Beginning the journey of Dragon Ball is like entering into a world of limitless exploration, extraordinary fights, and timeless personas. Since its debut in 1986, Akira Toriyama’s creation has evolved into an expanding universe in anime that encompasses multiple series, movies, and specials. However, a common problem every new viewer faces is how to start the Dragon Ball anime and what will be the perfect watch order of it.
So, to help you, in this article, we are going to cover the complete watch order, filler episodes that you can skip, and everything else you need to know before starting the Dragon Ball series.
Canonical Watch Order (Recommended for First-Time Viewers)
This part focuses on the main plot as imagined by the show’s creator, Akira Toriyama. It leaves out non-canon stuff like Dragon Ball GT and some movies.
- Dragon Ball (1986–1989)
Episodes: 153
Follow young Goku’s adventures as he trains in martial arts and seeks the Dragon Balls. - Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996)
Episodes: 291
Continue with Goku’s adult life, facing powerful foes like Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu. Alternatively:- Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009–2015)
Episodes: 167
A remastered version of DBZ with reduced filler and updated visuals.
- Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009–2015)
- Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018)
Episodes: 131
Set after DBZ, Goku encounters gods and multiverse tournaments. - Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
A canonical movie introducing the legendary Saiyan, Broly. - Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)
Focuses on Gohan and Piccolo battling the revived Red Ribbon Army. - Dragon Ball Daima (2024–2025)
Episodes: 20
Set between DBZ and Super, Goku and friends are turned into children and explore the Demon Realm.
Dragon Ball Movies
There are many films in the franchise, some of which are canon. A synopsis of the canonical ones is as follows:
- Battle of Gods (2013)
Introduces Beerus, the God of Destruction. - Resurrection ‘F’ (2015)
Frieza returns with new powers. - Broly (2018)
Reimagines Broly’s character into the main canon. - Super Hero (2022)
Focuses on Gohan and Piccolo’s battle against the Red Ribbon Army.
Read More: https://animespotlight.net/bleach-watch-order-the-complete-guide-and-more/