Mr. Satan

Mr. Satan (also known as Hercule Satan in some English dubs) is one of the most memorable comic relief characters in the Dragon Ball anime, particularly prominent in the Cell Saga, Buu Saga, and the later parts of Dragon Ball Z.

Key traits and role in the anime:

• Personality: Extremely boastful, arrogant, and over-the-top showman. He loves being the center of attention, has an enormous ego, and constantly refers to himself in the third person as the "World Champion" or "Savior of the World."
• Fighting ability: In-universe, he's actually a very skilled and strong human martial artist by normal human standards — strong enough to win the World Martial Arts Tournament when the Z Fighters aren't participating. However, compared to Goku, Vegeta, Gohan and the other main fighters, he's comically weak and outclassed.
• Biggest moments:
  • During the Cell Games, he confidently challenges Perfect Cell, gets effortlessly knocked out with one slap, and then hilariously pretends it was all part of his plan.
  • In the Buu Saga he becomes unexpectedly important: he befriends Majin Buu (the fat/innocent version), helps turn Buu against Kid Buu by appealing to his friendship, and ends up being publicly credited with defeating Kid Buu (even though the real credit belongs to Goku and Vegeta). The world believes he's the hero who saved Earth.
• Appearance: Tall, muscular, long black hair (usually tied back), thick black mustache, wears his signature red/orange martial arts outfit with the "Hercule" branding, cape, and championship belt.
• Family: He's the father of Videl (who becomes Gohan's wife), and grandfather to Pan.

In the anime (especially the original Japanese version and most dubs), Mr. Satan is played mostly for laughs — a loud, cowardly-when-it-really-counts braggart who somehow keeps stumbling into heroic status through sheer luck, persistence, and his ability to connect with people emotionally. He's simultaneously ridiculous and oddly endearing by the end of Z.