Any kid who grew up in the ’90s likely watched their fair share of Dragon Ball Z and/or Pokemon. Many children found an interest in both, and each of those anime helped make Japanese animation popular in the United States on a national scale.
Each was created in Japan by talented artists and designers, so it isn’t that surprising that similarities can be found between them. It’s time to take a look at certain Pokemon who resemble Dragon Ball Z characters, including some introduced in Pokemon Sword & Shield.
10 Raditz/Primeape
When taking a look at Raditz, two things are abundantly clear with his design: the color brown and a ton of hair. He always happens to have an angry and/or disgruntled look on his face as well.
In the world of Pokemon, there’s one clear outlier who matches all of this perfectly. The Fighting-type Pokemon Primeape is the closest thing resembling Raditz, and the fact that it’s an ape fits thematically with the backstory of the Saiyan race. If Raditz was a trainer it also wouldn’t be shocking to see him capture and train a Primeape.
9 Mr. Satan/Bouffalant
Mr. Satan is an accomplished fighter who happens to be the World Martial Arts Champion and one of the more memorable side characters in Dragon Ball Z. He has a remarkable mustache that pairs well with the large amount of hair he’s sporting on his head.
Bouffalant is a Normal-type Pokemon from the 5th generation of games, Black & White, and has a very similar head of hair. That’s the most striking comparison between the protector of Earth and the Bash Buffalo Pokemon from the Unova region.
8 Android 17/Greninja
Greninja is the Water and Dark-type Pokemon from the Kalos region and the closest resemblance to Android 17 in the series. Despite lacking the narrative importance of Android 18, or the interesting appearance of Android 16, Android 17 still has a solid collection of fans who appreciate the character.
Android 17’s black shirt and red scarf/ascot combo is one that perfectly resembles the shiny form of Greninja. He may not be as stealthy as his Pokemon counterpart, but he certainly looks the part at the very least.
7 Mr. Popo/Jynx
The two characters being paired in this entry match one another for the worst reason imaginable. Both Mr. Popo and the original design for Jynx were considered racially insensitive and quite problematic.
Portraying darker-skinned characters with pitch-black skin, large lips, and sunken eyes was something Japanese entertainment did several times in the ’90s. Jynx has since had its design adjusted accordingly, but Mr. Popo still happens to be quite the uncomfortable surprise when he pops up on the screen.
6 Krillin/Squirtle
Despite Krillin being a kind, loyal, and dedicated individual, he’s often boiled down to two distinct things. First, he’s bald in a show where characters have their hair grow or expand as they become stronger. Secondly, he’s a smaller guy in comparison to many of the other characters.
With Pokemon, it wasn’t hard to find a small creature, but when looking to match the bald head a clear favorite emerged. Squirtle is Krillin’s Pokemon doppelganger, and what a cute creature to be paired with.
5 Vegeta/Luxray
Does Luxray look angry and intimidating? Does it also happen to have spiky black hair that makes it look even more formidable? The answer to both of those questions is a resounding yes and is precisely why Luxray is wholeheartedly the Pokemon that resembles Vegeta the most.
Whether this Electric-type would be the Pokemon Vegeta would capture is a question for another day. In the meantime, Vegeta fans should do themselves a favor and acquire a Luxray as soon as possible, in whatever manner they can.
4 Majin Buu/Chansey
If this entry were to get technical then there would be several Pokemon that would need to be selected considering Majin Buu takes on several forms. For the sake of simplicity, this entry is only talking about Innocent Buu, the rotund version that just wants to eat things.
Snorlax and Chansey are both good calls in terms of things that resemble this villain, but the pink skin and stubby arms are too obvious to ignore with the latter. Chansey and Majin Buu could be a loving couple in a crossover universe of some sort.
3 Shenron/Rayquaza
Dragons are fantastical creatures that play a role in many cartoons and anime and are often seen as these legendary larger than life beings. Shenron in Dragon Ball Z is the entity in charge of granting wishes when someone presents it with all of the dragon balls.
It’s a large cascading green dragon that feels like a deity all on its own. The Pokemon version of Shenron is Rayquaza, a giant green dragon that shares a strong connection with Earth and calls the ozone layer its home.
2 Frieza/Mewtwo
Think of a character that is alien-like in appearance, comprised of mostly gray and purple, has a large tail, and feet that look like hands. With no context provided, there’s an equal chance the image in someone’s head would either result in Frieza or Mewtwo.
They are both powerful beyond imagination and many of the design principles used in their creation are eerily similar. Mewtwo ends up being a misunderstood creature, whereas Frieza is a ruthless emperor always looking to acquire more power and control. They both have a shared energy that makes them a force for chaos and back that up with exceptional potential.
1 Goku/Infernape
Goku, like Infernape, is based on Sun Wukong of Chinese mythology. More precisely, they’re based on the version of Sun Wukong featured in the famous fabled Journey to the West. It would make sense then that the two would resemble one another so closely.
The only issue with comparing each of their designs is that Goku is often sporting a large smile, while Infernape is often seen in a menacing state where it is prepared to battle or protect itself, as opposed to laughing or having a good time.
NEXT: 10 Batman Villains & Their Perfect Pokemon Partners
