Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

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DBNamek
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Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by DBNamek » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:01 pm

Pretty self explanatory title, who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise? It doesn't matter if the character is canon not, we're just looking at popularity. The characters can be anywhere from the manga, movies, anime, video games, spin offs, side stories, etc.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by VegettoEX » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:22 pm

How are you looking / expecting to qualify this? A historical survey? From what region at what point in time?

Or are you just asking other users who their ten favorite characters are right now?
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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by DBNamek » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:27 pm

VegettoEX wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:22 pm How are you looking / expecting to qualify this? A historical survey? From what region at what point in time?

Or are you just asking other users who their ten favorite characters are right now?
Good point. Should have been more clear. I guess I'm looking for more recent answers. As in, over the past 10 years, or really since Battle of Gods came out in 2013.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by MasenkoHA » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:56 pm

I’m not sure how you’re trying to quantify this but if this Japanese poll is anything to go by https://www.uniten.net/stat/34

1. Bardock
2. Vegeta
3. Piccolo
4. Son Gohan
5. Broli
6. Gogeta
7. Son Goku
8. Jinzoningen 17
9. Goku Black
10. Jinzoningen 18

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Matches Malone » Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:58 pm

The order of these can change here and there, but generally speaking:

Goku
Vegeta
Future Trunks
Freeza
Broly
Beerus
Whis
Bulma
Piccolo
Bardock

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by SupremeKai25 » Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:09 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:56 pm I’m not sure how you’re trying to quantify this but if this Japanese poll is anything to go by https://www.uniten.net/stat/34

1. Bardock
2. Vegeta
3. Piccolo
4. Son Gohan
5. Broli
6. Gogeta
7. Son Goku
8. Jinzoningen 17
9. Goku Black
10. Jinzoningen 18
Goku Black and the Androids are more popular than Frieza? Well that's a surprise for certain.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Skar » Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm

I found these polls from 2018.

V-Jump antagonist popularity poll:
Image

Most popular characters overall (not sure which magazine):
Image

Image

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Kinokima » Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:27 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:56 pm I’m not sure how you’re trying to quantify this but if this Japanese poll is anything to go by https://www.uniten.net/stat/34

1. Bardock
2. Vegeta
3. Piccolo
4. Son Gohan
5. Broli
6. Gogeta
7. Son Goku
8. Jinzoningen 17
9. Goku Black
10. Jinzoningen 18
Pretty surprised that Goku isn’t number one on a Japanese poll.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Polyphase Avatron » Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:47 pm

Skar wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm I found these polls from 2018.

V-Jump antagonist popularity poll:
Image

Most popular characters overall (not sure which magazine):
Image

Image
Who are "Thales" and "Autres"?
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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by WittyUsername » Mon Jan 11, 2021 5:49 pm

I don’t see how there’s any real way of coming up with a clear answer to this question, but in terms of antagonists, it seems fair to say that Freeza and Broly are the most popular. Oh, and Vegeta as well, although people tend to recognize him more as one of the good guys.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Alruneia » Mon Jan 11, 2021 5:57 pm

It's interesting to me to see how in some polls, Vegeta ends up ahead of Goku, and sometimes Goku ends up not even getting 2nd place.
I guess that kind of thing can happen from time to time. Just the luck of the draw regarding who you ask.
Polyphase Avatron wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 4:47 pm Who are "Thales" and "Autres"?
Turles and "others", I think.
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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by MrSatan2099 » Mon Jan 11, 2021 6:09 pm

Interesting to see the impact of the newer characters on these lists. I'd like to see some comparisons with polls from 25 years ago or so.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Jiren The Alpha » Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:08 am

Skar wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm I found these polls from 2018.

V-Jump antagonist popularity poll:
Image

Most popular characters overall (not sure which magazine):
Image

Image
Even as a Jiren fan, I'm surprise he is number 3 :lol:

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by sunsetshimmer » Tue Jan 12, 2021 8:00 am

Jiren The Alpha wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 7:08 am Even as a Jiren fan, I'm surprise he is number 3 :lol:
IMO There are two main reasons Jiren is so high:
-He is associated with Goku reaching Ultra Instinct and being final antagonist in series
-DBS is still pretty new so there is still some hype, not to mention that poll being from 2018 which was really shortly after DBS final episodes

We'd need to wait few more years for such list to be a bit more accurate.
I mean honestly how many people can say Jiren was well written? He was empty character on his own. But he was very strong and forced Goku to go UI which makes him popular character.
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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Skar » Tue Jan 12, 2021 9:54 am

sunsetshimmer wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 8:00 amWe'd need to wait few more years for such list to be a bit more accurate.
It would be interesting to see how these polls change in a few years and which characters stand the test of time. I'm not saying that DBS's antagonists aren't popular and I still consider Beerus one of my favorites but there could be a recency bias since this poll was the same year DBS ended. I've seen it happen in arc ranking threads over the years. Recent arcs are ranked highly but fans reflect on them over time and consider them a lower on their list.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Matches Malone » Tue Jan 12, 2021 9:59 am

Skar wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 9:54 amIt would be interesting to see how these polls change in a few years and which characters stand the test of time. I'm not saying that DBS's antagonists aren't popular and I still consider Beerus one of my favorites but there could be a recency bias since this poll was the same year DBS ended. I've seen it happen in arc ranking threads over the years. Recent arcs are ranked highly but fans reflect on them over time and consider them a lower on their list.
I think it's safe to say Beerus and Whis will stand the test of time, as not only are they great characters, the movie they first showed up in is considered one of the best by many fans.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by SupremeKai25 » Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:17 pm

Skar wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm I found these polls from 2018.

V-Jump antagonist popularity poll:
Honestly I'd love to see a version of that poll where Zamasu is just "Zamasu", not "Goku Black", "Fused Zamasu", and "Zamasu". Like I get that they are all different physical entities, but still ultimately they are all the same person, so yeah. You don't distinguish between "Super Buu" and "Kid Buu", even though they are basically different people. The same concept should be applied here. Zamasu would've definitely surpassed Jiren if Black was given the votes that the other Zamasus got.

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by Yuji » Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:44 pm

SupremeKai25 wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:17 pm
Skar wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm I found these polls from 2018.

V-Jump antagonist popularity poll:
Honestly I'd love to see a version of that poll where Zamasu is just "Zamasu", not "Goku Black", "Fused Zamasu", and "Zamasu". Like I get that they are all different physical entities, but still ultimately they are all the same person, so yeah. You don't distinguish between "Super Buu" and "Kid Buu", even though they are basically different people. The same concept should be applied here. Zamasu would've definitely surpassed Jiren if Black was given the votes that the other Zamasus got.
It's likely he'd get less votes, considering most people would associate "Zamasu" to his Kaioshin appearance, and neglect voting for him if their favorite version of the character is Goku Black (which, let's admit it, is the far more popular version).

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Re: Who are the 10 most popular characters in the franchise?

Post by SupremeKai25 » Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:50 pm

Yuji wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:44 pm
SupremeKai25 wrote: Tue Jan 12, 2021 1:17 pm
Skar wrote: Mon Jan 11, 2021 3:15 pm I found these polls from 2018.

V-Jump antagonist popularity poll:
Honestly I'd love to see a version of that poll where Zamasu is just "Zamasu", not "Goku Black", "Fused Zamasu", and "Zamasu". Like I get that they are all different physical entities, but still ultimately they are all the same person, so yeah. You don't distinguish between "Super Buu" and "Kid Buu", even though they are basically different people. The same concept should be applied here. Zamasu would've definitely surpassed Jiren if Black was given the votes that the other Zamasus got.
It's likely he'd get less votes, considering most people would associate "Zamasu" to his Kaioshin appearance, and neglect voting for him if their favorite version of the character is Goku Black (which, let's admit it, is the far more popular version).
I mean, Goku Black literally calls himself "Zamasu" though, there's really no reason to split them. If people can't remember literally the most important plot point in the Future Trunks arc (that Goku Black is Zamasu), then the poll can just say "Zamasu/Goku Black".

Though really Zamasu himself has a ton of merchandise, and Heroes (which is driven solely by popularity and sales) brought Zamasu back in his Fusion form, not as Goku Black. I'd say each version of Zamasu is iconic and fairly easy to recognize.

Same thing for the other poll. Goku Black got 6th place, but let's see how far he'd get if the Zamasus weren't split. Seems like a clear handicap to me.

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