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Here are ten hilarious moments in Dragon Ball that to this day, still put a smile on fans’ faces when they remember.
Dragon Ball stands out from other action anime by masterfully combining intense fights with laugh-out-loud comedy. In the classic Dragon Ball, the one where we first met Goku, the series delivered a lot of hilarious moments that fans continue to reference and turn into memes decades later.
Before the planetary-level fights of Dragon Ball Z and Super ever existed, Akira Toriyama, the author, gave us some of anime’s funniest moments. There are a lot of hilarious moments in Dragon Ball, but let us revisit ten moments that had fans rolling on the floor laughing.
1. Goku’s “Girl Inspection” Protocol on Bulma
The series began with one of the most hilarious moments in Dragon Ball when our mountain-raised protagonist meets civilization (and girls) for the first time. Poor Bulma had no idea what she was in for when she encountered Goku, who had literally never seen a female human before.
When Goku first met Bulma, his innocent curiosity led him to “check” if she was of the same species as him. And he did this by patting her crotch. His utter confusion and statement that she’s “missing something important” set the tone for Goku’s naivety throughout the series.
Akira took it up a notch after this encounter. Goku snuck up on Bulma when she was sleeping and removed her underwear to check for a tail. As expected, Bulma did not appreciate this one bit. Bulma’s reaction was a mixture of shock and rage. The realization that she was handling a wild child brought about a funny vibe between the two. This would serve as the basis for many more hilarious moments in Dragon Ball.
2. Master Roshi’s Ultimate Weakness
Before there was Jiraiya from Naruto or Minoru Mineta from My Hero Academia, there was the grandfather of all anime perverts: Master Roshi. This old martial arts master might have been one of the strongest fighters on Earth, but his ultimate weakness is pretty ladies.
One of the most memorable hilarious moments in Dragon Ball involves Roshi’s request for Bulma to show him her underwear in exchange for his Dragon Ball. Little did he know, Goku had already taken said underwear earlier. When Bulma pulled up her dress, thinking she was still covered, Roshi’s reaction was nothing short of spectacular.
The old master’s nosebleed was not just a trickle. It could be compared to a fire hydrant, and it launched him backward like a rocket. The exaggerated animation, complete with bulging eyes and a nosebleed, established a comedy trope that would be imitated by many anime for decades to come.
3. Oolong’s Transformation Bathroom Troubles
Oolong the shape-shifting pig gives us one of the earliest hilarious moments in Dragon Ball when his own body betrays him at the worst possible moment. Oolong has the ability to shapeshift but with a five-minute time limit.
On this occasion, he tried to scare Goku and Bulma by transforming into a warrior. The buildup was perfect with dramatic music, threatening poses, and a menacing voice until nature called. In his mid-villain speech, Oolong’s expression suddenly changed. His transformation magic was timing out just as he had to use the bathroom.
The drama continued to unfold as his disguise faded, and he could no longer hold it in. This sent him running away in a hurry while screaming, “I have to go.” This moment downplays the typical villain introduction and shows Toriyama’s genius for mixing action with humor that appeals to fans of all ages.
4. Yamcha: The Desert Bandit with Social Anxiety
You would think a fierce desert bandit who terrorizes travelers would be bold. However, that is not the case with Yamcha. He is a guy whose tough persona breaks when faced with his one true fear: girls.
Yamcha’s introduction gave us one of the most hilarious moments in Dragon Ball when this supposedly dangerous thief froze up completely at the sight of Bulma. His internal monologue went into overdrive as he tried to maintain his cool while simultaneously having a panic attack.
The difference between his outward appearance (scarred face, wild hair, wielding a sword) and his actual personality (a blushing, stammering mess who can barely form sentences around pretty girls) creates a perfect comedic introduction.
5. Goku’s Pat-Down on Chi-Chi
Goku’s way of identifying people led to some of the most awkwardly hilarious moments in Dragon Ball. Having grown up in isolation, he developed a hands-on approach to determining someone’s gender. This led to a lot of uncomfortable (and funny) moments throughout the series.
One memorable instance happened when Goku reunited with Chi-Chi at the World Martial Arts Tournament. Not recognizing his childhood friend, Goku did what came naturally to him and patted her crotch. He then announced, “Oh, you’re a girl!”
Chi-Chi’s reaction was a mixture of embarrassment, outrage, and confusion (especially since she expected a romantic reunion with her future husband), which created a scene that captured the series’ innocent yet sometimes inappropriate humor. The fact that Goku did this in front of a crowd of spectators just adds to the moment.
6. The Rabbit Mob: When Carrots Attack
One of Dragon Ball‘s funniest scenes involves the Rabbit Mob. It is a gang led by a humanoid rabbit who can turn people into carrots just by touching them. The concept on its own is amusing. But what makes this moment memorable is how things unfolded in one encounter with Goku and Bulma.
When Bulma ignored Goku’s warnings and got turned into a carrot, the look on Goku’s face was priceless. The joke reached its peak when Goku had to fight while carefully protecting carrot-Bulma. The situation got more ridiculous when Monster Carrot threatened to eat her.
The entire encounter felt like something out of a dream. It combined fairy tale magic with Toriyama’s brand of wacky humor, and it worked well.
7. Goku’s Bathroom Emergency at the Tournament
Even the mightiest martial artists cannot escape nature’s call. In a perfectly timed tournament accident, Goku delivered one of Dragon Ball‘s most relatable funny moments. He suddenly needed to run to the restroom just as his match with Pamput was about to begin.
The scene played out with perfect comedic timing. Just as the announcer built up the epic showdown, Goku started hopping from one leg to another with increasing urgency. His search for a bathroom, coupled with exaggerated running animations and a stressed face, stands in contrast to the serious tournament atmosphere.
The fact that he was more concerned about finding a toilet than facing his opponent captures Goku’s carefree attitude and the series’ ability to add humor into even serious moments.
8. Krillin’s First Day of “Training”
When Krillin arrived to train under the legendary Master Roshi, he expected intense martial arts training and not delivering milk and digging fields with his bare hands. This setup led to one of the most hilarious moments in Dragon Ball as we watch Krillin’s ego shrink.
The comedy built up as Krillin, trying to show off his prior training, got completely outshined by Goku at every turn. While Krillin struggled and complained, Goku completed each task with ease, completely oblivious to Krillin’s frustration.
The comedy in Dragon Ball really showed how the series mixed funny moments with the growth of its characters. This was evident as Krillin fell behind, got chased by dinosaurs, and ultimately realized that Roshi’s “chores” were actually training in disguise. The way these comedic elements played out showed Akira’s ability to balance humor with meaningful character growth.
9. Goku’s Marriage Misunderstanding
In what might be the most consequential misunderstanding in anime history, young Goku agreed to “marry” Chi-Chi at the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament without knowing what marriage meant. This innocent moment sets up one of the most hilarious moments in Dragon Ball years later.
When an adult Chi-Chi reminded Goku of his promise, his reaction was hilarious. With all the seriousness in the world, he said, “I thought marriage was a kind of food!” The complete gap between Chi-Chi’s ideas about romance and Goku’s obsession with food was really funny.
This was a moment that really sums up their whole relationship going forward. What makes this even funnier is that this misunderstanding shaped the rest of Goku’s life. He married her because he thought he was agreeing to try a new dish.
10. Roshi’s Kamehameha Mishap
Even the most legendary martial arts masters have their embarrassing moments. When Master Roshi tried to show off his famous Kamehameha Wave to dazzle spectators (especially many women present), we were treated to one of Dragon Ball‘s most unexpectedly funny scenes.
The buildup was perfect. Master Roshi made a big show of preparing his signature move. There was a dramatic stance and chi collection. The crowd watched in amazement, expecting something spectacular, only for Roshi to produce a tiny puff of energy that died out immediately.
His embarrassed expression, followed by awkward excuses about being out of practice, created a funny moment of Master Roshi’s ego crumbling. The fact that Goku then performed the move perfectly on his first try just added insult to injury.
Conclusion
The appeal of Dragon Ball‘s comedic moments is in its timing. While the series is popular for its battles and journey, these lighthearted moments truly give it a lot of appeal. From Goku’s misunderstandings to Master Roshi’s gags, Dragon Ball balances action with humor.
These scenes represent just a small part of the series’ comedic brilliance. And luckily, they remain as amusing today as they were when they first aired, demonstrating that good humor is timeless. It just goes to show how awesome Akira Toriyama is as an author. Rest in peace to one of the greatest to ever do it.
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