Z-Fighters (BurningCow)

Z Fighters (Ｚ戦士, Zetto Senshi; also known as the Z Warriors or Earth's Special Forces,[2]  or even the Gold Fighters by Mr. Satan) are a small group  of warriors located on Earth. Their duty is to defend Earth from major threats and to protect the seven mystical Dragon Balls from the hands of evil. Goku is the de facto leader of the group due to his incredible success rates  against villains inDragon Ball, victory over the Saiyans, and his victory overFrieza. Over time, the group consistently bolstered its ranks through the addition of former enemies and new heroes and routinely overcame seemingly insurmountable opponents, always emerging victorious against progressively more powerful foes.

History
A similar team already existed in the Dragon Ball anime, the Dragon Ball Gang. Their original purpose for coming together was not to protect the Dragon Balls, but to use them themselves. Typically, this brought the group into conflict with a host of villainous characters who sought to use the Dragon Balls for power, whereas the Dragon Ball Gang desired the balls for good. This included evils such as Emperor Pilafand the Red Ribbon Army. The team that could be considered an early rendition of the Z Fighters  was formed mainly in response to the threat posed by King Piccolo and later his son in the ultimate story arc of Dragon Ball . Its members consisted of Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Yajirobeand their supporters.

The first actual formation of the Z Fighters was out of necessity, brought on when Goku was faced with Raditz, who had kidnapped his young son Gohanand wanted to destroy the Earth. Goku formed an alliance with his arch rival Piccolo in order to fight for a common cause. The team-up is considered the true birth of the Z Fighters.

The term itself is very rarely used in the series by anyone other than the narrator. The first being in the Androids Saga, when Future Trunks explains to Goku that in the future, "the Earth's Special Forces  are gone." The Second character to use the term was Gohan when he was training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber to defeat Cell. While sleeping, he had a dream in which his mother Chi-Chi said she did not want Gohan to be in Goku's little gang. Gohan then responds that he is not in a little gang, he is a Z Fighter.

Formation
The battle against the Saiyans, Vegeta andNappa, is commonly considered the first time Earth's Special Forces engaged enemies together. After Goku's death against Raditz, Piccolo trained Gohan to prepare for the arrival of the Saiyan warriors Vegeta and Nappa. Though several of the members expressed distrust of their former enemy Piccolo, this first Z Fighter roster consisted of Goku, his inexperienced son Gohan, Piccolo, Tien Shinhan, Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu. Yajirobe, though choosing not to join the fight, ended up playing an important role in repelling Vegeta by slicing off the Saiyan's tail, saving Goku's life. Unfortunately, the Z Fighters were decimated in the battle against Nappa and his Saibamen, with only Goku, Krillin, Gohan, and Yajirobe surviving the fight. The deceased would train inOther World with King Kai like Goku, while the survivors (sans Yajirobe) headed to Namek to use their Dragon Balls.

During the Battle on Planet Namek, Earth's Special Forces would ally with theNamekian race against Frieza and his Planet Trade Organization, this part of the series marked a turning point for the group, as Piccolo fully reformed and they began working with Vegeta, if not out of necessity in the fight against Frieza. This is also the first time in the series in which a character actually refers to the group as the Z Fighters, when Gohan pleads with Chi Chi to be allowed to go to Namek with Krillin and Bulma. He informs her that he too is a Z Fighter, and must be there to protect his friends.

Android Conflict
It was not until the Android conflict some four years after the conflict on Namek that the team of the Z Fighters came full circle. Goku returns from space one year after defeating Frieza, while Future Trunks comes from the future to warn everyone about the Androids that have caused apocalyptic mayhem in his time. After his defeat on Earth and then brief alliance on Namek, Vegeta decides to return and remain on Earth in anticipation for Goku's return in the hopes that he would be ready to challenge his rival once again. When Future Trunks reveals the future, Vegeta decides to stay and train for the upcoming conflict with the androids rather than prepare to battle Goku, though like previously with Piccolo, most of the other Z Fighters do not fully trust him and are unwilling to consider him a true ally. Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu, who were wished back to life, also begin training for the fight with the androids. It is evidently around this time that the series refers to the group of warriors as the "Z Fighters". When the androids do arrive, Future Trunks returns as well, bolstering the team's ranks. With Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu, Vegeta, and Future Trunks, the group fully forms and it is shown through the opening sequence at this time in the series (the final image is of the aforementioned fighters and Goku as he transforms into a Super Saiyan).

It is also worth noting that while this version of the Z Fighters is a prominent one during the series history, it is the only period of time in which the team consists of these certain members, the largest roster of the Z Fighters. By the end of the Cell Games, Goku is dead and Gohan has become Earth's primary defender. Future Trunks returns to his timeline more powerful than ever, thanks to his training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Vegeta, and proceeds to finally destroy the evil versions of Androids 17 and 18 in his world, as well as his timeline's Cell a while later.

Meanwhile, Tien Shinhan bids farewell to the Z Fighters and plans to live in seclusion with his best friend Chiaotzu, realizing he can no longer compete with the powers of the Super Saiyans. Yamcha retires from fighting for the same reasons as Tien. Krillin continues to live with Master Roshi, and after a few years, eventually reunites with and later marriesAndroid 18. They soon have a daughter named Marron, and thus Krillin stops training as well. Piccolo decides to live with Dende and Mr. Popo on Kami's Lookout, continuing to train and meditate there. Vegeta continues to train hard too, hoping to become a Super Saiyan 2 like Gohan, but declares that he will never fight again with his only rival, Goku, dead. Finally, Gohan keeps his promise to his mother Chi-Chi and gives up fighting to study and become a scholar.

Call to Arm Once again
By the beginning of the Majin Buu Saga seven years later, the Z Fighters consists of many "next-gen" type of characters. Gohan is eighteen and is the primary hero of Earth, both as a Super Saiyan and his alter ego "Great Saiyaman". The Z-Team is not really continued, per se, based on the fact that their opponent Majin Buu was so powerful, it mainly called upon one single person to fight him. However, considering the fighters in this time period, it can be said that the new Z Fighters consist of the following: Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, Vegeta, Trunks, and Goten. Also worth noting is that unlike the Androids Saga, the Majin Buu Saga is when Vegeta voluntarily became a hero. He fought for his family and to save the Earth, even sacrificing himself in an attempt to kill Majin Buu. He also later came up with the idea of Goku using aSuper Spirit Bomb that defeated Kid Buu at the very end.

A short while later, the Z Fighters Goku, Vegeta, Goten, Trunks, and Gohan fight against the monster Hirudegarn.[3] Later, they battle Abo and Kado, as well as their fusion Aka.[4]  In the same time period, the Z Fighters battle the God of Destruction Beerus.[5]

Ten years following Buu's defeat, Goku leaves to train the monster's reincarnation, a young boy named Uub, whom he hopes will become Earth's protector.

The New Saiyan Age Conflict
5 years later, The Z Fighters later join forces to defeat the Saiyan Terror Kyuri.

The Super Androids Conflict
After the defeat of Kyuri, Z Fighters have to stop The Super Android Army.

Primary Members
These characters are established members of the Z Fighters during Dragon Ball who actively fought against the team's enemies.


 * Goku – The main character who is a co-founder of the Z Team. Goku is a Saiyan.
 * Gohan – The eldest son of Goku. He is the first Saiyan/Human hybrid.
 * Piccolo – A Namekian. Once Goku's arch rival, he becomes one of his greatest allies. He co-founded the team with Goku.
 * Krillin – A human, he is Goku's best friend and former schoolmate and rival. He retires in Dragon Ball GT. He is the brain of the group (just under Piccolo) as he is often left to figure things out.
 * Yamcha – A human, once a fearsome desert bandit. Chronologically, he is Goku's first fighting ally. Also retires in Dragon Ball GT, and one of the first to be in the group.
 * Tien Shinhan – A human with a third eye who has hit a peak of enlightenment. He is a former assassin and Goku's former rival. He also retires in Dragon Ball GT, although he continues to train, unlike Krillin and Yamcha.
 * Chiaotzu – A human who excels in psychic abilities. He is Tien's best friend and former schoolmate. His last fight on the team is against Nappa (and against the Ginyu Force on King Kai's planet in the anime), as Tien says that Chiaotzu "just can't keep up".
 * Yajirobe – A human samurai who never really wants to help Goku and the rest of the Z Fighters unless there is food involved. Though, he does help the Z Warriors by delivering Senzu Beans from Korin. He also played a big part in defeating Vegeta by cutting off his tail.
 * Vegeta – The Saiyan Prince. Goku's arch rival.
 * Trunks – Vegeta's only son. He is a Saiyan/Human hybrid.
 * Goten – The second and last son of Goku, whose appearance closely resembles his father's. He is a Saiyan/Human hybrid.
 * Pan – The granddaughter of Goku, and daughter to Gohan.. As an adult,, and she likely finds the new generation of Z fighters with Goku Jr. and Vegeta Jr.
 * Uub – A human reincarnation of the enemy Kid Buu, he becomes Goku's pupil at the end of the Dragon Ball Z series.
 * Future Trunks – The time-traveling version of Trunks from a devastated future. He is a Saiyan/Human hybrid.
 * Future Gohan – The bleak future version of Gohan who is the sole survivor of the original Z Team. He is a Saiyan/Human hybrid.
 * Ipp
 * Kai
 * Paru
 * Neko Majin
 * Oz

Supporters

 * Android 18 – An android originally built only for evil, she eventually marries Krillin and changes her ways.
 * Mr. Buu – Once an evil magical being, he betrayed Babidi, befriended Hercule, and battled his evil incarnation, Evil Buu, as well as aided Goku and Vegeta in the conflict against his evil counterpart, Kid Buu. Later assimilated with Uub to form Majuub.
 * Nail – A powerful Namekian warrior who serves the Great Elder, he helps the Z Fighters by delaying Frieza and fusing with Piccolo.
 * Master Roshi – A turtle hermit, he was Goku's second official mentor (after Grandpa Gohan). His fights are limited to movies and Dragon Ball.
 * Kami – A Namekian who is the Guardian of Earth and creator of the Dragon Balls, his fights are limited to movies and the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai under the guise of Hero. He ultimately fuses with Piccolo during the Cell saga.
 * Pikkon – A deceased warrior of an unknown species from the West Quadrant, he helps Goku and Vegeta by holding off Janemba and helps Goku in the Great Saiyaman saga to stop the villains in Hell.
 * Android 17 – A traitorous android who killed Dr. Gero. He helps Piccolo fight against Cell before being absorbed. He maintains a solitary life, but eventually helps Goku later so he can summon energy for the Super Spirit Bomb against Kid Buu.
 * Android 16 – An android who was originally created to destroy Goku, but was regarded as a failure by Dr. Gero. After his first battle with Cell, he turns to the side of good and offers to fight alongside the Z Fighters at the Cell Games.
 * Nuova Shenron – One of the seven Shadow Dragons that appears in Dragon Ball GT, and is the dragon of the Four-Star Dragon Ball. He teams up with Goku and Vegeta in an attempt to defeat Omega Shenron, by surrounding himself and Omega Shenron in a Nova Sphere.
 * Tapion – A Konatsian hero who fights with the Z Fighters against Hirudegarn in the movie Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon.


 * Bulma – The human wife of Vegeta and Goku's long time friend, she is a brilliant scientist and is also the daughter of the richest couple in the world.
 * Chi-Chi – The human wife of Goku and mother of Gohan and Goten.
 * Dr. Brief and Mrs. Brief - Parents of Bulma, and owners of Capsule Corporation.
 * Ox-King – Chi-Chi's father, who lives on top of Fire Mountain.
 * Korin – An 800 year old cat that lives at the top of Korin Tower. He supplies the Z Fighters with Senzu Beans whenever he is able to.
 * King Kai – The king of the North Galaxy, he teaches Goku techniques such as the Kaio-ken and Spirit Bomb.
 * Kibito – Supreme Kai's personal bodyguard. He can heal people and materialize new clothes for them, and eventually fuses with Supreme Kai, creating Kibito Kai.
 * Supreme Kai – An even higher division than King Kai, he was the ruler of the east quadrant of the universe. He eventually fuses with his bodyguard Kibito, creating Kibito Kai.
 * Kibito Kai – The result of the fusion of Supreme Kai and his bodyguard Kibito. He can use an enhanced version of the Instant Transmission ability called Instantaneous Movement.


 * Old Kai – An ancient ancestor of the Kaioshin who was trapped inside the Z Sword for eons by a powerful enemy. He performs a ritual that awakens Gohan's full power.
 * Fortuneteller Baba – The human sister of Master Roshi and a median between Other World and Earth.
 * Dende – A Namekian with healing powers, he becomes Kami's replacement as Earth's Guardian.
 * Mr. Popo – A genie with eternal life, who is The Kami's assistant and also the caretaker and gardener of Kami's Lookout.
 * Oolong – Goku's shapeshifting pig friend.
 * Puar – A shapeshifting cat who is Yamcha's best friend.
 * Turtle – Master Roshi's turtle friend.
 * Giru – A small Machine Mutant that appears in Dragon Ball GT. He accompanies Goku, Pan and Trunks on their quest to locate the Black Star Dragon Balls after consuming the Dragon Radar for energy, and the radar integrates into his software.


 * Bulla – Vegeta and Bulma's daughter and second child.
 * Marron – Krillin and Android 18's daughter.
 * World Tournament Announcer – The man who hosts every World Martial Arts Tournament, he becomes an acquaintance with the Z Fighters over the years.
 * Mr. Satan – The champion of the World Martial Arts Tournament and Videl's father. He is made a member after helping complete the Super Spirit Bomb by telling all the people to give their energy to Goku in order to defeat Kid Buu.
 * Videl – The human wife of Gohan and daughter of Mr. Satan/Hercule.
 * Tarble – The younger brother of Vegeta.
 * Gure – The wife of Tarble and Vegeta's sister-in-law.
 * Olibu – An incredibly powerful famed human from the North Quadrant who has many legends based on him. He, too, is seen taunting Kid Buu in the final episodes.
 * Launch – A longtime friend of Z Fighters Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, and Chiaotzu. She has few appearances after the end of Dragon Ball.
 * Broly- Once an enemy of Z Fighters, but then later helps them to defeat Kyuri.
 * Bardock- Father of Goku who comes back to defeat Kyuri.