Dragon Ball Wiki
Advertisement

Directory: CharactersSaiyans

Directory: CharactersVillainsDBZ villains Template:Character

"Trust me Kakarot, I know an easy win when I see one. I'm a Saiyan. It's what I do!"
— "Gohan's Rage"

Raditz (ラディッツ) is an antagonist in the Dragon Ball manga and the Dragon Ball Z anime, also making a cameo in Dragon Ball GT. He is the biological brother of Goku (Kakarot), and the eldest son of Bardock and Gine. As with all other Saiyans in the series, Raditz's name is a pun on a vegetable, "radish" in this case. Raditz's family are all named after root vegetables (burdock, radish, and carrot).

Overview

History

RaditzChapter196Cover

Raditz with his manga colors

During his youth, Raditz worked as member of the Saiyan Army. He was assigned to work alongside a young Prince Vegeta. When Frieza ordered all the Saiyans to return to Planet Vegeta, the prince refuses the order and Raditz stays with him on the planet they were invading. After his race's demise, he worked alongside Vegeta and Nappa directly for Frieza's Planet Trade Organization. While working with a team led by Vegeta, Raditz traveled to Earth to discover if Kakarot (Goku's birth name) had finished the mission that he was sent on as a baby over two decades prior: the conquest of Earth. Upon arrival, however, Raditz discovered that Goku had lost his violent Saiyan tendencies and also had no knowledge of his true ancestry or his mission. Raditz attempted to persuade Goku to join him and become a planet trade pirate, but to no avail.

Appearance

Raditz's appearance consists of extremely long, spiky black hair with a prominent widow's peak, brown and black colored Battle Armor in the same style as the rest of Frieza's soldiers, with boots, armored gloves, and a scouter that is blue in the manga and green in the anime. Additionally, he wears two accessory bands that are white in the manga and red in the anime: one is tightened around his left arm, and the other on his left leg.

Personality

Unlike his brother Goku and his father Bardock, Raditz is mean and brutal like most Saiyan warriors. He does, however, give his brother a chance to become part of Frieza's empire, only attacking Goku when he refuses and protests against his plans. He likes to mock weaker opponents, and to mess around with them before actually finishing them off; as shown when constantly mocking Piccolo, and taking great pleasure in seeing his own brother Goku and nephew Gohan in pain. He is incredibly manipulative, begging Goku to let him go when Goku grabs his tail to weaken him. Goku does and Raditz damages him tremendously, and begins to crush his ribs, taunting him whilst laughing.

Raditz can also be quite a coward when facing death, as he kept struggling and begging desperately with his usually arrogant attitude when facing Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon. Apparently, unlike most Saiyans in general, especially Goku, Raditz fears death greatly. He was only willing to accept his death when he arrogantly believed his comrades would revive him with the Dragon Balls.

File:RaditzTheNewThreatEp01.png

Raditz moments later after his arrival to Earth

He claims that he wants to anger Goku in order to get his Saiyan blood boiling, so he could realize his Saiyan heritage and get him to join the remaining Saiyan clan in collecting planets for Frieza. He is extremely proud of his Saiyan heritage, like Vegeta and makes many comments on it, even explaining the near extinction of the Saiyans. He is also very disgusted to learn Goku's tail has been cut off and mocks and ridicules him for forgetting his mission to depopulate the Earth, due to an injury to Goku's head when he was a baby. He also mocks Goku for becoming soft and becoming a part of the Earth's population. He seems confident that Goku will join him, Nappa and Vegeta. While kidnapping Gohan, he mocks his nephew for crying, telling him he is a Saiyan, he has no problem whatsoever killing his brother or his nephew without hesitation. In some ways, Raditz seems to take after Vegeta for glorifying the Saiyan race and killing anyone who is either a threat or, in the cases of Goku and Gohan, refuses to live up to the expectations of their barbarous lifestyle.

Raditz also is very dependent on his scouter, and when a power level gets too high (close to his level), he assumes it is broken. Raditz displays a high level of confidence in his power level and his strength, and is very arrogant. During his time on Earth, he did not take Piccolo and Goku seriously and severely underestimated them due to their low power reading. Also, he lies when he tells Goku that he is a first class warrior, and that he would not hesitate to kill his own brother if he had to. Raditz's power level being only 1,500,[1] shows that he is in fact at lower level status (although he simply may have been referring to the fact that he behaves like a first-class warrior, thus cold-hearted and uncaring towards anyone but himself). Before dying, Raditz states that he has no doubt Nappa and Vegeta will bring him to life with the Dragon Balls. Nappa actually does consider using the wish to revive Raditz, but Vegeta instead chooses to wish for immortality, claiming that Raditz deserved to die for his incompetence.

The only instance where Raditz displays a positive side is when he shows genuine grief and remorse for Goku after they have both been hit by Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon, lamenting how Goku would sacrifice himself for what he saw as low level trash. In the Frieza Saga, Raditz is shown greatly affronted for receiving no praise from Frieza, Dodoria, or Zarbon after he conquered planet Shikk along with Vegeta and Nappa. He was also mortified that Vegeta would abandon avenging his race, especially when rumors escalated in regards to Frieza's involvement in Planet Vegeta's destruction.

Biography

Pre-Dragon Ball Z

Main article: Dragon Ball Minus

Vegeta&Raditz(DBM)

Vegeta and Raditz ignore the order to return to Planet Vegeta

Raditz was born to Bardock and Gine sometime before Age 737 (the birth date of his younger brother). During the time of Planet Vegeta's destruction, as a child at the time, Raditz was away on a mission with Prince Vegeta and was spared the fate of many of his race, including his mother and father, thanks to Vegeta deciding that they will ignore the order to return to Planet Vegeta.[2] In an anime only flashback in the Frieza Saga, sometime after the genocide of the Saiyans, Raditz along with Nappa and Vegeta return from their conquest on planet Shikk. However, they are met with insult rather than congratulations by Dodoria, Zarbon, and Frieza. While Raditz is visibly hurt and angered at this, Nappa loses control and tries to attack Frieza, Zarbon, and Dodoria, but Vegeta orders his comrade to stand down, knowing that he would not stand a chance against them.

Dragon Ball Z

Main article: Vegeta Saga

RaditzPlanetFriezaFlashback

Raditz returns from his conquest on Planet Shikk

In the start of Dragon Ball Z, Raditz arrives on Earth in a space pod, in search of a man named "Kakarot," later revealed to be Goku. After he incapacitates a farmer who found his space pod, Raditz detects a power reading on his scouter and assumes it is Goku. He tracks down the source of the energy and comes face to face with Piccolo, Goku's mortal enemy at the time. Raditz asks Piccolo where he can find "Kakarot", but Piccolo refuses to tell him, warning him to leave Earth at once. Raditz laughs at Piccolo, who fires a powerful attack at Raditz, leaving him unscathed, only managing to "singe some of his leg hairs," as Raditz puts it, which shocks Piccolo. Just as Raditz prepares to destroy Piccolo, he detects another power level, and this time, he knows that it is Kakarot, the one he is looking for.

Raditz Vs

Raditz hits Krillin with his tail

Raditz tracks the power level down to the Kame House, where Goku was introducing his son Gohan to Bulma, Krillin, Master Roshi, and Turtle, while also enjoying a reunion. Raditz identifies Goku as Kakarot, and informs Goku that he is his big brother, who arrived on Earth to find him. When Goku asks where Raditz came from, Raditz tells Goku that they are both Saiyan warriors, and tells him the history of the Saiyan race, including the Planet Trade Organization's practice of conquering planets and selling them for profit. Goku and Krillin express their disgust at Raditz and tell him to leave.

RaditzkidnapsGohan.Ep

Raditz leaves Kame House with Gohan

Krillin proposes to escort him off the island, which results in him being smacked in the face by Raditz's tail; thus revealing his tail, one just like Goku used to have and what Gohan has. When it becomes clear to Raditz that Goku is not coming with him, Raditz sends Goku plummeting to the ground with a powerful knee strike to the stomach and kidnaps Gohan (who still has a Saiyan tail), holding him for ransom. He informs Goku that if he ever wants to see Gohan again, he should eliminate one hundred people from Earth and bring them all to him by the next day. Laughing, Raditz flies off with Gohan in his hands.

Later, he shuts the crying Gohan in his space pod, unable to stand his crying. Raditz is surprised to find that his scouter reported a power level of 710 for Gohan, which Raditz dismissed as a malfunction because it would mean that the child was even stronger than his father. Shortly afterwards, Raditz sees Goku and Piccolo who have joined forces to beat him, and since his scouter accurately warned him of their approach, he came to the realization that Gohan may actually be as strong as his reading said.

RaditzVsGokuP

Raditz fighting his younger brother, Goku

Seeing that Goku has not only refused to join him, but also brought Piccolo as a reinforcement, Raditz declares his younger brother a shame to their race and sentences him to death. A battle commences, and Raditz soon proves he is far stronger than both Goku and Piccolo combined and easily overwhelms them. Raditz even manages to blast off Piccolo's left arm. The tables turn when Piccolo reveals he created a special attack that may be able to kill Raditz, the Special Beam Cannon. However, the attack needs several minutes to charge up, meaning Goku has to fight Raditz alone for five minutes. As Piccolo prepares the attack, Goku and Raditz battle it out, yet Raditz easily takes the lead. Goku, however, leaps into the air and launches a Super Kamehameha.

File:RaditzVsGokuK01.png

Raditz effortlessly crushes Goku's ribs

Raditz is startled that he is able to increase his power into one spot, and is even more shocked to find Piccolo's rising as well. Before he can think, Goku launches his attack. Raditz tries to run from it, but cannot. He is, however, able to nullify it with his hands. Raditz then launches a more powerful attack back at Goku, badly wounding him and knocking him out of the sky. He tries to make the kill, but soon sees Piccolo's attack ready. To his dismay, the attack is too powerful for him to block, and he is shocked that Piccolo could summon that much power. Piccolo launches the attack, but Raditz is fast enough to dodge it, yet it does pierce through one of his shoulder pads, also injuring his shoulder. He almost kills Piccolo, but is stopped by Goku, who grabs Raditz's tail, causing immense pain. As Piccolo prepares the attack, Raditz begs for mercy from Goku with brotherly words ("I would never harm my own flesh and blood!"). Piccolo tries to warn Goku it is a trick, but the Saiyan's mercy gets the better of him. Goku lets go of Raditz's tail, and Raditz takes advantage by throwing his brother to the ground, stomping on his chest multiple times, crushing his ribs. Goku calls the trick dirty and Raditz in turn says that he is a first-class warrior, and never hesitates to kill anyone, even his own brother. He also edges Piccolo for his attack, but Piccolo says it is useless.

GokuPiccoloVsRaditzTail

Goku grabs Raditz's tail, causing him pain

While Goku cries out in pain with Piccolo helplessly watching, a power suddenly erupts and Raditz's spacepod explodes. Just as Raditz prepares to kill Goku, an enraged Gohan emerges and flies straight into Raditz's chest, seriously injuring him. Incensed and in awe of the small child, Raditz whacks Gohan across the field and limps over to him, preparing to kill him in fear of his power, which he complimented as he approaches. Before this can happen, however, Goku grabs Raditz from behind in a full nelson, giving Piccolo enough time to power up another Special Beam Cannon. Raditz, fully aware that the beam will be enough to finish the both of them, implores Goku not to sacrifice himself for "these Earth dogs" and let him go, but Goku refuses. Piccolo fires the Special Beam Cannon and hits both Raditz and Goku square in the chest, mortally wounding them both.

GokuRaditzPiccoloSpecialBeamCannon

Raditz being impaled by Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon

As he lays dying, spitting blood and suffering on the ground, Raditz genuinely acknowledges Goku's death (as well as his own), but Piccolo tells him about the Dragon Balls, that will revive Goku shortly after the wish is made. Raditz, however, retorts that his scouter is also a transmitter, and his two Saiyan comrades have heard everything and will come for the Dragon Balls to wish him back. Laughing his head off, Raditz is finished off by Piccolo, and dies shortly before Goku does so. Using his scouter to transmit Piccolo's message, Raditz calls for help from his two fellow Saiyans, Nappa and Vegeta, who eventually journey to Earth to gather the Dragon Balls, not to revive Raditz (as Raditz believed), but for immortality. In the Other World, Raditz attempts to fight King Yemma, who overpowers him and sends Raditz to Hell.

After Goku dies, Bulma and Krillin remove Raditz's scouter from his corpse. Bulma modifies the scouter so it can display numbers rather than the alien symbols that are used by Frieza's forces. The scouter later explodes when Goku powers up during his fight with Vegeta.

Dragon Ball GT

In the Super 17 Saga, Raditz can be seen in a cameo appearance in the news broadcast when he is escaping from Hell flying alongside Cooler, Android 19, and others thanks to Dr. Gero and Dr. Myuu opening a portal in the sky allowing all the past villains to escape from Hell. However, he was most likely defeated once more by the Z Fighters and sent back to Hell along with all the other past villains.

Other appearances

Flashbacks

KrillinFlashbackOfRaditz

Raditz in the Namek Saga (flashback)

In an anime only flashback in the Namek Saga, Krillin remembers Raditz saying that the Saiyans capture and sell planets and deduces that Frieza and his soldiers must be part of what he called the "Planet trade".

Later, in the Androids Saga, Android 20 (Dr. Gero) states that Dr. Gero has been tracking Goku's fighting abilities for some time, such as his fight with Raditz. When Android 20 tells Goku about Gero's motives and how they had analyzed his fights, one of the fights recorded was his fight against Raditz.

A flashback of Raditz is later shown, when Gohan describes his hidden powers to Cell during the Cell Games.

Dragon Ball SD

Vegeta, Nappa & Raditz in DBSD

Raditz in background, while Nappa is talking to Vegeta, in Dragon Ball SD

Raditz appears briefly with Nappa and Vegeta in chapter 5 of Dragon Ball SD, which takes place at the start of the Emperor Pilaf Saga; he is in the background while the two other Saiyans talk.

Power level

In the series, it is stated by Nappa that his power level is over 1,200; 1,200 being equal to the power level of the Saibamen belonging to Vegeta and Nappa. Raditz's power level is 1,500 according to a double edition of Weekly Shonen Jump back in 1989,[1] Daizenshuu 7, and the video games Dragon Ball Z: Kyōshū! Saiyan, Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu, and Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans. His power level is 1,250 in Dragon Ball Z: The Anime Adventure Game. The website for Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods refers to Raditz as a strong Saiyan warrior.

Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon against Raditz is stated to be 1,330 which worried Raditz. In the anime, the power level of the 2nd Special Beam Cannon is stated to be 1,440, which Raditz said could finish him off. However, Raditz may have been weakened enough by an enraged Gohan for Piccolo's attack to be strong enough as even Goku could hold Raditz down while severely injured.[3][4]

When fighting Raditz's soul in Other World in Attack of the Saiyans, his power level is 1,800 in the first battle, and 3,000 in the second fight against him. In the Budokai Tenkaichi 2 main story mode, after one year in Otherworld, Raditz is able to hold his own against Goku - after his training with King Kai - who has a power level of over 8,000, though is ultimately defeated.

After being powered up by the Time Breakers in Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, Raditz gains enough power to easily dodge Kid Gohan's Leave My Daddy Alone! rush, and also break out of Goku and Piccolo's Full-Nelson Special Beam Cannon, causing only Goku to be hit.

Techniques and special abilities

Raditz attacks goku

Raditz strikes Goku in the stomach using a Heavy Finish

Transformation

Great Ape

Main article: Great Ape

File:RaditzGreatApe.jpg

Raditz in his Great Ape transformation, in the video game Budokai Tenkaichi 2

While Raditz has never transformed into a Great Ape in the manga/anime, he has a tail and, by extension, the ability to turn into one, which is shown in Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3. While transformed, Raditz has no mental control like a common low class Saiyan soldier. His long hair also shows in this form.

Dark Raditz

Time breaker raditz3

Dark Raditz

In Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, During his battle with Goku, Piccolo, and Gohan, Raditz is given the ability to use this power up due to the Time Breakers interference. While in this state, Raditz's eyes glow red, his skin darkens, he gains a purple and black aura, and his power increases.

Video game appearances

File:Char 23531.jpg

Raditz in the Budokai Tenkaichi series

Raditz is a boss in Dragon Ball 3: Gokuden, Dragon Ball Z: Kyōshū! Saiyan, Dragon Ball Z: Legend of the Super Saiyan, Dragon Ball Z: Goku Hishōden, Dragon Ball Z: Super Gokuden: Kakusei-Hen, Dragon Ball Z: The Legacy of Goku, Dragon Ball Z: Sagas, Dragon Ball Z: Battle Taikan Kamehameha 2, Dragon Ball Z: Harukanaru Densetsu, Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans, and Dragon Ball Online. He appears in the opening cutscene of Dragon Ball Z: Idainaru Son Goku Densetsu and Dragon Ball Z: Legendary Super Warriors.

Raditz is a playable character in Dragon Ball Z: Gekitō Tenkaichi Budōkai, the Budokai series, Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu, the Budokai Tenkaichi series (Great Ape form also playable), Dragon Ball Z: Bakuretsu Impact, Dragon Ball Z: W Bakuretsu Impact, Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World, Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Battlers, the Raging Blast games, Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team, Dragon Ball Heroes, Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butōden, Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi, Dragon Ball Z For Kinect, and Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z.

RaditzImpactDBO

The arrival of Raditz in Dragon Ball Online

In Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2, Raditz has his own what-if scenario, Fateful Brothers.

667277 20120417 640screen004

Raditz in Dragon Ball Z For Kinect

Time in the Afterlife

In Attack of the Saiyans, Goku is ordered by King Kai to stop Raditz's soul from creating havoc in Yemma Forest. There, Raditz is busy smashing King Yemma's tree and tries to eat the Ensenji, claiming that with the power of this fruit, he would surpass King Yemma himself. Goku says that he has trained under King Kai and Raditz did not train at all, making Raditz curious about Goku's increased power. Thus, Goku together with Gregory and Bubbles battle Raditz and win. Later, Raditz's ghost tries to get a Spirit Crystal, an object kept by Montgomery in the Yemma Forest, in order to obtain enough power to defeat King Yemma and take over Hell, but he is stopped once again by Goku.

In Harukanaru Densetsu, Raditz is revived for one day and fights Gohan as Fortuneteller Baba's fifth fighter while the boy was trying to locate the final Dragon Ball needed to resurrect his father. After this, while Goku is returning from his training with King Kai, Raditz is seen at Princess Snake's palace and has formed a relationship with Princess Snake. This implies that Raditz may have escaped from Hell, as the Princess' palace is on the Snake Way.

Also in the Budokai Tenkaichi 2 main story mode, as well as in Legend of the Super Saiyan, Raditz is briefly summoned to King Kai's planet as part of Goku's training with King Kai for fighting the Saiyans arriving at Earth, although Raditz seems to think that he was allowed a chance at revenge at Goku. Raditz and Goku engage in battle, Raditz apparently having become more powerful as he is capable of holding his own with the trained Goku, though in the end Goku defeats Raditz and then prepares to head off to confront Vegeta and Nappa.

Xenoverse

During the story mode of Dragon Ball: Xenoverse, the Time Breakers go back in time and save Raditz from Goku and Piccolo's Full-Nelson Special Beam Cannon, causing only Goku to be hit by the attack.

Voice actors

  • Japanese dub: Shigeru Chiba
  • Ocean dub: Jason Gray-Stanford (episodes 1-53) and Doug Parker (episode 182)
  • FUNimation dub: Justin Cook (Saiyan/Vegeta Saga, remastered "Frieza Defeated!!" and Video Games) and Christopher Sabat (original "Frieza Defeated!!")
  • Latin American dub: Humberto Solórzano(DBZ episodes 1-5 and Dragon Ball Z Kai), Gerardo Reyero (flashback in DBZ episode 45), Salvador Delgado (one DBZ episode)
  • German dub: Tobias Kluckert
  • Italian dub: Giorgio Bonino
  • Portuguese dub: António Semedo
  • Brazilian dub: Wellington Lima
  • Croatian dub: Kruno Belko
  • Catalan dub: Joan Pera

Major battles

Manga and anime

  • Raditz vs. Goku, Piccolo and Gohan
  • Raditz vs. King Yemma (not shown)

Video games

  • Raditz (Base/Dark) vs. Goku, Piccolo, and Gohan (Xenoverse)
  • Raditz vs. Goku, Gregory, and Bubbles (Attack of the Saiyans)
  • Raditz vs. Goku (Attack of the Saiyans)
  • Raditz vs. Gohan (Harukanaru Densetsu)
  • Raditz vs. Goku (Budokai Tenkaichi 2 & Super Saiya Densetsu)
  • Raditz and Nappa vs. Piccolo (Super Saiya Densetsu)

Trivia

  • Raditz is seen on the poster for Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn, but he is not actually seen in the movie. This is the same case with Nappa.
  • In the Japanese version, Raditz is Goku's only male biological relative not voiced by Masako Nozawa or in a similar high-pitched voice.
  • In the first FUNimation dub, Justin Cook voices Raditz with a calm and cool voice. However, he uses a more harsh, more agitated sounding voice in the Budokai Tenkaichi video game series and his voices is sometimes similar to that of Sean Schemmel (Goku) in Dragon Ball Z Kai.
  • During the Frieza Saga, Frieza assumes Raditz is Gohan's father. This is similar to in Dragon Ball Z: Shin Budokai - Another Road, when Bardock believes Gohan to be Turles's son by asking "Are you Turles' son?".
  • The video games seem to be the only Dragon Ball media where Bardock and Raditz interact:
    • In Budokai 3, if Raditz wins a match against Bardock, he will say "Father..." as a Victory Quote.
    • In the Budokai Tenkaichi 2 What-If story, "Fateful Brothers", after Raditz falls unconscious after a fight with Goku, he has a dream where he is standing in the mountains talking to his father in heaven where he admits he is a weakling, but then Bardock shows up and says "I don't care... you're still my son", Bardock then fights Raditz as a gift from father to son.
    • In Budokai Tenkaichi 2, 3 and Raging Blast, if one plays Bardock against Raditz when Bardock wins, he will say "It'll be a sad day when one of my own sons can beat me."
  • In Raging Blast, Raditz has special dialogue with the Ginyu Force, implying that they met at some point not shown in the past.
  • In the Budokai Tenkaichi series and the Raging Blast games, Raditz's alternate costume is colored yellow, similar to the Battle Armor worn by Nappa.
  • In an early Dragon Ball Z board game, Raditz's scouter is colored red like Vegeta's.
  • In the Budokai video game series, Raditz's special attacks are named after days of the week.
  • Raditz's hair is roughly the same length as a Super Saiyan 3's.
  • In the Hebrew dub, Raditz states that Piccolo's 2nd Special Beam Cannon is at 1,480.

Gallery

See also

References

Advertisement