breaking out of hell, with Cell being among the pack. His return doesn’t last long, but it stands out.
2 After He Successfully Kills A Kai
Cell is feared right from his first appearance, but he achieves a surprising amount of carnage in his final moments. Previous villains like Raditz or Frieza have killed tons of random people, but Cell makes his mark by taking out a godly individual, which up until the Cell Saga hadn’t really been explored before.
Cell’s self-destruction doesn’t just take out Goku, but also King Kai and his friendly companions. The way that a villain builds such a revered reputation is through acts like this and King Kai remains dead to this day— so Cell’s legacy lives on, so to speak.
1 When He Crushes Android 16's Head & Enrages Gohan
Cell is an intimidating villain in his own right, but he comes in tandem with Dr. Gero’s evil Androids. Cell’s absorption of Androids 17 and 18 is a top tier villain moment , but his true callousness presents itself with the pacifistic Android 16.
Cell has zero patience for the new leaf that Android 16 has turned and he sees how much the character means to Gohan. Cell maliciously crushes Android 16’s head, to silence the character and knock Gohan down even further. It’s a gesture that ultimately results in Cell’s own demise, but it’s still the villain at his cruelest.
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