Here’s How To Watch All The ‘Dragon Ball’ Series & Movies In Order

For many anime fans, the Dragon Ball franchise reigns supreme as one of anime’s most beloved and extensive universes.

The original Dragon Ball series, adapted from the manga of the same title since the mid-80s, lays the foundation for this epic universe. Consisting of an intricate narrative, unforgettable characters, and epic battles, most of the action is focused on Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, and the newest addition, Super Dragon Ball Heroes, as the mainline series.

While Akira Toriyama, the legendary manga artist and Dragon Ball’s creative mastermind, passed away on 1 March 2024, leaving behind a cherished legacy, his departure has brought new interest to the series. For newcomers embracing Toriyama’s world, navigating the vast content array can be challenging, especially grasping the movies’ and series’ chronological order to understand how much of an impact the series has made on many fans’ lives.

Here’s an overview of the key Dragon Ball titles to look at followed by an in-depth look at what to catch if you have time to spare –

Mainline Dragon Ball Universe

1. Dragon Ball (1986-1989): The epic saga commences with the Dragon Ball series in the mid-80s, introducing us to the youthful Goku (complete with monkey tail and all) and chronicling his quests in pursuit of the mythical Dragon Balls. Drawing from the initial 194 chapters of the manga, this pioneering series establishes the bedrock for the entire franchise. Most of the famous characters like Bulma, Krillin, Master Roshi, and, eventual ally, Piccolo make their first appearance here.
   
2. Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996): Continuing the saga after the events of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z chronicles Goku’s adult years and his relentless clashes against formidable adversaries, including Vegeta, Frieza, Cell, and the malevolent Majin Buu. It was at this point many fans rejected Gohan as the successor to the series preferring Goku to remain in the spotlight. This iconic arc has etched itself into the minds of many kids of the generation. Known for its electrifying action sequences and iconic transformations that have become hallmarks of the franchise where Goku and Vegeta fuse themselves as the powerful Vegito and Gogeta.
   
3. Dragon Ball GT (1996-1997): Departing from the manga’s narrative, Dragon Ball GT charts an unexplored trajectory in Goku’s saga, taking place after the events depicted in Dragon Ball Z. This installment introduces new opponents and embarks Goku (once again) to recover the dispersed Dragon Balls scattered throughout the universe.
   
4. Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018): Picking up where Dragon Ball Z left off, Dragon Ball Super chronicles Goku’s ongoing adventures, unveiling fresh faces like Beerus, Whis, and the multiversal tournament competitors. If you’ve encountered Dragon Ball in present times, much of the collectible card game material is based on Dragon Ball Super.

If you have plenty of time to spare, here’s the full list of Dragon Ball movies and series to watch in chronological order –

• Dragon Ball
• Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 1-86
• Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku (TV Special)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 87-107
• Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 108-123
• Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks (TV Special)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 124 and 125
• Dragon Ball Z: Cooler’s Revenge (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 126-146
• Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13 (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z episodes 147-173
• Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 174-194
• Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 195-207
• Dragon Ball Z: Broly’s Second Coming (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 208-250
• Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 251-253
• Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (movie)
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 254-288
• Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (movie)
• Dragon Ball DAIMA
• Dragon Ball Z: episodes 289-291
• Dragon Ball GT: episodes 1-64
• Dragon Ball Super: episodes 1-3
• Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods (movie)
• Dragon Ball Super: episodes 4-18
• Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F (movie)
• Dragon Ball Super: episodes 19-131
• Dragon Ball Super: Broly (movie)
• Super Dragon Ball Heroes
• Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

---

As of writing, the best way to catch all these episodes would be via Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Hulu. Their library might not be the most exhaustive, but it serves as a good start.

Despite his passing, Toriyama’s legacy continues to live on with the upcoming Dragon Ball: Daima anime, Sand Land: The Series, bound for Disney+ in Spring 2024, and Bandai Namco’s Sand Land video game.