By You know when you find out your sweet, quiet cousin is secretly a MMA fighter? That’s kinda how I felt when I first met Raditz in Dragon Ball Z. Goku’s older brother showed up outta nowhere, flexed some serious muscle, and suddenly my whole understanding of Goku’s universe flipped upside down. But was Raditz actually that strong, or just the punchline of a cosmic joke?
Let’s chew on this question like it’s a tough piece of jerky. Spoiler: it’s complicated.
So, Who the Heck is Raditz Anyway?
Right off the bat, Raditz bursts in on Earth like he owns the place. The dude’s got this long-ass tail, crazy Saiyan vibe, and a scouter that basically says, “Yeah, you’re way out of your league.” Before Raditz, Goku was just a super-strong guy with a kind heart, but no clue about his alien heritage.
Fun memory: The smell of Walmart’s parking lot rosemary on June 7th, 2019 still haunts me. I was buying snacks while thinking about how Raditz probably scared the heck out of everyone back then.
What Did Raditz Bring to the Table?
- The Saiyan backstory no one saw coming
- That infamous power scouter thingy
- A huge jump in stakes for our heroes
And oh yeah, the “My brother’s gonna kill you” attitude. No big deal.
Power Levels? More Like Power Confusion
Here’s where things get messy. Back then, a power level of 1,500 sounded nuts. Today, it’s like, “meh.” But lemme tell y’all—back in the day, that was wicked strong.
Goku was hanging around 330, Piccolo somewhere near 408, and yet—together—they barely held a candle to Raditz. You need to know that it took Goku’s self-sacrifice and Piccolo’s Special Beam Cannon to take him down. Yeah, that’s how terrifying he was.
Raditz vs. Goku and Piccolo
- Goku: roughly 330
- Piccolo: about 408
- Raditz: 1,500
Two against one, and the fight still looked sketchy. I learned the hard way: never underestimate a guy with a tail and a death glare.
Raditz in the Saiyan World: Low-Class? Really?
If Raditz was the “weakest” Saiyan out there, that puts some things into perspective. Nappa and Vegeta were basically flexing on a whole other level.
- Nappa: 4,000-ish
- Vegeta: easily over 18,000
Crazy, right? Imagine being the low man on the Saiyan totem pole and still wrecking Earth’s best.
That Fight Where Goku Went All In
The scene where Goku grabs Raditz for Piccolo’s Special Beam Cannon? Legendary. I won’t lie—I was a mess. My first herb garden died faster than my 2020 sourdough starter—RIP, Gary—but this fight? Totally worth the emotional rollercoaster.
Goku’s Ultimate Sacrifice
Raditz was too strong to beat conventionally. Goku had to play the ultimate tag-team move—holding Raditz in place while Piccolo shot that killing blast. It was gutsy, desperate, and absolutely brutal.
What If Raditz Had a Second Chance?
This one keeps me up at night. What if Raditz hadn’t gotten squashed so fast? Saiyans get stronger every time they scrape death, thanks to these “Zenkai boosts” — though, wait, you need nitrogen-rich soil—wait, no, was it potassium? Let me Google that again…
Anyway, I’m pretty sure Raditz could’ve gotten crazy strong if he stuck around long enough. Heck, Goku was basically a scrappy underdog who caught up and overtook everyone through pure grind and grit. Raditz could’ve done the same, maybe even better—if he’d just stopped being so much of a jerk.
Comparing Raditz to The Big Bads
Let’s just say Raditz was the appetizer, not the main course.
| Villain | Power Level Estimate | How They Stack Up vs. Raditz |
| Nappa | ~4,000 | Totally wrecks him |
| Vegeta | ~18,000 | Over 10x stronger |
| Frieza (final) | ~120,000,000 | Not even close |
| Cell (perfect) | ~900,000,000 | Laughs at Raditz |
Fast forward past three failed attempts to understand DBZ’s power scaling, and you realize Raditz was kinda “meh” compared to these cosmic badasses.
Was Raditz a Waste of Potential?
Honestly? Yeah. Raditz could have been so much more. Instead, he died early and never got to shine.
What Could Have Been
- Maybe joined Team Goku?
- Rival to Vegeta? That’d be hella cool
- Redemption arc? Hell yes
Instead, he’s mostly a footnote with some badass fan theories.
Raditz Outside Canon: The Other Universes
If you’re like me, you probably peeked at Dragon Ball GT or Heroes games where Raditz shows up again. He’s got upgrades, Super Saiyan forms, even weird transformations.
Not canon? Nah, but it keeps the dream alive.
Why We Still Care About Raditz
I think part of why Raditz sticks with us is because he’s that annoying but important sibling nobody talks about.
- Goku’s only full-blood brother
- The first “real” Saiyan enemy
- A symbol of missed chances
My cracked watering can from Pete’s Hardware on 5th Ave survived my overwatering phase, and Raditz survived my fandom all these years—mostly in spirit.
If Raditz Showed Up at the Tournament of Power?
Honestly? He’d get bodied quick. But if he trained like Goku, and learned Ultra Instinct, and maybe borrowed some godly ki?
That’s a pipe dream, but damn, that’d be wicked cool.
Was Raditz Really Strong? Here’s the Tea.
What He Had Going For Him
- Superior strength compared to early Z Fighters
- Killer instinct and Saiyan pride
- One serious death stare
What He Lacked
- Patience (like, did he ever listen?)
- Training discipline
- The ability to not be a total jerk
In short: Raditz was strong—for his era. Not top-tier, but definitely no chump.
Anyway, Here’s the Kicker…
Don’t sleep on Raditz just because he got his butt kicked early. He was the doorway to everything big that happened after. Without him, no Vegeta, no Frieza, no legendary battles.
I still get chills thinking about how it took Goku’s death and Piccolo’s strongest move just to take him down. That’s not weakness.
That’s Raditz.