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Some of the strongest villains in anime come from Dragon Ball. From iconic foes like Frieza and Cell, to more modern threats like Zamasu and Moro, Dragon Ball has always had strong villains for its heroes to face off against. But one group that often goes overlooked is the villains of the original series.
With characters getting exponentially stronger throughout Z and later in Super, Dragon Ball's early villains just don't compare in a lot of ways. That doesn't mean we can't look back at the early days of the series and see just how dangerous they all were.
Emperor Pilaf
Pilaf is often overlooked due to his lack of physical ability. He and his followers have been made somewhat relevant again as side characters in Super, but it's hard to see him, Mai, and Shu having too much of an impact on things with literal Gods now introduced into the mix. Still, he did at least make for a fun early series villain.
Commander Red & The Red Ribbon Army
More lethal and effective than Pilaf's gang, the Red Ribbon Army was a true challenge for young Goku. The series was still far away from the super-powered battles it would be known for when the Red Ribbon Army was introduced, so a militarized force with skilled fighters and terrifying weaponry posed a serious threat to Goku at the time.
Like Pilaf, Commander Red isn't really the kind of villain who fights his own battles. But unlike Pilaf, his lackeys were much more dangerous and well-trained. From General Blue to General White, Colonel Silver, Ninja Murasaki, and Staff Officer Black, the Red Ribbon Army was one of the earliest real challenges that put Goku's skills to the test. They still weren't a match for Goku, even as a kid, but they made things interesting early on.
Mercenary Tao
Mercenary Tao served as the first real challenge for Goku as a fighter. Unlike Pilaf's Gang or the Red Ribbon Army, Tao was an incredibly skilled martial artist who used his considerable skills to make a name for himself as an assassin. As the younger brother of Master Shen, Tao gave fans a look at where the series was heading, as it moved more towards high-stakes martial arts bouts.
Tao was shown to be leagues ahead of other opponents Goku had faced up to the point of his introduction. He easily took down General Blue and was able to climb up Korin Tower with relative ease (at least in the anime). He was also much stronger than the average human, possessing incredible speed as well. He doesn't compare to many foes who would come after him, but Tao was a huge obstacle for Goku early on.
Tien Shinhan
One of the handful of characters who would start out as villains before eventually joining up with the rest of the gang, there was a time when Tien was considered to be on par with Goku. Tien served as the antagonist during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament, alongside his master, Shen, and Chiaotzu.
Tien actually looked up to Mercenary Tao, but by the time he crossed paths with Goku, Tien was the stronger fighter. Though he would become much stronger following his decision to leave the Crane School, the Tien we saw during the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament outclassed fighters like Master Roshi and Yamcha. He and Goku were fairly even, with their battle being decided by a technicality, and both fighters reaching their absolute limits in their championship fight.
King Piccolo
Probably the most iconic antagonist of the early series, King Piccolo was a horrifying force to be reckoned with. Up to this point, Dragon Ball hadn't really had the kind of world-ending threat that King Piccolo was. Alongside his Demon Clan spawn, Piccolo terrorized the Earth, with one of his "children", Tambourine, having even killed Krillin in one of the most shocking moments in the series.
King Piccolo was the strongest fighter on Earth when he was introduced. Though Kami does claim that he (and possibly even Mr. Popo) was the stronger half of the Nameless Namekian, King Piccolo was leagues above Goku and Roshi at the start of his saga. When he became young again, Piccolo became an even greater threat to Goku, though he ultimately wasn't able to match Goku's strength of will and was thankfully defeated by the young Saiyan.
Piccolo
Another great villain turned ally, Piccolo pushed Goku to his absolute limit during their battle at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. Piccolo was much stronger than his father/past-self, being able to go toe-to-toe with an older, more experienced Goku with only a few years of training.
Piccolo would get stronger as the series went on, though by the time the Saiyans arrived, he'd already been powercrept into a more supporting role. Still, as the last villain of the original series, Piccolo left an impression on fans and would go on to become one of the most important characters in the series.
