Seven years have passed since Gohan defeated Cell, and life has been surprisingly peaceful. It’s been wild watching Gohan grow into a teenager trying to balance high school with his secret identity as the Great Saiyaman. Goku is still in the Other World, but he gets a special one-day pass to return to Earth for the World Martial Arts Tournament. This tournament brings all our favorite Z Fighters back together for what they think will be a friendly competition. They have no idea this peaceful reunion is about to be shattered by a dark new enemy.
The Supreme Kai and his attendant, Kibito, show up with a dire warning about an ancient evil. They tell us a powerful wizard named Babidi has come to Earth with a sinister plan: to resurrect Majin Buu. Buu is a magical, nearly indestructible being created by his father, Bibidi, ages ago to cause chaos across the universe. To revive him, Babidi needs a massive amount of energy and plans to steal it from powerful fighters like us. The tournament quickly becomes a hunting ground for Babidi’s minions, who are sent to collect this energy no matter the cost.
Key Takeaways
The saga begins with a peaceful reunion at the World Martial Arts Tournament, which is quickly shattered by the arrival of the wizard Babidi, who plans to resurrect the ancient evil, Majin Buu.
Vegeta’s pride is a central conflict, leading him to be corrupted by Babidi, which helps unleash Buu, but he later makes the ultimate sacrifice in a failed attempt to atone for his actions.
New power-ups are introduced to combat the escalating threat, including Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 transformation and the Fusion technique, which creates powerful warriors like Gotenks and Vegito.
Majin Buu is a uniquely dangerous villain who is nearly indestructible, regenerates from any attack, and can absorb other fighters to gain their power and intelligence.
The final victory is a collective effort, as Goku defeats the final form, Kid Buu, with a Super Spirit Bomb powered by the energy of every person on Earth, a plan conceived by Vegeta.
The saga provides a definitive conclusion to Vegeta’s character arc, as he casts aside his pride to protect his family and acknowledges Goku as the superior fighter.
A Tournament and a Terrible Omen
Seven years have passed since we defeated Cell, and life has been surprisingly normal. I’ve been watching Gohan handle his teenage years at Orange Star High School, even creating his superhero alter ego, the Great Saiyaman, to fight crime. To bring the old gang back together, we all decided to enter the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament. The best part was Goku getting a 24-hour pass from the Other World to compete with us, making it feel just like old times.
But the happy reunion didn’t last long. Two mysterious figures, the Supreme Kai and his attendant Kibito, appeared with a dire warning. They told us an evil wizard named Babidi was on Earth to resurrect an ancient, terrifying creature called Majin Buu. The Supreme Kai explained that Babidi planned to steal energy from the tournament’s strongest fighters to set this monster free. Suddenly, the tournament wasn’t just about prize money; it was about preventing total destruction.
Things escalated quickly when two of Babidi’s minions attacked Gohan and drained his energy right in the middle of the ring. We followed them to Babidi’s hidden spaceship, but the wizard had a twisted plan. Babidi preyed on Vegeta’s pride and his old rivalry with Goku, corrupting him with dark magic. This turned him back into the ruthless Saiyan prince we once knew, creating Majin Vegeta and giving Babidi the massive surge of energy he needed, Dragon Ball Z episode 220, The Dark Prince Returns.
The Unstoppable Majin Buu is Unleashed
Our plan to stop Babidi from reviving Majin Buu failed when Vegeta’s pride got in the way. Babidi needed massive amounts of energy to break Buu’s seal, and he got it by manipulating Vegeta into fighting Goku. When Buu finally emerged, he wasn’t what anyone expected. He was a pink, childlike creature who seemed more interested in candy than destruction. But his immense and chaotic power became terrifyingly clear when he effortlessly defeated both Gohan and the Supreme Kai.
Seeing the devastation he helped cause, Vegeta knocks Goku out and decides to face Majin Buu alone to atone for his mistake. He throws everything he has at Buu, but the magical being just keeps regenerating from every attack. Realizing there’s only one way to completely destroy Buu, Vegeta makes the ultimate choice. He hugs his son Trunks for the first time and says goodbye before unleashing all of his life energy in a massive explosion, sacrificing himself to save his family and the world in his Final Atonement, Dragon Ball Z episode 237.
Fusions and Desperate Power-Ups
To buy time against Majin Buu, Goku revealed an incredible new form he achieved in the Other World: Super Saiyan 3. With its long golden hair and no eyebrows, this transformation was immensely powerful but drained his energy at a ridiculous rate. Since it wasn’t a long-term solution, we turned to a bizarre technique called the Fusion Dance. Piccolo taught the synchronized moves to Goten and Trunks, who merged into the hilariously arrogant but powerful warrior, Gotenks.
Even with Gotenks’s power, things got worse when Super Buu absorbed him and Piccolo, becoming stronger and smarter. This new threat required an even more drastic power-up, so the Old Kai gave Goku the divine Potara earrings. These magical items create a permanent and much stronger fusion, forcing a reluctant Vegeta to merge with his rival to save everyone. This legendary team-up created the unstoppable warrior Vegito, who was so powerful he completely dominated Super Buu in their fight, Dragon Ball Z episode 268, Union of Rivals.
The Final Battle for the Universe
The final battle was on the Sacred World of the Kai, where Goku and Vegeta faced the purest form of evil: Kid Buu. This version of the villain is completely wild and unpredictable, driven only by an instinct for destruction. I remember watching Goku power up to Super Saiyan 3, but even that incredible form struggled against Kid Buu’s endless stamina and insane regeneration. A straightforward fight wasn’t going to be enough to stop this chaotic monster, so they needed a new plan.
Realizing they were outmatched, Vegeta came up with a desperate plan for Goku to gather energy for a massive Super Spirit Bomb. To buy Goku the time he needed, Vegeta selflessly took an absolute beatdown from the relentless Kid Buu. Meanwhile, back on Earth, everyone was hesitant to give their energy until Hercule Satan stepped up. He used his fame to convince the entire planet to contribute, showing how even the unlikeliest of heroes can save the day.
With the energy of everyone on Earth gathered, Goku launched the massive attack but was too drained from the fight to finish the job. In a perfect last-minute save, a wish on the Namekian Dragon Balls restored Goku’s strength to its peak. This final surge of power allowed him to push the Spirit Bomb forward, completely vaporizing Kid Buu. It was an incredible finish, a victory achieved not just by one hero, but by the combined spirit of the entire planet, Dragon Ball Z episode 286, Spirit Bomb Triumphant.
Conclusion
The final victory over Kid Buu felt like a massive triumph for the entire universe, not just for us. I love that it took a Super Spirit Bomb, powered by the energy of every person on Earth, to finally win. This moment showed how far the world had come, with even skeptical humans lending their power thanks to Hercule’s surprising influence. The wish to erase the world’s memory of Buu’s evil brought a well-deserved peace. It also allowed the good, innocent version of Buu to live on Earth, wrapping up his story in a surprisingly wholesome way.
This saga was also the perfect conclusion for the original Dragon Ball Z series and its most important characters. We finally saw Vegeta complete his incredible arc, casting aside his pride to acknowledge Goku as the best and fighting to protect his family and his new home. The story then jumps forward ten years, showing a world at peace where our heroes are living normal lives. I think this time skip was the perfect ending, with Goku flying off to train Uub, the human reincarnation of Kid Buu, and hinting at all the adventures still to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is Goku dead at the start of the Majin Buu Saga?
Goku sacrificed his life to save Earth from Cell seven years earlier. He decided to stay in the Other World to train but was granted a special 24-hour pass to return for the World Martial Arts Tournament.
2. Who is the Great Saiyaman?
The Great Saiyaman is Gohan’s secret superhero identity. He uses this goofy persona to fight crime in the city without revealing his true power while he’s trying to be a normal high school student.
3. What is Majin Buu?
Majin Buu is an ancient and incredibly powerful magical being created millions of years ago for the sole purpose of destruction. He is nearly invincible and can absorb people to steal their power, which makes him one of the most dangerous enemies we’ve ever faced.
4. Who is Babidi and what does he want?
Babidi is an evil wizard whose father, Bibidi, created Majin Buu. He came to Earth to finish his father’s work by resurrecting Buu, and he plans to do this by stealing a massive amount of energy from powerful fighters like us.
5. Why is the World Martial Arts Tournament so important in this saga?
The tournament is our first big reunion in years, bringing everyone, including Goku, back together. Unfortunately, it also becomes the hunting ground for Babidi’s minions, who need to gather energy from strong fighters to revive Buu, Dragon Ball Z episode 215.
6. Who is the Supreme Kai?
The Supreme Kai is the highest-ranking deity of our universe. He came to Earth with his attendant, Kibito, to warn us about Babidi because he knows how devastating Majin Buu is and is desperate to stop his revival.
