After the 22 martial arts tournament, one which Goku gets second and Ten Shin Han gets first, an old enemy of humanity comes back again to scatter darkness on Earth, his name is Piccolo Daimao. He has no idea of his opponent Goku, and how stong he is. Goku's first encounter is with Tambourine (one of Piccolo's henchmen), because he murders Goku's best friend Krillin, and later with Timbal (which ends up being eaten by Yajirobe), and Drum (the demond that goes up against Ten Shin Han).
Piccolo, after facing and defeating Goku, gets wished eternal life by the Dragon Shen Long, which is then eliminated (Shen Long). Piccolo also kills Master Roshi (in an attempt to trap Piccolo with a technique that his (Master Roshi's) master had done before), and Chauzu. After Goku was not able to keep up with Piccolo, goes to the sacred tower with his new friend Yajirobe, and drinks the sacred water, and his powers increase. Ten Shin Han faces Piccolo and tries to do the technique that Master Roshi had tried before and too fails and is almost killed, but Goku comes right at the nick of time. After a hard battle, Goku wins, but as Piccolo dies, he leaves an egg that contains his son and which is supposed to avenge his (Piccolo's) death.

Goku wants to revive his dead friends, but can't since Piccolo had destroyed She Long. So he goes to Kami's island to ask Kami sama for help. It turns out that Kami is the good part of Piccolo. He (Kami) revives Shen Long, with the help of Mr. Popo (Kami's assistant). Shen Long is revived and Goku gets his wish, to revive his friends, but he (Goku) can't see his friends until another three years (in return of reviving Shen Long, Goku agress to stay and train with Kami Sama for three years, until the next tournament where he is to face Piccolo's son). After the three years of hard training Goku enters in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai tournament.

The finalist include, Shen (Kami sama disguised), Goku, Chi-chi (Goku's future wife and an old friend, after a fight against Goku and Chi chi, Goku decides to marry her since he did promise when he was little because he thought that marriage was food, after the match they make an announcement that Goku and Chi chi are going to get married), Ten Shin Han, Krillin, Yamcha, Tao Pai Pai, and of course Piccolo Jr.

The first matches are Tao Pai Pai vs. Ten Shin Han (Ten wins), Yamcha vs. Shen (Shen wins) , Krillin vs. Piccolo Jr. (Piccolo wins), and Goku vs. Chi chi (Goku wins). Then it is Ten vs. Goku (Goku wins) and Piccolo vs. Kami(Shen) (Piccolo wins) The two final finalist are Piccolo Jr. and Goku, and after a long hard battle Goku wins his first tournament.

Chi chi and Goku get married and have their whole life ahead of them...