Zombie

Zombies in Dragon Ball are reanimated human corpses that retain varying degrees of their former selves. Their appearance matches the classic undead template: abnormal skin colors in shades of green-gray, blue-gray, or pale purple; sunken facial features; open wounds exposing bone and muscle; and missing body parts. Most wear torn remnants of their burial clothing.

However, not all zombies share the shambling, decayed presentation. Some, like Juliana and the Dictator, appear virtually identical to living humans, retaining their full physical appearance despite being undead. This variation suggests that the freshness of the corpse or the circumstances of reanimation affect the zombie's final state.

Intelligence Varies Wildly

Most zombies possess low intelligence due to brain decay, are hostile on sight, and hunger for living flesh. But a significant minority retain the ability to speak, use weapons and vehicles, and even organize into military structures. The Dictator represents the upper limit of zombie intelligence, commanding an entire army of undead soldiers with strategic coordination.

The largest zombie event in Dragon Ball occurs in Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn. When the Soul Cleansing Machine's evil containment tanks shattered from overfilling in Hell, the barriers between the living and dead worlds collapsed, creating Janemba and unleashing hordes of undead onto Satan City.

The resulting chaos showcased the full spectrum of zombie behavior. Some rode horses through the streets in a macabre cavalry charge. The Dictator assembled his zombie army and attempted to seize control of the city. Great Saiyaman (Gohan) and Videl fought walking skeletons and zombies before encountering the escaped Frieza and his men. Goten and Trunks battled the Dictator's forces, while Mr. Satan beat up Jiang Shi and zombies in the deserted streets.

Not every zombie was hostile. A grandfather who had returned from the dead was simply confused about his resurrection and posed no threat to his family. Juliana, another revived individual, chose to leave her partner Romeo for younger company rather than attack anyone.

Zombies appear throughout Dragon Ball's history in various forms. Bandages the Mummy, one of Fortuneteller Baba's fighters in the original Dragon Ball, represents one of the earliest undead combatants. In Dragon Ball Z, zombies and other yokai are casually present in Other World cafes, coexisting with tengu, yuki-onna, and other supernatural beings from Japanese folklore.

They also make a brief appearance in Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon, when Krillin encounters zombies and monsters while searching for a Dragon Ball in an amusement park.

In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Dr. Hedo's Alpha Series represents a modern take on the zombie concept: corpses of human-type Earthlings reanimated through technology rather than supernatural means. This scientific approach to reanimation brings the zombie concept into the franchise's current era while maintaining the core idea of the dead being brought back to serve someone else's purposes.

Zombies in Dragon Ball serve as a reminder that beneath all the interplanetary warfare and divine tournaments, the series has always kept one foot in the world of classic monster movies and Japanese folklore.