Vampire

Vampires in the Dragon Ball universe are living dead humanoids who feed on the blood of Earthlings and animals. They stand roughly five to six feet tall and originate from the Other World, classified as Monster-type Earthlings within the series' broader racial taxonomy.

They retain many characteristics from classical vampire mythology. They can transform into bats, drain blood through biting, and fly using either ki or wings. Their weaknesses include garlic and religious symbols, both of which prove effective in combat encounters. However, they notably lack the traditional vulnerability to sunlight, with the sole exception of Lucifer, who wears sunglasses for protection.

The most memorable vampire encounter in Dragon Ball occurs during the Fortuneteller Baba Saga, where Fangs the Vampire serves as one of Baba's fighters. Fangs attacked Krillin by biting his head, demonstrating both the absurd comedy and genuine threat that vampires represent in the series.

The solution to the vampire problem was characteristically Dragon Ball: Goku, remembering that vampires are weak to garlic, had Krillin breathe garlic at Fangs. The combination of bad breath and a well-placed crucifix shape neutralized the vampire's threat entirely, turning a supernatural encounter into slapstick comedy.

In Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle, Lucifer appeared as a more traditional and sinister vampire figure, with intentions to drain Bulma's blood. His presence gave the franchise a darker take on the vampire concept before the series shifted toward increasingly powerful alien threats.

Vampires appear among the various yokai and supernatural creatures that inhabit the Other World. They can be found in cafes alongside tengu, yuki-onna, and other Japanese folklore monsters, suggesting that in the Dragon Ball afterlife, the undead simply carry on existing in a different realm.

Notable vampires include Fangs, who fought for Fortuneteller Baba; Lucifer, the more traditionally menacing vampire from Devil's Castle; and Bandages the Mummy, a Monster-type Earthling zombie who also falls under the broader undead category.

In a franchise where planet-busting aliens and universe-threatening gods dominate the power scale, vampires remain a charming reminder of Dragon Ball's earliest days, when the biggest threats Goku faced could be defeated with garlic breath and a cross-shaped hand gesture.