More than forty years ago, the world of Shonen series was forever altered when Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball first appeared in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. The series profoundly impacted the industry, becoming one of the most recognizable franchises in Shonen history and a hugely influential series. It’s not just an exciting story; it truly broke new ground, inspiring numerous manga artists and many well-known shows. The series is celebrated not only for its spectacular battles but also for the unforgettable characters it introduced over the years.
Dragon Ball completely changed the action-adventure anime world, and it heavily influenced many popular shows like One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. The anime version, first shown in 1986, quickly became popular all over the world. Since then, the franchise has grown to include many different spin-offs, continuations, anime series, movies, and even video games. Although all seven of the anime series released so far are good, some are naturally better than others.
7) Super Dragon Ball Heroes
Dragon Ball’s most debated series initially received negative attention when it first aired in 2018. It was designed to advertise the related card and video games and featured the story arc from the game called “Prison Planet.” The narrative picks up after the Tournament of Power, with a new character named Fu abducting Future Trunks to draw Goku and Vegeta to the Prison Planet. Fu had built a unique, experimental zone and collected strong fighters from various planets and time periods, forcing them into a dangerous contest where gathering the Special Dragon Balls was the only way to survive and potentially escape.
6) Dragon Ball Z Kai
Dragon Ball Z marked its 20th anniversary in 2009 with the release of Dragon Ball Z Kai, which was a revamped and improved version of the original anime series. Because the original DBZ had an older animation style, Kai updated the visuals and trimmed out unnecessary scenes and filler episodes to stay closer to the story in the manga. The original series had 291 episodes, but Kai condensed these into 167, creating a quicker pace that appealed to new viewers. However, many still prefer the original version for its nostalgic value and more engaging experience.
5) Dragon Ball GT
I’m so excited to talk about this! Released back in 1997, this original movie from Toei Animation is a really cool side story to the main Dragon Ball series – Akira Toriyama was involved, which is awesome! It kicks off with the evil Emperor Pilaf finding the Black Star Dragon Balls – legend says they’re twice as strong as the ones we know! He’s about to wish for total world domination when, hilariously, Goku interrupts and gets turned into a child! Now things get serious: those Dragon Balls are scattered all over the galaxy, and Earth is going to explode unless someone can collect them all within a year! So Goku and the gang have to figure out a way to save the planet. It’s a wild ride!
4) Dragon Ball Super
Dragon Ball Super debuted its animated series in the same year, with the initial 27 episodes covering the stories from the movies Dragon Ball Z Movie 14: Battle of Gods (Episodes 1-14) and Dragon Ball Z Movie 15: Resurrection ‘F’ (Episodes 15-27). The narrative picks up after Majin Buu’s defeat, when the Earth enjoys a brief period of calm, though many threats still remain hidden. The manga is currently paused without a set return date following Toriyama’s passing, and there have been no updates regarding a continuation of the anime.
3) Dragon Ball Daima
Dragon Ball Daima is the last project created by Akira Toriyama, made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Ball series. The story is set after the defeat of Buu, but before the events of Dragon Ball Super. Gomah, the new leader of the Demon Realm, learns about the incredible strength of Goku and his friends and sees them as a potential danger. He uses the Dragon Balls on Earth – with help from his assistant, Degesu – to turn everyone into children and also captures Dende. Goku and the others then travel to the Demon Realm to try and return to their normal sizes, facing numerous challenges along the way.
2) Dragon Ball
The initial Dragon Ball series debuted in 1986 and covered the first 194 chapters of the manga, establishing the core storyline. It welcomed viewers into the amazing universe crafted by Akira Toriyama, where we meet Bulma, a 16-year-old girl searching for the mystical Dragon Balls. She then encounters Goku, a young boy who grew up with only his grandfather. When Goku refuses to part with the Dragon Ball he owns, Bulma proposes a deal: she’ll let him join her adventure if he allows her to use its power.
1) Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z picks up where the first Dragon Ball story left off, but Toei Animation gave it a new name after a time jump. The original Dragon Ball set up the whole world and story, while Dragon Ball Z is what really made it famous in Western countries. The story begins a few years later, with Goku now married to Chi-Chi and the father of a four-year-old son. But his quiet family life is disrupted when secrets from his past resurface. He needs to face his origins and any dangers coming towards Earth to protect everyone.
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2025-09-29 17:18