Who is the Best Dragon Ball Z character?

Dragon Ball Z is one of the best shows ever to grace the airwaves. A story rich with complex heroes and fearsome villians, the challenges the Z fighters face are rivaled only by the shows magnificence. The show had a large impact on my life in terms of creativity and critiquing. It started with critiquing the episodes, sagas and characters themselves. As I casually studied these I concluded an answer to one of the most important questions: Who is the Best Dragon Ball Z character?

Tien Shinhan

This is purely opinion based but it is a fact Tien is the best character in Dragon Ball Z. Not only is he Goku's first real solo antagonist (in terms of an equal fighter) but he continued to punch above his weight even though he knew he would die.

In Dragon Ball Goku faced a lot of challenges but it was only till Tien, under the guidance of Master Chen, did Goku face a physical equal. In the World Martial Arts Tournament Tien actually technically defeated Goku to win the championship, not a boast many fighters can claim. Like many of Goku's beaten opponents Tien swore an oath to one day defeat Goku in combat by training fiercely. Even after discovering Goku was a Saiyan Tien still chased his goal, unlike Yamcha, Krillin and Piccolo. 

Another unique aspect of Tien's character was even when he was 'bad' he still cared for and protected his friend Chiaotzu. Most of the adversary's the Z fighters faced it was all about number 1, with the exception of the Androids, although that could be contested. It showed a rare compassion before he fought for good, showing that Tien was not just black or white.

The best quality of Tien however was his acceptance of his inferiority to his enemies and his disregard for it. Time and time again we saw the three-eyed fighter destroy himself with the foreknowledge it would mean his defeat. The first example is of course against Nappa. Seeing his friend Chiaotzu give his life away to save him Tien went into a rage and matched the great Saiyan in power whilst missing an arm! 

The greatest of these however and what solidified his right to be my favourite, I mean best character, was his multipe Tri-Beam attack on second form Cell. Tien whose power level would have been miniscule compared to Cell managed to continually push the bio-mechanical monster into a trench of his Tri-Beam's making. His exhaustion over this attack nearly killed him but his refusal to be fazed by a power that only an Ascended Saiyan could beat. Even 17 who beat the Z fighters, including two Saiyans, with ease could not make Cell flinch with a full fledged attack.

It has not been all defeats and sacrifices for Tien. In Other World on King Kai's planet Tien beats the Ginyu squad were as Vegeta, Gohan and Krillin could not. Even after Vegeta's senkai boost he received from being defeated on Earth, he could not beat Racoome. Tien did have help from Yamcha and Chiaotzu of course but keep in mind it is Yamcha and Chiaotzu. 

All of these and you have to consider the fact that Tien is just a human. He has no senkai boost, no fusing abilities or transformations but pure determination and blind courage. Tien had no surprises for his enemies, except the techniques he had worked hard on himself. Training was Tien's only boost. Plus he taught everyone else how to fly so without Tien everyone would have to find their own flying nimbus.