Dragon Ball: 7 Most Ancient Characters in The Story, Ranked by Power

Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball keeps getting bigger, and its newest lore reveals just how ancient its most powerful characters really are. From a planet-eating sorcerer who terrorized the universe millions of years ago to a Majin connected to the creation of the multiverse, these beings make even Goku’s strongest transformations look like the beginning of the story.

But age alone doesn’t guarantee victory. This ranking considers their established abilities, feats, and cosmic importance, with special attention to the revelations in Dragon Ball Super and Dragon Ball DAIMA.

7 Majin Buu Was One of the Oldest Threats in Dragon Ball

Majin Buu’s destructive history stretches back millions of years, long before Goku becomes Earth’s greatest defender. While early lore credited the wizard Bibidi with his creation, Akira Toriyama later clarified that Buu has existed since time immemorial, cycling between cosmic rampages and deep hibernation.

Buu earns seventh place because his incredible regeneration, unpredictable fighting style, and different forms make him a nightmare to defeat. However, his ranking reflects the greater cosmic scale of the beings above him.

6 Moro Drains Entire Planets to Grow Stronger

Forget stealing the Dragon Balls for immortality. Moro prefers something much more direct: draining entire planets of their life energy and adding that power to his own. The Dragon Ball Super manga reveals in Chapter 43 that Moro terrorized Universe 7 around 10 million years ago, destroying countless worlds before the Grand Supreme Kai sealed away his magic.

Moro’s real danger is that fighting him can make the situation worse. During the Galactic Patrol Prisoner arc, he drains energy from planets and powerful fighters alike, leaving even Goku and Vegeta struggling. His ability to grow stronger by consuming energy puts him above Buu on this list, although the divine beings higher up possess much greater authority and power.

5 The Gods of Destruction Can Wipe Out Entire Worlds

Beerus introduces a terrifying new level of power when he arrives in Dragon Ball Super. The God of Destruction barely needs to try when dealing with most opponents, and his Hakai ability allows him to destroy targets rather than simply defeat them in a fight. His long history also reaches back at least 75 million years, given his encounter with the Elder Kai sealed in the Z Sword.

Beerus isn’t the only one who deserves attention. Every universe has its own God of Destruction, including Champa, whose rivalry with Beerus brings plenty of chaos to the Universe 6 Saga. They rank fifth because their destructive abilities dwarf those of ancient mortal villains, but their own attendants prove that even these gods have someone stronger watching over them.

4 The Angels Are Even Stronger Than the Gods They Serve

Imagine being assigned to supervise a God of Destruction and still being much stronger than your boss. That’s the Angels’ situation. Whis serves as Beerus’s attendant and martial arts teacher, and he demonstrates the gap between them when he effortlessly knocks Beerus unconscious during Dragon Ball Super‘s early episodes.

Their mastery of Ultra Instinct makes them especially dangerous in combat, allowing them to react and move without the usual delay of conscious thought. They also possess extraordinary abilities that go well beyond ordinary fighting techniques. The Angels rank above the Gods of Destruction because their demonstrated combat skills give them a clear advantage.

3 The Grand Priest Stands Above the Other Angels

As the father of the Angels, the Grand Priest occupies a remarkable position in the divine hierarchy and is presented as one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. Even Whis holds him in extraordinary regard.

What makes the Grand Priest so interesting is how little of his true power the series has shown. Unlike Beerus, who regularly demonstrates his destructive abilities, the Grand Priest remains largely mysterious. He takes third place because his status and reputation place him above the Angels.

2 Grand Zeno Can Erase Entire Universes in Seconds

Grand Zeno might look like a cheerful little child, but his power is anything but harmless. During the Future Trunks Saga, he erases the corrupted future timeline after Zamasu’s transformation threatens everything. Later, the Tournament of Power makes it clear that entire universes are at stake when he decides their inhabitants have failed to meet his expectations.

Zeno ranks second because his ability to erase universes and timelines makes him far more dangerous than almost anyone else in the franchise. However, the next entry takes the top spot for a different reason: his connection to the creation of that multiverse.

1 Majin Rymus Is the Creator of the Entire Dragon Ball Multiverse

Dragon Ball DAIMA introduces one of the franchise’s biggest revelations in Episode 10, titled “Ocean.” Shin explains that a Super Majin named Rymus created the universes after receiving an order from the benevolent Supreme Demon King. Rymus also appoints members of the Glind race to serve as Supreme Kais and oversee the newly created universes.

That puts Rymus in a league of his own when it comes to cosmic significance. Zeno can erase universes, but Rymus is responsible for creating them in the first place. His actual fighting ability remains unknown, so calling him definitively stronger than Zeno would go beyond confirmed canon. Still, his creation feat makes him a compelling choice for No. 1 in a ranking of ancient characters by overall power and influence.

Now the big question: Which ancient Dragon Ball character do you think is the strongest? Share your thoughts in the comments below.