Dragon Ball: Chronological order of all the movies and series of the saga

The world of manga and anime is increasingly part of the general culture of the West. However, in many of its phenomena it continues to be niche and has a strong generational barrier. dragonball, however, is one of the great exceptions. The manga created by the mythical Akira Toriyama in 1984 about the young Goku and the search for the Dragon Balls, 7 spheres that when joined together grant a wish (yes, three if they are those of Namek), did not take long to make the leap to the moving image thanks to the Toei Animation studio. The rest, as who says, is history. Basically, the history of Shonen and all action anime. Maybe another day it’s time to talk about Naruto either one piece, his two most prominent disciples. Now, however, we focus on Goku, Bulma, Vegeta, Piccolo and company.

In more than thirty years of history, dragonball and Toei, with or without the direct basis of Akira Toriyama, have turned the series into a phenomenon that is as profitable as it is prolific. Dragon Ball has already accompanied several generations, and it is still growing and expanding. This 2022, in fact, arrives in Spain Dragon Ball Super: Super Herothe latest film adventure in the saga, one that was revived in this 21st century thanks to the Dragon Ball Super series.

The adventures of Goku company are already part of popular culture and there will probably be those who know them without even knowing what the word manga means. However, there are many kinds of fans of dragonball. There are those who have seen each and every one of the derivative works, those who have read the manga, those who saw it on television dubbed when they were little, those who have seen a single chapter, those who know it more through video games than fight for something else and, most importantly, those who want to join one of these groups.

Entering first into a saga as gigantic, mythical and long-lived as dragonball it can be hard. Above all, knowing when to start or where. That is why we have decided to focus on the chronological order, the most recommended, to see all of Dragon Ball without missing anything. Of course, we already know that it is a lot, and that there will be those who are only interested in the series, who have any doubts about the order of the films or who want it all together. That is why we have divided it into three sections. Have you seen them all?

Chronological order of the Dragon Ball series

Without a doubt, the series are what has made dragonball the quintessential shonen anime for several generations. Whether it is the most childish and pure adventure Dragon Ball, the spectacular epic of Z, the controversial but original GT or the recent Super, the television series are the essential to know Dragon Ball, the heart of it.

1. Dragon Ball (1986-1989, 153 chapters): The beginning of everything, more adventure than action, with a Goku more focused on the legend of the Monkey King and the fight against masters of martial arts than against aliens capable of destroying planets. As a series it is probably the best.
2. Dragon Ball Z (1989-1996, 287* chapters) / Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009-2015, 159 chapters): Whether you watch the first version or the anniversary tribute, remastered and without filler, here is the quintessential action anime. z is epic and full of legendary battles: Goku’s first fight against Vegeta, that first Super Saiyan against Frieza, Gohan against Cell, the imaginative Buu saga… A legend.
3. Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018, 131 chapters): Discussed and late recent anime series that took advantage of seven gap years from the original series to create a new fiction. Although it is weak at first and the animation has reduced its quality, it rewards you with one last bow, a tournament between universes, which borders on the best moments of the series.
4. Super Dragon Ball Heroes (2018-present): It is not canonical and borders on fan service, only for completists.
5. Dragon Ball Z (last 4 episodes, 288, 289, 290 and 291): The most “authentic” and canonical end of Goku’s adventures for its creator, Akira Toriyama.
6. Dragon Ball GT (1996-1997, 65 episodes): Without Toriyama, the studio decided to continue the adventures of a Goku who, despite being a grandfather, becomes a child again due to the dragon balls. Although the first half of it is the weakest of the saga until Superits outcome is truly spectacular, including one of the best endings in the history of the genre.

Chronological order of Dragon Ball movies, OVAs and specials

However, like all great anime, Dragon Ball has given rise to a multitude of specials, OVAs and major film productions that have better or worse squeezed the golden eggs. Some are simple lost chapters of little importance, but others have given us some of the best moments of the saga, including legendary villains like Broly.

Most are not canonical works and some even contradict each other. However, others have given us moments at the level of the best in the saga. Although we will leave you with their chronological order later, we would like to recommend you, for pure quality and epic: Dragon Ball Z: The Last Fight (1990), Dragon Ball Z: A Different Future (1993), Dragon Ball Z: The Silver Warriors (1993) Dragon Ball Z: The duel breaks out (1993), Dragon Ball Z: Dragon Attack (nineteen ninety five), Dragon Ball Z: Fusion! (nineteen ninety five), Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018).

1. The Last Fight / A Lonely Final Battle (1990)
2. The Bardock Episode (2011)
3. The Legend of the Shenlong Dragon (1986)
4. Sleeping Beauty in the Castle of Evil (1987)
5. Great Mystical Adventure (1988)
6. The Path to the Strongest (1996)
7. Garlic Junior Immortal (1989)
8. The Strongest in the World (1990)
9. The Super Battle (1990)
10. The Super Warrior Son Goku (1991)
11. The Best Rivals (1991)
12. Warriors of Unlimited Strength (1992)
13. The Big 3 Super Saiyans (1992)
14. Duel Breaks Out (1993)
15. A Different Future: Gohan and Trunks (1993)
16. The Plan to Destroy All Saiyans (1993)
17. The Silver Warriors (1993)
18. Broly’s Return (1994)
19. The Ultimate Combat (1994)
20. Fusion (1995)
21. Dragon Attack (1995)
22. Goku and his friends return (2008)
23. The Battle of the Gods (2013)
24. Frieza’s Resurrection (2015)
25. Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
26. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)
27. 100 years later (1997)

Chronological order of all Dragon Ball, including series and movies

This section is for true completionists and it is something that I confess that I did when I had no job and now I see it as completely impossible. This is all Dragon Ball, series and movies, in order. Yes, because one has to know that the movies are not only related to their corresponding series, but that they happen at more or less specific points in them. You can’t watch Dragon Ball Z and watch a movie with Gohan in Super Saiyan 2 before it comes out. That’s why we’ve dug through the arcs of the series to tell you at what point you should watch each of the movies, while you see for the first time or you see the series in question again. Also, of course, there are movies worth watching before or in between.

1-The last fight / A lonely final battle (1990)

2-The Bardock episode (2011)

3-Dragon Ball (Dragon Ball)

·Between episodes 39-40: The Legend of the Shenlong Dragon (1986)

·Between episodes 70-71: Sleeping Beauty in the Castle of Evil (1987)

·Between episodes 118-119: Great Mystical Adventure (1988)

·Summary of episode 1 to 78: The path to the strongest (1996)

4-Dragon Ball Z

·Immediately before or between the first 2 episodes: Garlic Junior Immortal (1989)

·Between episodes 21-22: The Strongest in the World (1990)

·Between episodes 54-55: The super battle (1990)

·Between episodes 81-82: The Super Warrior Son Goku (1991)

·Between episodes 117-118: The best rivals (1991)

·Between episodes 129-130: Warriors of Unlimited Strength (1992)

·Between episodes 153-164: The Big 3 Super Saiyans (1992)

·Alternate history between the arcs of Frieza and Cell: The duel breaks out (1993)

·Cell arc, between chapters 118-194: A different future: Gohan and Trunks (1993)

·Alternate history during the arc of Cell: The Plan to Destroy All Saiyans (1993)

·Between episodes 196-197: The Silver Warriors (1993)

Buu’s beginning arc, around chapter 200: The return of Broly (1994)

Buu’s beginning arc, around chapter 200: Fusion (1995)

·Extension of chapter 252: The final combat (1994)

Buu Arc (200-291): Dragon Attack (1995)

5-Dragon Ball Super

·Equivalence chapters 1-14: The battle of the gods (2013)

·Equivalence chapters 15-27: The resurrection of Frieza (2015)

·Undetermined or after the end of the series: Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)

·Undetermined or after the end of the series: Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)

6-Last 4 episodes of Dragon Ball Z

7-Dragon Ball GT

8-100 Years Later (1997)