Red Ribbon Army

Lore & Background

The Red Ribbon Army operates as a military dictatorship with a strict pyramid hierarchy, where orders from superiors are absolute. Commander Red sits at the top, followed by his second-in-command, Staff Officer Black, and then commanding officers such as General Blue, Colonel Silver, and General White. The organization employs a diverse range of operatives including humans, anthropomorphic animals like Colonel Yellow (an anthropomorphic tiger), monsters like Buyon, and advanced androids. Their base of operations includes the towering Muscle Tower, which was inspired by the video game Spartan X. Notably, the group's aesthetic drew inspiration from the Hitler Youth, though without swastika armbands. General Blue is coded as a stereotypically homosexual character similar to Ernst Röhm, while Adjutant Black was noted in North American releases as a caricature of a black man.

In Their Own Story

Goku's struggle began after resuming his Dragon Ball search post-tournament. He first defeated Colonel Silver and his subordinates; Silver was later sentenced to death by Red for losing to a child. Goku then assaulted General White's northern stronghold, Muscle Tower, defeating android Sergeant Metallic, ninja Sergeant Major Purple (and his four brothers), and the monster Buyon. Other encounters included Colonel Yellow in Korin's land and Colonel Violet, the army's only known female operative. During this saga, Staff Officer Black discovered Red's true goal: to wish himself taller rather than rule the world. Betraying Red, Black attempted to rename the group the "Black Ribbon Army" but was killed by Goku after wiping out most remaining forces. Following the collapse, Dr. Gero continued developing androids for revenge against Goku.

Reader's Guide

The faction is defined by its rigid structure and eclectic mix of enemies. Key figures include General Blue, who possesses telekinetic abilities allowing him to paralyze others and control objects; he was eventually executed after failing to secure Dragon Balls but before being killed by the hired hitman Mercenary Tao. Tao himself wore a pink gi with "KILL YOU!" on the back, murdered General Blue with his tongue, slew Bora, and seemingly killed Goku before being defeated in a second encounter. The Army also utilized Android 8, a kindhearted operative who defected after befriending Goku, adopting the alias "Eighter." While Colonel Copper and the Brown Corps are mentioned, they never appear on screen. New characters drove the organization's revival as main antagonists in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

Did You Know?

• Commander Red's entire quest for the Dragon Balls was a ruse; he secretly wanted to wish himself taller.
• General Blue was killed by Mercenary Tao using only his tongue.
• The Muscle Tower base design was inspired by the video game Spartan X, which itself was based on Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee films.
• Android 8 (Eighter) defected from the army after befriending Goku and later donated energy to destroy Majin Buu.
• Staff Officer Black attempted to rename the group the "Black Ribbon Army" after betraying Commander Red, but was killed by Goku.