The Saiyans leitmotif

[jjgp1112]

Aside from the more obvious ones like Gohan or Piccolo's theme, or Goku always having some Mystical Adventure or Cha-La Head Cha-La instrumental, another prominent theme I've noticed through the entirety of Z is a melody that's always used for things involving the Saiyans, be it Raditz or any of the protagonists.

First up, we have this, which is first used when Raditz comes out of the spaceship in episode 1 of Z (along with another version used throughout the Saiyan saga: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRH8nZk ... 4o_Ss8XczT). And then we have this, a more bombastic and action-appropriate rendition first used in Movie 4 when Goku undergoes his False Super Saiyan transformation and kicks Lord Slug's ass. And then it pops up twice in Movie 6: first, when Goku transforms in his first battle with Metal Cooler, and then the famous "march" version that's first used when Goku and Vegeta kill Cooler.

And of course, it goes without saying that it pops up a lot throughout the Broly movies! We have this very chilling, foreboding version used after he finishes his transformation into the Legendary Super Saiyan. And then again in Movie 10, although I havene't watched that movie enough to remember the exact time it was used. Then we have this REALLY awesome version from Movie 11 and lastly, Movie 12 has a slower, more drawn out variation when Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 3, followed up by another one when he goes into battle.

It's one of my favorite melodies in the series, and given how often it's used its hard not notice the theme it's going for! Essentially, the "Saiyans doing awesome shit" song.

[Captain-Sora]

or Goku always having some Mystical Adventure or Cha-La Head Cha-La instrumental

He also has another leitmotif that pops up here and there during the later films in a number of renditions. Vegeta also got his own reoccurring film motif.

[Metalwario64]

When I was a kid, I loved that leitmotif, and I still do. I had a very small hard drive on my childhood computer, so I had 4 or so MP3s from Dragon Ball. I had Goku's Super Saiyan 1 and 3 themes from the dub, and I had Spirit vs Spirit and the movie 11 version of the leitmotif.

Vegeta also got his own reoccurring film motif.

I love Vegeta's movie theme. His movie 12 version is exciting, but his movie 7 version captures everything about the character.

[jjgp1112]

And here's another one I missed from Movie 13, when Goku, Gohan, and Goten power up:

https://youtu.be/bGSWEyz9MV8?t=33

It also pops up in Movie 5 when Goku's transforming, but it's a fairly tiny section.

[DB1984]

And here's another one I missed from Movie 13, when Goku, Gohan, and Goten power up:

https://youtu.be/bGSWEyz9MV8?t=33

And that was the last time Kikuchi scored anything for Dragon Ball. Think of it as him riding off into the sunset.