Bardock has few overall manga and anime appearances within the series, though he plays a pivotal part as Goku's biological father in setting up the backstory of his son, originally known by the name Kakarot, as one of the last survivors of the Saiyan genocide by Frieza.

Within the series, the Saiyans are depicted as a warlike species who display a wide array of special abilities, possessing immense natural strength, ki energy manipulation, as well as superhuman agility, reflexes and senses.

With the exception of their monkey-like tails, which enables the transformation of an individual in view of a full moon into a Great Ape, Saiyans have the same outward appearance as humans but with larger, more muscular builds.

Franchise creator Akira Toriyama explained in an interview published in the March 2014 issue of Saikyō Jump that Bardock and his wife Gine (ギネ) are among the rare Saiyans who are joined by an emotional bond as opposed to a practical reproductive purpose.

[5] He said that he tends to avoid serious material in his work and he would have stuck to a lighter comedic tone had he authored Bardock's story himself, but complimented Toei's approach for giving a bit more emotional depth to the series' mythos.

[5] Before his death, however, Bardock has one final vision of Goku challenging Frieza, and dies smiling knowing his son is destined to avenge their people's annihilation.

He is hurled into the distant past to a strange planet where he comes into conflict with Frieza's ancestor, Chilled, and eventually succeeds in achieving the Super Saiyan transformation.

[12] In "Dragon Ball Minus: The Departure of the Fated Child", a story included in the collected volume of Jaco the Galactic Patrolman which takes place months before the destruction of Planet Vegeta, Bardock believes that Frieza is up to something when they receive an order for all Saiyans to return home.

During an invasion on Planet Cereal, led by Frieza's army, Bardock was able to rescue the Namekian sage Monaito and a young Cerelian named Granolah.

However, he was unable to save Granolah's mother, Muezli, when Elec, the leader of Frieza's former brokers, the Heeters mercilessly shot her on her chest at point blank.

[16] Shadow Studio released a highly detailed collectible statue depicting Bardock and Gine witnessing Goku's departure in a space pod.

[18][19] Kofi Outlaw, also from Comicbook.com, was of the view that Broly "created a lot of new room for a much more noble and (anti-)heroic version of Bardock to become part of the modern Dragon Ball series", and suggested that the character should be brought back into canon continuity in some form.

[20] Strait was of the opinion that Bardock's consistent appearances in the franchise's licensed video games have contributed significantly towards the character's enduring popularity.

[17] Critical commentary of Bardock's role in the series, particularly his revised personality observed in Minus and Broly, drew comparisons to the Superman character Jor-El by multiple sources.

Garcia also claimed that Minus and Broly introduced several inconsistencies between the aforementioned works, such as Goku's age at the time of his departure from the Saiyan homeworld.