Dragon Ball has always been a series known for itshigh-octane fights, unforgettable characters, and power-ups that shook the Earth. But tucked between all the battles and transformations is something fans often overlook, the outfits.
Dragon Ball Z: 10 Best Story Arcs, Ranked
DBZ is a huge anime that influenced a generation. Here are some of the best arcs from this incredible anime.
Beyond just looking cool, many outfits in the Dragon Ball universe serve practical purposes, weighted clothing for training, battle armor for protection, or symbolic attire representing allegiance to a master or school of fighting.
Here is the list of the 7 best outfits of Dragon Ball.
Pride Before the Fall (of Fashion Sense)
There are plenty of intimidating outfits in Dragon Ball, but few are as unexpectedly iconic as Vegeta’s pink shirt with the word “BADMAN” stamped across the back. It first appeared in Dragon Ball Z, shortly after the Namek Saga, when Vegeta was staying at Capsule Corp and trying to adapt to life on Earth, awkwardly and unwillingly.
What makes this outfit special isn’t just the shocking color palette, it’s the contrast. Here’s a Saiyan prince, a warrior born and raised under Frieza’s tyranny, wearing a neon pink, short-sleeved shirt with yellow slacks and loafers. It was Bulma’s doing, of course, which makes it all the better.
6Future trunks
A Time Traveler’s First Impression
When Future Trunks first appeared in Dragon Ball Z, his outfit immediately set him apart from every other character. The blue Capsule Corp jacket worn over a black tank top, paired with gray pants and golden boots created apost-apocalypticaesthetic fitting for a warrior from a devastated timeline.
The outfit was completed by his signature sword strapped across his back, a rare weapon in a series dominated by energy-based combat. This visual combination created an instant impression of a character with history and purpose before he even spoke a word.
5Android 18
The Coolest Killer in Denim
Android 18’s introduction to Dragon Ball Z introduced a fashion sense unlike anything previously seen in the series. Her iconic outfit, a blue denim jacket over a black and white striped shirt, paired with a pearl necklace and jeans, felt like it came straight out of a 90s fashion magazine rather than amartial artsanime.
What makes this outfit special is how perfectly it captured 18’s personality. The casual streetwear projected confidence and indifference, distinguishing her from both the martial arts uniforms of the heroes and the battle armor of villains. She wasn’t trying to look intimidating, she simply was intimidating.
The outfit remained largely unchanged throughout the Android and Cell sagas, becoming so synonymous with her character that fans were surprised when she eventually adopted more conventional clothing after marrying Krillin. Even in later appearances, elements of her original style would occasionally return, especially the blue jacket that had become her signature piece.
4Goku Black
Style as Ruthless as His Intentions
Goku Black’s outfit is a study in visual deception. At a glance, it looks like a Goku who’s just dressed a little edgier, black gi, long-sleeved undershirt, crimson belt, grey pants, and that iconic single Potara earring. But the effect is chilling. The red belt especially stands out, not just as a fashion choice, but a nod to the divine blood he thinks he’s entitled to spill.
10 Best Dragon Ball Movies You Should Definitely Watch
DBS Super Hero is indeed one of the best movies in the franchise, but there are several other Dragon Ball films that deserve your attention.
What really sells the look is how it plays with perception. Goku Black isn’t Goku. He’s Zamasu in Goku’s stolen body. The outfit makes him feel familiar but corrupted, holy but malevolent. When he smirks beneath the dark skies of Future Trunks’ timeline, the outfit becomes inseparable from the evil he represents.
Spirit of Peace in Alien Threads
After defeating Frieza on Namek, Goku vanished, presumed dead. When he finally returned to Earth, not only did he arrive with a new technique, Instant Transmission, but also a new outfit: the traditional clothing of the Yardrats, the alien race that saved him.
The suit was baggy, lavender with a brown vest, and quite unlike anything Goku had worn before. It lacked the flair of his usual gi, but carried more meaning than most of his other outfits. This was the look he wore after becoming the first Super Saiyan in a thousand years. It represented recovery, learning, and growth.
A Tribute Sewn in Bond
When Gohan stepped onto the battlefield against Cell, he wasn’t wearing his father’s orange gi. He was wearing Piccolo’s colors: a purple gi, blue waistband, and white cape. It wasn’t just a fashion choice. It was an emotional turning point.
Piccolo had been a second father to Gohan ever since he was a child. When Goku died during the Saiyan Saga, Piccolo was the one who trained and raised Gohan, even dying to protect him. So when Gohan asked to wear the same clothes before entering the Cell Games, it wasn’t just a requestit was respect.
It also marked the moment when Gohan stepped out of his father’s shadow and into his own power. The outfit saw him transform into Super Saiyan 2, the strongest he’d ever become, and deliver the final blow in the series’ most iconic beam struggle.
1Goku SSJ4
The Wild Power of a Saiyan Unleashed
Love or hate Dragon Ball GT, there’s no denying one thing, Super Saiyan 4 Goku’s design is in a league of its own. No other transformation in the franchise has matched its boldness: red fur across the upper body, black pants, golden cuffs, a long prehensile tail, and piercing yellow eyes surrounded by shadowed eyelids.
It felt ancient, primal, and majestic. A transformation that looked like it crawled out of Saiyan legend. And for once, Goku wasn’t wearing his gi or a version of it. This was a total transformation, almost like the outfit emerged with the form itself.
Designed by Toei and not Toriyama, the SSJ4 form became one of the most debated and beloved looks in the community. It fused the primal nature of the Oozaru with the dignity of a warrior, and gave us a Goku who, for once, looked like a king.
I wasn’t really a fan of the new version of Super Saiyan 4 in Dragon Ball Daima. It just didn’t hit the same way. The original SSJ4 from GT had this raw, primal energy that felt unique in the series, like it was something ancient and powerful. The new design feels too polished, almost like it’s trying to modernize something that didn’t need fixing. I still prefer the old one, no question.
Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z: All Goku’s Transformations, Ranked
From Great Ape to Super Saiyan Blue, we’ve ranked every transformation of Dragon Ball Z’s iconic hero, Goku.
