The most prolonged battle in Dragon Ball Z takes place on the planet Namek.
In this part of Dragon Ball, the characters Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma embark on a space adventure. This arc concludes with Goku’s transformation, Frieza being defeated, and Vegeta surviving on Planet Earth.
Not all details of this event appear in the manga, as the anime adapted the story during a time when the manga was still ongoing. Consequently, Toei Animation created additional scenarios to enrich the storyline and extend the audience’s engagement slightly.
However, the significant events of the battle between Frieza and Goku remain entirely faithful to Akira Toriyama’s original narrative. The anime dedicated a total of 19 episodes, spanning approximately seven hours, to one battle that culminates in the death of Krillin and Goku’s subsequent transformation into a Super Saiyan.
This transformation is regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in the history of Dragon Ball. While there are many powerful transformations, Goku’s first Super Saiyan form will always be remembered by fans.
How long did the battle between Frieza and Goku really last in Dragon Ball Z?
The Dragon Ball characters themselves often reference the actual duration of the battle. Frieza, upon seeing Goku, warns him that Planet Namek has only 5 minutes left before it explodes. The Saiyan warrior, in a calm state, retaliates by saying that they have that much time to deal with Frieza and escape on a spaceship together.
So, in reality, the battle between Goku and Frieza on Planet Namek only lasted approximately five minutes, but it was stretched out over many episodes in the anime. This was undoubtedly a strategy to create suspense for viewers following the series.
The confrontation began in Chapter 307 of Dragon Ball. At this point, Goku had just recovered from a near-death experience at the hands of the Ginyu Force, and his strength at that time still could not compare to Frieza’s.
Specifically, at this time, Goku’s battle power was around 200,000, while Frieza’s true strength was over 1 million. However, everything changed when Goku first achieved the legendary Super Saiyan form.
When Goku was under pressure, Frieza decided to end everything by threatening to destroy all life on Planet Namek. He launched a powerful energy attack at the center of Planet Namek and declared that everything would be destroyed in 5 minutes. Notably, these 5 minutes started from Chapter 320 and only concluded in Chapter 327 of the manga. In the anime, it was extended from Episode 98 to Episode 106, which means the total time spans nearly 7 hours.
