Saiyan Saga, vols. 17–21

Five years later, Goku has a son, Gohan. Raditz lands on Earth and reveals Goku is a Saiyan named Kakarrot, sent to destroy the planet. To save his son, Goku teams up with Piccolo and dies holding Raditz while Piccolo blasts them both. Raditz warns that two more are coming in a year. In the afterlife, Goku trains with King Kai, and Piccolo trains Gohan. Nappa and Vegeta arrive, and Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Tien and Piccolo die in the fight. Piccolo's death takes Kami with him and erases Earth's Dragon Balls. Goku returns, beats Nappa and faces Vegeta, who turns into a giant ape. With Krillin, Gohan and Yajirobe, Goku drives Vegeta off. To revive their friends, Bulma, Krillin and Gohan set out for Namek, Piccolo's home world.

1. Behind the scenesA race of vegetables

   Saiyan is an anagram of yasai, Japanese for "vegetable." Kakarrot comes from carrot, and Vegeta from vegetable.

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2. Behind the scenesMeant to be just a villain

   Toriyama considered leaving Vegeta as a plain villain, but found his warped straightforwardness interesting. He debuts in chapter 204, from January 1989.

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3. Behind the scenesGohan means rice

   Goku's son is named after food: gohan means "cooked rice" or "meal" in Japanese, in keeping with Toriyama's habit of naming characters after food.

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