Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 8: Goku vs. Ginyu

Dragon Ball [ドラゴンボール] #24

by Akira Toriyama

Forced to ally with Vegeta against their common enemy, Gohan and Kuririn fight desperately against Freeza's elite troops, the seemingly unstoppable Ginyu Force! But the tables may be turning as Son Goku finally arrives on Planet Namek, his strength and speed increased ten-fold by training under 100 times Earth's gravity! Could Goku have become the legendary "Super Saiyan"!? And even if they defeat Captain Ginyu, can they prevent Freeza from wishing for immortality on the Dragon Balls--and Vegeta from betraying them and doing the same?

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Adventure, Action

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 10, 1991

About the author

Akira Toriyama (鳥山明) was a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He first achieved mainstream recognition for creating the popular manga series Dr. Slump, before going on to create Dragon Ball (his most famous work) and acting as a character designer for several popular video games such as the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon. Toriyama came to be regarded as one of the most important authors in the history of manga with his works highly influential and popular, particularly Dragon Ball, which many manga artists cite as a source of inspiration.
He earned the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen/shōjo manga with Dr. Slump, and it went on to sell over 35 million copies in Japan. It was adapted into a successful anime series, with a second anime created in 1997, 13 years after the manga ended.
His next series, Dragon Ball, would become one of the most popular and successful manga in the world. Having sold 260 million copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling manga series of all time and is considered a key work in increasing manga circulation to its peak in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. Overseas, Dragon Ball's anime adaptations have been more successful than the manga and are credited with boosting anime's popularity in the Western world. In 2019, Toriyama was decorated a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contributions to the arts.
In October 2024, Toriyama was inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Juho Pohjalainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot to criticize of power levels as a concept, but in this volume they bring forth a good bit of drama: at one end you've got characters being shocked at Goku's suddenly enormous power level, only for Frieza to elsewhere quite casually reveal his own - far, far bigger.

It might have gone down even better were it not for all of the power-ups.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goku finally shows up to help fight on Namek, specifically the Ginyu Force but is quickly out of the battle as Ginyu has an ace up his sleeve. This series is mostly just a bunch of guys fighting each other not that I'm complaining. The action is great and each volume is a quick read. Bring on more!

[Ola G · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10 stars

Now we're talking!

I do love Goku being an embodiment of martial arts' ideal - you see attempts at it everywhere, from Star Wars to wuxia movies, but Goku's approach might be the closest to my heart. Constant improvement and humility - but without all that drivel about not enjoying life, because Goku enjoys life with unending delight and eagerness for more.

Ginyu is a nasty opponent, that's for certain. Even with various weird superpowers Dragon Ball introduced before I didn't expect that twist! Toriyama ends this volume on such a cliffhanger I really feel the pressure to get the next one asap!

[Sam Quixote · Rating 5 out of 5]

AT FREAKIN’ LAST! Ladies and gents, I give you: Son Goku!

This volume opens with Vegeta, Kuririn and Son Gohan getting smacked about by Reacoom, one of the Ginyu Force, Freeza’s elite guard. And then just when they’re all beaten to within an inch of their lives, the Capsule spaceship touches down and out steps a newly levelled up Goku. And what an epic entrance it is.

He’s become such a badass thanks to his heavy-g training on the way to Namek, he deals with most of the Ginyu Force without breaking a sweat. Then Akira Toriyama basically gives a massive fuck you to the reader with what happens during Goku’s fight against Captain Ginyu. It was so crazy, I had to laugh - well, that’s the payoff of all this waiting!

Freeza’s got all of the Dragon Balls but he doesn’t know how to activate them so he’s trying to bully the Great Elder into telling him, though if the Great Elder dies, then the Dragon Balls become useless anyway. Birruva catch 22 and quite a brilliant one too! The label “super-Saiyan” gets mentioned again as well, this time to Goku himself who also doesn’t know what that is.

There isn’t all that much to say about volume 8 without going into spoilers and that’s no way to discover these surprises for yourself - read the books, they’re so good and honestly so much better than the TV show! This volume has fantastic writing and art from Toriyama as usual. Goku brings the awesomeness and then just as quickly Toriyama flips the whole scenario around. Filled with inspired storytelling, volume 8 has bundles of excitement and martial arts fun with a terrific cliffhanger - what more do you need in a comic?

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's one thing to see how Vegeta gets played around with when we know what he's capable of as a Saiyan but this volume's highlight is Son Goku's arrival and seeing Vegeta's jaw drop when realizing what son Goku has become. The volume does end on an unpredictable twist but that's what makes what's to come even more exciting!

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recoome has proven himself a fierce warrior by pretty much pushing Vegeta to his limits. Goku however arrives in the nick of time with some senzu beans. Goku decides to take on the Ginyu Force by himself and they prove to be no threat at all, until Ginyu himself arrives and plays a dirty trick by switching bodies with Goku. Frieza has gathered all 7 Dragon Balls but lacks one thing, the invocation to summon the dragon. Stakes are growing higher and higher in the Frieza Arc.

[Mr. Cody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection. RIP Recoome & Burter

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

To find all my reviews: http://dancinginth3dark.blogspot.com

Previously on Dragon Ball Z

(I) The Ginyu Force has arrived and they are a force not to be dealt with as they are fighting with Vegeta, Kuririn, and Gohan.

(II) Goku still hasn't arrived on Planet Namek but he is approaching it very soon and he has become a force that has never been seen in the Saiyan race.

(III) Captain Ginyu of the Ginyu force has retrieved the Dragon Balls and now is heading off to give them to Freeza.

That is what you missed on Dragon Ball Z!

In this volume we finally get to see some badass scenes of ass kicking in the series so far. Akira Toriyama has started his creative juices flowing and now we get to enter one of the creative phases in Dragon Ball Z. While the gang is getting beat up by Reacoom, Captain Ginyu has now finally reached Freeza bringing him the dragon balls. Freeza is excited about finally getting his wish come true but quickly realizes that he is unable to get any of his wishes because he needs a special incantation to summon the dragon so now Freeza is heading off to see the Elder of the Namekians.

When evil almost seems to defeat what is good, Goku finally arrives to Namek and immediately comes and save the day. The whole gang tell Goku that these bad guys are too tough for him but what they haven't realize is Goku is not the same warrior that they have seen months ago and are utterly shock when they see how he barely makes an effort to use full force and yet beat the crap out of these bad guys. Vegeta is furious and jealous that Goku has become this epic hero and is prejudice towards Goku because he cannot accept that Goku is a super saiyan especially for someone who doesn't want to kill anyone and is pure.

Freeza arrives to the Elder's home and finds out that if he kills the Elder then the dragon balls will be destroyed and the elder is not going to reveal the secret incantation so his guardian named Nail believes he can defeat Freeza and they head off to battle but he is no match for Freeza. Among these epic battles, Captain Ginyu is in charge of protecting the dragon balls and when one of his fighters, Jheese, shows up to tell him Goku killed everyone in the group, he hides the dragon balls in the ground and heads off to fight Goku.

He realizes that he is no match for Goku but he has a sneaky move up his sleeves so when he realizes that Goku has a powerful body that can be used to his advantage, he does his powerful move which is having the ability to switch bodies. He is successful at achieving this accomplishment and now Goku is in Captain Ginyu injured body since he self-harmed himself before the transformation. Now the evil doers are heading back to the dragon balls not realizing that Kuririn, Vegeta, and Gohan have arrived to Freeza's spaceship to retrieve the dragon balls.

When the bad guys land at their destination, the gang cannot believe that Goku is evil and Gohan is the one of notices that Goku is a different person and not his loving father. On the mission to reach to his friends, Goku makes the connection that he barely has control of Ginyu's body and because of that it means that Ginyu has no control of Goku's body nor his super strength so the good guys have the advantage and now everyone is beating up Goku's body trying to make it possible for Goku to switch back with Ginyu. Will they be successful? Find out until next time on Dragon Ball Z...

I was extremely happy with this volume because it had so much fighting and more Goku action finally! I enjoyed it in the beginning that there were less attention on Goku for several volumes but I realized that Goku is what makes this series special and unique and after repetitive drama over trying to save the day from evil and all these nonsense fighting it became irritating that Goku was missing from the equation.

I realized through this volume is how I discovered Dragon Ball Z as a little kid when I was younger and I had no clue back then what I was watching but I was completely enchanted by the fighting and the super powers. I cannot wait more on this Freeza storyline and for him to become the freak of nature that we all love.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goku finally arrives on Namek and decides to take down the Ginyu Force. He's mostly successful. Captain Ginyu has a few tricks up his sleeve and ends up switching bodies with Goku. Also, Freeza discovers he can't just collect the Dragon Balls to get his wish but seeks out Guru to find the secret to unleashing the dragon. AND Vegeta ditches Goku at the last minute and lies in wait to dupe Kuririn and Gohan into calling forth the dragon to steal a wish from them.

It was fun to see how far Goku's training has taken him, but once again the talk of power levels could be overwhelming. Goku toyed with Ginyu but was revealed he was still suppressing power. This all felt way too drawn out. Just get to the point already! Let's face off with Freeza! If memory serves, things pick up the pace in just the next volume.

[Subham]

This was a pretty good volume, as they are fighting the Ginyu force and getting overwhelmed and when Gohan is down, its upto Goku who has finally come here on Namek and its so awesome, the way he defeats them and fights like they are nothing while still concealing his power but then enter Ginyu who kinda switches body with him and this will be a great battle now and a good twist at that! Meanwhile Frieza vs Nail to protect the Great elder! Things are looking dire and there is so much twists and turns and its perfect and the fight is even crazy and the stakes for Goku are super high! Also great moments for Vegeta, the writing in this volume was way too good!

[Casper Paaske · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent chapter of the Freeza saga, Goku finally enters the fight and because he’s been built up for so long and because the power scales have been a factor for so long, it feels oh so satisfying when Goku comes in and tear the villains asses!
And even though Goku is overpowered, Akira still finds a way to give him stakes in that ending plot twist!

[MajesticalLion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay. I'll give it to this volume. This was sick. Goku is unfortunately the best character in this series. And the body switch idea is SOOOOO cool. Toriyama gets a hit every once in a while, I'll admit.

[Simon Verner · Rating 4 out of 5]

C’est EXAGÉRÉ comment Sangoku est puissant. Il lui a suffit de 6 jours d’entraînement dans un vaisseau pour surpasser tout le monde.
La twist avec le commando Ginue rend tout de même le combat vraiment mémorable. Le caractère saïyen de Sangoku ressort de plus en plus, mais il reste gentil et naïf.

[✨Sky✨ ♏ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 stars

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.45

This was a great read. This series continues to get better and better. This is an absolute thrilling ride. I really enjoyed the action and battles. In this volume, I was actually a bit disappointed in Vegeta. I did not think such a fearless guy would make such immature decisions. Also, I liked that Goku comes back and gets stronger as the fight continues. I thought that the body swap was the weirdest part of the manga so far. I am just excited to see the fight with Freeza because then we get to see how strong he really is. I can't wait for Volume 9. Overall, another enjoyable read.

[Gustavo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Está claro que sin importar si los capítulos en los que no está sean geniales o no, podemos decir que siempre que Goku vuelve a la escena es emocionante. En este caso (¿Siempre?), llega justo a tiempo, cuando las fuerzas Ginyu están acorralando a Vegeta, Gohan y Krilin y muestra una confianza y una fuerza nunca antes vista. Cada vez que leo esta parte se me pone un poco la piel de gallina, ¿Cuán poderoso puede ser realmente Goku?

[Adriana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally Goku is here... I am constantly waiting for him to fight. His abilities are constantly growing. The Ginyu Force wasn't as tough as I expected or was indicated. I don't know why Freeza needs anyone else if he's so strong. Another great volume but I'm still waiting for Freeza to fight our heroes!

[rico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This contuse in volume of the series Goku has beaten all the Ginyu forces but Jheese he ran away to get captain ginyu to fight son Goku. I give this book the rating of five star because it just like I said on volume 7.At the end son Goku get this body taken by ginyu and get it back. I like this book because it show what you would do for a friend even if they don't like you.

[Bobby Hougen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Yoyomaus Die Büchereule · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kuririn, Son Gohan und Vegeta stehen dem Ginyu-Sonderkommando des Finsterlings Freezer gegenüber, die dem Trio haushoch überlegen scheinen. Innerhalb kürzester Zeit besiegt das Sonderkommando sie und setzt dazu an ihnen den Gar auszumachen. Doch just in diesem Moment gelangt Son-Goku auf Namek an und kommt seinen Freunden zu Hilfe. Währenddessen hat sich Freezer die nemekianischen Dragon Balls unter den Nagel gerissen und will sich seinen Wunsch erfüllen lassen, doch dabei scheint er etwas nicht beachtet zu haben. Erneut beginnt ein Wettlauf mit der Zeit um die Dragon Balls und die drei Wünsche, die diese erfüllen können. Son-Goku stellt sich in der Zeit einem Teil des Sonderkommandos entgegen und scheint haushoch überlegen, bis einer der Mitglieder des Ginyu schwer verletzt die Körper mit Son-Goku tauscht und sich an die Fersen der Freunde heftet ...

Wieder einmal hat es Akira Toriyama geschafft, dass man einfach aus dem Staunen nicht heraus kommt. Fast schon scheint die Schlacht um die Dragon Balls geschlagen, als endlich Son-Goku auf Namek auftaucht und das stärker als je zuvor. Es gibt wieder Hoffnung und Son-Goku beweist wieder einmal, dass er ein herzensguter Mensch ist, denn er hilft nicht nur seinem Freund Kuririn und seinem Sohn, sondern hat auch Hilfe für Vegeta parat, womit dieser kaum gerechnet hat. Bei den Gegnern von den Freunden hat sich Toriyama wieder richtiggehend etwas einfallen lassen, so sind diese nicht nur sehr stark, sondern haben auch noch spezielle Fähigkeiten, die den Freunden ganz schön einheizen. Auch die Tatsache, dass die Dragon Balls alle im Besitz des Finsterlings Freezer sind, lässt den Leser schwitzen und schließlich stutzen, denn ohne die Hilfe eines Namekianers ist es nicht möglich den Drachen zu beschwören, somit haben die Freunde erneut Zeit sich die Dragon Balls zu schnappen. Man könnte jetzt meinen, dass dieses ewige Gekämpfe und das ganze Hin und Her um die Dragon Balls langsam langweilig oder anstrengend wird, doch das ist es keineswegs, denn die Zeichnungen und vor allem die Ideen von Toriyama sind so grandios, dass man immer und immer wieder staunen muss. Der Lesespaß steht hier an erster Stelle, denn neben ernsten Situationen gibt es immer wieder humorvolle Szenen, die die Atmosphäre auflockern. Wieder einmal absolut lesenswert!


Taschenbuch: 192 Seiten
Verlag: Carlsen; Auflage: 7. (15. Februar 2001)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3551735646
ISBN-13: 978-3551735645
Vom Hersteller empfohlenes Alter: 10 - 12 Jahre
Größe und/oder Gewicht: 11,6 x 1,8 x 17,7 cm

[isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goku has finally made it to Namek and the tables turned INSANTLY. When all hope was lost and each hero was facing death at the hands of the Ginyu Force, the limitless hero arrives and shows off his power in an absolute fly-swatting match. These villains are absolutely nothing compared to him, but unfortunately I didn’t find this beatdown nearly as satisfying as I should have.

I think that this volume is an example of the weird power scaling this series is known for. While Goku destroys the opponents that were impossibly tough in the previous book, he does so so quickly that it’s almost forgettable? And throughout, I didn’t really FEEL like he was more powerful, instead we are TOLD non-stop that he is. And this power scaling becomes a problem when in the very next chapter he immediately meets someone who rivals his power. Obviously this is necessary to keep escalating stakes, it makes the massive power increase feel kind of empty, and when the book is centred on Goku and his new abilities, the volume suffers a fair bit as a whole.

That being said, there is still some pretty cool moments, especially in the first half. But the highlight for me was easily Vegeta finishing off the unconscious members of the Ginyu force, effectively contrasting his morals with Goku’s. I also really enjoyed the chapter “Gohan’s Last Stand” which was actually a really interesting way to call back to “Piccolo’s Last Stand”, creating excellent contrast in the way they both go out in battle. For Piccolo, his sacrifice was selfless and a true representation of his change of heart. For Gohan, he fights back blindly out of pride, and instantly gets his neck snapped. It’s a blind rage that he has possessed as his biggest weakness since his introduction, and one that reminds me of his father’s during the King Piccolo Arc in OG Dragon Ball.

The stuff with Nail and Freeza is also showing decent potential, and I’m excited to see how that progresses. On top of this, the comedy still surprisingly hits without taking away from the tensity of the situation, proving this balance to be one of Toriyama’s greatest strengths as a storyteller.

And ofc, preaching to the choir, but Vegeta’s development is easily proving to be the most engaging aspect of this Namek arc.

Verdict: 7 / 10

[Natalie]

Despite myself not interested in Dragon Ball Z I do have a large amount of respect for the franchise.

As I said before in my review of Dragon Ball, this kickstarted the trends for later Shonen manga and that's something to admire about the entire Dragon Ball series. Shonen manga series have taken elements from the Dragon Ball series and use it for inspiration for their own work like battles, art, character design, and plot. I feel like I was a bit too old when I was first introduced to the starters of Shounen and Shojo. Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon were introduced to me a bit too late after I had started reading & watching series like InuYasha, Ouran High School Host Club, Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Code Geass.

Again, I still think it's an admirable franchise despite my personal feelings towards it. (I don't hate it but I didn't love it either) It's extremely popular worldwide and for the anime to still be watched and loved to this very day I think that says a lot about it. There are many things to like and admire about it because of the legacy that it brought with its creation.

While I don't love Dragon Ball Z, it has done a lot for a very popular art form and will continue to be great and loved for years to come.

[Agung Wicaksono · Rating 4 out of 5]

Akhirnya Goku datang ke Planet Namek. Ia pun segera menghampiri Krilin, Gohan, dan Vegeta yang sedang bertarung dengan Ginyu Force. Lantas, Goku yang sudah memiliki kekuatan rata-rata ikut membantu mereka bertiga dan berhasil mengalahkan dua dari empat anggota yang tersisa. Jeice yang mengetahui peristiwa itu langsung kabur dan memberitahukan ke Kapten Ginyu.

Kapten Ginyu yang mengetahui kabar itu tidak terima dan segera menghampiri Goku dkk. Mereka berdua pun akhirnya berduel, sedangkan Gohan dan Krilin pergi untuk mencari tempat aman. Namun, jurus yang tidak disangka-sangka akhirnya dikeluarkan oleh Kapten Ginyu setelah mengetahui kekuatan Goku yang di atas rata-rata; jurus tersebut adalah penukaran tubuh. Jadi, Kapten Ginyu berada di tubuh Goku, sedangkan Goku berada di tubuh Kapten Ginyu.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ginyu Force is pushing Earth's heroes (and Vegeta) to the brink...and just as everything seems lost....the ultimate trump card arrives....GOKU! This volume is really starts the traction for the legend of the Super Saiyan! Not that it hasn't been stated a few times lightly volumes earlier but here and now it takes center stage as an important cog in the universe. The art and storytelling is on point as always and this is the reason why this manga and anime became recognized worldwide as the benchmark of greatness! We get to enjoy the first taste of Freeza's power along with the revelation of the amount of power he holds compared to others all around the universe! Great volume and the pages blow by as the intense action feels nothing short of amazing!

[Hafeez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volume 24: Chapter 277-288
Arc 13: Frieza Saga - Namek Arc
Arc 14: Frieza Saga - Captain Ginyu Arc

Frieza cannot summoned the dragon. He went to Saichoro's place to know the secrets. Saichoro unleashed Dende's power potential and let him escape. Frieza fights Nail who wants to defend Saichoro.

Vegeta, Krillin and Gohan were defeated by Recoome. Suddenly, Goku arrived. He used the senzu beans to heal three of them. He then fights Recoome and Burter and easily defeat them. Jeice retreat and come back with Ginyu.

Krillin and Gohan went to find the Dragon Balls. Goku fights Jeice and Ginyu. Ginyu have a power to exchange body and managed to steal Goku's body. Ginyu and Jeice come back to Frieza's spaceship and fights Krillin and Gohan.

[Peter Derk · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's funny how the other characters keep training and stuff in a world where there's a Goku. Why bother? I'd be like, "That little samurai fatso guy who looks like he ronin-wandered his way out of a Peanuts comic cut Vegeta's tail off, so maybe I'll just rely on luck and spend my days taking it easy."

Although, flipside, it's also funny to me that people don't train when some training can result in the actual ABILITY TO FLY. I mean, if there was some training I could do to never have to get on a plane again, you'd look out the window of your stupid viral test tube in the sky and see me gliding past without a care in the world. Totally nude. Because nobody can tell me I can't. See how much freer I am?

[Cecillie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know I'm not the only thinking this, the powerlevels are ridiculous. I'm sorry, but not really, they just are. We're getting to the point where the number are totally out of control, and I know they'll get even worse. I think the problem in the first place is trying to put a number on how strong each character is. At first it might not seem that wild because the numbers started out relatively small, but now we're nearing 1 million, and just why? I think it's honestly better when the characters just get stronger and stronger, even though within the genre it does get out of control. Putting a number to it just gives the reader something really specific to look at, and think too much about.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goku finally arrives and... the Ginyu Force are no match for him. Hurray for Goku! One of the more interesting things about this volume is how Goku's power is shown to vary- not only can he hides his power levels, he can adjust his ki in different ways and, along with the kaoi-ken, can fluctuate his 'true' power level. Yeah, yeah, power levels are bullshit and an annoying way to scale characters, but having Freeza's forces oh-so-sure about the readings from their scouters, and their idea that power levels are perfectly accurate, gives our heroes a surprise factor that confuses their opponents.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25
*Review of Volumes 6-8*
More punch punch stuff! It's nice to see some laid back villains. Everyone is so doom and gloom all the time. Cocky too, but I'm used to it. There was some good lore about the Namekians and the universe in general, so that was good to know. Do I have predictions for what this lore means? No. I feel like there's so much to uncover that some of this stuff might not be mentioned for a long time, so I'm not gonna worry about. Also, my brain hurts, so I just want some more punch punch stuff.

[Rangga Sukmawijaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Son Goku tiba di planet Namek tepat pada waktunya sehingga ia bisa menyelamatkan Son Gohan, Kuririn, dan Vegeta dari kekalahan melawan pasukan Ginyu. Sementara itu Freeza yang akhirnya bisa menguasai ketujuh bola naga ternyata tetap tidak bisa membangkitkan Sang Naga. Maka ia sendiri berangkat mencari orang Namek yang bisa membantunya memecahkan misteri itu. Akira Toriyama memang pintar membuat "twist".