November 20, 2025, marked 41 years since the Dragon Ball manga first debuted. To celebrate this milestone, the legendary franchise is planning a series of major events, including a project designed to finally settle a decades-long debate: Who is the most beloved character in the Dragon Ball universe?
With a diverse cast, each character boasting unique appeal, and a legacy spanning decades, it’s natural that Dragon Ball fans remain divided over their favorite. While some swear by Gohan as the top pick, a large group of Vegeta fans insist the Saiyan Prince truly deserves the crown.
Dragon Ball Franchise Kicks Off Contest to Name the Most Popular Character
To settle the debate once and for all, the franchise has launched the perfect project: “DRAGON BALL THE ONE,” a popularity contest that began on November 20 at noon Japan Standard Time (JST).
This is not a simple one-time vote. The project is divided into four thrilling stages, capturing the challenge-filled spirit of Dragon Ball:
Stage 1: Starting with a total of 212 characters. Fans can vote for their favorites from November 20 to 24. The list will then be narrowed down to 80 characters.
True to Dragon Ball style, after each stage’s results are announced, fans get a chance to revive one eliminated character through a “Revival Battle.” This event lasts only 24 hours on Dragon Ball’s official X (Twitter) account, creating a brief window for fans to save their favorite.
This process continues through the stages until the final fourth stage, running from noon December 17 to noon December 24 (JST), featuring the top 21 characters.
Once the final stage concludes, the ultimate winner will be revealed a month later, at noon on January 24, 2026 (JST). The announcement will be streamed live on Dragon Ball’s official YouTube channel.
Alongside the voting contest, several bonus events are underway. The 80 characters advancing past the first stage (including the revived one) will be featured as exclusive SNS icons. Similarly, 40 characters (plus one revived) from the second stage will be turned into original wallpapers for fans.
While plans for the final 21 characters remain under wraps, there is another giveaway event fans shouldn’t miss: Dragon Ball’s official X account is running a campaign where participants must repost the main contest tweet and follow the official account. Twenty lucky fans will be randomly selected to receive a large mat featuring all 212 characters from the contest.
The giveaway results are expected in early December, likely right after the first stage ends. Although fans might not have expected such a celebration for the 41st anniversary, Dragon Ball finally settling this long-standing debate through a public vote to crown the most beloved character is exciting and highly anticipated.