An anime is often only as good as its heroes and villains, but Dragon Ball's are especially great. Akira Toriyama’s shonen anime has become synonymous with its iconic characters who can power up into the legendary Super Saiyans. Characters like Goku and Vegeta often dominate the narrative, but Dragon Ball does its best to share the spotlight and celebrate supporting players whenever it’s possible.

Many of Dragon Ball’s fringe figures leave a big impression on audiences, even if they’re not around for very long, and characters like Launch, Emperor Pilaf, or even Giran and Ranfan have their share of passionate fans. Dragon Ball also introduces so many unique characters that it’s easy for some of them to slip through the cracks and go overlooked. There are seasoned Dragon Ball fans who likely believe that they can identify every single character, but these are the...