Who is the most skilled fighter in the series?

[SSJ2]

?

 

[GSM123]

Goku. The guy was simply a genius when it came to fighting. Kuririn is a very crafty fighter as well.

 

[SSJ2]

Goku. The guy was simply a genius when it came to fighting. Kuririn is a very crafty fighter as well.

Cell should be more skilled by that weak logic. Cell was Goku.

 

[GSM123]

Funny because I thought that just after posting, but I had Vegerot in mind.

Cell is shown to be outsmarted by Goku when they fight and he loses his shit against Gohan, so it doesn’t seem like he’s the best fighter. The Z Warriors DNA he got was an outdated one, and having Freeza and Vegeta’s cell doesn’t help making him a stable guy in the face of being defeated.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Ignoring GT and Super, Goku ought to take this. He has a moveset of which's variation is one of the best in the series which he utilises excellently and his ability to adapt to situations and surpass expectations has been made apparent by those around him in almost every arc. Kuririn is a contender as well due to his strategic mindset and utilisation of both his techniques and general initiative, his battle with Goku at the 22nd TB being an excellent example.
Cell had the potential to be the truly perfect fighter, though his outdated cells and how the personalities of those he gained them from clashed didn't really help in the long run.

 

[Future Warrior]

Goku for reasons CC has said, that is if we don't account for fusions. Vegetto/Gogeta takes the strengths of both Goku and Vegeta and combines them into one fighter, but I guess that isn't accounted for here.

Ignoring GT and Super, Goku ought to take this. He has a moveset of which's variation is one of the best in the series which he utilises excellently and his ability to adapt to situations and surpass expectations has been made apparent by those around him in almost every arc.

Reminds me of Bruce Lee's quote

“The best fighter is not a Boxer, Karate or Judo man. The best fighter is someone who can adapt on any style. He kicks too good for a Boxer, throws too good for a Karate man, and punches too good for a Judo man.”

Which is why I'd say Goku is a better fighter than even Roshi despite the latter having centuries worth of experience.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Not to mention that Bruce Lee's quote of (to paraphrase) "There are no limits, only plateaus to overcome" pretty much sums up the main theme of the DB franchise. Toriyama is known to have been heavily inspired by famous martial artists when writing DB, though the influence Bruce Lee's philosophy played on the series is quite underrated.

And yeah, counting fusions would seem like a pretty cheap route when their existence isn't permanent (save Kaioshin fusions) and are only so skilled in the first place as a result of those involved.

 

[theallpowerfulpuipui]

If you believe a Frieza can't sense ki and was at a 25% disadvantage against SSJ Goku, those were some sick fuckin skills keeping the fight competitive.

:rape

 

[Pocket-Gog~]

If you believe a Frieza can't sense ki and was at a 25% disadvantage against SSJ Goku, those were some sick fuckin skills keeping the fight competitive.

:rape

Of course, he was stronger than Semi Perfect Cell.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

If you believe a Frieza can't sense ki and was at a 25% disadvantage against SSJ Goku, those were some sick fuckin skills keeping the fight competitive.

:rape

The keyword there is "if".

 

[ahill1]

Piccolo's the most skilled of them all. It was stated.

 

[Spiral-Force]

Goku. He's technically proficient and tends to find ways to adapt to when the opponent is stronger or is considered to be more experienced. He gets into his opponent's head too, a fair amount of times; making them resort to extreme measures to beat him or humiliate him, like when Roshi used Yoiko Minmin Ken or Bankoku Bikkuri Shō, or when Vegeta used Oozaru.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

I don't want to vote for Goku since he's the protagonist and feels like by default that he's the most skilled fighter.

I think it has to be Vegeta. Even Goku and Piccolo called him genius when it comes on fighting.

 

[Spiral-Force]

Your protagonist argument is a weird downplay since his combat skill didn't come out of thin air. Of course, we can't ignore his natural talent, but he's worked hard and capitalised on great training opportunities.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

True and I think I'm just looking it from meta point of view.

 

[Spiral-Force]

So you think, ultimately, Toriyama predestined Goku to be the most skilled fighter?

Not sure I can get behind that logic unless it was suggested in an interview or whatnot.

 

[Captain Cadaver]

Not only that, but Goku being so skilled due to main character plot armour or other meta reasons, that would completely cheapen and even spit in the face of the point of his character made apparent in the Saiyan and Freeza Arcs. Goku is so skilled not because of pure natural talent or destiny (until Super, at least), but because he went through the kind of spiritual, Earthly training that was unconventional of Saiyans and learnt important martial arts philosophies from multiple masters (until the Super manga retconned all the lessons he learned).
It can even be argued Vegeta is more talented than him, considering he never had someone formally train him until Whis and the Yardrats in Super and got by purely from his own battle instincts.

 

[Spiral-Force]

I think Fearless might be operating under the logic that Toriyama devised some sort of master plan of having Goku go through all of that and ending up the most skilled...

Which would be difficult to get on-board with if limited to head canon. Wasn't Toriyama known as more of an improviser?

 

[ahill1]

Your protagonist argument is a weird downplay since his combat skill didn't come out of thin air. Of course, we can't ignore his natural talent, but he's worked hard and capitalised on great training opportunities.

But Piccolo was stated as the most skilled fighter in the verse.

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

Nah, I just thought that protagonist are default genius, natural skilled etc., and I feel like we should discuss the secondary characters instead who aren't powerful enough to defeat the enemy but skillful enough to hang in there longer. Feel free to dismiss my post.