This article series commenced on November 20th to coincide with the anniversary of Dragon Ball's first publication. Here, we're retracing the journey of Goku and his friends by selecting one panel from each of the 42 volumes of Jump Comics' Dragon Ball. When we last left off in part one, we covered the ground between Goku setting off on his grand adventure along with his new friend Bulma all the way to his victory over the Great Demon King Piccolo. In part two, we'll be taking a look at volumes 15 through 28. If you have a memorable panel of your own, remember to tell us in the comments below!

Goku proposes as only Goku can: casually and straight to the point. Nonetheless, the crowd celebrates their engagement in this heart-warming scene. Later on, Piccolo Jr., the reincarnation of the Great Demon King Piccolo, defeats Krillin, while a mysterious man who goes by Shen defeats Yamcha in their matchups. Meanwhile, Goku claims victory over Tenshinhan in the first round of the semi-finals, settling the score after his loss in the previous tournament.

Volume 16: Goku vs. Piccolo

In the second semi-final match, Piccolo Jr. takes on Shen, who is revealed to actually be Kami. He fires a Mafu-Ba at Piccolo Jr. in order to seal him away, only for Piccolo Jr. to counter the move and seal Kami away in a small bottle instead. The fate of the world suddenly falls onto Goku's shoulders as he and Piccolo Jr. face off in the finals in an epic, back-and-forth showdown. For volume 16, we've chosen the panel that best encapsulates this final match!

Using a Kamehameha fired from his feet to propel him, Goku unleashes a devastating attack with his now-freed hands in a scene that showcases some brilliant ingenuity on his part. Though the battle only continues to intensify, Goku at last hurls himself towards Piccolo Jr. with a direct hit that knocks the latter out of the ring. This marks the very first time that Goku is crowned Tenkaichi Budokai champion. Another five years pass, and Dragon Ball enters into a brand-new story.

Volume 17: The World's Greatest Team

A new threat to Earth arrives in the form of Goku's own brother, Raditz, who reveals their lineage as a member of the warrior race known as the Saiyans. Turning down his proposal to form an alliance, Goku partners up with Piccolo to take on his brother to save both the Earth and his son Gohan, whom Raditz has kidnapped. Goku manages to strike his brother down, yet sacrifices himself in the process. Since one might say he represents a new turning point in the series, the panel for volume 17 showcases Raditz!

It was certainly quite the shocking revelation to many readers that Goku's Saiyan blood was the reason he had a tail and was able to transform into a Great Ape. With his dying breath, Raditz divulges that two Saiyans of even greater power will arrive on Earth to attack it in one year's time. The guardians of Earth begin training for the impending fight to come, as does Goku, who is currently residing in Another World.

Volume 18: The Lord of Worlds

The guardians of Earth finally come face to face with the Saiyan invaders Vegeta and Nappa. After Yamcha is killed by a self-destructing Saibaiman deployed by Nappa, Krillin and Piccolo overwhelm and defeat the remaining Saibaimen, setting the stage for the real battle to begin. For volume 18, we present to you a panel featuring two warriors of yet-unknown fighting power, standing before Gohan and his friends with nefarious grins.

Though he had managed to overcome Raditz previously, Piccolo is shocked by Nappa's indomitable power and disbelievingly remarks, "I never thought...it would be so much...!" Around this time, Goku finishes his training under North Kai and hurries back to Earth to save his friends, having been brought back to life by the power of the Dragon Balls.

Volume 19: Earth vs. the Saiyans

One by one, Nappa mercilessly defeats his opponents with devastating attacks, but in their darkest hour, our hero Goku finally arrives! Goku takes Nappa out with the Kaio-Ken technique he learned from North Kai, after which he and Vegeta move to a more secluded region to engage in combat. We've chosen a panel that shows Goku's iconic conversation with Vegeta just before the two duke it out.

"If that's how I got to Earth...I'm grateful. On this planet, we know that even the lowest-born can outdo the elite if they work hard enough." These lines took the first-place spot in the Goku's No.1 Quote Poll held on the Dragon Ball Official Site in 2023. To this day, these words remain close to the hearts of many readers.

Volume 20: Goku vs. Vegeta

The battle between Goku and Vegeta rages on when Vegeta pins Goku down by transforming into a Great Ape. Krillin and Gohan return to the battle to aid Goku and devise a strategy to cut off Vegeta's tail, but their plan fails. Just when all hope appears lost, someone truly unexpected leaps in and turns the tide of the battle with a single strike!

Usually one to decline getting involved in a fight, Yajirobe at last rises to the occasion by leaping into action and cutting off Vegeta's tail. Reverted back into his human form, Vegeta is struck by a Genki-Dama, then gets crushed by Gohan, who is now in Great Ape form himself. Unable to fight on any longer, Vegeta opts to retreat from Earth.

Volume 21: Dragon Ball in Space

In order to bring everyone who had perished during the battle against Vegeta back to life, Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma travel by spaceship to Planet Namek in search of a new set of Dragon Balls. However, they are beaten to their destination by Frieza, an individual known as the "galactic emperor", who is leading his forces in an invasion of the planet. For volume 21, we present the debut of Frieza!

Frieza and his subordinates overrun the villages of Planet Namek in order to steal the Dragon Balls as part of his dastardly plan to seek eternal life; seeing their cruel and heartless acts must have instilled a sense of dread in readers. Vegeta, who had previously fought Goku in a cataclysmic duel, then arrives on Planet Namek, escalating the scramble for ownership over the Dragon Balls.

Volume 22: Battlefield Namek

Gohan and Krillin rescue a young Namekian child named Dende, while Vegeta defeats one of Frieza's henchmen, Dodoria. With Goku also heading to Planet Namek via spaceship, where he also trains intensely, the action begins to heat up in multiple locations. Meanwhile, Vegeta squares off against another of Frieza's henchmen, Zarbon. At first it seems Vegeta will once again claim victory, until Zarbon suddenly transforms, multiplying his power levels many times over. The panel below of Zarbon post-transformation, ferociously attacking Vegeta, is our pick for volume 22!

This panel, which covered an entire page, not only conveys Zarbon's post-transformation appearance, but also the heightened speed and intensity afforded to him by this increase in power. The wounds Vegeta suffers in his fight against Zarbon are near fatal, but on Frieza's insistence, he is given treatment so that he may later be interrogated as to the location of the Dragon Balls.

Volume 23: The Ginyu Force

The scramble to claim all the Dragon Balls continues. Now fully recovered, the reinvigorated Vegeta is able to vanquish Zarbon, while Frieza summons his elite battle squadron the Ginyu Force to Planet Namek. This panel showcasing the moment the Ginyu Force arrives on Planet Namek, flaunting their superior strength in contrast to Vegeta's, is our top pick for volume 23!

While their choreographed five-man pose and the fact that they decide fighting order through a game of rock-paper-scissors shows their humorous side, the malevolent might of the Ginyu Force is no laughing matter. Gohan and Krillin join forces with Vegeta to face off against the group but find themselves in a predicament due to the overwhelming strength of one member in particular, Recoome.

Volume 24: Goku vs. Ginyu

Goku's spaceship finally lands on Planet Namek just as Recoome is on the verge of finishing off Gohan and his allies. Having undergone intense training in 100 times Earth's gravity, Goku's unparalleled strength makes him evoke an aura unlike anything we've seen before. It's this version of Goku that's our top choice for volume 24!

From the calm and composed, yet determined look on Goku's face, one can anticipate the intensity of the fight about to commence. Goku easily disposes of both Recoome and Burter, and next squares off against Ginyu, captain of the Ginyu Force. Though Goku demonstrates overwhelming strength once again, Ginyu unleashes his dastardly special technique, Body Change, and forcefully switches bodies with him.

Volume 25: The Wrath of Frieza

Although Goku is able to get his own body back, he is taken to a Medical Machine to treat the grievous wounds he suffered in battle. Gohan uses the Dragon Balls to revive the fallen Piccolo and immediately teleport him to Planet Namek, only for Frieza to suddenly appear before the group. The panel below depicts an enraged Frieza screaming at the top of his lungs, having just witnessed the Dragon Balls turn to stone despite having one wish remaining.

Later on, Frieza takes on his Second Form and grievously injures Krillin, demonstrating a power so great even Gohan cannot approach him. Having arrived on Planet Namek in the meantime, Piccolo fuses with the Namekian warrior Nail. Now more powerful than ever, he joins the battle against Frieza. The fight rages on in a heart-stopping sequence of events, with Piccolo appearing to equal or perhaps even surpass Frieza's Second Form.

Volume 26: Goku vs. Frieza

With two transformations still in his arsenal, Frieza morphs into his Third Form and trounces Piccolo. In a further boastful display of power, Frieza then adopts his Fourth Form. Just as dread and despair overwhelm our helpless heroes, Goku's treatment is complete, and the climactic clash between him and Frieza begins. A panel showcasing the white-hot intensity of this battle is our top choice for volume 26!

The pair take their battle to the skies, ferociously throwing themselves at each other in an all-out brawl. As he is gradually pushed back, Goku uses the Kaio-Ken Times Ten and even the Kaio-Ken Times Twenty in an act of desperation, but this is still not enough to overpower Frieza. How can Goku prevail against an adversary of such inconceivable strength? The incredible drama unfolding is impossible to tear one's eyes away from!

Volume 27: The Super Saiyan

With his remaining strength depleted after utilizing the Kaio-Ken Times Twenty, Goku summons the surrounding energy from both Planet Namek and other nearby planets and stars, unleashing a gigantic Genki-Dama directly at Frieza. Just as the fighters believe the drawn-out battle to be over, Frieza horrifyingly reappears and proceeds to ruthlessly eliminate Goku's friends one by one. The death of his friend Krillin is enough to send Goku into an intense rage, transforming into the warrior of legend, the Super Saiyan.

Goku's appearance isn't the only thing to have drastically changed though; his newfound Power Level also allows him to easily outmatch Frieza. Now overwhelmed himself, Frieza attempts to destroy Planet Namek in an act of desperation. Meanwhile, the Dragon Balls from Earth are used to wish everyone killed by Frieza back to life, while the Dragon Balls from Planet Namek are used to transport everyone besides Goku and Frieza to Earth. This leaves Goku and Frieza as the last two living entities on the planet, and they face off to settle the score once and for all.

Volume 28: Enter Trunks

The showdown between Goku and Frieza finally comes to an end, with Goku emerging as the victor. Planet Namek is destroyed immediately afterwards, but it is revealed that Goku has survived and is somewhere within the vast void of the universe. With Krillin, Yamcha, and others having been resurrected with the power of the Namekian Dragon Balls, a brief period of peace washes over the land. However, one year later a revived Frieza, alongside his father King Cold, descends upon Earth to exact retribution against Goku, when suddenly a mysterious young man appears with an astonishing revelation!

Turning into a Super Saiyan, the young man annihilates both Frieza and King Cold in the blink of an eye. Shortly after, Goku returns to Earth from space, whereupon the young man reveals himself to be Trunks, the child of Vegeta and Bulma from 20 years in the future. Trunks forewarns Goku of the androids, frightful enemies that will emerge in three years' time. After providing Goku with an antidote for the fatal heart disease he succumbs to in the future, Trunks returns to his own time. Goku and the others now once again begin rigorously training in preparation for this new threat to Earth.


Volumes 15 through 28 greatly expand on the scale of the story, extending the scope from Earth to deep into space. Along with a new sinister peril in the form of the impending advent of the androids, an all-new adventure continues to keep readers wanting more!
Are there any other memorable scenes or lines from a panel that left an impression on you not featured in this article? Tell us in the comments below!

The final article in this series is scheduled to be published on December 4th. Stay tuned to see what awaits in volumes 29 through 42 of Dragon Ball!