Race Guide: Saiyan

One of the series' endangered race of extraterrestrials in the Dragon Ball universe. In the series, the Saiyans are a naturally aggressive warrior race who were supposedly the strongest warriors in the universe. Nearly all of the Saiyans were obliterated by Freeza, thus they are functionally extinct. The Saiyans play a central role in the Dragon Ball series once it is revealed that the protagonist, Son Goku, is actually a Saiyan sent to destroy Earth.

The name is an anagram of yasai (野菜), which is Japanese for vegetable, followed by the suffix jin (人 or じん) which is a Japanese suffix for person. This essentially means that "Saiya-jin" and "Saiyan" stand for "vegetable person". (For comparison, Torontoian is translated as Torontoia-jin). Essentially, "Saiyan" is a more direct English translation of the word.

In the original Japanese dub, "Saiyan" is pronounced "Sigh-ya-jin" (Saiya-jin), while in the English dubs, it is pronounced "Say-an".

"A race that possessed ingenious battle sense."

- Daizenshuu #7, P. 40-70

RACE CLASSIFICATION: WARRIOR RACE

ORIGINS AND HISTORY

Evolution

Long ago there was a planet called planet Plant, which was occupied by two races: the Saiyans and the Tsufuru-jins. The Tsufuru-jins were an advanced race with big cities and highly-developed technology. The Saiyans were strong savages who lived in wastelands attacking the Tsufuru-jins at times. Because of the Tsufuru-jins great technology, they were able to fight against the naturally strong Saiyans when needed.

The only history of the Saiyans predating their conflict with the Tsufuru-jins was that pertaining to the Super Saiyan legend. The Original Super Saiyan appeared approximately 1,000 years (3,000 in English dub) prior to the Namek Arc, and is described by Vegeta as a Super Saiyan who could only retain his status in the transformed state. He was too primitive to control his power and gave in to his destructive rage, thus destroyed himself with his own power. Where the surviving Saiyans migrated to was never revealed (likely 550 Age), but eventually it is evident they somehow found their way to Planet Plant.

The war

In 720 Age, a civil war broke out. The Saiyan Army tried many times to overthrow the Tsufuru-jins but were unsuccessful, sparking a ten year conflict on the planet. Although the Saiyans were bigger in size and physically far superior, they were fewer in number compared to the Tsufuru-jins. The Tsufuru-jins had a trump card in the form of their advanced technology to read the power levels of the Saiyans and advanced weaponry such as blasters  to hold them off. Then, around 730 Age, they transform into a giant ape-like state called Oozaru. In this form their already great power grows tenfold. Luckily for the Tsufuru-jins , this event happens only once every seven or eight years. After this transformation had occurred, the Saiyans easily crushed the Tsufuru-jins out of existence. From then on the planet was called Planet Vegeta, named after the Saiyan ruler and hero, King Vegeta.

But there was a problem. With their arch-nemeses gone, they had no one to fight but each other. Kaio goes on to explain that after their victory, the Saiyans built a rocket ship and traveled to a nearby planet where they came in contact with the aliens. These aliens had money and technology, but their planet was unsuitable, so they hired a group of Saiyans to take over a planet for them and in return they would share their technology with them. Over the years the Saiyans also learned how to use the Tsufuru's advanced equipment and became smarter and less barbaric, although they still lusted for fighting and destruction.

Freeza's annexation

Lord Freeza was known as the strongest and most powerful being in the universe. He enslaved entire races, and forced them to do his bidding or be destroyed. When Freeza found out about the Saiyans, he saw their enormous power and used them as mercenaries to take over other planets for him. Around 731 Age, about a year following the Saiyan victory over the Tsufuru the planet was conquered or annexed by Freeza's  empire and the Saiyans (like many other races) were drafted to serve as soldiers in Freeza's military under the Planet Trade.  All Saiyans belong to special classes, which is passed down by blood types. When a lower class Saiyan is born, they are sent away to other planets, programmed to take it over when they get strong enough. Because of the ability to transform into an Oozaru, this usually didn't take very long. Saiyans with the higher classes are kept on Planet Vegeta for more direct use.

Around this time Freeza realizes how much stronger the Saiyans are becoming, and their great potentia and he thought that they would grow strong enough to face him or even become the fabled Legendary Super Saiyans, able to defeat him in battle. Thus, the maniacal warlord destroyed Planet Vegeta in 737 Age, nearly eradicating the Saiyan race with a single energy ki blast from his finger. Only four pure-blood Saiyans survived the destruction: Kakarot (Goku), Vegeta, Nappa and Raditz  as they were not on the planet at the time. Once the latter three discovered that their planet was destroyed, Freeza lied to them that an asteroid had hit their world, and offered them continued employment in return for eventual wealth.

Over two decades later, the Saiyans were later finally avenged when Goku defeated Freeza on Planet Namek. Freeza later met his final end on Earth a year later when Mirai Trunks killed him.  In the anime movies only, two more Saiyans survived the catastrophe: Tullece and Tarble.

HOME PLANET

The Saiyans place of origin is Planet Sadala in Universe 7 which has natural gravity 10x than the Earth. Though destroyed due an internal discord, its Universe 6 counterpart still exists.  Planet Plant was conquered by the Saiyans after the defeat the Tsufuru-jins, and thus they renamed their new planet, "Vegeta". The planet has a natural gravity that is 10 times that of Earth which helps give Saiyans a greater natural strength than most races.

After the warlord Freeza, on orders from the God of Destruction Beerus, decided that the Saiyan race could potentially pose a threat to his tyranny,  to rid himself of the Saiyan menace forever, he destroyed the planet along with nearly all of the Saiyans with it. Beerus himself visited Planet Vegeta at one point declared the Saiyan race as a savage race with no chance of improving (or more accurately he felt that they were just annoying).

PHYSIOLOGY AND CHARACTERISTICS

Appearance

Saiyans are outwardly very similar and identical to any other Humans, with the exception of their monkey-like tails and a larger muscular build, hence they are humanoid in appearance. They are commonly seen to have deep black hair although there have been rare occasions when they have also been shown to have brown hair. Saiyans live on a planet of extreme temperature ranges and greater gravity than that of Earth's own. Many look to the physical aspects to the way they would have to evolve or even keep that which their ancestors have never lost. Lets take a look at some of these now.They can range in height anywhere from less than 5 feet up to an astounding 7' tall with the few exceptions to that there were some like that of Broli and Nappa that could have stood easily 8 feet tall or more.  The average height is that between 5' 6 up to 6'0 tall.  Skin tone varies according to latitude of origin, from a dark tan, like that of Vegeta to that of a pale color like that of Raditz or Bardock.Saiyans also all appear to have dark eyes, though half-breeds do not always share this trait as Vegeta's son, Trunks, and daughter, Bra, inherited blue irises. Goku Jr., Goku's great-great grandson inherited dark blue irises as well. Personality

Saiyans tend to share common personality traits, even at young ages. Being a war-like people; they share an innate enjoyment for conflict and fighting; choosing violence over peace with other races. Even Goku retained his love to fight after his amnesia, but satisfied that love through competitive sport, rather than barbaric slaughter. Saiyans are typically very aggressive and hard-headed, with short explosive tempers. Saiyans appear inclined to be arrogant at times, leading them to allow enemies to gain advantages in battle just for fun. It appears (as demonstrated by Vegeta, Nappa, and Bardock) they have a tendency to let their emotions get the better of them when roused in stimulating situations - resulting in them at times making rash decisions. They also appear to lack sympathetic emotions as though by choice rather than by nature as shown by their relative lack of fear of death and uncaring attitude towards family members (example being Raditz brutal beating of his long-lost brother Goku, and Vegeta's indifference to his father's death).

Clearly, Vegeta nor Nappa never showed any signs of sympathy for their fallen comrade Raditz when he was killed, they merely laughed and stated that he was only a "weakling", although Nappa did suggest bringing Raditz back to life with the Dragon Balls. Vegeta and Nappa themselves had a good degree of camaraderie between them, but Vegeta did not hesitate to kill Nappa later on when he displayed weakness after being crippled by Goku. Most Saiyans also possess a keen fighting sense and understanding of battle, which allows them to acquire many new skills, such as overcoming the weakness of their tails, learning to detect ki, and achieving new fighting forms and transformations.

For half-Saiyans, Saiyan genes have an extraordinarily good compatibility with Human blood. Because of this, when the two races are mixed together children with formidable power are born. Particularly, those Humans born without tails hide an exceptional battle power. There are many things that they naturally master from a young age, such as the ordinarily arduous transformation into a Super Saiyan. In spite of having such an outstanding battle sense, they do not have a fondness for battle like a pure Saiyan. Instead, it seems that the violent temperament of the Saiyans has been relaxed through their Human blood.

Tail

A Saiyan's tail may be traced back for generations, closely resembling that of a monkey. All pure-blooded Saiyans are born with tails, monkey-like in appearance and covered in brownish fur. The tail is a particularly sensitive area for Saiyans who had not trained it. When grabbed or injured, it causes great pain to the owner, and temporarily immobilizes the whole body. However, Elite-class Saiyans trained themselves to overcome this weakness - such as Vegeta  and Nappa. However, it is possible for Low-class Saiyans to train their tail's as well, as seen by Goku when he was preparing for the upcoming Budokai on Papaya Island. After training, his tail was unaffected if grabbed. The tail is very prehensile, and can be used to grasp things, much like primates do.

This tail is highly trained to become like that of a third hand or as a weapon. However it is also considered one of their greatest weaknesses. Gohan is the only half breed Saiyan seen with a tail in the series. Other half breeds like Trunks, Goten, and Bra are not seen with tails. The reason behind this is never explained in the series, but it is possible they were simply removed at birth. This also allows a transformation into what is known as the Oozaru form. This tail regrows so long as the bone that actually control that growth is never cut off upon which the regrowing of the tail becomes impossible. 

If the tail is removed, this power is lost. All Saiyans have the ability for their tail to grow back, unless it is permanently removed. It seems to grow back for unknown reasons. Gohan's tail grows back during the fight with Vegeta, notably when the artificial moon was present.The same goes for Goku as well when he is a child, it grows back at seemingly random occasions. Vegeta even states in the manga that his tail will grow back after it is cut off by Yajirobe. However, it never grows back for unknown reasons.

Hair

Vegeta states that the hair of a pure-blooded Saiyan does not deviate from its appearance the day the Saiyan is born. However, it is apparent their hair can fall off, this is why Nappa is bald (he is shown with hair in the Bardock special, somewhat contradicted by the fact that young Vegeta is shown with strands of hair hanging in front of his forehead, but later has his characteristic widow's peak).

The longer hair seen most recognizably upon Raditz would come from the colder regions of the planet, either the North or South regions beyond the temperate zones. In these Arctic or even Antarctic type regions, the hair would would have to be long and thick to keep them warm in the cold temperatures, allowing them to better withstand the cold regions. Much like all creatures, there would be found two types of hair found upon them, these are the guard and insulator hairs. The guard hairs would be what had developed over many generations to their current climates. 

A Saiyans hair is coarse and thick like a horses hair, though very soft to the touch. Combs usually break off requiring a Saiyan to hand comb it to its original appearance or use that of a specialized comb strong enough to handle such hair.  Often though it was left alone as it very seldom tangled.

The insulator hairs would be what kept the head warm.  The finer hairs on the short styled would be found more on the nape of the neck and around the sideburns.  On the longer hair the insulator hairs would be spread through out the hair to provide a warmth to keep them from getting cold in the winters, making it seem as if they had on natural scarves.

This is not the case with half-Saiyans such as Son Gohan and Trunks who are shown to have several different lengths of hair, and wear their hair in different styles throughout the series.

Appetite

The race is known for their insatiable hunger, Saiyans are also noted for being ravenous trenchermen with seemingly insatiable appetites. Due to their enormous strength and intense aura, the Saiyans' energy and nutritional intake needs are a great deal higher than Humans. They are often shown eating plate after plate of food, resulting in many dishes piling up (a recurring gag throughout the series), often eating more food than logically possible. At the end of the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai, Goku, when he was only 12 years old, hastily consumed a 50 course meal (57 in the dub) in one sitting, and still had room for dessert. In Daizenshuu 4, it is stated that they have no preferences when it comes to food and drink, although they appear to prefer meat over anything else; this is hinted with Vegeta munching on the flesh of an alien creature on the planet he and Nappa were on before departing for Earth.

Note that this is not restricted only to full-blooded Saiyans, as even the normally polite Gohan (and Goten) has been seen eating large quantities of food (like the picture of my lunch e.g. sandwich, soda, fries, pasta, and patty).By human standards, Saiyan cuisine is very rich and packed in calories and protein, consisting of individual course meals that may be enough to feed up to 30 hungry adult humans! Due to the incredably tough cellular-structure of the animals and plants (as a result of the intense gravity) - most of their food would be too difficult to chew and digest for any human. In spite of their considerably higher metabolisms however, many have a tendency to take in more than what their body needs and obesity is not unknown among individuals.Nonetheless, cardio-vascular diseases resulting from the diet, are virtually unknown in the Saiyan populations. Meats are served raw or cooked; rare or medium-rare is very popular, usually with additional vegetables and/or fruits. In nearly all cultures, the use of potent, fiery spices from indigenous plants is variable but quite extensive and many dishes (e.g. Chicken, burgers) can be very hot.The fruits and vegetables on Planet Vegeta also have a great variety and different amounts in abundance. Leafy greens like that of lettuce were not consumed as much as the harder more compact greens like peppers, onions, and cabbages. Seeing as how these were eaten, they would be able to go a bit longer upon such a diet than they would be able to on a normal Human's diet.

Despite advice to the contrary, Saiyans tend to eat large quantities of food immediately before a big fight. They do not seem to suffer the cramps that Humans do by doing that; in fact, it seems to improve their game.  However, at times, their appetite seems to work against them: if Goku goes for too long without something to eat, he will become too weak to do much of anything. It is unknown if other Saiyans, such as Vegeta, suffer from this weakness.

Lifespan, growth, aging

Normal Saiyans, on average, have a full life expectancy of over three hundred standard Earth years(70 to 90 years, with exceptions, of course). Unlike Humans, Saiyans remain in their youth and prime much longer. As explained by Vegeta  near the end of Dragon Ball Z, they stay young longer so that they can enjoy battle longer. This is seen when Nappa, who was Vegeta's attendant when Vegeta was a child, is in his prime still long after Vegeta  has become an adult, but in actuality, Nappa is roughly 50 years old during his arrival on Earth. Chi-Chi  complained of this in Dragon Ball GT when Goku was reduced to a child, thus making the fact that she was getting older faster that much more apparent. Most modern Saiyans do not reach this full expectancy due to the type of life they lead, often dying in battle or challenged by the younger for position, but some individuals in recorded history have surpassed three centuries before death, and the race could possibly live longer.

A Saiyan at seventy is comparable to a human at thirty, and they maintain this level of health and vigor well into their second century before their abilities begin to wane. The last fifty to seventy years of a Saiyan's life begins to follow the pattern of a physically fit human approaching and passing through their sixties and beyond; wrinkling of skin, graying of hair, and lessening of muscle tone. In many cases there is the development of some arthritis due to the extreme pressures their skeleton withstood during their physically active life, now that their bodies are no longer capable of arresting the proces. (Conditions similar to osteoporosis have not been in evidence in examined geriatric skeletons.) However, the Saiyan remains an extremely dangerous fighter and quite physically capable until the last ten to fifteen years of life; even then, they are mentally sharp and still substantially stronger than any human, and usually pass on in their sleep with no prior warning whatsoever. This is again demonstrated in the GT finale when Pan is seen one hundred years later still strong, but with gray hair despite being only a quarter Saiyan.

There are the following growth patterns and a lifespan that came for a average pure-blooded Saiyan:

• Saiyans grow in spurt phases, for lack of a better term. While slow growth does occur, it us just that--slow, with major growth periods taking place after the body has stored sufficient nutrients for the process. Prenatal Saiyans, during their six Earth-month tenure, have a single rapid spurt during the last two and a half months of the pregnancy. Still, Saiyan children are remarkably small given the size of many adults, with a birth weight generally under nine pounds at most. That may seem excessive, but a Saiyan's weight is much greater in relation to his size than a human's. (A nine-pound Saiyan baby may be less than fourteen inches long!) Between the ages of three and five, the Saiyan children have a second spurt phase, in which they can go from a twenty-inch height and thirty pounds weight to three feet high and weigh up to eighty pounds, more than doubling their mass. Most are built rather stocky and short-boned during this period in life. Some slow growth occurs, but the child generally stays the same size until the preteen years (12-14) where the slow growth can become slightly more rapid due to increasing levels of hormones, especially in males. Most growth here is a slight lengthening of the limbs in preparation for the third spurt phase. While slow growth does occur, it is just that-- slow. Saiyans appear identical to that of a human baby and in their early years, and appear to grown at similar rates. However, when a 5-year-old Vegeta is showcased in , he looks around the same age as a 12-year-old Goku, clearly showing the difference in growth patterns of Saiyans. Goku however, even at the age of 15, has still hardly grown at all, the only differences are he has become a bit more muscular, taller, and his limbs have grown a small portion.

• The third spurt phase takes place in the later teens, between the ages of sixteen to eighteen. This is often the most rapid and startling phase of all, in which a 3'6" child can suddenly leap to a six-foot young-adult or greater, in the case of males. Heights of up to nine feet have sometimes been reached by young Saiyan males by the time they were twenty. (It has been noted that only modern Saiyans demonstrate this type of rapid late-teen growth; the old type of Saiyans skipped this third phase.) Prior to and during this growth the young Saiyans are more ravenously hungry than ever, often consuming nearly their weight in food over the course of three hours, their digestive metabolism having kicked up its production in honor of the third spurt phase. The long period of intake and storage during the teen years has prepared the body for this rapid jump. Most of the faster slow growth stops after this spurt, returning to the preteen rate. Most Saiyans during this phase fit the human norm of appearance, including average height, lean build, and proper proportion to limbs and features. At the age of 12, Goku takes the appearance of what a Human would look like at the age of 7 or 8. This is most notably showcased when Bulma clearly believes Goku to be that young, but is shocked to find out he was actually 12 years old.

• The fourth spurt phase is one seen only in male Saiyans. After the age of twenty to twenty-five, when the body is nearly physically mature, male hormones and behaviors increase and yet another growth phase takes place. Some height may be gained during this period (less than 6 in.), but most of the growth occurs in bone and muscle mass. Limb bones thicken, final cartillage fusion takes place in all necessary areas, and the muscles begin to grow larger in ways that no female Saiyan nor human can emulate. Greater depth to the chest, neck, shoulders, and thighs is the first indicator, with other muscles increasing in size and definition after that. Increases in the training levels also help bring about this rapid growth, although much of it is inherently natural. This extra musculature greatly increases the strength and bulk of a male Saiyan, making him a visually daunting opponent, intimidating even when not roused to battle. Where this extra mass might seem unwieldy, these Saiyans carry themselves with an ease and grace one never sees in bulky human body-builders. Even without their energy assisting their muscle functions, these men are extremely strong, easily rating twice the physical strength of a female Saiyan, often more.

• Saiyans appear to undergo one final growth spurt between the ages of roughly twenty to thirty, when the body seems to finalize its physical maturity. Growth in muscle mass can clearly be seen, with even some height gained. Goku and Vegeta are clear examples of this. Goku appears to have greater depth to the chest, neck, shoulders, and thighs, with other muscles increasing in size and definition after that. This can clearly be seen during the Freeza and Android arcs, Goku appears more muscularly built then he did during the Saiyan arc, as well as taller. Vegeta also makes a transition, he appears to even grow in height a bit, which can be seen when comparing him in the Saiyan arc to him in the Majin Buu arc. This was demonstrated on Nappa in middle-aged state of approximately 60-70, and Raditz have passed their fourth spurt phase, making him a 30-40 year old man.

It is unknown if any other drastic physical changes occur after this, as no Saiyan over the age of 60 has been clearly showcased, so it is unknown how a Saiyan above this age would change.

Strength and speed

If a Saiyan survives a near-death experience through extreme injury to the body, then, when the body recuperates, the Saiyan grows much stronger than they were previously, their body adapting to compensate for the damage dealt. The duration of recovery does not seem to hinder this ability as Saiyans have healed through natural, technological and mystical means and still gained substantial increases in strength. Saiyans also appear able to heal from injuries at a faster rate than normal humans and possess a greater deal of durability to damage.

They also have great speed and agility. They also have much faster reflexes than an average Human; reflexes so fast that they can avoid a bullet or energy beam without much of a problem. Super speed can easily be seen in their fighting skills; their movements occur in fractions of seconds which are not visible to average Human eyes. Their agility is also substantial in their battles and training. These movements can be improved by training, transformations, and other methods. These natural powers of speed and reflex make nearly all Saiyan hand-to-hand combat very fast.

As well, they have naturally possess exceptional strength - far greater than that of other humans and alien races - and are quintessentially built for fighting. They are capable of easily lifting hundreds of times their own weight They achieve an unbelievable power up after returning from the brink of death. They can rapidly increase their battle power by coming close to death through mortal combat and intense training. The stronger their opponent, the stronger they become. The race also possess a natural affinity to the manipulation of ki energy allowing them to utilize flying and energy-based attacks with incredible ease as well as unlock great depths of power when needed, or lending energy to others in battle when it's actually necessary. Lost energy is regained by the Saiyan in a very short span of time, regardless of the amount of energy lost. Sometimes, the energy the Saiyan regained is multiplied, as noted by their power level. One of the best examples of this ability are the fights between Vegeta and Zarbon. In their first encounter, Vegeta was able to dominate Zarbon, but after Zarbon transformed, he was unable to defeat him. However, after the near-death experience, Vegeta was able to fight and kill Zarbon even in his transformed state.

Saiyans put a heavy emphasis on strength and fighting ability when it comes to importance in their society. In fact, they will excommunicate Saiyans who do not show potential to assist in their violent ways, even alleged "royalty," such as Tarble.

Reproduction

Known for their inter-breeding, the Saiyans have a sexual reproduction system compatible with that of normal Humans, as they are able to produce fertile offspring together. The full-blooded Saiyans seen in the series are never shown to have mothers, though there have been some mentions of them. When Raditz tells Goku  about the destruction of their home planet, he mentions that "their parents" died along with it. Also, at least in the anime, Nappa clearly states that he had a mother. Female Saiyans have been seen, including the (presumably) pure-blooded Saiyan, Seripa, and a number of unnamed female Saiyans in a bar.

Saiyan families appear to be far different to that of a traditional human family. Children are kept in pods as infants and monitored by doctors whilst their parents are usually occupied on mercenary missions. Even as infants, their natural strength means that they are capable of conquering planets like Earth single-handedly and so it is unlikely they spend much, if any time with their parents or siblings. Saiyans do tend to have close relationships with their friends and comrades however, with whom they do spend a great deal of time in battle. Of the (pure-blooded) Saiyan families seen, none have had close relationships except Vegeta and his father.

Due to their similar physiology, Saiyans and Humans are capable of interbreeding. While this was always possible, it became necessary for the survival of the Saiyan race when all the female Saiyans were exterminated. The resulting offspring generally possess the same enhanced strengths of the Saiyans, developing their abilities far more easily than Humans, but lack the same drive and instinct for combat.Hybrid Saiyans possess the potential to become Super Saiyans, but it is unclear how many generations removed from their Saiyan ancestor a hybrid can be before the transformation becomes unavailable to them. This is principally called into question because of Pan's supposed inability to transform as she is only quarter Saiyan, yet in the GT 100-year special, descendants of Goku and Vegeta are able to turn Super Saiyan, despite their Saiyan heritage being even more diluted than Pan's.

HIERARCHY 

They made Planet Vegeta their heartland. The king, whose role was passed down hereditarily, ruled over a small state. After the annihilation of their nation, two of the remaining four Saiyans die. The survivors are the elite Saiyan prince Vegeta and the fighting genius Kakarot. The two of them are still alive even now. Their half-Earthling children are thriving.