Dragon Ball Z episodes Frieza's Counterattack
English title Frieza's Counterattack Series Saga Trunks Saga Episode number 118 Manga counterpart Where is Goku? Japanese airdate November 27, 1991 Previous episode Krillin's Proposal Next episode The Mysterious Youth

Frieza's Counterattack (あれが地球だよパパ... フリーザ親子の逆襲, Are ga Chikyu dayo papa... Furiza Oyaku no Gyakushu) is the first episode of the Trunks Saga and the one hundred eighteenth overall episode in the uncut Dragon Ball Z series. The episode first aired on November 27, 1991. Its original American air date was September 4, 2000.

SummaryEdit

Picking up shortly after the battle with Garlic Jr., Krillin is attempting to practice the Kamehameha (Turtle also implies that he has done this before quite recently) while Master Roshi is asleep on a lawn chair. He fires the Kamehameha, only to end up causing a tidal wave to hit the island that the Kame House is on, which also caused Roshi's magazine, which fell from his face while napping, to get wet. Krillin then irritably notes that the Kamehameha is still not good enough. Roshi then wakes up, unaware of what happened, and notes that Krillin's not been himself since his breakup with Maron, although he is dismayed when he learns from Turtle that he had been practicing the Kamehameha again.

At Goku's house, Chi-Chi introduces Gohan to his new tutor, Mr. Shu. However, once Chi-Chi is gone, Shu turns out to be a strict disciplinarian with a delight for using his prized whip. Meanwhile, at Capsule Corporation, Bulma briefly expresses concern for Vegeta, which made Yamcha jealous, as Vegeta's ship will soon be running out of fuel.

That night, Gohan has a dream in which Goku finally returns, as he and Chi-Chi are overjoyed by his return, but once Gohan follows Goku outside, the dream turns into a nightmare when Goku morphs into Frieza, who taunts Gohan about Goku's supposed death. Frieza attempts to hit Gohan, but Gohan grabs his fists. Suddenly, Gohan wakes up from the nightmare to see that he is actually squeezing Shu's hands during a tutoring session. Angered, Shu insults Goku, irritating Gohan greatly, and when Shu tries to whip Gohan again, Gohan grabs the whip from him. Chi-Chi enters the room and Shu accuses her of allowing Goku to be a bad influence on Gohan. Shu's whip hits Gohan on the head, causing a little blood to slide down from his head. Chi-Chi becomes angry when he calls Goku worthless and throws Shu out of the house.

Back at Capsule Corporation, Vegeta finally returns, having failed to find Goku. Yamcha and Puar await outside the Capsule Corporation spaceship. Mad, Yamcha snaps out "What do you want?!!" Vegeta explains that he is angry and pounding on Yamcha may satisfy his feelings. Bulma invites Vegeta to her house for a shower and a meal, and Vegeta reluctantly follows. Yamcha and Krillin are amazed at how Bulma can control Vegeta so easily, especially when Vegeta is openly rude to Bulma and expresses shock at the clothes she has left him, particularly the pink shirt, which he believes would suit a woman better. Although he still displays a bitter demeanor towards her, Yamcha and Krillin, Bulma persuades Vegeta to stay with them on Earth until Goku returns, although Bulma's apparent fondness for Vegeta causes a great deal of tension between him and Yamcha.

Back at the Son's house, while Gohan is studying, he begins to feel a massive Ki approaching Earth. He quickly realizes that it is not Goku, but Frieza. Krillin, Yamcha, Vegeta and the rest of the Z Fighters also sense it, and Krillin calls Gohan asking if he knows what he has to do. Gohan slips into the Saiyan Armor he received on Namek and abruptly leaves home to join the others in an attempt to group together before Frieza arrives.

In space, a spaceship is closing in on Earth. Inside, Frieza is with his father, King Cold, and the two are savouring their approach towards Earth with enthusiasm. Somehow, Frieza has survived the battle and explosion on Namek and has been rebuilt by King Cold into a more cybernetic form, much more powerful than ever before. They notice Goku in his own ship rushing towards Earth in order to arrive before them; Frieza consoles himself, knowing Goku will not reach Earth in time. Frieza's father asks if he wants to destroy the planet from space, but Frieza refuses saying that he wants to take out all of Goku's friends one by one so he could watch them and Goku suffer. Gohan changes to the Battle Armor he wore on Namek and flies to the Northern Wastelands, which the spot where Frieza and King Cold arrive at.

TriviaEdit

• This is the fourth episode to not show a recap of the previous episode.
• Most of this episode is filler; with only the last few minutes occurring in the manga.
• This is the second episode to hint that Bulma may be falling in love with Vegeta (the first being in the episode "Goku's Alive!!").
• When Vegeta arrives on Earth, the front of his armor seems to be in good shape, despite the fact that both Krillin and Frieza blasted holes right through him on Namek; however, when his back is facing the camera, the hole that Krillin shot through him is still clearly visible, meaning that he couldn't have switched vests.
• Bulma tells Vegeta in this episode that she has known Goku since he was 5 years old. However, when the Dragon Ball series begins, when Goku and Bulma meet, he is already 12 years old.
• In the edited version, the scene where Mr. Shu whips Gohan in the head was shortened due to Gohan bleeding from the contact. Likewise, the scene where Vegeta is showering is shortened due to nudity.
• Unlike previous episodes, Chi-Chi actually defends Goku when Mr. Shu insults him on being a mindless fighter. In fact, when Chi-Chi hears him call her husband worthless, she throws him out.
• Chi-Chi's hair is down for the first time (in Gohan's dream)

GalleryEdit

Roshi, asleep with a Dirty Magazine Krillin charges a Kamehameha Krillin fires the Kamehameha Krillin is confident Krillin bracing for a tidal wave Master Roshi covered in seaweed Master Roshi's magazine Gohan Gohan not studying Gohan balancing a pencil Chi-Chi introduces the new tutor Mr. Shu to Gohan Gohan Mr. Shu Mrs. Brief serves Yamcha Bulma on Capsule Corporation's balcony Gohan Mr. Shu sees a mistake in Gohan's work Gohan pondering Mr. Shu making fun of Goku Gohan happy that Goku is home in his dream Gohan cries Gohan jumps in his father's arms Chi-Chi in Gohan's dream Chi-Chi Goku with Gohan on his shoulders Chi-Chi Chi-Chi Goku talking to Chi-Chi Goku turns evil in Gohan's dream Gohan squeezing Mr. Shu's hand Mr. Shu after Gohan let go of his hand Mr. Shu Gohan angry at Mr. Shu Mr. Shu attacks Gohan Mr. Shu about to whip Gohan Gohan catches Mr. Shu's whip Gohan holds Mr. Shu's whip Mr. Shu making fun of Goku Chi-Chi mad at what Mr. Shu said to Gohan Bulma's mother Yamcha prepares to fight Vegeta Yamcha is mad Vegeta back on Earth Bulma Bulma shows Vegeta the bathroom Mrs. Brief Vegeta dresses Ox-King at Chi-Chi's house Ox-King laughing Chi-Chi with tears in her eyes Gohan looking out the window Krillin on the phone Yamcha senses Frieza and King Cold's powers Frieza travels to Earth Gohan flying to meet Frieza Add a photo to this galleryAdd a photo to this gallery