Strength Analysis: Piccolo Throughout the Dragon Ball Series

Dragon Ball series, created by Akira Toriyama, has captivated audiences with its epic battles and evolving characters, including Piccolo, one of the most complex and dynamic fighters in the franchise. The manga and anime occasionally offer slight differences in Piccolo's power, making it challenging to determine his exact strength relative to other characters. This article evaluates Piccolo's power across different arcs, using animation and manga sources to provide a comprehensive analysis.

Beerus and Golden Frieza Arc

In Beerus and Golden Frieza Arc, Piccolo is approximately equal in power to Goku during the

current Universe Tournament (UI) and Vegeta during the Ultimate/popper' (UE).

According to Toriyama, Piccolo's strength is evenly matched with Goku's and Vegeta's, giving him a 50/50 chance of defeating either of them, provided he has not undergone significant training. During the Cell Games, Piccolo showed his formidable power, but the pathway to becoming Super Saiyan was not as clear as it is for Goku and Vegeta. However, if Piccolo had trained during the Cell Games, he could have surpassed Grade 3 Trunks, whose reaction to Piccolo's strength before the Cell Games suggests his own power level.

Universe Survival 6 Arc

During the Universe Survival 6 Arc, Piccolo displayed a strength level that rivals even more powerful opponents. He was able to fight Frost, who was weakened but still powerful enough to challenge Super Saiyan Grade 4 Goku. This demonstrates that Piccolo's power is on par with:

Base Goku from the Arc Base Vegeta from the Arc Base Frieza from the Golden Frieza Arc God Goki

Since Goku later absorbed the power of God, Piccolo is at least as powerful as he was against Beerus. This evaluation is further supported by the fact that he could defeat characters like Base Goku and Base Vegeta, implying that Piccolo's strength is comparable to or surpasses their levels.

Tournament of Power

At the beginning of the Tournament of Power (ToP), Piccolo is one of the weakest Super Saiyan Blue fighters. He can defeat characters weaker than the Universe 6 Namekians. However, there are significant differences as the tournament progresses. While Piccolo can hold his own against Super Saiyan God Goku, he is outmatched when Goku transforms into Kefla. This discrepancy is explained by the fact that:

Blue Kaioken Goku is stronger than even the enhanced Super Saiyan Kefla Goku's first Ultra Instinct is slightly more powerful than the Spirit Bomb Ultra Instinct is a more advanced state of martial arts than Kaioken

Ultimately, this means that Goku's God form is significantly more powerful than his Blue Kaioken form, even at the start of the ToP.

Super Hero Movie

In the Super Hero movie, BASE Piccolo's power level is a bit unusual. He could be anywhere between Super Saiyan Grade 4 Gohan and just below Gamma 1/2 Form. In his Ultimate or Power Awakening form, he is a little weaker than Gamma 1/2, who are stated by him to be equal to Goku and Vegeta. During this transformation, Piccolo has the power to defeat multiple characters, including:

Every ToP fighter except for full power base Jiren Limit Breaker Jiren Base Goku and Vegeta from the Broly movie

This evaluation shows that Piccolo is a formidable opponent, especially in his Ultimate form, where he can match or outperform the likes of Goku and Vegeta in non-ultimate states.

Conclusion

Piccolo's power levels throughout the Dragon Ball series are a testament to his versatility and resilience. From his early battles to the present-day, he has continuously evolved, adapting to new challenges and surpassing his opponents. While his exact power levels can vary, the consistent benchmark provided by his encounters with Goku and Vegeta helps to place him among the top fighters in the Dragon Ball universe.