Raditz

"Don't look so upset. We can't all have the last laugh."

- "Gohan's Rage" Raditz (ラディッツ, Radittsu) is the biological brother of Goku and the eldest son of Bardock. He was once a member of the Saiyan Army, but 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 birthname) had finished the mission that he was sent on as a baby over two decades prior: the overthrow of Earth. Upon arrival, however, Raditz discovered that Goku had lost his violent Saiyan tendencies and also had no knowledge of his ancestry or his true species. Raditz attempted to persuade Goku to join him and become a planet pirate, but to no avail. Shigeru Chiba voiced him in Japanese version, Jason Gray-Stanford voiced him in the Ocean Group Dub of the English version, and Justin Cook voices him in the FUNimation Entertainment English version, the Ultimate Uncut version, and in video games.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 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. Krillin proposes to escort him of the island, which results in himself getting smacked in the face by Raditz, 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 kidnaps Gohan (who still has a Saiyan tail) and holds 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. 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, but it is not an easy fight, as Raditz is far stronger than both Goku and Piccolo combined and easily overwhelms them. Raditz even manages to blast off Piccolo's left arm, but the tables turn when Piccolo reveals he created a special attack that could be able to kill Raditz, the Special Beam Cannon and the only problem is it takes him a while to build up, meaning Goku has to fight him alone for five minutes. As Piccolo prepares the attack, Goku and Raditz battle it out, yet Raditz easily takes the lead. Goku, however, launches a Super Kamehameha. 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 can not. He is, however, able to nullify it with his hands. Raditz then launches a more powerful attack back at Goku, badly wounding him. 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, 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, 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. 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 off, an enraged Gohan emerges and flies straight into Raditz's chest, seriously wounding him. Raditz, incensed and in awe of the small child, and whacks Gohan across the field, and limps over to Gohan, preparing to kill him, in fear of Gohan's power, which he complimented as he approached. 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, mortally wounding both. As he lies dying and suffering, 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 friends 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 (which remains unseen). Bulma modifies the scouter so it can read actual numbers rather than the strange symbols that represent numbers. The scouter later explodes when Goku powers up during his fight with Vegeta. ====Namek Saga====In an anime only flashback, Krillin remembers Raditz saying that the Saiyans capture and sell planets, and deduce that Frieza and his soldiers must be part of what he called the "Planet trade". ====Frieza Saga====In an anime only flashback, 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 along with Zarbon and Dodoria, but Vegeta orders his comrade to stand down, knowing that he would not stand a chance against them. ====Androids Saga and Cell Games 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 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. ===Dragon Ball SD===Raditz appears briefly in chapter 5 of Dragon Ball SD. ==Personality==Unlike his brother Goku and his father Bardock, Raditz is mean and brutal like most Saiyan warriors, he constantly mocks Piccolo, and he takes great pleasure in seeing Goku and Gohan in pain. He is incredibly manipulative, begging for 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, laughing. Raditz can also be quite a coward when facing death, as he kept struggling and begging with panic in 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. He claims to want 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. 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 1200, 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, thusly cold-hearted and uncaring towards anyone but himself). Considering, that Raditz was much weaker than Nappa and Vegeta, it can be assumed that he was a minion of theirs, and they took pity on him since their planet was destroyed. Raditz in some ways, seems to take after Vegeta, glorifying the Saiyan race and killing anyone who is either a threat, or in the case of Goku and Gohan, refuse 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 slightly arrogant. He did not take Piccolo and Goku seriously and severely underestimated them due to their low power reading. Before dying, Raditz also 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. ==Power level==In the series, it is stated that his power level was over 1,200; which is equal to the Saibamen belonging to Vegeta and Nappa. According to Akira Toriyama, his power level is 1,500, a number also supported on the double edition of Weekly Shonen Jump back in 1989, Daizenshuu 7, and the video games Dragon Ball Z: Kyōshū! Saiyan and Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiya Densetsu. Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon against Raditz was stated to be 1,330 which worried Raditz. In the anime, the power level of the 2nd Special Beam Cannon was 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. ==Techniques and special abilities==*Flight – The ability to fly with the use of ki.*Ki Blast – The most basic form of energy wave.*Exciting Year – A High Power Rush used in video games. Raditz kicks the opponent up in the air, and then he kicks and punches them down again. Named in the Budokai series.*Weekly Special – Raditz fires a rapid energy barrage at his opponents, inflicting great damage. Also called Full Power Energy Blast Volley.*Day Crush – He grabs and punches his opponent. It is his grapple throw in the Budokai series.*Dynamite Monday – A High Speed Rush used in the Budokai series. Raditz attacks his opponent with a flurry of kicks and punches before roundhouse kicking them away.*I'm A Top-class Warrior! – Raditz elbows the opponent from behind onto the ground, inflicting great damage.*Behind You! – Raditz faces away from his opponent then kicks out behind him as they closes in, sending them rolling away.*Saturday Crush – A large, powerful pink energy sphere fired from one hand.**Saturday Crash – A larger, more powerful version of the Saturday Crush exclusive to Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit.**Shining Friday – A super-powered version of the Saturday Crush rxclusive to Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit.*Begone! – A white Full Power Energy Wave fired from one hand.*Double Sunday – A pink energy wave fired from both hands.*Diving Elbow Smash – Raditz jumps in the air, focuses some energy onto his elbow, and lands an elbow on his opponent's skull. Used in Dragon Ball Z: Taiketsu.*Chop Beam – Raditz shoots an energy blast into the air with just one of his hands, and brings it down in a Karate Chop motion. Used in Taiketsu.*Fire Somersault – Raditz jumps into the air, begins spinning so that flame forms around him, and then slams his body into his opponent, insuring burning agony. Used in Taiketsu.*Max Energy Blast – A variation of the Exploding Wave used in Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans.*Saiyan Soul – One of Raditz's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.*Full Power – One of Raditz's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.*Great Ape – While Raditz has never transformed in the anime or manga, he has a tail and by extension the ability, 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. (Exclusive to Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi sequels)*Chou Makouhou – One of Great Ape Raditz's Blast 2 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.*Gigantic Rock Throw – One of Great Ape Raditz's Blast 2 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.*Chou Makousen – Great Ape Raditz's Ultimate Blast in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.*Howl – One of Great Ape Raditz's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.*Sleep – One of Great Ape Raditz's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series. ==Video game appearances==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: 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. He 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 series, Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team, Dragon Ball Heroes, Dragon Ball Kai: Ultimate Butōden, and Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi. In Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2'', Raditz has his own what-if scenario, Fateful Brothers. 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. 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 triei 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 battles Raditz and wins. 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. ==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, Namek Flashback and Video Games) and Christopher Sabat (Episode 89)*Latin American Dub: Humberto Solórzano, Gerardo Reyero (Flashback Episode 45), Salvador Delgado (One Episode)*German Dub: Tobias Kluckert*Italian Dub: Giorgio Bonino*Portuguese Dub: António Semedo*Brazillian Dub: Wellington Lima*Croatian Dub: Kruno Belko ==Major Battles==*Raditz vs. Goku, Piccolo and Gohan.*Raditz vs. King Yemma (stated to have fought against him but unseen). ==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.*As with all other Saiyans in the series, Raditz's name is a pun on a vegetable, "radish" in this case.*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, in the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series, he uses a more harsh, more agitated sounding voice.*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 Turles to be Gohan's father 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 the Player chooses Raditz and 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 series, 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 many video games, 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. ==Gallery== ==References==