Dragon Ball: The 7 Strongest Versions of Krillin Across the Multiverse
From DAIMA and GT to Xeno and Capsule Corp., these are seven of the strongest versions of Krillin across the Dragon Ball multiverse.
The anime version of Krillin has demonstrated considerably greater power over the years, along with several impressive moments that prove just how capable the longtime Z Fighter can be.
Krillin and Goku have been best friends ever since they trained together under Master Roshi in Dragon Ball, and the two initially grew stronger side by side. However, the gap between them quickly became enormous. Even before Goku was revealed to be a Saiyan, he had already begun leaving Krillin behind by the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. Although Krillin spent much of Dragon Ball Z struggling to keep pace with Goku, he continued fighting and never gave up.
Despite being human, the strongest versions of Krillin from across the Dragon Ball multiverse are capable of reaching extraordinary levels of power. One version even managed to knock Goku down during a final sparring match.
Here are the seven strongest versions of Krillin across the Dragon Ball multiverse.
7. Krillin in Dragon Ball DAIMA
Dragon Ball DAIMA takes place one year after the events of the Majin Buu Saga in an alternate timeline. Gomah uses Earth’s Dragon Balls to transform Goku and his companions into children as part of his efforts to strengthen his position in the Demon Realm. With the Z Fighters reduced to childlike bodies, they find themselves at a serious disadvantage, with only Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo powerful enough to take part in the fighting.
Earthlings such as Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Master Roshi have little choice but to remain on Earth because they are not strong enough to join the battle. Curiously, Dragon Ball DAIMA does not restore Krillin’s original childhood appearance from the classic series. Instead, he essentially looks like a smaller version of his adult self.
6. Manga Krillin
The Dragon Ball Super manga attempts to keep its power scaling relatively close to the direction established by Akira Toriyama. One consequence is that many supporting characters appear considerably weaker than they do in other versions of the franchise. Manga Krillin has relatively few standout moments throughout Dragon Ball Super, even being eliminated from the Tournament of Power before he can make much of an impact.
Against the god-level threats found throughout the multiverse, manga Krillin simply cannot keep up. Considering his abilities, working as a police officer may seem like an unusual use of his strength, but the manga largely limits him to a supporting role. His performance against Cell Max is also considerably less prominent than the role played by his anime counterpart.
5. Supersonic Krillin
Supersonic Krillin may not be the absolute strongest variation of the character, but he is arguably one of the coolest. Dragon Ball Z: Supersonic Warriors is a Game Boy Advance fighting game in which playable characters receive their own “What If” storylines and become the heroes of alternate scenarios. In Krillin’s story, Goku permanently sacrifices himself while fighting the Androids, but not before entrusting Krillin with the responsibility of protecting Earth.
Krillin eventually lives up to his full potential in this storyline. He learns the Kaioken, develops a more powerful Kamehameha, and ultimately becomes the greatest warrior in the universe by personally defeating both Perfect Cell and Super Buu. Supersonic Warriors also presents a rare timeline in which someone other than Goku successfully masters the Kaioken.
4. GT Krillin
Because Dragon Ball GT takes place later than almost every other Dragon Ball series, with the exception of Dragon Ball Online, its characters are among the oldest versions of the franchise’s familiar heroes. Most of the Z Fighters are already past their prime. With GT focusing overwhelmingly on Goku, Krillin receives relatively little screen time. He makes several appearances during the Baby Saga, dies during the Super 17 Saga, and does not return until the final episode.
Even so, GT Krillin is responsible for one of the franchise’s most emotional moments. Before Goku leaves with Shenron, he and Krillin share one final sparring match. Master Roshi watches his former students fight, bringing their lifelong friendship full circle. Krillin eventually knocks Goku down, giving him the victory in their final friendly battle.
3. Anime Krillin
When it comes to raw accomplishments, anime Krillin has consistently been portrayed as more formidable than his manga counterpart. As early as Dragon Ball Z, he fearlessly confronts Kid Buu when the villain reaches the Other World. Dragon Ball Super pushes him even further, showing Krillin with enough skill to face Goku while the Saiyan is using Super Saiyan Blue and giving him several noteworthy moments during the Tournament of Power—something his manga counterpart never manages to replicate.
In Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, Krillin also contributes to the battle against Cell Max. While the manga version participates in the same conflict, anime Krillin plays a more noticeable role in the effort to bring the gigantic enemy down.
2. Xeno Krillin
The Xeno timeline is an alternate universe explored through Dragon Ball Heroes and Super Dragon Ball Heroes, where events related to Dragon Ball GT unfold differently from the original anime. Goku is never transformed into a child in this timeline, nor does he die during the final battle against Omega Shenron. More importantly, the Xeno versions of the Z Fighters generally reach significantly greater levels of power than their GT counterparts.
While GT Krillin spends much of his later life away from major battles before eventually sharing one last match with Goku, Xeno Krillin never truly puts away his martial arts uniform. He continues participating in tournaments through the Jakkaryu Mission and still wears the Turtle School gi. Xeno Krillin is even prepared to confront the Shadow Dragons alongside the other Z Fighters. His precise limits are difficult to determine, but characters from the Xeno timeline routinely operate on an exceptionally high level.
1. CC Krillin
The Capsule Corporation timeline is another alternate universe featured throughout Super Dragon Ball Heroes. Its Z Fighters have experienced the events of the original Dragon Ball anime, Dragon Ball Z—including its anime-original material—the DBZ movies, Dragon Ball Super and its additional adventures, as well as Dragon Ball Super: Broly. The result is an extraordinarily powerful group of fighters whose accumulated experiences place them on a massive scale, including the human members of the team.
Because Super Dragon Ball Heroes primarily focuses on Goku, Vegeta, and some of the multiverse’s most overwhelmingly powerful beings, the human fighters of the CC timeline rarely receive the same attention. Nevertheless, they remain exceptionally capable. CC Krillin continues proving his value as a Z Fighter even after the Tournament of Power in his timeline, making him one of the most powerful incarnations of Krillin across the wider Dragon Ball multiverse.
Sources: gamek