Dragon Ball is one of the most iconic franchises of all time. The original Dragon Ball was a well-known manga that spawned an anime. Its follow-up, Dragon Ball Z is arguably the anime that popularized anime in the West. Dragon Ball GT was ill-received enough to end the franchise's anime reign, but it survived via video games, action figures, and a passionate fanbase. And years later, the anime was revived in the form of the currently-running Dragon ball Super. Much like its main characters, Dragon Ball just can't die.

The longevity of Dragon Ball can be attributed to what it did wrong as much as what it did right. Sure, we all enjoy the colorful characters, epic battles, and moments of oddball comedy. But what really got kids talking on the playground were the slip-ups, particularly those of the English dub. Lines that were said with too much gusto, urgent scenes that were extended for far too long, and characters that just couldn't stop dying. Making fun of Dragon Ball was as much fun as watching Dragon Ball.

Enter social media. With the ability to recall and manipulate scenes on a whim, we can make Dragon Ball even more ridiculous than it was before. And with a new series airing, we'll never run out of fodder for memes based on Goku and friends. Are we able to responsibly wield all of this power? Probably not. But that what's makes these Dragon Ball memes so dang funny.

20 iPhone Users Be Like

I kid, Apple fans. I actually have an iPhone myself, and the battery serves me well. Except when I'm playing Pokémon Go. Yes, people still play that game. Anyway, here we have another quality Yamcha meme. The funny thing is, Yamcha only really died the one time during the Saibamen fight. Yes, he died very quickly and pathetically, but that was the only time. Okay, so he was overpowered by Android 20 and nearly killed. But Krillin gave him a Senzu Bean and he was okay! And he was turned into chocolate and eaten by Buu. But so was everybody else. What I'm saying is, Yamcha has an unnecessarily bad reputation. He does good things, too. Like...um...baseball?

19 Give That Man A Raise

So THAT's why Saiyans love fries so much. It reminds them of Super Saiyan hair. Maybe they even hope that, after consuming enough fries, they will become Super Saiyans. That would explain why they eat so much. Meanwhile, whoever designed this packaging is a genius. I sincerely hope that person got a raise. I would honestly buy so many fries just because it makes me so happy. Bonus points if there's also Vegeta and Gohan variants. I don't think Trunks would work so well. Maybe Trunks' hair can be a cupholder or something. The kid's gotta do something now that his future has been saved (twice!) and Gotenks has become irrelevant.

18 What Power!

What a rare moment this is. After all, one of the basic tenets of co-parenting is to present a united front. So as a kid, to find a crack in that front and use it split your parents, it was like going Super Saiyan. And like a Saiyan, you probably got your butt beat in the end. But it hopefully made you stronger. Until the next battle, that is. Then you find that your parents are more united and not as easy to crack. So you gotta get even stronger, past what you thought were your limits. Eventually, you grow up, go to college, and lead a normal life with a normal job. Basically, we're all Gohan. That's the real story of Dragon Ball.

17 One Last Chance

I feel like I have to make one more argument for the awesomeness of Krillin. Have you seen him with his shirt off? Dude is jacked. Granted, almost everyone in Dragon Ball is jacked, but to see little Krillin with those muscles is an inspiration. And then you realize that he achieved that through nothing but hard work and struggle (and maybe one power-up from Guru). No super forms. No cyborg enhancements. Just effort and bravery. Also, he somehow dated Maron and ended up with Android 18. Only Bulma can match him for the sheer amount of game, what with her landing the Saiyan prince who didn't even seem to care about romance. Darn right, Krillin is the best human.

16 Smoke Ki Everyday

The fusion you never knew you wanted: Beerus, the God of Destruction, and Snoop, the god of 420. Together they become: Snoopus? Beeroop? Boop? All sound equally like Dragon Ball names. Who would've thought when he was first introduced that Beerus would become such an amusing character? I remember seeing him as a legitimately threatening villain the first time I watched Battle Of The Gods. Like, this is a guy who destroys planets for cooking food wrong. And to match him, Goku had to go to such crazy extremes. That Beerus is someone who wouldn't appreciate being mashed-up with a famous rapper. Nowadays, though? Just give him an ice cream sundae and he's appeased.

15 That's Not How It Works Krillin

Like Yamcha before him, Krillin's death count is way overblown. Let's remember that Krillin actually survived the entire battle with Vegeta and Nappa. He's actually the only one of the human Z-fighters that can boast that. He even had the chance to kill Vegeta. He did die on Namek, but only after surviving fights with Frieza's strongest minions, including the Ginyu Force. He also was able to convert Android 18 to the side of good. Yup, Krillin's list of accomplishments is pretty impressive for a guy who can't do the french fry hair. But he will always be remembered as the guy who dies a lot. I, for one, hope that Krillin gets a super form in Dragon Ball Super. Dude deserves it.

14 Deep Thoughts

As I talked to friends at school, grew up, and met more fans at anime conventions, I found that Vegeta is actually very popular. Even though you can count the kind things Vegeta's done on one hand, people like the Saiyan Prince a lot. Maybe it's because he's as arrogant as we would all like to be at times. Vegeta's the kind of guy who wouldn't wait hours in line at the DMV. He'd blow apart the desk, take the computer, and make his own dang license. As an adult, Vegeta's stubborn determination is goals. Still, Goku inspires his fans as well. I've seen many jacked dudes at the gym wearing Dragon Ball shirts. After talking to a few, it seems like they were inspired (as kids) by Goku's everlasting commitment to self-improvement. Perhaps there's a Saiyan for everybody.

13 Get You A Man Who Can Rule The Saiyans

Remember how Bulma and Yamcha were a thing? Whatever happened to them? The story of Dragon Ball Z seems to want us to believe that they fought so much that they just called it off. But they were off and on. And the fighting didn't seem to be that intense. No, I'd propose that the real reason Bulma left that fool is that he kept dying and was just generally useless. After all, who does she end up with? Vegeta, the second strongest of the Z-fighters. It's okay, Bulma. We know you have a type. Guys who can turn into literal gods. Not guys whose signature move is Wolf Fang Fist.

12 Never Forget

Forget Saiyan armor. Vegeta should have just worn the BADMAN shirt for the rest of the series. And during Super. I kid, but the BADMAN shirt is actually a meme in and of itself. It made its way into video games as an alternate costume for Vegeta, got its own unique Funko Pop, and is even sold as a cosplay item. Yes, you can buy a BADMAN shirt of your very own. I expect to see a surge of BADMAN Vegeta cosplay next convention season. And actually, you can team up with someone wearing Krillin's infamous TACOS shirt. What is it with anime and throwing in random English words?

11 Darnit Nappa!

If only defeating Broly were actually that easy. For that matter, if only Nappa had survived. Then again, would Vegeta have still become a good guy if Nappa lived? Would Nappa have joined him? Would Nappa, then, also be capable of achieving Super Saiyan Blue? All we can do is speculate. Fortunately, speculation is actually a huge part of the Dragon Ball franchise. Several games and movies have addressed these "what if?" scenarios. It is thanks to this that we know Nappa could have potentially achieved Super Saiyan as far as level three. And if he did, his mustache would actually grow into this beautiful golden mess. As a man with a full beard, it makes me wish I could go Super Saiyan. Instead, I have to settle for some fries.

10 Oh No, What A Shocker

Poor Krillin. He's actually one of the bravest warriors in all of Dragon Ball. But in a world of legendary golden warriors, unnaturally strong aliens, and gods themselves, he can only do so much. Still, he rushes to Earth's defense at a moment's notice. Even after he settles down and has a family, he takes a job as a cop, showing his dedication to protecting others. A dedication that often puts him in the line of fire of beings far stronger than him. So he takes the fall. And he gets revived with the Dragon Balls. And he takes the fall again. Then, he becomes a meme. All because he wants to help people. It's okay Krillin. At least you still have that sweet TACOS shirt.

9 GT Vegeta Best Vegeta

Dragon Ball GT got a lot of things wrong, but I actually liked Vegeta's mustache. It really complimented his weird biker aesthetic. Biker dad Vegeta also has my favorite scene in all of Dragon Ball GT. In it, Vegeta is driving his daughter Bulla to the mall. All of a sudden, these two hotshot guys pull up next to them in a souped-up car. They hit on Bulla in front of her father, telling her to "ditch the geezer" and go with them. Vegeta doesn't take kindly to being called a geezer. He rams his car into theirs, rips off their steering wheel, and sends them plummeting off of a cliff into the ocean. Even as a retired biker dad, Vegeta is still savage AF.

8 Literal Worst Husband

I can see home being hell to Goku. After all, he's never there. And he's always trying to escape. Seriously, I don't know why he even stays married to Chi Chi. Or if he even knows what marriage is, for that matter. All he seems to know is battle and training for battle. And while Chi Chi has learned to accept this over the years, it can't be easy on her. Yet she endures, and even cooks huge meals and trains Goten in basic martial arts. What a great wife. If only Goku would learn to appreciate her and stop trying to ditch the housework. Heck, even Vegeta helps Bulma from time to time. And if Vegeta is a better husband and father than you, there's something wrong with you.

7 A Carrot By Any Other Name...

It's a well-known fact that Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, comes up with fairly random themes for his character names. Bulma's family is named after underwear. She herself is a play on bloomers and her father, Dr. Briefs, is self-explanatory. Majin Buu was brought back by an evil wizard named Babidi, son of Bibidi. So it's: Bibidi, Babidi, Buu. Like in Cinderella. Piccolo is a type of flute, and his demonic minions are all named after instruments. But by far the majority of names come from food. The Saiyans, in particular, are vegetables. Vegeta is literally just vegetable shortened. Goku's Saiyan name, Kakarot, is like carrot. And his brother Raditz is radish. So with all that information, can you make out what iconicDragon Ball Z scene is pictured here?

6 Your Childhood Is A Lie

I was going to make a joke here about how this picture makes me want a big budget, live-action Hollywood version of Dragon Ball. Then I remembered that Dragon Ball: Evolution was a thing and...yeah. Never mind that bit. Even though we know that everything in Dragon Ball is drawn, it's not hard to picture Namek as the product of a green screen. Particularly in the early 2000s. Because holy ki blasts did Namek's backgrounds all look the same. Rocky islands and water for days. It must have made things a lot easier for the animation team, but as a viewer it got tiring. Especially considering how long this saga was. It's actually a feat in and of itself that Dragon Ball: Evolution managed to have more bland environments.

5 The Power Of Propane

Sometimes you see a meme and genuinely don't know how to react. This is one of those times. Who thought to put Dragon Ball and King Of The Hill together? And why does Hank Hill react to Goku charging a spirit bomb in that manner? Does he not want Goku to defeat alien threats? Would he prefer that Goku use the power of quality propane to save the day? And would Goku just stop charging if Hank did give him a piece of his mind? So many questions, and no answers. See kids, this is why you don't meme irresponsibly. Otherwise, you get things that make no sense and leave readers scratching their heads. Darn memers. I'm gonna go and give them a piece of my mind.

4 I'm Guilty Of This

Every Pokémon player has done this at least once. And even though you feel bad for the little Bidoof or Rattata you throw out to take a beating while you heal your team, it's essential for some of the marathon battles towards the game's end. Heck, my entire Pokémon League strategy rests on letting punching bags do the work because I'm too lazy to grind to adequate levels. It gets even more awkward when the professor comes out and tells me that I won the championship because I have love and a trusting bond with my Pokémon. Yeah...love...just ignore the battered Bidoof.

3 Power Creep Is A Thing

You hear about power creep in long-running multiplayer games all the time. It's the idea that, over time, a game's developers have no choice but to add in blatantly more powerful characters and weapons. This makes pre-existing characters and weapons basically obsolete, with no hope of matching the shiny new additions. This is what happened to all of the non-Saiyan characters in Dragon Ball. Colorful characters like Tien, Yamcha, and Krillin were able to keep up with Goku when the series was about bizarre martial arts styles. But when focus started to shift to aliens and super forms, our poor human boys just couldn't keep up. But they try, they certainly try. And they die, they certainly die.

2 The True Pride Of The Saiyans

Vegeta is a consummate warrior and a prideful prince. All he cares about is constantly testing himself against the strongest opponents he can find. Well, that...and french fries. Who doesn't love fries? That does, however, bring up an interesting thought. What did Saiyans eat on Planet Vegeta? Did they have their own space burgers? Perhaps a fast food chain? A warrior race that's constantly going from one planet to the next, slaughtering the population and selling the remains, does need a convenient food option. McSayians? Oh, man. Imagine how the Szechuan sauce debacle would have gone down with Saiyans. Good thing Vegeta doesn't have time to watch Rick And Morty.

1 The One You Were Waiting For

You knew this one was coming. The Dragon Ball meme that began all Dragon Ball memes. The meme that goes even beyond the Dragon Ball fandom to general popular culture. It might even be the most recognizable meme ever. So you expected it, but you didn't expect it like this. Props to whoever designed and painted this cap. Hopefully, their skills were enough to land them a well-paying job. Or maybe they're still paying off their student loans to this day. Either way, they now have internet fame. And that has to count for something, right? Just not something they can use to pay their loans...