5 Best Dragon Ball Series Ranked

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Even forty years after it first appeared, Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball continues to grow in popularity. Starting as a series in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1984, it became the most impactful action manga ever created. Dragon Ball is exciting and innovative, inspiring numerous manga artists and many well-known shows. It’s famous for its action-packed battles and the unforgettable characters that have been introduced over time. Toei Animation later adapted the manga into an anime, which helped it become a worldwide success.

For years, this popular series has expanded with sequels, spin-offs, movies, and games, offering plenty for fans worldwide. But with so many different installments, which one is the best?

5) Dragon Ball GT

Originally released in 1997, this Toei Animation series is a spin-off of the main Dragon Ball story, with some contributions from Akira Toriyama. The adventure starts when Emperor Pilaf discovers the Black Star Dragon Balls, rumored to be even stronger than the Earth’s Dragon Balls. As he’s about to wish for control of the world, Goku interferes and is unexpectedly turned into a child.

A huge mistake has caused the Dragon Balls to be spread throughout the universe. Now, the planet faces destruction unless they’re all collected within a year, so Goku and his friends need to find a way to prevent disaster.

4) Dragon Ball Super

I remember when the original Dragon Ball story wrapped up – it felt like the end of an era! But about twenty years later, Akira Toriyama surprised everyone with a sequel called Dragon Ball Super. The new story picks up after Majin Buu’s defeat, when things are peaceful on Earth, but there’s still a lot of trouble brewing out in the universe. The anime finished a big arc called the Tournament of Power in 2018, and now it’s getting ready to start a new one, the Galactic Patrol Saga, which I’m really looking forward to!

The next part of the story will see Goku and Vegeta team up with the Galactic Patrol to stop Moro, a powerful, ancient wizard who eats planets. However, the manga is currently paused because of Akira Toriyama’s passing. Although Toyotaro, the manga artist who assisted Toriyama, is expected to continue the series, there’s no news yet about when it will return.

3) Dragon Ball Daima

Dragon Ball Daima is the last story created by Akira Toriyama, made to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Dragon Ball series. The story begins right after the defeat of Buu, before the events of Dragon Ball Super. After Dabura dies, Gomah takes over as the ruler of the Demon Realm and learns about the incredible strength of Goku and his friends.

He believes they pose a significant danger and asks his advisor, Degesu, for assistance in collecting the Dragon Balls on Earth. Together, they transform Goku and his friends into children and abduct Dende, Earth’s guardian. To reverse the transformation and return to their normal selves, Goku and his companions venture into the Demon Realm, facing numerous challenges along the way.

2) Dragon Ball

The first Dragon Ball anime premiered in 1986 and covered the first 194 chapters of the manga, establishing the core storyline. It was through this series that fans were first introduced to the amazing world created by Toriyama. The story begins with Bulma, a sixteen-year-old girl searching for the mystical Dragon Balls, who then encounters Goku, a young boy raised by his grandfather.

Bulma needs a Dragon Ball, and when this man refuses to hand his over, she makes him a deal: she’ll let him join her adventure if she can use its power. This kicks off a story where Goku learns martial arts and discovers just how strong he really is.

1) Dragon Ball Z

Dragon Ball Z continues the story from the original Dragon Ball, but with a new title to reflect the time jump. While the first series established the core story, Dragon Ball Z is what really made it famous in Western countries.

A few years after a great tournament, Goku is happily married to Chi-Chi and raising his four-year-old son. But their peaceful life is disrupted when secrets about Goku’s past come back to threaten everything he cares about. To protect his family and the Earth, Goku must face his origins and the dangers that are coming his way.

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2026-03-10 05:40