Frieza Saga

Lore & Background

Frieza operates as a broker who forcibly takes over planets to resell them, often rendering populations extinct. His name is a pun on "freezer," which inspired his minions and the Ginyu Force to be named after fruits and dairy products. Toriyama noted that he purposely gave Frieza polite speech to create an unsettling contrast with his cruelty. Although implied that Frieza's fourth form is his basic state, with earlier forms suppressing power to conserve it, Toriyama admitted he did not plan the transformations until midway through the story. He joked that three transformations might be one too many, citing a habit of making characters sleeker as they become more complex.

In Their Own Story

Before the series began, Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of a Saiyan uprising and a prophecy about a Super Saiyan. Only Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz survived because they were away on a mission; Goku was spared when sent to Earth as an infant. On Namek, Frieza massacred villages seeking the seven Namekian Dragon Balls for immortality. After his army fell to Vegeta and the Ginyu Force, Frieza fought Nail while Dende activated the balls. Transforming through three forms, he dominated Piccolo (who had fused with Nail) before revealing his final form. He killed Dende and mortally wounded Vegeta just as Goku arrived. After Goku powered up to 50% of his maximum, Frieza killed Krillin, triggering Goku's first Super Saiyan transformation. The battle ended with Namek's destruction; Goku sliced the tyrant in half but spared him. Frieza survived, was rebuilt by King Cold, and returned to Earth a year later only to be dismembered by Trunks.

Reader's Guide

The saga starts after Vegeta's defeat on Earth, as Frieza travels to Namek for immortality. His inability to speak Namekian forces him to seek the Great Elder. Gohan, Krillin, and Vegeta hamper his efforts while the Ginyu Force handles interlopers. Nail buys time for Dende by fighting Frieza repeatedly until being defeated. With his army gone, Frieza battles Vegeta, admitting he destroyed the Saiyan homeworld before transforming into his second form. After defeating Vegeta and dominating Piccolo (fused with Nail), Frieza transforms into his third then final form. He kills Dende to stop healing and wounds Vegeta before Goku arrives. Goku initially matches him but is beaten at 50% power. Krillin's death triggers the Super Saiyan legend, allowing Goku to dominate. Desperate, Frieza damages Namek's core. At 100% power, he briefly gains an advantage but is sliced in half by his own attack. Spared by Goku, Frieza attempts a sneak attack and is destroyed again, though he survives the explosion with King Cold.

Did You Know?

• Frieza was modeled after Toriyama's editor at the time, Yū Kondō, according to Shenlong Times issue #2.
• Toriyama got the idea to bring Frieza back while watching the metal band Maximum the Hormone perform their 2008 song "F".
• In English dubs, Christopher Ayres voiced Frieza until 2018 due to end-stage COPD, after which Daman Mills assumed the role starting with the television broadcast of the Universal Survival Saga.
• Frieza's minions and the Ginyu Force are named after fruits and dairy products because his name is a pun on "freezer".