Zarbon

Zarbon

Zarbon (ザーボン Zābon) is one of Frieza's most high ranked henchmen. He and Dodoria helped decide the fate of the Saiyans. He has like Frieza can transform. But he only has one transformation, unlike fFrieza who has four transformations.

Appearance and Personality

Zarbon is an elite warrior who values beauty and his physical appearance above all else. He is considered to be very handsome and he wears a heavily cultural garb. His long, green braided hair and his head apparel tiara and earrings are r

Zarbon on one foot

eminiscent of a high-class prince. He is very vain and he considers himself to be of the highest standard. His light blue skin and golden eyes indicate his reptilian alien ancestry. He also wears a very long light blue cape as well as a very cultural leg and arm-wear. Along with his choice of clothing, he wears the common armor that most of Frieza's men have, including the shoulder pads and a scouter. He dislikes his transformation due to its ugly appearance, but when he does transform, his battle power increases immensely. After transforming, he referred to his original form as "the beauty side" and introduced the new form as "the beast", a reference to the fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast.

Storyline

Bardock Special

In Age 737, within Frieza's spaceship, Frieza is being briefed by his top two henchmen, Zarbon and Dodoria, in regards to the occurrences in their routine interplanetary galactic trade and conquering. Recent news reveals that the Saiyans' strength constantly grows after each battle. Zarbon informs Frieza that a band of low-class Saiyans

Zarbon with Frieza and Dodoria as they contemplate the fate of the Saiyan Race

had taken over Kanassa in just a few days. Dodoria states that the job to take Kanassa had been in the pool for months, and that not even Frieza's elite squadrons could take Kanassa so easily. This is the first time Frieza is literally amazed at the growing power of the Saiyans. Frieza, Zarbon, and Dodoria contemplate the fate of the Saiyans due to the growing power of the species and decide to take action in order to avoid further repercussions, as the Saiyans might pose a great threat to them in the future. Zarbon advises Frieza to eliminate the growing threat before it poses a greater problem. Dodoria and his elite fighters were ordered to eradicate Bardock, the second strongest Saiyan alive at the time, and his teammates (Tora, Borgos, Shugesh, and Fasha). Dodoria is successful in killing the team but carelessly left Bardock alive after delivering one heavily powerful mouth blast at him. Later, Frieza mercilessly destroys the Saiyan planet, along with Bardock in the midst. Zarbon and Dodoria are the only characters to bear witness when Frieza destroys Planet Vegeta. They stare at the destruction of the planet without any sympathy.

Namek Saga

Zarbon accompanies Frieza and Dodoria to the planet of Namek in search of the Namekian Dragon Balls. Frieza's one wish is to gain immortality in order to maintain his dominance in the universe. Zarbon is able to help him collect most of the Dragon Balls alongside Dodoria by mercilessly slaughtering Namekians in order to squeeze information out of them. Unfortunately for Frieza, Vegeta shows up on Planet Namek with his own desire to gain control of the Dragon Balls. Vegeta had openly betrayed Frieza and went to Earth although Frieza didn't order him to. Later, after traveling to Namek, Vegeta decides to proceed with his deliberate betrayal and gain control of the Dragon Balls for himself. Vegeta takes the first opportunity he gets to eliminate both Cui and Dodoria, who was temporarily separated from his crew after pursuing Gohan and Krillin.

At this point, Zarbon becomes the only remaining elite henchman of Frieza. After he and Appule are sent to search for remaining Namekian Villages, Zarbon soon comes face to face with Vegeta instead. Vegeta challenges Zarbon and has the upper hand, blocking Zarbon's blasts and dodging all his attacks. However, after Zarbon has been angered, he surprises Vegeta when he undergoes his demonic reptilian transformation. The tables turn as Zarbon easily dominates Vegeta with a series of brutal poundings, multiple headbutts and

Zarbon in his transformed state

roundhouses. He finishes the fight with an aerial piledriver, sending Vegeta head first into the ground and washed into the murky waters of Namek.

Zarbon reports back to Frieza in order to relay the message of his victory. Frieza, however, is not pleased. Vegeta was able to find one of the Dragon Balls and hide it before being pummeled. The location of the Dragon Ball is a necessity, so Frieza orders Zarbon to heal Vegeta in order to squeeze the information out of him. Zarbon returns to the area of the battle, locates Vegeta's battered body, and takes him to the rejuvenation chamber in Frieza's ship in order for Appule to heal him in the rejuvenation chamber for further questioning. Upon healing, Vegeta manages to kill Appule, escape and steal Frieza's five Dragon Balls by distracting them. Frieza orders Zarbon to locate Vegeta once more since they did not interrogate the renegade Saiyan. Zarbon hurries out in search of Vegeta.

Soon, he finds Vegeta and challenges him once again, this time with Krillin and Bulma as witnesses. Bulma is instantly attracted to Zarbon's appearance, although Krillin recognizes that the warrior is allied with Frieza. With Krillin and Bulma's lives at stake, Zarbon and Vegeta face off once more. After Zarbon transforms yet again, they resume their battle. Vegeta tells Zarbon that Saiyan strength increases after every battle, so Vegeta's Power Level has increased substantially because of the beating he had taken. This enables Vegeta to overcome Zarbon by slamming his arm through his stomach. While Vegeta's arm is rammed into Zarbon's stomach, Zarbon begs for his life (and implies that they should form an alliance against Frieza) before Vegeta finishes him off with a blast clean through his stomach, cracking his backbone, and sending Zarbon to a watery grave in the Namekian sea.

Frieza Saga

Zarbon appears in the Frieza Saga through flashbacks. In one scene, he is seen beside Dodoria and Frieza

Zarbon, Frieza, and Dodoria as they appear in a flashback

when King Vegeta is revolting and attacking the ship. Frieza kills King Vegeta, while Zarbon and Dodoria bear witness. Another scene shows Zarbon, Dodoria, and Frieza insulting the remaining Saiyans (Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz) after they return from their conquest on Planet Shikk, they are met with pity rather than accommodation by Frieza and his top henchmen. Nappa nearly loses control and tries to attack Frieza along with Zarbon and Dodoria, but Vegeta orders his comrade to stand down, knowing that they wouldn't stand a chance against them. As Vegeta walks away, Zarbon mocks him with a single declaration, telling Frieza he can't expect much more from a monkey. This fuels Vegeta's rage but since he knows he is no match for Zarbon at this time, he does nothing and just walks away.

Fusion Reborn

Along with countless other Dragon Ball antagonists, Zarbon makes a cameo appearance in the 1995 film Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn when the residents of Hell make their escape to Earth. Similar to his

Zarbon as seen in Fusion Reborn

brief appearance in the Super 17 Saga, Zarbon escapes from Hell alongside dozens of villains from the past when Frieza gives the order to attack. However, he was presumably defeated again and sent back to Hell when the Great Saiyaman comes to stop Frieza's onslaught.

Super 17 Saga

Zarbon and Dodoria terrorizes the Earth

Zarbon and Dodoria return from Hell in Dragon Ball GT. Similar to his brief escape in Fusion Reborn, Zarbon escapes from hell alongside Dodoria and they wreak havoc with all the other villains in the Super 17 Saga. He is presumably defeated again and sent back when the Z Warriors come to face all the previously defeated foes.

Power level

Zarbon's Power Level was around 23,000 in his first form, as stated on pg. 69 of Volume #7 of the Daizenshuu and the famicom game Dragon Ball Z II: Gekishin Freeza. His Monster Form's power level is at 55,000 in Dragon Ball Z II: Gekigami Freeza. To confirm his power level in his second form, perhaps another notable resource is the Dragon Ball Z RPG game, Legend of the Super Saiyan, where in the battle against Zarbon, his power level is at a maximum of 30,000.

Abilities

Zarbon has the distinct ability to transform into a reptilian beast. Incorporating brute strength and ferocity, his second form is the opposite in appearance to his first form, becoming grotesque and brutal. Upon transforming, his size increases as well as his muscular build and his skin becomes covered with noticeable scales, similar to that of a reptile. Thus, he only does this when extremely necessary since he dislikes disfiguring his image in such a grotesque manner. He is also said to be very intelligent and mysterious.

Elegant Blaster

Elegant Blaster is a technique used many times by Zarbon during the Namek Saga. He first uses it to kill a Namekian he and Frieza are interrogating for the whereabouts of the Dragonballs. He then uses it against Vegeta, only to have it deflected into a mountain. Its name is derived from the Budokai Tenkaichi Series.

Possibility Cannon

Zarbon uses this technique many times in both of his battles with Vegeta. The title of the blast is derived from Dragon Ball Z: Budokai. It is first used to blast Vegeta away in the middle of Zarbon's relentless beatdown of the Saiyan Prince. He later uses it in retaliation to a one handed Galick Gun attack by Vegeta. In his second battle, he attempts the attack only to have it blocked by another blast from Vegeta.

Other appearing techniques

Flight – The ability to fly with the use of ki.
Ki Blast – The most basic form of energy wave.
Energy Beam (Legend of the Super Saiyan)
Explosion (Legend of the Super Saiyan)
Super Beautiful Arrow (Budokai)
Shooting Star Arrow – A technique used to kill an old Namek in Moori's village. Shooting Star Arrow was named in the Budokai Tenkaichi series).
Hyper Elegant Magnum – A Rush Attack used in Budokai 1.
Extra Graceful Cannon [Spinwheel Roundhouse] – A Rush Attack used in Budokai 1.

Bloody Dance – A Rush Attack used in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Wild Sense – One of Zarbon's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Full Power – One of Zarbon's Blast 1 in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Monster Form [Transformation]
Wild Pressure – A Rush Attack used against Vegeta and named in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Monster Break – A Rush Attack used against Vegeta and named in Dragon Ball: Raging Blast.
Monster Crush [Piledriver] – Zarbon's ultimate technique.

Zarbon uses the Purple Circle technique on Vegeta

False Courage – One of Zarbon's Blast 1 in his Monster Form in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Hi-Tension – One of Zarbon's Blast 1 in his Monster Form in the Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Purple Circle (Ultimate Battle 22) – An aerial backflip kick Zarbon performed at Vegeta's face.
Pinkeye Breaker (Ultimate Battle 22)
Star Hail (Ultimate Battle 22)
Cosmic Energy Flash (Ultimate Battle 22)
Destructive Sphere (Ultimate Battle 22)
Super Footslide (Ultimate Battle 22)
Crusher Ball (Ultimate Battle 22)

Voice actors

Japanese Dub: Sho Hayami (Dragon Ball Z) Hiroaki Miura (Dragon Ball Kai)
Ocean Group Dub: Paul Dobson
FUNimation Dub: Christopher R. Sabat (Dragon Ball Z ) J. Michael Tatum (Dragon Ball Z Kai and Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2)
Latin American Dub: Arturo Mercado
German Dub: Oliver Feld
Italian Dub: Claudio Moneta
French Dub: Patrick Borg
Brazilian Dub: Afonso Amajones
Portuguese Dub: Ricardo Spínola

Trivia

• In an issue of Beckett Anime, a Beckett magazine publication, Zarbon was voted as one of the top five greatest henchmen of all anime, and was the only character from Dragon Ball Z on the list.
• His voice in the games greatly differs from his voice in the English dubs of the anime. The original FUNimation dub, first seen in Frieza's flashback to King Vegeta's rebellion against him, has Zarbon's voice sound similar to the Ocean dub. In later versions of the FUNimation dub, his voice was changed so it resembled King Cold's or Caroni's (similar to how later versions made Vegeta's voice deeper than it did in the original FUNimation).
• In the Ocean dub, when Zarbon's scouter breaks, Dodoria says "Zarbon, what was that?". But, in the flashback Dodoria has while he encounters Vegeta, he says "What was that, Zarbon?".
• When Zarbon arrived for his second confrontation with Vegeta, Bulma fell in love with him at first sight (though he didn't seem to notice) and thought he was a handsome hero that was there to rescue her. Ironically, she later marries Vegeta, who killed Zarbon.
• A mistake regarding Zarbon's armor was made during the scene where Vegeta kills him. At the beginning of this scene, Zarbon's armor is already battle-damaged and his cape is gone. While they are fighting, however, his armor and cape are completely intact, as the animators used a clip from a previous Vegeta vs. Zarbon scene. This is fixed in DBZ Kai.
• Zarbon and Dodoria are the first and final villains to appear onscreen in the history of all Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. When looking at the timeline chronologically, the first movie to take place is the Bardock - The father of Goku TV Special, where Zarbon and Dodoria appear first (not counting Vegeta, who switches sides). In the final episode of Dragon Ball GT (episode 64), Zarbon and Dodoria are the final villains to appear onscreen when Goku remembers all the villains who escaped from Hell.
• According to Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Chi-Chi has mixed feelings about Zarbon's appearance. If you listen to her commentary about Zarbon in his base form, she will say "It's a face that superficial Bulma would like" (which was true since Bulma did find Zarbon highly attractive), but if you listen to her commentary on Monster Zarbon, she will say "Uh! For a face that pretty to become so dreadful!".
• The Potara Earrings greatly resemble Zarbon's earrings and the charm on his headpiece.
• Zarbon is confirmed to be a prince among Frieza's men due to two separate indications. The first comes from the Frieza saga, when it is mentioned that when Frieza wiped out an entire species or planet, he kept the strongest warrior from each planet alive. The other instance is noted in the battle mode in the game Dragon Ball Z: Tenkaichi Tag Team, where Zarbon and Vegeta are both entitled as "Prince of Another Planet" on a stage select title.
• Before being killed, Zarbon offers Vegeta an alliance against his master. This was however just a lie to get a chance at mercy, as he still respected Frieza (made clear in the Japanese version, where he used the honorfix "-sama" at Frieza's name).