Written by Gohan

{Bulma's note: due to Raditz being a Saiyan this enemy bio is longer than most.  I also left the spelling of names as Gohan made them.  With so many variations being out there I didn't think it necessary to change them just to match my spellings.}

The brother of the Saiyan Kakarott, Raditz was one of the only Saiyans who survived the destruction of the Saiyan homeworld by the evil tyrant Frieza.  He along with both Nappa and Vegeta was kept as a henchman of Frieza employed in the service of purging planets of all sentient life.  A ruthless killer, Raditz was originally sent to Earth to see if his brother had succeeded in destroying the life on Earth as was set in his original programming.  Once he arrived, however, he learned that the Earth was still intact.  Checking his scouter, he headed towards Kakarott’s power level.  He arrived at Master Roshi, the turtle hermit’s house just when Goku is taking his son Gohan to introduce to everybody there.  Raditz reveals to him that they are brothers and asks why he hasn’t succeeded in destroying the planet.  Master Roshi reveals that a near fatal head injury Goku had as a baby scrambled his programming.  Raditz is disgusted by this and gives Goku and ultimatum: destroy the Earth or die.  Raditz then kidnaps Gohan possibly in hopes to turn this little one into a true Saiyan warrior.

Piccolo arrives on the scene and agrees to fight to protect the Earth along with Goku.  He also informs him of a special technique that he’s been working on originally intended for him.  A fierce battle ensues and for a moment Piccolo, after losing an arm, falls under the might of the mighty Saiyan.  For a moment it seems like the end for the Namekian when Raditz’s power suddenly weakens dramatically.  In a shocking twist, Goku has grabbed a hold of Raditz’s weak point, his tail.  Raditz tells Goku in a desperate attempt that he will change.  Despite Piccolo’s attempts to convince Goku that it’s a trick, Goku releases Raditz and ends up with a mighty blow to the face.

The battle resumes and for a moment it looks as if Raditz has gained the upper hand.  Suddenly an enormous power level is registered on the scouter and Raditz’s spaceship explodes.  Out from the explosion, pops out a very angry Gohan demanding that his father be left alone.  Gohan suddenly powers up and charges flying towards Raditz, his head bashing into his chest and stomach bringing him to his knees.  Quickly Goku takes this opportunity and grabs Raditz from behind telling Piccolo to fire now.  Piccolo releases the special beam cannon attack and it succeeds in not only killing Raditz, but Earth’s protector as well. 

In the end, Piccolo tells Goku that he will have him revived with the dragonballs.  Raditz hears this and learning of the dragonballs’ power reveals to them that two Saiyans stronger than even him will be arriving.  His energy gone, he finally dies alongside his brother.  His scouter is picked up and eventually analyzed by Bulma Briefs and even used later on to observe the fight between the Z-warriors and Vegeta and Nappa.  Other than that, the only other thing we hear from Raditz is when Goku meets King Yenma in Other World.  There, the giant ogre informs Goku that Raditz did arrive there shortly before, but was sent to H.F.I.L. 

Raditz was truly one mean, nasty, tough Saiyan.  The impact that he left was truly great though.  Were it not for him and his informing of the Saiyan's arrival, things would have been very different.