In the Dragon Ball franchise, fusion is a powerful technique that can give an extra advantage during a fight. After all, with all the powerful beings there are in Dragon Ball, seeing multiple characters combine their different powers and attributes into one being allows them to move past their potential. There are different ways for characters to fuse in the series.
The Potara earrings and the Metamorans' Fusion Dance are especially known for allowing characters to become one, but fusions can also be created in other ways, like absorption or possession.
Fusions don't even need to settle at two hosts. The same characters can even have different fusions depending on the technique they used. However, even when a fusion proves powerful, it can still have its drawbacks. There can be time limits. One character's personality can completely dominate the others. Even a fusion's pride in their power can prove to be their undoing.
10 Kibito Kai
Kibito Kai is a fusion of Shin and Kibito and actually serves as something of a cautionary tale. He is formed when Old Kai explains how to fuse using the Potara earrings, using Shin and Kibito as test subjects. However, Kibito Kai learns too late that the transformation cannot be undone. Of course, he still seems better off than Old Kai, who was created when a younger Kai was accidentally fused with an old witch.
While combining Kibito and Shin's attributes in appearance, Kibito Kai is stronger than both his hosts upon fusing. This initially inspires him to face Super Buu alongside Goku. That said, Old Kai talks him out of this, saying he would just be absorbed. Kibito Kai's techniques are often enhanced versions of Shin and Kibito's abilities and even share a life link, meaning one cannot survive without the other.
9 Gotenks
Gotenks is one of the first successful Fusion Dance transformations seen in the Dragon Ball series. Gotenks is a fusion of two younger characters, Goten and Trunks, with the two initially taking this form to take on Super Buu. Gotenks shares personality traits between both characters, being playful like Goten and proud like Trunks, which ultimately makes Gotenks a somewhat overdramatic character.
An Older Version Even Appears In Dragon Ball Heroes
However, this often proves to be a weakness to Gotenks, as he often doesn't take a battle seriously enough. During his fight with Super Buu, he is even eventually absorbed into his opponent's body. Despite this, he seeks to be a hero who fights for the greater good. Notably, an adult version of Gotenks appears in the Dragon Ball Heroes video game.
8 Perfect Cell
Cell becomes Perfect Cell after absorbing Android 17 and Androids 18, which grants him a humanoid form. Perfect Cell is capable of taking stronger forms, like a Super Saiyan Third Grade and Power Stressed form. After obtaining his "Perfect" form, he is also able to create miniature versions of himself, known as the "Cell Juniors."
The Power of Absorption
This transformation causes Cell to grow more arrogant and egotistical as his power increases. However, as Cell's driving purpose was to obtain his perfect form, he also grows unsatisfied with this state, though he finds some enjoyment in testing his new power. His ego can work against him if he learns someone can best him. Ultimately, he wants to make others fear him, though he sometimes learns the hard way he can be made to feel afraid, too.
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7 Baby Vegeta
Baby is the last surviving member of the Tuffle race who serves as the antagonist of the Baby Saga in Dragon Ball GT. He proves capable of possessing characters, includng Gohan and Goten. In time, even Vegeta finds himself succumbing to Baby.
A Parasitic Fusion
As Baby Vegeta, he managed to best Goku as a Super Saiyan 3. Baby Vegeta can even absorb power from others, giving him even more powerful forms. Baby Vegeta is also able to repel Majuub's Chocolate Kamehameha, transforming him into chocolate and eating him, though this later turns out to be part of Majuub's plan.
Goku even had to take on the Super Saiyan 4 form to be a threat to the parasite and his host. Ultimately, Baby is forced to leave his host, with Goku finishing him off using a 10x Kamehameha, which hurls him into the sun.
6 Fused Zamasu
Thanks to time travel, Zamasu is already a being that exists in different incarnations and this can even be seen in his fusions. Fused Zamasu, for example, is a Potara fusion created between Goku Black, who is Zamasu within Goku's body, and Future Zamasu, a Zamasu from an alternate timeline.
Immortality & Potential Combined
Fused Zamasu views himself as the personification of justice, immediately wanting to exercise his authority over mortals. However, his ego hides the fact that he can be rather unstable and becomes gradually prone to outbursts, especially as his body endures any damage. Fused Zamasu is aware of this, somewhat attributing it to using Goku's mortal body as a host.
Fused Zamasu proves to be one of the more powerful fusions in the series, combining Future Zamasu's immortality and Goku's potential. However, he ultimately falls victim to Ultimate Hearts, who traps him inside an energy cube and disintegrates him.
5 Ultimate Buu
Majin Buu is a powerful being that has taken different forms throughtout the series, such as Kid Buu and Super Buu, in addition to various fusions thanks to his absorption powers. One of his strongest forms is Ultimate Buu, in which he has absorbed Goku's son Gohan after absorbing Piccolo, combining the elements of Super Buu and Ultimate Gohan.
Taken Down From the Inside
After the absorption, Buu gives Goku the chance to fuse with someone. Goku ends up fusing with Vegeta to become Vegito and take on the new opponent, proving powerful enough to take him on. Ultimate Buu ends up abosrbing Vegito as well, but this turns out to be part of the latter's plan. While attacking him from the inside, severing pods containing those he absorbed, Goku and Vegeta cause Buu to melt to death after removing the pod containing Good Buu.
4 Kefla
Kefla is the Potara Fusion between Kale and Caulifla, two Saiyans from Universe 6. Caulifla's fierce overbearing personality is more dominant in Kefla, as Kale was rather shy and timid, likely due to Kale being subservient to Caulifla. As Kefla, however, she seeks to fight worthy opponents, though she has some respect for those that can put up a fight, like Goku.
The Ultra Instinct Sign State Is Needed To Fight Her
Kale and Caulifla use the Potara earrings to fuse in order to stand a chance against Super Saiyan God Goku. Kefla proves to be a powerful opponent, with Goku transforming into stronger forms until achieving the Ultra Instinct Sign state to defeat her. Although Kefla proved quite powerful in the anime, Goku managed to defeat her with the Divine Kamehameha, which even broke her Potara earrings, undoing the fusion.
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3 Super Android 17
Super Android 17, also known as Super 17, is a fusion of Android 17 and Hell Fighter 17, a replica of the former built in Hell. The fusion notably has a more mature appearance than both of his hosts. Serving as a hybrid between an Android and a Machine Mutant, Hell Fighter 17's personality remains dominant during the fusion.
Android & Machine Mutant Combined
Hell Fighter 17's dominance is at times explained as him having a "Further Evolution" power, effectively allowing him to absorb Android 17. In a sense, however, as a fusion, Super 17 has the power Gero intended for Android 17, at least once claiming to be twice as powerful as the latter. In various battles, Super 17 is able to easily absorb a variety of base attacks.
2 Gogeta
Gogeta is a fusion of Goku and Vegeta created through a Fusion Dance and is considered one of the most powerful fusions in the series. Goku and Vegeta first formed Gogeta in Hell to fight Super Janemba in the Fusion Reborn film. Canonically, however, he first appeared in the Dragon Ball Super: Broly film, where he fights Broly.
Powerful Enough To Withstand Omega Shenron
Being a composite of both Goku and Vegeta's personalities, Gogeta initially appears as a serious character, though occasionally shows a more jovial side. Gogeta has immense power, even proving strong enough to overcome Omega Shenron, the transformation of Syn Shenron after absorbing the Dragon Balls into his body. However, this can also prove to be his undoing. By exerting his power, Gogeta can risk using up his fusion's time limit.
1 Vegito
Gogeta isn't the only fusion between Goku and Vegeta. There is also Vegito, who is formed while using the Potara Earrings. Vegito appears to have blended Vegeta's co*cky attitude with Goku's more easy-going personality. That said, he can be just as pragmatic and creative as Vegeta and Goku, respectively.
It's All a Matter of Time
Over the years, whether Gogeta or Vegito is the more powerful of the two. While Gogeta is more perfectly balanced, one thing that gives Vegito an advantage is that it's often established the Potara Earrings fusion lasts longer.
For example, Weekly Shōnen Jump once compared Vegito with Gogeta and surmised that Gogeta would win in a battle lasting less than thirty minutes, but Vegito would win in anything longer. However, Super established that non-kai characters can only fuse for a limited time, normally lasting an hour.
