How Dragon Ball Z Turned Power Fantasies Into Existential Dread

Article at a glance:

• DBZ isn’t just about power-ups; it’s also about realizing power might not be enough. No matter how strong Goku gets, the story keeps proving that strength alone won’t save everyone.
• Unlike Super, Dragon Ball Z makes death and defeat feel heavy in the moment. Even with Dragon Balls, losses carry fear, uncertainty, and real emotional weight.
• DBZ’s villains don’t just threaten the world, they embody hopelessness. Frieza, Cell, and Buu each represent a different kind of despair, not just bigger numbers.

I think we all remember Dragon Ball Z for its absolutely insane power-ups, 3-episode-long screams, and the continuously rising stakes until Buu just destroys the whole planet. Rightfully, so I think. Somewhere deep down, Dragon Ball is quite self-aware of how absurd the power levels are at times. But upon a recent rewatch, I think Dragon Ball Z in particular is also great at showcasing existential dread. I know people say that death doesn’t matter in DB, but I think that applies a lot more to Super; meanwhile, Z is quite a bit more serious.

So welcome to another article, and today, I want to talk about something interesting. I want to touch on how well Dragon Ball Z showcases utter hopelessness and existential dread. And then maybe contrast the tone a little with DBS. So let’s start.

Dragon Ball Z’s Sense of Dread Is Still Unmatched

I have not seen the OG Dragon Ball, so I won’t comment on it, but Dragon Ball is probably the best shounen when it comes to showing utter despair. There is ALWAYS the looming threat that no matter how much stronger Goku gets, it won’t be enough. And yeah, usually it ISN’T enough. Goku easily beats the Ginyu force, his power level keeps climbing, and then you learn that Frieza is still LEAGUES above him. And things actually are pretty bleak till Goku finally manages to unlock Super Saiyan.

Then you have Cell, whose introduction is basically shot like a horror film. He’s just out here casually clearing out entire cities, just absorbing everyone in his path. But here’s the thing, Cell and Frieza only SAY they will destroy Earth, that pink menace Buu actually just does it. There isn’t a singular thought in that pink brain other than utter destruction. And you know who reflects this whole theme of despair the best? Vegeta. No matter how much stronger he gets, every single major villain HUMILIATES him time and time again.

These things kind of make you uncomfortable after a certain point. And yeah, this is the same series in which you gain more power literally by screaming louder. In retrospect, DBZ is kinda dark. Like, yeah, you can bring back your friends, but it is very limited, and at the moment, the deaths feel real. Meanwhile, in DBS, the scale is so much higher that you lose all personal investment in it. While DBZ is WAY more serious, DBS just leans into the absurdity of the whole universe and goes all in on the spectacle.

That is all for now

Now, of course, I don’t hate DBS. I think, despite its flaws, there are things to genuinely like about DBS. But here’s the thing, DBS simply doesn’t have the sheer existential dread that Dragon Ball Z is capable of putting you through. Because the writing philosophy behind DBS is entirely different. I’ll make an article on my thoughts about DBS someday too, but till then, see ya!