First airing back in 2015, Dragon Ball Super brought back the series in a big way. It was always one of the more popular media franchises in Japan, but the addition of a new – and more importantly canon – series following two immensely popular theatrical films really made the hype for Super all the greater. We’re going to see the series off in about a month, but don’t worry, this isn’t the last we’re going to hear of Dragon Ball itself. In order to celebrate the run, why not look at some of the funniest memes made over the last few years at the show’s expense?

There are plenty of funny and weird moments to poke at, as well as one or two controversies that followed the show. The fan community for Dragon Ball is so huge that there’s an embarrassment of riches to be found online in terms of humorous content. But we feel that these 25 really made the grade and are the best overall representation of it all. Whether you loved the series or hated it with an absolute passion – or maybe you’re somewhere in the middle – get ready for these Dragon Ball Super memes that crossed the line big time.

25 Hangin’ Out With The Guys

One of the most epic things that has culminated in the entire series is the Universal Destruction arc. The series already did a good job of setting the ceiling high for Vegeta and Goku, and as things progressed so did the audience’s expectations. Having a whole tournament filled with potential rivals was a great idea. But one absolutely fantastic thing that came out of it was the recruitment and inclusion of fan favourite characters that up to that point had been sitting on the shelf. Frieza, 17 and Gohan have all played significant roles in the series since the tournament started and have each been pushed o their limits. While the tournament has dwindled down significantly, we’re still grateful for this awesome team up.

24 Pure EDGE

While it is, for the most part, a serious show, Super does have its fair share of goofy moments that you might’ve not seen coming. The show sometimes reverts to its slapstick roots which might admittedly feel off at times, but in other cases works perfectly. One of the most exciting additions to the show was Goku Black, which gave fans a look into what a potentially more Saiyan Goku would’ve looked like. It looks like someone made a Marvel and Dc comparison using these two and it does work pretty well. Goku, the vanilla, and slightly comedic one and Black, the dark, edgy one – both are pretty spot on.

23 What Do You Mean We Have A Budget?

More jokes about the art and we have to say, they’re warranted. Art is critical to winning over your audience and having a lasting impression in anime, and these stills just fall flat. It’s no wonder this whole debacle drew the ire of so many fans when this episode first aired. Look at it, it’s a mess. You’d hardly call this professional. Goku looks like some elementary kids doodle that you’d likely find on some proud parents fridge. Seeing it aired on television put out by a big name animation studio is incredibly odd. No of course, there are a lot of factors that go into creating a show on a weekly basis, and it certainly isn’t easy, but fans expected better.

22 Denied

Looks like it’s more Yamcha for us right now and sadly for him, it isn’t anything good once again. Early on in the series Yamcha and Bulma – at the time the show’s female lead – formed something of a bond that turned into a relationship that served as a side story throughout much of the original Dragon Ball. However, Bulma and Yamcha eventually split and Bulma – surprisingly – was given a new love interest in Vegeta. While he wasn’t exactly the best partner at the beginning, Vegeta has turned into a reliable husband and father while Yamcha is constantly made a joke of or taken lightly. Looks like Bulma got the better end of the stick there.

21 It’s Just Like Dark Souls

Speaking of romantic pairings, Android 18 and Krillin were one of the bigger surprises in that area, but seem to be the show’s most balanced and level headed couple. Goku and Chi-Chi have more of a comedic dynamic than a romantic one, but the relationship between these two is pretty…normal. They have a kid, they spend time together and they support each other. But this moment in the show really caught people off guard. 18 – worried for Krillin – takes the tough love route and absolutely destroys him with this. It was a pretty brutal moment, and just when you thought Krillin’s bad luck was gone he gets hit with this. You have to feel for the guy.

20 OK Then

Ever since One Punch Man picked up in popularity, you’ll find a good deal of anime fans online that are more than keen to pair Saitama up with various fictional fighters. One of the most popular options of course, is Goku. Aside from Superman, this alternative fighting scenario is one of the more talked about. Though, it would be a fairly short fight given Saitama’s ability as a fighter. Despite Goku’s multiple transformations, many will make the argument that he wouldn’t last more than a few seconds in this fight. While Goku might not be able to mimic Saitama in terms of power, it looks like he can pull off the old shaved head look pretty darn well.

19 Zoinks!

One thing that you’ll notice about a good deal of popular Shounen Anime and Manga characters is that they have unbelievably huge appetites. It’s an endearing character trait and trope that’s been applied to numerous lovable bone heads, with notables like Naruto and Luffy all taking cue from older characters like Goku. Ever since fans were introduced to him, Goku’s had a comedically large stomach, and his appetite often serves as a touch of comedic relief, even later on in the series during some of the most high impact arcs. This one’s more of a Shaggy meme, and pretty hilariously puts his own legendary passion for food on display. Looks like Super Saiyan God wasn’t enough here.

18 A Total Yamcha…

Initially introduced in the original Dragon Ball series, Yamcha was once one of the strongest and most ambitious fighters on the roster. A dependable friend who never shied away from a challenge, Yamcha might’ve not been the most powerful of the gang, but he was a serious competitor. Well as the series went on, Yamcha got progressively weaker – or perhaps a better word is overmatched. One of the most laughed at moments in the series is how Yamcha was taken out by a Saibaman’s self-destruction, creating a lasting image that’s made its rounds through the web. When it looked like Super’s goofy baseball episode would thrust him back into the spotlight – if only momentarily – Yamcha struck out, same as he always does.

17 Brain Freeze

The Ginyu Force – though a powerful foe – were more than a little eccentric in how they conducted themselves. Though they were some of Frieza’s strongest warriors, they were almost jester-like in their actions and really added a slight touch of comedic relief during what was a pretty intense arc. Among the weakest of them, all was Guldo, who without his time stopping powers would’ve been a relatively easy target. Guldo gets a lot of flak for being the weakest of the bunch, and while pesky, his powers aren’t exactly all that overpowered or invulnerable either. But, whatever it is you want to say about the guy, at least he could stop time for more than a measly 0.1 seconds. Pshh.

16 And so It Continues

Dragon Ball is without a doubt one of the biggest shounen manga and anime series’ out there. There are plenty of fans out there, and it’s inspired countless other series. Naruto is another huge name in the industry and a lot of fans of either of these shows tend to like the other as well. But you do have those fans that like to boast superiority and that’s led to a lot of arguments regarding which one is truly better. So, it must’ve stung to die-hard Natuto fans out there when they heard that Super was coming out and just a few years after Naruto had ended. Though, with the way a lot of Dragon ball fans have responded to the show, they might be just as displeased.

15 True Friendship

The relationship between Goku and Vegeta is one of the most fleshed out and pivotal in the entire series. Goku has long had a habit of turning one time foes into allies. But Vegeta was a different monster entirely. He had ended innocents, destroyed planets and worse, engaged in a devastating battle with Goku and co. He was at that point, one of the most seemingly irredeemable characters in the show. But Vegeta grew as a character and so did his rivalry with Goku. They’re the strongest and best fighters the Earth has, and continuously push each other towards new heights. However, this gif seems to show a much more flamboyant side of the two that will leave most fans with some confusing feelings.

14 Last One…We Promise

As is the norm with many other fighting shows, Dragon Ball tends to stretch things out way more than they need to be. You can call it a problem with pacing, or just see it as the way that things go in the industry, but fans are all too familiar with this technique. The show also has ridiculously long episode names – which is also pretty funny if you think about it as kind of a foreshadowing of sorts. Plenty of the episode titles promise startling and exciting developments, only to drag the viewer through yet another episode and have them tune in again next week, with absolutely no closure.

13 Are We In The Dark Ages?

Future Trunks has been and always will be a fan favourite character. That’ll be the case for a long time, and you can be sure that we’re going to see a good deal more from him sometime in the future. And so, when yet another Future Arc was brought into Super fans were excited to see one of their favourite characters back in action. But many of us forget that the world that Future Trunks comes from is an apocalyptic one. Still, how does someone have a time machine and still store important information on a compact disc? Looks like the future is grim in more ways than one.

12 All Hope Lost

To say that expectations were high for Super following its announcement would be an incredible understatement. Dragon Ball is an incredibly popular franchise and is held in high regard by a number of fans in the anime community. What’s more, it’s something many are still nostalgic about. So of course, expectations were high – very much so. It’s tough enough to sell fans on a new story, but subpar art isn’t going to help you one bit. Many fans weren’t fond of the new, “polished” looking art style. That sentiment wasn’t helped by the disastrous animations in episode 5. It’s what turned a lot of fans’ hope into dissatisfaction. While the show has moved passed this, it’s a pretty big stain on its reputation.

11 You Can Do It If You Try

Well, we’re back at it with the art – which if you read the last entry, really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Anime is heavily dependent on its art style going over well with fans, and when fans are used to a certain style and its changed – no matter how many years have passed – it usually turns them off. What was most frustrating for Super fans is that the art was inconsistent. The films were beautifully animated, but the show started things off on the foot. But as things went on the animation got better and while perhaps not to everyone’s taste – was at least well done. It’s one of the most frustrating parts of the entire series.

10 Deity Of (Cuisine)

Beerus is one of the most popular new characters in the series and serves as something both Goku and Vegeta can look and try to surpass. Until this new series started, you could’ve made the case that Goku and Vegeta were already pretty much Gods in their own right, with massive power and incredible abilities that often surpassed most life forms. But Beerus put everything in perspective. He’s a fearsome character and an absolute beast if a fighter. He’s also a glutton and that aspect of his character is played up on many occasions. In fact, you could completely get sidetracked by this aspect of his character and completely forget just how fearsome he is.

9 Well It Wouldn’t Be Predictable…

As much as Goku has amassed a huge following around the world, Vegeta has managed to do the very same. Easily the second most popular character in the franchise, Vegeta has had the most growth of any character on the show and because of that has his fair share of supporters. Of course, most of these fans don’t really like the idea of Vegeta constantly playing second fiddle to Goku and not really getting many big moments when compared to his buddy Kakarot. Well, this seems to present us with an interesting idea we know won’t happen at all at this point. Vegeta surpassing Beerus and discovering a new transformation would’ve been huge, but alas it was just fantasy.

8 So Close, Yet So Far

We’ve already discussed Yamcha in an earlier entry, but it seems like the Dragon Ball community is never done with him. Long the subject of ridicule, Yamcha has had one steady thing going for him in his life after fighting; baseball. So when the baseball filler episode aired, that was his time to shine – at least that’s what made the most sense to fans. It was the first time Yamcha would be relevant since the early days of the series and though it only came in a filler episode he really did get some of the spotlight on him. But this being Yamcha, of course it wouldn’t last.

7 He Should Have

As was mentioned before, many Vegeta fans feel that he takes the back seat to Goku way too often, and to be perfectly fair and reasonable here; they’re right. He’s a strong warrior and has shown himself to be on part with Goku more than once, but Goku is the one that gets the final blow. Most notably it was Goku who had first achieved the Super Saiyan form and defeated the tyrant that eradicated his people – not Vegeta. Goku, who for most of his life wasn’t even aware of his heritage and had no real connection to the Saiyan’s avenged them while Vegeta was left immobile. Fans thought that Resurrection F might’ve remedied this, and it almost did – until Goku was pretty much forced to steal the save away…again.

6 Haven’t I Seen This Before?

For the most part, Barry Kahn is a pretty unremarkable and non-important character that isn’t all that noticeable. He’s an actor, he’s full of himself and he plays the Great Saiyaman in a movie. But one thing he does that is of note is take an interest in Videl and try and split her and Gohan up. Well, that obviously doesn’t go well, and Barry goes full on Eddy Brock on Gohan. Of course, he’s defeated but you have to wonder at the similarities in their character progressions noted above. We’re not accusing Super of pilgrims or anything like that, but the similarities are noteworthy. If it’s worth anything, Brock is a far superior villain.