Vegeta (ベジータ Bejīta), also known asVegeta IV (ベジータ四世 Bejīta Yonsei)and recognized asPrince Vegeta (ベジータ王子 Bejīta Ōji), is the prince of the fallen Saiyan race. He is the husband of Bulma, the father of Trunks and Bulla, and the eldest son of King Vegeta. As one of the main characters in theDragon Ballseries, Vegeta starts as a cold-blooded, ruthless warrior loyal to the Frieza Force but later adopts a more peaceful life on Earth.

Driven by pride and a deep desire to surpass Goku in strength, Vegeta fights alongside Universe 7’s strongest fighters to protect Earth and his family. His character arc, transforming from antagonist during theVegeta Sagato a powerful anti-hero and ultimately a deuteragonist inDragon Ball Super, has been highly praised and is considered one of the most significant in the series.

Appearance

Vegeta is a well-built man of below-average stature, standing at 164 centimeters tall. His hair is black, spiky, and features a prominent widow’s peak. Like most Saiyans, he has defined eyes with a consistently stern expression. Similar to other Universe 7 Saiyans, Vegeta was born with a prehensile, brown-furred tail, which was permanently cut off by Yajirobe during the Saiyan Saga.

Throughout the series, Vegeta’s physical appearance evolves. Initially, he appears shorter and leaner, especially when compared to his large partner, Nappa. Over time, Vegeta seems to gain height and muscle mass. His facial features, originally more relaxed and prone to smiling, become more distinct and stern as the series progresses, lending him a more mature and older appearance in the later sagas.

A defining trait of Vegeta’s character is his preference for traditional Saiyan armor, which he consistently dons in combat. His usual attire is a blue, full-bodied jumpsuit paired with white gloves and boots, covered by his Saiyan armor. Over the years, Vegeta has worn various versions of the armor to match his personal style. Early in the series, during his time in the Frieza Force, he wore white armor with yellow shoulder pads, stomach plates, lower back plates, and skirt pads. Underneath this, he wore a blue bodysuit with white gloves and boots. He also wrapped his tail around his waist in a belt-like fashion and wore a red lens scouter over his left eye. After the Saiyan Saga and Namek Saga, Vegeta replaced his damaged armor with a version that lacked skirt padding around the waist.

Vegeta’s appearance shifted slightly when his armor was damaged during the Recoome battle, leading him to adopt an older model of the armor, which lacked shoulder pads and had brown stomach and lower back plates. He also replaced his damaged gloves and boots. This look continued through the Captain Ginyu and Frieza Sagas. During the Trunks Saga, Vegeta switched to a casual look, wearing a pink, short-sleeved shirt with the words “Bad Man” on the back, a white sleeveless undershirt, yellow pants, and green shoes with a brown trim.

In the Androids/Cell Saga, Vegeta returned to wearing his familiar armor but with some updates: his armor had yellow shoulder straps instead of shoulder guards, and the plates now took on polygonal shapes. His bodysuit also extended to cover the lower half of his neck. From the Perfect Cell Saga onward, Vegeta’s white boots were updated with yellow striped tips. During the Buu Saga, Vegeta wore a sleeveless, dark blue tank top tucked into matching sweatpants, along with white gloves and boots. He later donned a similar outfit inDragon Ball Super: BrolyandSuper Hero, but with a darker teal blue color and boots that were rounder with gray soles.

During Vegeta’s early cameo and filler appearances in theDragon Ball Zanime, his color scheme differed significantly from his standard look. His hair was red, and his outfit consisted of khaki green armor with burnt orange guards, orange gloves, a navy-blue jumpsuit, and boots with orange leg tops and dark brown shoes. These differences occurred because Toei Animation had no official color references from the manga when Vegeta first appeared in the anime. His proper color scheme debuted when he arrived on Earth, becoming more consistent with the manga version. This alternate color scheme is used in some video games as an alternate look for Vegeta.

As a child, Vegeta’s design inBardock – The Father of Gokudepicted him with bangs, though he still maintained his spiky hairstyle. He wore white armor similar to his adult version but with a red cape attached to the shoulder pads and the royal family crest on his chest plate. Underneath, he wore a sleeveless tank top and sweatpants, along with white gloves and boots. Flashbacks of Vegeta inDragon Ball ZandDragon Ball Supershowed him in this design. InDragon Ball MinusandBroly, however, young Vegeta is seen with his traditional widow’s peak, in keeping with his statement during the Perfect Cell Saga that pure-blooded Saiyan hair does not change from birth. His childhood design in these adaptations features a black armor instead of white, with no cape or royal crest, and a blue bodysuit underneath. InBattle of Gods, Vegeta’s child version retains the widow’s peak but wears the same outfit as inBardock – The Father of Goku.

InDragon Ball GT, Vegeta adopts a more Earth-like style, wearing a crimson tank top, violet gloves, dark blue jeans, and violet boots, along with a black leather vest. He also cuts his hair shorter and grows a mustache, although he quickly shaves it off after Bulla mocks him.

InDragon Ball Super, Vegeta returns to wearing his Androids/Cell Saga outfit during the God of Destruction Beerus Saga, and this becomes his standard outfit throughout the series. While training under Whis, he briefly dons a new suit designed by Bulma, featuring a grey bodysuit, futuristic boots, gloves with darker gold striped tips, and sleeker armor with a narrow chest plate and gold lining. Whis’ insignia is placed on the left side of the chest. Vegeta wears this outfit during theGolden FriezaandUniverse 6Sagas. Afterward, he returns to his previous Android/Cell Saga outfit.

InBroly, Vegeta wears a light green winter jacket to protect himself from the cold climate, with a high turtleneck, white lines on the sleeves, and a violet “SAB” logo on the chest. His bodysuit is dark teal blue, and his armor is light gray with white accents, while his boots are rounder with gray soles.

In theGalactic Patrol PrisonerSaga, while serving as a temporary member of the Galactic Patrol, Vegeta wears his regular outfit with the Galactic Patrol emblem on his chest. He also dons the traditional Yardrat outfit during his training on Planet Yardrat. Under Beerus’ tutelage in theGranolah the SurvivorSaga, Vegeta returns to his familiar look, now wearing a golden earpiece on his left ear as a symbol of his use of Energy of Destruction.

InSuper Dragon Ball Heroes, Vegeta is back to wearing hisResurrection ‘F’andUniverse 6Saga outfit, but with a Capsule Corp logo instead of Whis’ symbol. Later in the series, his armor’s gray sections are changed to bright blue, reminiscent of his old bodysuit.

Vegeta is portrayed as vain, egotistical, and intensely proud throughout theDragon Ballseries. His pride stems from his royal Saiyan heritage and his bitterness over his race’s subjugation and eventual destruction by Frieza. Vegeta’s arrogance is a defining trait, often leading him to make reckless decisions, such as allowing Cell to absorb Android 18 just to challenge a stronger opponent. Despite his immense power, Vegeta consistently underestimates opponents due to his inflated ego, sometimes leading to his defeat. His need to constantly himself against powerful foes often manifests in overconfidence, as seen when he downplays the strength of smaller opponents like Perfect Cell and Kid Buu, only to be taken by surprise.

One of Vegeta’s most defining characteristics is his rivalry with Goku. His obsession with surpassing Goku in strength drives much of his character development. While initially contemptuous of Goku, Vegeta’s relationship with him evolves over time into a grudging respect, even friendship. However, he is still deeply competitive, often becoming frustrated or angry when Goku surpasses him, such as during the Kaiō-Ken X10 and Ultra Instinct transformations. Despite this rivalry, Vegeta has saved Goku’s life on multiple occasions, insisting that only he should be the one to defeat him. By the end ofDragon Ball Z, Vegeta’s once-hostile grudge becomes more of a friendly rivalry.

Vegeta’s character development is one of the most significant in the series. Initially introduced as a ruthless villain, Vegeta begins to soften as he adapts to life on Earth and starts a family with Bulma. He becomes more compassionate, particularly toward his family, though he still struggles with his feelings of weakness and inadequacy for putting his family above his goal of becoming the strongest warrior. His love for Bulma and their children leads him to reassess his priorities, though he remains driven by his Saiyan pride and desire to improve himself.

Despite his arrogance, Vegeta is capable of respecting others, although he rarely expresses it openly. Over time, his relationships with the other Z Fighters improve, especially after his sacrifice during the Majin Buu Saga, where he acknowledges the value of love and family. His relationship with Goku shifts from a bitter rivalry to a genuine camaraderie, and by the end of the series, Vegeta no longer fights solely to surpass Goku, but to his own limits as a warrior.

InDragon Ball Super, Vegeta’s competitive nature remains, but he becomes more open to teamwork and cooperation with others. He develops strong protective instincts for Earth, referring to it as his home and refusing to bear the burden of losing another planet, as he did with Planet Vegeta. This change is exemplified when he rejects offers from Whis and Beerus to become Universe 7’s God of Destruction, choosing instead to remain on Earth with his family. Vegeta also demonstrates a greater sense of morality, shown in his disdain for dishonorable opponents and his rejection of Frieza’s offer to join forces.

Vegeta’s attitude toward fatherhood also evolves over time. Initially distant and disinterested in his role as a father, Vegeta eventually comes to appreciate his family and takes pride in his children, particularly Trunks. His protective nature toward his family is highlighted in numerous instances, such as when he chooses to stay on Earth for the birth of his daughter Bulla, or when he risks his life to save Trunks during various battles. While he remains focused on training, Vegeta’s motivations shift toward protecting his family and ensuring their safety, often serving as his motivation to grow stronger.

Vegeta’s redemption arc is further solidified in theGalactic Patrol Prisoner Saga, where he expresses guilt for his past atrocities, particularly during his time on Namek. He fights to protect New Namek from Moro as a form of atonement for his past actions, acknowledging that he is unlikely to ever fully redeem himself but still striving to make amends. His growth as a character is marked by his ability to accept the consequences of his past actions while continuing to fight for the planet and his family.

Overall, Vegeta’s personality is defined by his pride, competitive nature, and deep sense of responsibility toward his family and home. While he retains his arrogance and Saiyan pride, he becomes a more mature and compassionate character as the series progresses, ultimately accepting both his limitations and his role as a protector of Earth.