Character Guide: V - Z

Vegeta - “Bejiita” The Prince of the Saiyajin race, he is the son of King Vegeta and one of the only Saiyajin to survive the destruction of the planet Vegeta.  He has peculiar hair that grows almost straight up and a large widow’s peak.  Vegeta’s most recognizable feature is almost certainly his hair, because it is so different from any other character in the series and makes him easy to identify.  Vegeta’s attitude is generally one of great confidence.  He is somewhat cocky, very proud and self-righteous.  He has a mocking, crooked, left-sided smirk, which he uses quite often in the Saiyan and Frieza Sagas.  Another peculiar thing about Vegeta is that he never once calls Goku by his Earth-given name, but only his Saiyajin name – Kakarotto (Kakarot).  At first Goku dislikes this, but he grows used to it as time passes and he learns more about Vegeta’s reasoning.  For most of the series, Vegeta is bent on becoming stronger than Goku.  He becomes obsessed with the idea of one day defeating Kakarotto in battle, and this remains his one desire for a very long while.  Vegeta was born in 732 AD, and from the start, all knew he was destined for greatness.  As a child, his power level exceeded that of even his father’s. After planet Vegeta is destroyed, Vegeta works under Frieza wiping planets of life and destroying rebellious armies.  Vegeta starts out as a major villain of DBZ, as he comes to Earth seeking possession of the dragonballs.  He battles Goku for several episodes in the Saiyan Saga, but despite the close calls, the fight ends in a tie and the two Saiyajin separate to recover.  Vegeta heads for planet Namek to collect the Namek Dragonballs, only to find that Frieza has already obtained most of them.  He temporarily allies himself with Krillin and Gohan when the group comes up against the Ginyu Force.  Goku surprises everyone by giving the Saiyajin prince a senzu bean, but even more surprising are Vegeta’s actions during the Frieza Saga.  He saves Gohan’s life a total of 4 times, and Krillin’s life twice.  He helps Goku by giving him access to the rejuvenation tank in Frieza’s ship.  Vegeta nearly achieves Super Saiyajin while fighting Frieza, but never quite reaches it.  Frieza beats him to a bloody pulp until Goku arrives, but Frieza fires one last fatal shot at Vegeta, killing him. As he is dying, Vegeta reveals the secrets of his past and what Frieza has done to his family, the royal line, and the Saiyajin race.  Because of this speech, Goku changes and becomes extremely angry with Frieza.  A few episodes later, Vegeta appears to Goku in a vision…naked…(he wears pants in the dub, unfortunately for the lady fans) and retells the tragic tale of the Saiyajin race and their great loss all because of Frieza.  This speech inspires Goku to take revenge on Frieza for all the pain and suffering he has caused.  Vegeta is revived with the Earth Dragonballs, and just before he is transported to Earth with a wish from the Namek Dragonballs, he manages to find Goku and Frieza.  He commends Goku on his transformation as a Super Saiyajin and causes Frieza to totally freak out when he sees Vegeta, as Frieza knows full well that he had killed the Saiyajin prince several hours before.  Vegeta comes to accept his situation on Earth and lives at Capsule Corporation for the time being while waiting for Goku to come back.  It is at this point he becomes more acquainted with Bulma and her family.  About this time, it has become clear to most that Vegeta is more a neutral ally to the general cause. When Goku does not return, Vegeta angrily takes a Capsule Corp. ship and leaves Earth to search for him.  He returns in time for the Trunks Saga, and a few years later leaves again to train out in space alone, where he eventually turns Super Saiyajin in a rage during a heavy meteor shower on a small planet which could have killed him at any time.  His total frustration that two Super Saiyajins can exist where it was previously thought that there was only one legendary Super Saiyajin throws Vegeta into a rage and he trains furiously at the thought that he is a failure to his father and the Saiyajin race because of his weakness.  During these three years of peace, Vegeta and Bulma have a son named Trunks.  Vegeta trains alone with Future Trunks for a year inside the Room of Spirit and Time, where both reach Ultimate Super Saiyajin.  Vegeta is full of pride and expects a lot of his son, and does not seem to care very much about him.  However, when Cell kills Trunks near the end of the Cell Saga, Vegeta loses all control and flies at Cell, attacking him with a furious barrage of punches and kicks with such energy as he never had before.  While Gohan and Cell are wrestling with the two biggest Kamehamehas ever formed in a final bout of power, Vegeta tactfully positions himself behind Cell and fires a Final Flash at his back, surprising Cell and causing him to lose his concentration so that Gohan’s Kamehameha overwhelms him and literally destroys Cell down to every last particle.  Vegeta and Bulma do in fact get married, apparently sometime between the Cell Saga and the Buu Saga, and although it is never shown nor the exact date revealed, the event is mentioned in the Japanese version later in the series.  Vegeta is tough on his son, but he really cares about him and Bulma.  In the Buu Saga, Vegeta appears to have calmed down some, but in reality he only looks that way because Goku has been away training in the Afterlife for about 7 years.  When Goku returns, tempers flare, and Vegeta’s jealous anger rises so high that Darbura senses this weakness and instructs Babidi to possess Vegeta and take over his mind, which he does, causing Vegeta to go Majin, an evil form of a person with their mind usually possessed by Babidi and their power level increased greatly.  Vegeta reaches Super Saiyajin 2 in this form and resists most of Babidi’s attempts to control his mind, although he does allow the evil to control his actions.  To get Goku to fight him, he blows up an entire section of the stadium at the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai (conveniently cleared of people in the dub).  Although battle between Goku and Vegeta appears to be another tie, Vegeta is probably slightly stronger, and while Goku is distracted, Vegeta knocks him out and puts off their fight to face Buu.  While Vegeta appears to have returned to his evil ways, he is really not so hardened deep down.  Vegeta proves this when he meets Buu for the first time, and immediately vows to avenge Gohan’s “death” at Buu’s hands (although he is actually quite alive, his power level drops so low that he is assumed dead).  He fights with Buu for a while, only to find that he is overpowered at every turn. Knowing full well that Buu is capable of killing his son, his wife, and everyone he cares about, he makes the grim but courageous decision to act as a kamikaze force in attempt to destroy Buu once and for all.  Piccolo informs Vegeta that despite the manner of his death and any of his recent accomplishments in life, the millions and perhaps billions of deaths he caused in his youth during his planet-clearing days working for Frieza would override everything, and he would almost certainly go to Hell.  Even with this knowledge, Vegeta makes up his mind to do whatever it takes to save his family and those he cares for.  Trunks tries to stop him, and Vegeta hugs him one last time before he knocks him out and uses Ultimate Final Skill to explode all of his life energy into one great bomb, making the ultimate sacrifice for Earth.  Despite his attempts, Buu survives, and Vegeta apparently (according to Piccolo) goes to Hell.  He returns later in the Buu Saga with the aid of Baba and special permission granted from King Yama to help Goku save Earth.  Vegeta makes the difficult decision to fuse permanently with Goku into Vegetto to defeat Buu (though they defuse a bit later anyway due to special circumstances).  At this point Vegeta is finally coming to terms with the fact that Goku is indeed more powerful than he, and during the fight between Super Saiyajin 3 Goku and Buu, Vegeta admits that Goku is the strongest Saiyajin in the universe.  He is resurrected by the Namek II Dragonballs along with everyone else destroyed by Buu, including the entire population of Earth.  Vegeta even tries to talk the people of Earth into giving up their energy for Goku’s Genki Dama, but Mr. Satan proves to be much better at it, due to his supreme popularity.  After the Buu Saga, Vegeta and Bulma have another child, this time a daughter named Bra.  He becomes quite fond of his daughter and is extremely protective of her.  Bitter enemies from the very beginning of DBZ, Goku and Vegeta prove to be practically best friends by the end of the series.  In GT, Vegeta cuts his trademark hair to make it short and all one length.  He even grows a mustache, although most agree that it is hideous, and should all be very relieved that it only lasts for one episode before he shaves it off.  Because Goku is trapped in a child’s body, Vegeta is actually generally stronger than Goku for most of GT, but Vegeta elects to stay on Earth with his family and guard the planet.  Goku and Vegeta are finally, truly equal in power once they both reach Super Saiyajin level 4, and during GT there is an entire episode completely devoted to Vegeta, an honor that no other character in the series is lucky enough to receive.  At the very end of GT, Vegeta is one of the only characters that actually know where Goku is going and what he will do there.  Although it is never made obvious, Vegeta eventually becomes and remains one of Goku’s closest friends.

Vegetto - “Bejiitto” Considered the single most powerful character in DBZ, Vegetto is the result of the fusion of Goku and Vegeta.  Vegetto appears only in the late Buu Saga.  Goku and Vegeta must put on the Potara earrings given them by Revered Kaioshin in order to become a warrior many times more powerful than either Saiyajin alone. Vegetto is a totally different person, and so his personality is completely different than either of the two Saiyajin who fuse to become him.  A Saiyajin of magnificent power, Vegetto appears to handle Buu with great ease after going Super Saiyajin 2.  However, Vegetto, like all fusions, is extremely cocky, and merely plays with Buu rather than getting to the point and destroying him.  In the manga, Vegetto is only in the storyline for a very short period, but in the anime he lasts for quite a few episodes.  Unlike most fusions during this saga, Vegetto does not have a set time limit in his fused state, but rather is a permanent fusion.  At one point Buu manages to turn Vegetto into a piece of coffee candy, but the Saiyajin maintains his power level even in such a form. His speed in so small a form is incredible, and the coffee candy Vegetto beats the crap out of Buu until he finally changes Vegetto back into his original form.  However, Vegetto continues to waste time toying with Buu until he manages to absorb the fused Saiyajin.  Although the fusion is supposed to be permanent, Buu’s magical enzymes cause Vegetto to break down into his components in order for Buu to gain power from him, and thus Vegetto defuses back into Goku and Vegeta.  Once they are separated, the satisfied Vegeta removes his earring and crushes it in his fist, to which Goku at first objects, but later agrees and does the same.  They both vow never again to fuse in such a manner.

Videl - “Bideru” Daughter of Mr. Satan, Videl is perhaps the strongest female human.  She was born in 756 AD and for the most part grew up with only her father, as her mother died when she was young.  In her spare time Videl fights crime in Satan City. She becomes suspicious of Gohan after meeting him at Orange Star High School, and she even follows him for a brief time to learn more about him.  Videl eventually discovers Gohan’s secret identity as the Great Saiyaman when she catches him changing out of his costume, and using a blackmail-type of threat she gets him to teach her how to fly.  In a matter of days, she learns how to fly, and develops a liking for Gohan.  She even cuts her hair because he had told her the day before that long hair will only get in the way during a fight. Despite the relentless teasing from friends, Videl and Gohan develop a sweet kind of relationship.  Videl becomes very strong for a human, and enters the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai, only to be beaten nearly to death by Spopovitch in a slanted match.  After the Buu Saga, Videl marries Gohan and has a daughter named Pan.

Yajirobe A sword-wielding, somewhat short, fat warrior monk.  He first meets Goku in Dragonball during the Piccolo Daimaou Saga, where he befriends the boy under a strange set of circumstances.  Cymbal, one of the spawn of Piccolo Daimaou, sneaks up on the two of them while they are in the middle of a conversation. Because both are eager to fight the creature, they play a game of rock-paper-scissors to determine who gets to attack first.  Yajirobe wins and promptly slices the creature in two, cooks his limbs over a fire and eats him. Yajirobe comes to Goku’s rescue in the Saiyan Saga when he bravely slices off Vegeta’s tail while he’s in Oozaru (Great Monkey) form, causing him to transform back to his normal form.  However, after Vegeta is forced to escape the planet, Yajirobe goes straight to the press with his outrageous story of “space fighters”, and takes all (or most) of the credit.  After a while, Yajirobe spends most of his time at Korin’s Tower.  Whether it is to train or simply eat his cooking is uncertain, but he does manage to run errands for the cat-deity between snacks.  During the Garlic Junior Saga, they receive a visit from Maron, Krillin’s girlfriend at the time, and the perfect example of a dumb blonde (if you overlook the fact that her hair is green). Maron nearly drives Yajirobe and Korin up the wall, as either is quite prepared to handle a helpless, sexy woman in their household.  (And who would be prepared?  You don’t exactly meet many women when your home is an impossibly high tower.)  In the Android Saga, Yajirobe finally meets his match – baby Trunks. Apparently, Trunks doesn’t think too highly of the overweight warrior monk, and just about every time Yajirobe holds him, baby Trunks manages to pee on him. Like many early characters, Yajirobe loses a lot of importance later in the series.  By the end of DBZ, he grows a mustache and looks like a fat Mexican. Yajirobe is 5’4” tall, and doesn’t disclose his actual weight to anyone.

Yamcha - “Yamucha” Yamcha begins the series as a teenage desert bandit.  Along with his best friend Puar, he robs wandering travelers in the desert and steals their Capsules.  One of his signature moves is Wolf’s Fang Fist, basically a swift super punch.  His little-known weakness is a terrible fear of women.  Although he attempts to steal the Dragonballs from Goku and his friends many times, he becomes frozen with fear the instant he catches sight of Bulma.  Later Yamcha befriends the gang and helps them in their quest to find the Dragonballs in hopes of wishing for a girlfriend.  After traveling with the group for a while, he gradually learns to deal with females and eventually faces his fear head on when he saves Bulma’s life by carrying her out of Pilaf’s castle.  Although his dreams are dashed after Oolong makes a wish, he finds out Bulma had planned to wish for a boyfriend.  At this point she sees something different in Yamcha, and they decide to date each other.  However, after Yamcha overcomes his phobia, by DBZ he becomes quite the ladies’ man, and as Bulma discovers, he is not the most faithful of boyfriends.  Yamcha dies in the Saiyajin Saga when a kamikaze Seibaman latches onto his back and never lets go.  He travels along Snake Way to train under King Kai along with Tien and Chaozu until the end of the Frieza Saga.  Bulma eventually leaves Yamcha for good, and the desert bandit is once again single.  He changes his hair almost as often as Bulma in the series, except that it seems to get shorter and shorter.  Yamcha seems to be almost a coward in comparison to the major characters of DBZ.  Although he is not as applied when it comes to training, as he would rather goof off, he is quite brave considering he is one of the weakest fighters on the field, and still he continues to help in any way he can.  By the end of DBZ, Yamcha returns to his vagabond life roaming the desert with Puar. Yamcha is 6 feet tall, weighs 151 lbs, and was born in 733 AD, the same year as Bulma.

Yamuu Once a normal human who fought in the previous Tenkaichi Budoukai, Yamuu’s mind is controlled by Babidi during the Buu Saga.  As Spopovitch’s assistant, Yamuu is sent by Babidi to collect energy for his master at the 25th Tenkaichi Budoukai.  After stealing energy from Gohan, Yamuu and Spopovitch return to their master Babidi to deliver the energy to him.  Babidi soon decides they have outlived their usefulness and causes them both to explode.

Zarbon - “Zaabon” Tall, green and handsome, Zarbon is a pretty-boy who works as Frieza’s right hand man.  With a normal power level of 23,000, he is a formidable opponent early in the Frieza Saga.  Little known to anyone is Zarbon’s remarkable ability to transform into an ugly alligator-like creature in order to increase his power level about 5,000.  Few know of this ability that are still alive, because Zarbon almost never transforms unless he has to.  The reason he hates transforming is because the process distorts his handsome features and his smooth voice to those of a repulsive alligator-like monster with a raspy voice.  He is forced to transform to defeat Vegeta, and although Vegeta has known Zarbon for most of his life, the Saiyajin prince had absolutely no knowledge of this ability, and so is well unprepared in their first battle.  The second time Zarbon faces Vegeta, he again must transform to keep up with him.  Bulma, who stands nearby to watch the entire fight, undergoes the typical chain of reactions that Zarbon expects of an onlooker especially a female one.  She goes gaga over him for the first several minutes of the battle, and then screams in horror upon seeing him change from his beautiful figure into a hideous monster. Although he transforms, this time it’s Zarbon who underestimates Vegeta.  The Saiyajin prince fires a blast point blank into his chest that blows a huge hole right through Zarbon’s armor and him, and Vegeta blows him into the water.