Today marks the 30th anniversary of the finale of Dragon Ball Z, an anime often credited with shaping the modern action shonen genre. Since it ended on January 31, 1996, numerous popular shonen series have taken cues from its groundbreaking style. It essentially created a formula for action-packed stories that’s become a staple of the genre. Despite all the series that have followed, none have quite matched the quality and impact of this classic anime. Dragon Ball Z remains the most influential entry in the Dragon Ball franchise.
Dragon Ball Z, the second main series in the Dragon Ball saga and the last one directly overseen by creator Akira Toriyama before numerous sequels and spin-offs appeared, originally premiered in Japan on April 26, 1989. It ran for 291 episodes, concluding on January 31, 1996. While hugely popular in Japan from the start, it didn’t reach Western audiences until after its Japanese run ended, finally finishing its broadcast there in 2003. Even today, many fans consider Dragon Ball Z to be the best part of the entire franchise, and its impact continues to be felt.
30 Years Ago Today, Dragon Ball Z Ended
The second part of the Dragon Ball series surprised everyone by revealing Goku wasn’t human, immediately drawing parallels to Superman. This sparked a lot of excitement about how powerful this “anime Superman” could become, and Goku’s adventures didn’t disappoint. The most memorable moment arrived during the fight with Frieza, when Goku finally unlocked the legendary Super Saiyan transformation – a payoff that had been years in the making. As the series continued, new and more powerful Super Saiyan forms became central to every victory, creating a pattern that would heavily influence not only Dragon Ball Z itself, but the entire action anime genre.
Towards the end of the epic battle against Majin Buu, fans were thrilled to see Goku transform into Super Saiyan 3. They also witnessed the iconic fusion of Goku and Vegeta, creating a fan-favorite character, and the climactic fight where Goku defeated Kid Buu using a Spirit Bomb fueled by energy from across the universe. The series concluded with a meaningful moment: Goku passing on his legacy to Uub at the World Martial Arts Tournament.
Over the years, the Dragon Ball series has continued to grow with new additions like GT and, most recently, Daima. Dragon Ball Super has especially kept the spirit of creator Akira Toriyama alive, with ongoing adaptations and new stories. Remarkably, the franchise remains incredibly popular, still thriving thanks to the strong base established by the original Dragon Ball Z over 30 years ago, and shows no signs of losing momentum.
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2026-01-31 16:10