Dragon Ball’s most important character isn’t Saiyan, a god, or even a fighter

Every Dragon Ball fan knows two things. The first? Goku’s power level was actually “over 8,000,” not 9,000. Second, if you’re not a Saiyan, you’re irrelevant.

Yes, unfortunately (considering how well the wider cast is handled in the original Dragon Ball), by the later Dragon Ball Z sagas, most of the Z-Fighters had fallen so far behind the Saiyans that they were relegated to cheering on from the sideline or looking grumpy on Kami’s lookout.

Even big green himself, Piccolo, could only stave off irrelevance for so long in the face of the Saiyans’ narrative domination. So by the time Cell had sucked up 17, he was basically benched with the rest of our beloved Dragon Ball characters (at least he got to teach Goten and Trunks the fusion dance)

Still, one character manages to remain vital to the story of Dragon Ball despite never entering the world tournament, having a power level in the single digits, and never even learning to fly. We’re talking, of course, about the one and only Bulma Briefs. 

A thinker, not a fighter

Toei

Yes, Bulma might not have a power level that can shake the universe or impress a God of Destruction, but she does have one thing the rest of the cast lacks: a brain.

As a result, she’s a vitally important character in Dragon Ball, Z, and Super. In Dragon Ball, it’s Bulma who kicks off the whole story by building the Dragon Radar, stumbling across Goku in the process, and taking him on an adventure of a lifetime. 

Without that fateful meeting, Goku would likely have spent his days in the wilderness, never meeting his friends, and never reaching the levels of power that made him one of the strongest beings in the multiverse.

Beyond making sure Dragon Ball had a main character (although we could probably end the article there), Bulma remains a loyal friend throughout Goku’s early adventures, helping him take the Red Ribbon army and King Picollo. However, it’s in Z that she really comes into her own.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that without Bulma, Z would have come to a screeching halt right after the Saiyan Saga. Bulma takes the cast to Namek, using her scientific brilliance to pilot the Namekian ship and build Goku his own vessel capable of getting him to the planet.

It’s Bulma who creates the gravity machine that allows Goku to take his training to the next level (something Vegeta will later take advantage of) and grow his power to the point that he rivals Frieza. 

Future Imperfect 

Toei

Without Bulma and Namek, the Z-fighters who died fighting the Saiyans would stay dead, and Vegeta would never have seen the light and fought to save Earth in future sagas.

Perhaps worst of all, had Goku not traveled to Piccolo’s homeworld, he wouldn’t have killed Frieza, leaving the universe at the mercy of the tyrant and possibly never unlocking the Super Saiyan transformation.

Try to imagine Dragon Ball without the most iconic transformation in the history of anime; you can’t, can you? Well, you can thank Bulma for Goku unlocking his latent Saiyan power when he did – unknowingly narrowing the gap between the Z-Fighters and the next threat the Earth faces: the Androids.

It’s the Android Saga where Bulma plays the most vital role, though. Ok, technically, it’s not our Bulma; it’s a multiversal duplicate from an alternate timeline (Manga can be confusing, Ok!), but it still counts.

Bulma is the one who built the time machine, allowing Trunks to warn Goku and friends about the mechanical monsters that are about to attack. Without her, the Z-Fighters would have been jumped by an old man and a clown and made to look like chumps. 

Thankfully, though, Bulma existed to save the day once again. We could go on, but let’s be honest: this article’s getting longer than Frieza and Goku’s battle on Namek. Basically, Bulma is great, and she plays a vital role across all of Dragon Ball (including Super, thanks to the time machine becoming relevant again). It’s proof that while the Z-Fighters had plenty of brawn, they only had one brain. Thank Kami for Bulma!

If you love Dragon Ball and anime, then you’re in the right place. We’ve ranked all the Dragon Ball Super villains and a list of the best Dragon Ball Super sagas.

Beyond that, we’ve guides to all the new anime coming this month and individual articles breaking down everything you need to know about One Punch Man Season 3 and Solo Leveling Season 2.