135+ Dragon Ball Z Tattoo Ideas to Bring Out The Fighter In You!

I've been a fan of the Dragon Ball series since I was a kid, so I get excited whenever clients come in wanting Dragon Ball Z tattoos. The last tattoo sleeve I actually did was a Dragon Ball-inspired one - the client was one of my regulars, and he wanted a Dragon Ball GT-inspired tat with Shyn Shenron.

Dragon Ball Z has been around for over 30 years, so I'd put my cash on there being at least 100 different characters to get tattooed. I was actually thinking about this while sketching a Goku tattoo a few days ago. So, in this article, I thought about running you through all the best Dragon Ball tattoo ideas out there.

Best Dragon Ball Z Tattoos

Here are all the best Dragon Ball Z tattoo ideas.

Son Goku Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

Goku is the main character of the show, so getting a tattoo of him naturally would be a good way to honor it. Dragon Ball Z actually revolves around him from his childhood all the way to him and his grandkids. He's this brave, unstoppable force that's also quite witty - I think Goku will be a good tattoo design if you love the show and also resonate with these qualities.

I've done too many Goku tattoos to count. I'd say that although his Super Saiyan forms are the most popular with clients, I really like doing kid Goku the most - I get to add the nimbus he flies on.

If you're wondering how to go about your Goku tattoo, you could perhaps do one of Goku's fight scenes. I did one earlier this year as a part of a thigh tattoo: this client wanted the fight with Vegeta on his left thigh.

Here are a few Goku Dragon Ball Z tattoo ideas:

Vegeta Tattoo

There's obviously no talking about Goku without mentioning a Vegeta tattoo. Vegeta started off as one of the show's villains but soon became one of its main characters. He's more cynical, serious, and very tough, so a Vegeta tattoo might be up your alley if you resonate with these qualities. But overall he's shown a lot of character development throughout the Dragon ball franchise which any anime fan would appreciate.

Just like with Goku, Vegeta also has a few different forms. It's up to you to decide which to get for your Vegeta tattoo. Just last week, I had this client come in for a Vegeta tattoo that featured Majin Vegeta, while a few days before that I did a tat of Great Ape Vegeta.

Here are the different Vegeta tattoos you can get:

Son Gohan Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

Gohan is another one of the main characters in the Dragon Ball series, so getting a tattoo of him is also a good way to honor it. He's Goku and Chi Chi's child and is also funny and witty like his dad. Plus he's inherited much of Goku's determination too.

Gohan is a part of the Z-fighters and actually has a few different Super Saiyan forms as well. Also, the series first starts with him as a little kid and then moves on to him as a teenager and adult. So, you can even get a tattoo of him at different stages in his life.

Here are all the different Son Gohan tattoo ideas:

Chi Chi Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

Chi Chi is Goku's wife, and loving mother to Gohan and Goten. She's quite tough- she's had to look after Gohan many times while Goku has been away. I think she'd make a smart tattoo design if you want something to represent woman power.

A lot of the Chi Chi tattoos I've done have actually been with Goku, which I think is a good way to represent their love. But you can always add her as a standalone character for your Dragon Ball Z-inspired tattoo.

Here are a few Chichi dragon ball z tattoos:

Bulma Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

Bulma's this super friendly personality that's the complete opposite of Vegeta. But that's probably what makes them work well together. She's his wife and the mother to Trunks - she's also one of Goku's oldest friends, having known him since he was a child.

Bulma is known for her intellect and her inventions, which can make her an excellent tattoo design if you want to represent woman power.

Here are a few Bulma tattoos:

Trunks Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

We were first introduced to Trunks in the anime series when his future self warned the Z-fighters about the Androids. When it comes to him, his personality actually depends on which timeline of him we're talking about.

The future self from the Android timeline is kind-hearted and determined, which makes him a good tattoo idea if you resonate with these qualities. While the kid trunks from the regular timeline is somewhat overconfident, proud, and even cocky like his dad.

Master Roshi Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

Master Roshi is probably the closest thing Goku has had to a father figure: he's his old martial arts instructor, and pretty much the one responsible for him becoming the fighter that he is. Master Roshi is overall a fun, witty character who's quite wise - the fact he's so pervy while being an old man is also amusing.

If you're interested in a Master Roshi tattoo but want something that's a bit more discreet, you could maybe get the Kame Kanji tattooed. It's the symbol for his martial arts school - it isn't that detailed so you can get away with a small tattoo of it if you're working with a limited space.

The Kame Kanji is also worn by Goku and the Z fighters, so it's a good way to represent them all in one single tattoo.

Overall, I've noticed that a lot of clients like to play onto Master Roshi's pervy nature and get him ogling at someone as a part of their tat. I actually remember this one client wanting me to add young Bulma to a tattoo of him once.

Shenron Dragon Ball Tattoos (Earth's Seven Dragon Balls)

Shenron is a key part of the show - he's been used a bunch of times to bring back the dead, like when King Piccolo, Frieza, and even Super 17 struck (unfortunately as you know this back-fires during GT)

Most clients incorporate the dragon balls with him into the design - I definitely think this is something you should consider. Also, most of the Shenron tattoos I've done have been arm tattoos: he's long and serpentine so he fits well in the length of the arm.

But if you're not interested in a Shenron tattoo, you can perhaps go with another one of the wish-granting dragons, like Porunga from Planet Namek. He's pretty funny, so perhaps a tattoo of him might work well for you.

Bardock Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

Bardock is Goku's father, and he unfortunately was killed in a fight against Frieza. He's not the most popular Dragon Ball Z tattoo that I've done, but he's a major symbol of bravery - he unfortunately was killed trying to save his people.

I'd say most of the tattoo designs I've done of him have been a Bardock and Goku tattoo together.

Here are some Bardock Dragon Ball tattoo ideas for inspiration:

Cell Saga Dragon Ball Z Tattoo

The whole Android-Cell saga is by far one of the most interesting Dragon Ball arcs. It's just full of action, especially when there was villain on top of villain being revealed. I'd say a cool tattoo design would be of Cell and the different Androids - I had the pleasure of doing one of these as a sleeve as a birthday gift for a friend recently.

If you don't feel like combining the Androids or Cell, you definitely can do them standalone: Android 16 was very brave and would be a great tattoo design if you're someone who resonates with his courage. While Android 18 works great if you want something to represent girl power - she after all is one of the few female villains that the Anime series has had.

Frieza Tattoo Idea

I'd have to say that Frieza is my all-time favorite Dragon Ball Z villain. His whole saga in Planet Namek with Goku was what made me a fan of the show, and I'd even say his showdown with Goku is my favorite anime battle ever.

Frieza was the leader of the Frieza force and stopped at nothing for control, ultimately destroying planet Vegeta because he was afraid of their power. He's definitely a great tattoo idea if you want to honor a villain from the show: he's by far the most recurring villain in the Dragon Ball series. Plus, body art of him works well if you're someone who has a drive to be on top.

Matching Dragon Ball Tattoo

Matching tattoos are essentially when you get two tattoos on opposite sides of your body almost parallel to each other. Like a few days ago, this young client came in for a Goku and Vegeta matching tattoo. He wanted Vegeta to be on his left forearm and Goku on his right - it represented their rivalry and brotherhood well.

But there are just so many different matching dragon ball tattoos that you can get. I've done one where the client at the time got Kid Goku on his left forearm and younger Bulma on the other, and a Bulma and Vegeta tattoo too.

Also, you probably are aware of fusions in the show - you can perhaps get Vegeta and Goku doing the fusion dance, or Goten and Trunks doing the fusion dance.

Dragon Ball Z Back Tattoo

If you want a really intricate piece, I'd recommend going for a back tattoo. The back's a pretty big space, so you'll really be able to get intricate and let your dragon ball tattoo shine.

I think a good route you can take with a Dragon Ball tattoo in such a large space is maybe to get a fight scene tatted on - the last Dragon Ball Z I did on a client's back was actually a fight scene between Super Saiyan Goku from Dragon ball GT and Syn Shenron.

But as a tattoo artist, I have to tell you that back tattoos can take a lot of time (especially if you get really detailed with it). In our studio, we try to finish them up in around 4 days but they can take longer - so check around for different tattoo artists before making a booking. And of course, it can be expensive too.

Arm Dragon Ball Tattoo (Tattoo Sleeve)

I think the arm is one of the best spots for tattoos overall, regardless of whether you're trying to get a Dragon Ball Z tattoo or not. The space is just the right size if you were to ask me, plus it doesn't really hurt to get your arm tatted either.

If you want a show stopper, I'd recommend going for tattoo sleeves: they're essentially when you get one large piece that stretches from your shoulder area to your wrists. I think one of the best tattoo sleeve designs I've ever done was actually a giant Goku tattoo.

But if you don't want a full-sleeve tattoo, I can understand - you might perhaps want something less flashy like a half-sleeve. Like its name suggests, it's half of a sleeve. So, it's usually from the elbow to the wrist, or the shoulder area to the elbow.

Just remember that in general, sleeves can be expensive. Plus, they can take a lot of time. In our studio, we try to finish a tattoo sleeve in around 2 days but it depends on your tattoo artist.

Here are a few arm and tattoo sleeve ideas:

Final Thoughts

There are quite a few Dragon Ball Z tattoo designs that you can go for - if you want to make it obvious that you are a big fan of the show, I'd suggest a Goku tattoo or Vegeta tattoo.

However, if you don't feel like getting a straight-up Goku or Vegeta tattoo, you can perhaps go more discreet with the design and get Master Roshi's Kame Kanji as your tattoo design. In my opinion, it's a good way to not only honor Master Roshi but the Z-fighters too.

All in all, I hope you found this ultimate guide useful, and know which Dragon Ball Z tattoo design to get now!