Dragon Ball Z is responsible for some of anime's most popular and powerful villains. From the iconic Frieza to the unsettlingly strong Majin Buu, the series holds no shortage of baddies, and each one has given the Z Fighters a run for their money. However, only one group of villains has battled the Dragon Team with an unrivaled sense of style.
While Frieza's Ginyu Force didn't quite live up to their menacing hype (all five members were soundly beaten after Goku's arrival on Planet Namek), they did possess something that set them apart from the series' other, more powerful villains: a mastery of the art of cool. From stylized poses to coordinated team attacks, the Ginyu Force had a unique approach to opposing the Z Fighters, which provided no small amount of entertainment. That said, one member of the team stands out in terms of pure, unadulterated coolness.
Occupying the bottom rung of Ginyu Force coolness is none other than the bulbous-eyed Guldo. Although he possesses a number of interesting powers -- including his Time Freeze ability -- Guldo's approach to combat is cowardly to the extreme. He even goes so far as to use his telekinetic abilities to paralyze Krillin and Gohan rather than fight hand-to-hand. What's more, Guldo's anti-climactic beheading by Vegeta (though shocking) further solidifies his position as the least cool Ginyu member.
The next Ginyu member in ascending order of coolness in the monstrous mountain of muscle Racoome. Of the five members, Racoome had one of the highest amounts of time in the spotlight. He managed to overpower Vegeta, and his battle between Gohan and Krillin lasted several episodes. However, as his fight progressed, Racoome suffered a litany of damage (including the loss of most of his teeth) and consequently devolved into a thoroughly uncool and style-deficient combatant. Indeed, it took only a single blow from Goku to remove Racoome from the fight, his bare backside in the air.
The award for second-coolest Ginyu member is shared by the scarlet-skinned Jeice and the towering blue colossus Burter. It's true that Burter is both the tallest and fastest member of the Ginyu force, and Jeice easily has the most radically stylish mane on the squad. However, the two appear together in such frequency that it feels appropriate to treat them as a package deal.
Of the Ginyu force members, only Jeice and Burter have a combination move -- the Purple Comet Attack. This special technique makes appearances both on Planet Namek against Goku as well as against Tien Shinhan on King Kai's planet. Coordination on such a strong, stylized level is consistent with the Ginyu Force's values in terms of performative coolness in combat, firmly placing the pair in an immovable second place.
Thus, the topmost seat of coolness goes to none other than the titular leader of the Ginyu Force, Captain Ginyu. Out of the five members, it's Captain Ginyu who most consistently and unwaveringly implements powerful panache and stylized poses in each of his battles. He also touts the value of striking a pose in combat.
In Episode 67, "A Legend Revealed," Captain Ginyu states "The purpose of striking a pose is not to become like wallpaper -- that's why we chant loudly when we pose: to draw attention to our magnificence." As such, Captain Ginyu demonstrates not only a firm grasp of coolness-in-battle theory, but also the practical application therein. Despite ultimately losing, Captain Ginyu's dedication to style and unfettered cool undoubtedly served him well in his battle against Goku.
In addition to holding the title of coolest member, Captain Ginyu is the only member of the Ginyu Force who manages to survive all the way into Dragon Ball Super, where he appears as the secondary antagonist of the "Golden Frieza" arc. Short-lived as his appearance was, it speaks to the depth of the impression made by Captain Ginyu on the Dragon Ball franchise. True, Captain Ginyu and the Ginyu Force may not have been terrifying powerhouses like the Androids or Cell, but they struck a chord with viewers in such a way that made their appearances rewarding, and therefore benefit the Dragon Ball title as a whole.
