There are some highly fashionable costumes that Dragon Ball's heroes don for their signature styles.

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is a groundbreaking anime property that’s been going strong for nearly four decades. There is a multitude of reasons that bring fans over to Dragon Ball; the series is full of playful storytelling, thrilling fight sequences, and a memorable cast of heroes who have become staples of the medium.

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There are some highly fashionable costumes that Dragon Ball's heroes don for their signature styles, but the series is careful to mix up these looks and let the heroes get creative with their flair. Not all of these outfits are winners, but some have emerged as the top looks for Dragon Ball’s heroes.

Danger is always right around the corner in Dragon Ball, so it’s a bit of a jarring change of pace whenever the characters have an extended period of peace. Cell boldly gives the heroes some time to train and prepare themselves for his egotistical Cell Games demonstration.

Much of this downtime focuses on Goku and Gohan’s time together, which also features one of Goku’s more casual costumes. It never makes a return appearance in Dragon Ball, but Goku’s orange and black jacket is such a unique look for the character. It slightly resembles an 8-Ball jacket and it achieves an effective balance between laid back and serious.

The egregious amount of anime-only filler in Dragon Ball receives its share of criticism and one of the more polarizing installments involves Piccolo and Goku’s trials and tribulations at driving school. This scenario already pushes both characters out of their comfort zones, but the situation is made more absurd by Piccolo’s costume, which feels like a weak attempt at "human cosplay."

Piccolo wears a backward baseball cap and a shirt that’s marked with "Post Boy." This costume only works as well as it does because it makes the least sense on Piccolo — at least this level of absurdity is entertaining.

Modern Dragon Ball fans may only know Chi-Chi as the perpetual wet blanket of Goku’s family. Goku frequently needs to sneak around his wife and keep his universal heroics a secret.

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However, Chi-Chi first enters Dragon Ball as a valiant warrior who’s able to hold her own against Goku and Yamcha. The first look that Chi-Chi sports is akin to a warrior bikini ensemble that’s completed with a distinct helmet with a mighty blade. This costume bears a resemblance to Ox King’s attire and highlights Chi-Chi’s connection to her family.

The scope of the universe in Dragon Ball continues to expand in satisfying ways; there is a wide range of unique planets and alien species that serve important purposes. Goku, as well as Vegeta, both spend lengthy training sessions on Planet Yardrat as they become more attuned to spirit control.

The Yardratian population has a distinct look that carries over to any visitor who trains with them. Initially, the Yardratian attire looks like a mess of mismatched items, but they strangely complement each other. Goku and Vegeta look so different in these styles and it's a shame that they don't stick around for longer.

There’s often a fine line between a costume design that works for a character and those that are complete failures. Opposites can attract in powerful ways and this is certainly evident in Vegeta’s casual "Bad Man" pink shirt and yellow slacks.

Vegeta can be seen in this outfit following the Frieza Saga and before the Androids’ invasion. It’s quite surreal to see Vegeta out of his armor and embracing Earth fashion, but it works. The fact that action figures, Funko Pops, and more feature "Bad Man" Vegeta variants is a testament to the costume’s appeal.

One of the most popular reasons for a character in Dragon Ball to undergo a costume change is a shift in mentorship. A lot of the time an extended training session is celebrated by the pupils donning their master’s markings. Master Roshi is Goku’s first real teacher and he also provides him with his signature look throughout the series.

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Goku’s Turtle School attire isn’t complicated, but its distinct colors and prominent insignia are a sight of comfort for many Dragon Ball fans. Goku isn’t the only character to sport this look, but it’s the most fitting for him.

The original Dragon Ball spends a healthy amount of time with Pilaf, Mai, and Shu, who aren’t necessarily that dangerous, but they make up for this with their endless persistence. A particularly heated clash over the Dragon Balls results in Pilaf’s Gang ruining Goku’s Turtle School gi and he’s forced to improvise.

Goku gains Shu’s ninja costume, which is a deep shade of purple with a yellow shirt underneath. It’s somewhat strange to see Goku blend right into the ninja look, but he makes it feel natural.

The iconic Saiyan battle armor is first seen in Dragon Ball on Raditz, Nappa, and Vegeta, but it becomes one of the most popular costumes in the series. Saiyan battle armor is a rare combination of attire that’s both aesthetically pleasing and incredibly durable. Saiyan battle armor is even so malleable that it can withstand a Saiyan’s transformation into a Great Ape.

The heroes’ exodus to Planet Namek leads to Krillin and Gohan adopting the Saiyan staple. This look really works for Krillin, but it also makes a serious impact when Goku finally tries Saiyan armor on during his heated battle against Gas.

One of the most fulfilling relationships over the course of Dragon Ball is the tender bond that forms between Gohan and Piccolo. These two are brought together through tremendous tragedy and Piccolo steps in as a guardian figure during Goku’s prolonged absence in the afterlife.

Piccolo celebrates Gohan’s success as his pupil by providing him with his own version of his trademark attire. The turban, cape, and extreme shoulder pads make Gohan come across as the perfect synthesis between Goku and Piccolo. It’s extremely satisfying that Gohan embraces this costume during Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

Everything about the debut of Future Trunks is striking and he immediately becomes a fan-favorite character. Trunks’ Super Saiyan strength and sharp sword help define the individual, but he also sports a very sleek jacket that proudly sports the Capsule Corp. logo. This looks like mass-produced attire, but everything indicates that it’s specific to Future Trunks and also celebrates his family.

Future Trunks' look experiences some slight revisions by the time he returns in Dragon Ball Super, but he’s lacking the same impact. A slightly different jacket and the addition of a bandana steal focus from his previous ensemble.

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Daniel Kurland is a freelance writer, comedian, and critic, who lives in the cultural mosaic that is Brooklyn, New York. Daniel’s work can be read on ScreenRant, Splitsider, Bloody Disgusting, Den of Geek, and across the Internet. Daniel recently completed work on a noir anthology graphic novel titled, "Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Noir: A Rag of Bizarre Noir and Hard Boiled Tales" and he’s currently toiling away on his first novel. Daniel's extra musings can be found @DanielKurlansky on Twitter.