Iru's Race

Iru's race is an unnamed species of eel-like humanoid aliens who serve within the ranks of the Frieza Force. They are roughly the same height as Earthlings and possess elongated facial features reminiscent of eels, giving them a distinctive appearance among the many alien species under Frieza's command. Individual members display different skin colorations, with documented variations in green, blue, and purple, suggesting either natural diversity within the species or environmental adaptation.

Their homeworld is unknown, and like many races conscripted into the Frieza Force, virtually nothing is documented about their culture, biology, or society outside of their military service. They appear to serve in various capacities, from foot soldiers to ship crew members.

The namesake member of this race, Iru, holds a peculiar honor in Dragon Ball history: he was the very first character to engage Future Trunks in combat. When King Cold's spaceship arrived on Earth carrying the rebuilt Mecha Frieza, Iru was among the soldiers who disembarked. He confronted the mysterious young swordsman who appeared to challenge the invasion force, becoming the first casualty in Future Trunks's spectacular debut.

Other members of the race were observed aboard King Cold's spaceship. A bluish-colored individual sat near the captain as a pilot, while a purple member stood in front of King Cold during the catastrophic moment when the tyrant shattered his own ship's window, sending several soldiers tumbling into the void of space near the remains of Planet Namek.

The race returned in Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F, where multiple members served under Sorbet and later formed part of Frieza's army of 1,000 soldiers that invaded Earth. They fought against the Z Fighters in the battle preceding Frieza's confrontation with Goku and Vegeta, and were soundly defeated alongside their fellow soldiers.

In the video game Dragon Ball Z III: Ressen Jinzoningen, Iru appears as an enemy alongside two color-swapped variants: the purple Eire and the orange Okuto. These palette swaps represent weaker versions of Iru, functioning as common enemies throughout the game. This color-coding system mirrors how the anime itself depicted multiple members of the race in different hues.

Iru's race exemplifies the vast diversity of alien species that filled the Frieza Force's ranks. They were never major players in any story arc, but their consistent appearances across the Trunks Saga, Resurrection F, and various video games demonstrate that Toriyama and subsequent creators maintained a visual continuity for the background species that populated the franchise's most iconic military organization.