Frieza Saga, vols. 21–28

On Namek, Krillin and Gohan learn that Frieza, the tyrant who rules the Saiyans, is also hunting the Dragon Balls to become immortal. A recovered Vegeta chases them on his own. Frieza calls in the Ginyu Force, and Goku arrives after training in a hundred times Earth's gravity. He beats the squad, but Captain Ginyu swaps bodies with him and has to be tricked. The dragon Porunga revives Piccolo, who fuses with the Namekian Nail. Frieza transforms three times and kills Vegeta. When he kills Krillin, Goku becomes the legendary Super Saiyan. Namek starts to blow up mid-fight. The Namekians are sent to Earth, and Goku beats Frieza, who is left behind. Goku escapes the blast in a ship but doesn't come straight home.

1. Behind the scenesFrieza as in freezer

   The name is a pun on freezer. That's why his henchmen and the Ginyu Force are named after fruit and dairy, things you keep in the fridge.

   source ↗
2. Behind the scenesBased on speculators

   Frieza was created during Japan's bubble economy and inspired by real estate speculators, whom Toriyama called "the worst kind of people."

   source ↗
3. Behind the scenesBlond to save ink

   Super Saiyan hair is blond partly because Toriyama's assistant spent so long inking Goku's black hair. The piercing glare was inspired by Bruce Lee.

   source ↗
4. Behind the scenesKilled on purpose

   Plenty of fan letters begged Toriyama not to kill Vegeta. He did it anyway, on purpose.

   source ↗
5. Behind the scenesThe series' peak

   Former editors Yū Kondō and Fuyuto Takeda said the Frieza arc was the series' popularity peak: in a thousand-reader poll, Dragon Ball got 815 votes.

   source ↗