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Dragon Ball's 1st Global Character Popularity Poll Winners Are …

The Dragon Ball franchise announce the results of its Dragon Ball The One worldwide character popularity poll on Saturday. Taking the top spot is Dragon Ball protagonist Son Goku. In second and third place are Goku's rival Vegeta and son Son Gohan, respectively.

The top 20 characters are:

1. Son Goku
2. Vegeta
3. Son Gohan
4. Piccolo
5. Vegito
6. Trunks (teen)
7. Bardock
8. Android 18
9. Cell
10. Frieza
11.Krillin
12. Yamcha
13. Bulma
14. Tenshinhan
15. Bulma's Family Cat
16. Son Goten
17. Chichi
18. Android 17
19. Lunch
20. Videl

The Dragon Ball YouTube channel streamed a video on the poll results, as hosted by Dragon Ball editor Victory Uchida and Dragon Ball Super illustrator Toyotarō.

A handful of background characters made the final top 81 in the poll: Bardock (7th place), Bulma's Family Cat (15th). Farmer with Power Level of 5 (23rd), Dolphin (30th), Mermaid (31st), Blind Boy healed by Buu (60th), Skeleton Soldier (72nd), Aerobics Instructor (77th), and Girl Goku picked for Kamesennin (80th).

While The Dragon Ball franchise did not release the total vote count, it released a breakdown of voter demographics between gender and age. Males voted the most at 69%, followed by females at 26%, and other genders at 5%. 35% of the votes were cast by those in their 20s, followed by those in their 30s at 29%. Those in their 40s, teens, over 50, and under 10 came in at 19%, 12%, 4%, and 1%, respectively.

The Dragon Ball franchise also revealed the top five characters by age group and gender. Goku topped the charts in all age groups. Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo — in one combination or another — were #2 and #3 among almost all age groups. However, Vegito took #2 among under 10 and those in their teens.

Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Vegito are in the top five in almost all age groups among boys and men. Bardock made appearances in the top 5 among boys under 10 and male teenagers, while men in their 40s and 50s put Android 18 in the top 5.

Girls and women saw a greater distribution of characters. While Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo maintain a presence, Trunks (teen) replaced Vegito. Tenshinahan, Android 18, and Bulma's Family Cat also ranked in the top 5 among girls under 10.

Among other genders, Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, and Piccolo were the most popular characters among the different age demographics. Vegito, Bulma's Family Cat, and Trunks (teen) also polled at third to fifth place with other gendered people in all age categories.

The Dragon Ball franchise announced the Dragon Ball The One worldwide character ranking poll in November 2025. The poll was divided into four rounds beginning with 212 characters from the original 42-volume Dragon Ball manga series. No anime original characters (sans Bardock) or characters from the Dragon Ball Super manga series, Jaco the Galactic Patrolman manga series, or Dr. Slump manga series appeared in the poll.

Sources: Dragon Ball's website (link 2), Dragon Ball's YouTube channel