There’s little argument that Dragon Ball is one of the most important anime series that has helped influence countless other shonen series as well as help popularize the medium outside of Japan. Dragon Ball has been running for decades and featured several anime series as well as a wealth of other projects that continue to expand the Dragon Ball world.
There’s a clear progression across the course of the series and there’s still lots of debate over which of Dragon Ball’s many story arcs makes the biggest impact. Some exceptional villains have appeared throughout Dragon Ball, but Frieza is arguably the most persistent enemy and the character’s arc in Dragon Ball Z pushes the franchise forward in integral ways.
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Frieza’s Multiple Forms Set A New Precedent For Villains
Goku and company have faced plenty of dangerous villains before Frieza comes along. Occasionally these villains will have unexpected surprises that find ways to prolong the battle, but Frieza becomes the master of this once he reveals that he has four unique forms of increasing strength. This structure to the battle against Frieza adds a newfound sense of progression that more or less becomes the norm with all of the villains that follow in Frieza’s wake. Now multiple transformations for a villain are to be expected, but Frieza helped the trend gain traction.
9 Piccolo Receives A Serious Power Upgrade Through Fusion
Power scaling is one of the most problematic subjects in the Dragon Ball series and it’s usually for the best to just try to ignore such things and not get caught up in the inconsistencies. The Frieza Saga brings forward a new grade of enemies and it’s easier for some characters than others to become strong enough to stay afloat. Piccolo turns into a major player on Namek after he fuses together with Nail and receives a major boost in power. The character sorely needed an upgrade of this nature and helps Piccolo remain relevant through the next story arcs.
8 It Removes Goku From The Equation For A Long Time
Goku is unquestionably the main character throughout the Dragon Ball series and most of the characters are connected through him in some way. The series can run into a habit where Goku perpetually saves the day and is the only important character.
The majority of the Frieza Saga does an excellent job at removing Goku and making his mission to Namek happen much later than Gohan, Krillin, and Vegeta’s arrival. It allows other characters to take over and provide some variety to the series before Goku exhaustion sets in.
7 Bulma Becomes An Important Character
It can sometimes be easy to forget that the Dragon Ball series started with just Goku and Bulma, but it’s always nice when the latter can return by the heroes’ side and find a way to contribute. It’s usually the warriors that are important in Dragon Ball, but the characters’ time on Planet Namek during the Frieza Saga truly allows Bulma to shine. Her understanding of the Namek language helps get them to the planet in the first place, but her Dragon Radar technology remains indispensable, and she becomes a surprisingly important player during Captain Ginyu’s body swapping antics.
6 A New And More Powerful Set Of Dragon Balls Come Into Play
The Dragon Balls are an important treasure that kicks off the original anime series. These special orbs may not always be the priority, but they never completely disappear from the picture. The Frieza Saga is pivotal because it explains that Planet Namek has its own set of Dragon Balls that are even more powerful and can grant more than one wish. The Frieza Saga not only makes the hunt for Dragon Balls important again, but it expands their lore and begins the series’ habit of playing around with the Dragon Balls to change their rules and restrictions through new sets.
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There Are Serious Deaths And Consequences
Death is a constant in Dragon Ball and major characters have perished as early as the original series. Dragon Ball Z gets a lot more liberal with its fatalities, often because it knows that it can fall back on the Dragon Balls to later resurrect these characters.
This doesn’t change the fact that the deaths that occur in the Frieza Saga are the most graphic and vicious yet. Krillin’s death is particularly malicious and it’s part of the reason that Goku snaps. Vegeta’s death is equally depressing and it feels like a significant loss that won’t just be reversed.
4 The Introduction And Execution Of The Ginyu Force
It’s not uncommon for the heroes in Dragon Ball to have to square off with some lesser evils before they’re able to approach the big threat that’s in charge of everything. Frieza tasks the irreverent Ginyu Force to eliminate Earth’s heroes and it leads to some of the anime’s most creative battles. It marks a shift towards more eccentric and stylized enemies and it also briefly results in Gohan and Krillin fighting an “evil Goku,” which is a fascinating new idea for the anime that it will continue to try to return to throughout its run.
3 Vegeta Is Forced To Become An Ally
Dragon Ball Z’s Saiyan Saga concludes with Vegeta narrowly escaping, but not before he vows revenge on everyone. Vegeta reunites with Goku, Krillin, and Piccolo on Planet Namek, yet they find themselves with a common larger enemy with Frieza. Vegeta is a terrifying loose wire in the Frieza Saga, so it’s a thrilling twist that he needs to work alongside the heroes in order to stay alive. It’s a tenuous arrangement, but it sets the groundwork for when Vegeta permanently becomes one of the good guys after the events of this arc.
2 Its Ominous Conclusion Works As A Great Series Ending
Dragon Ball Z runs for nearly 300 episodes, which is an extension to the 153 episodes that begin Goku’s story in the original Dragon Ball. Dragon Ball’s narrative continues to run to this day, but for a while, there was doubt from Toriyama over when the series should conclude. At one point the plan was to conclude with the Frieza Saga and have Goku’s Super Saiyan transformation, and ultimate destruction, function as a bittersweet conclusion. The series runs for much longer, but this consideration leads to a darker and more resolute ending than what’s normal for Dragon Ball arcs.
1 The First Super Saiyan Transformation Occurs
A lot of big events take place during the Frieza Saga, but Goku’s initial transformation into a Super Saiyan is easily the catalyst for the next stage of Dragon Ball Z’s story. The series could have made it that Goku is the only one that achieves this status, but the anime soon runs rampant with Super Saiyans and new levels of the transformation become a frequent discovery. Before this point, Dragon Ball’s characters would still get stronger, but this push towards Super Saiyans fundamentally changes the style of combat for the rest of the series.
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