Dragon Ball established the blueprint for countless battle shonen anime. It began as a lighthearted martial arts adventure featuring a uniquely strong protagonist, then went on to deliver some of the most iconic, planet-shattering battles the medium has seen in decades.
There aren’t many anime fans who haven’t watched this legendary classic. However, if you happen to be one of the lucky few who can still experience this story for the first time, this article is your final stop for understanding the watch order.
| TITLE | Dragon Ball |
| ORIGINAL CREATOR | Akira Toriyama |
| PUBLISHING DATE | November 20, 1984 |
| MAL RATING (as of June 30, 2026) | 8.45 / 10 |
What Is the Best Watch Order for Dragon Ball?
It turns out that the easiest way to watch Dragon Ball is just to follow the release order. Watch each series and movie in the order they were released, and everything will make sense without extra research, since that’s how the studio intended it to be watched. The table below lists everything from 1986 to 2025 in release order.
| Number | Title |
| 1 | Dragon Ball (Series) |
| 2 | Curse of the Blood Rubies |
| 3 | Sleeping Princess in Devil’s Castle |
| 4 | Mystical Adventure |
| 5 | Dead Zone |
| 6 | Dragon Ball Z (Series) |
| 7 | The World’s Strongest |
| 8 | The Tree of Might |
| 9 | Lord Slug |
| 10 | Cooler’s Revenge |
| 11 | The Return of Cooler |
| 12 | Super Android 13! |
| 13 | Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan |
| 14 | Bojack Unbound |
| 15 | Broly – Second Coming |
| 16 | Bio-Broly |
| 17 | Fusion Reborn |
| 18 | Wrath of the Dragon |
| 19 | Battle of Gods |
| 20 | Resurrection ‘F’ |
| 21 | Dragon Ball Super (Series) |
| 22 | Dragon Ball Super: Broly |
| 23 | Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero |
| 24 | Dragon Ball Daima (Series) |
A Chronological Order of All Dragon Ball Series and Sagas
If you don’t want to watch the movies right now and would rather focus on the core story without the filler, here’s how the main anime series fit into the actual in-universe timeline. Each one covers a different part of Goku’s life and forms the backbone of the franchise.
1. Dragon Ball (1986 – 1989)
This is where everything starts. Young Goku meets Bulma, and the two team up to find the seven Dragon Balls. This entry is lighthearted and funny compared to what comes later.
| Arc | Episodes |
| Emperor Pilaf Saga | 1 – 13 |
| Tournament Saga | 14 – 28 |
| Red Ribbon Army Saga | 29 – 45 |
| General Blue Saga | 46 – 48 |
| Commander Red Saga | 49 – 53 |
| Fortuneteller Baba Saga | 54 – 61 |
| Tien Shinhan Saga | 62 – 83 |
| King Piccolo Saga | 84 – 101 |
| Piccolo Jr. Saga | 102 – 153 |
2. Dragon Ball Z (1989 – 1996)
In Dragon Ball Z, Goku is all grown up, and the story is no longer limited to Earth and basic martial arts, which opens the door to much darker arcs. Aliens, androids, and a literal demon show up to wreck the planet, and Goku keeps getting stronger to stop them. This is the era most people picture when they hear “Dragon Ball.”
| Arc | Episodes |
| Vegeta Saga (Saiyan Saga) | 1 – 35 |
| Namek Saga | 36 – 67 |
| Captain Ginyu Saga | 68 – 74 |
| Frieza Saga | 75 – 107 |
| Garlic Jr. Saga | 108 – 117 |
| Trunks Saga | 118 – 125 |
| Androids Saga | 126 – 139 |
| Imperfect Cell Saga | 140 – 152 |
| Perfect Cell Saga | 153 – 165 |
| Cell Games Saga | 166 – 194 |
| Great Saiyaman Saga | 195 – 219 |
| World Tournament Saga | 220 – 231 |
| Babidi Saga | 232 – 245 |
| Majin Buu Saga | 246 – 260 |
| Fusion Saga | 261 – 269 |
| Kid Buu Saga | 270 – 291 |
3. Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009 – 2015) – The Faster Alternative
Kai is essentially a recut version of Dragon Ball Z, but with a faster pace. Toei removed most of the filler and many of the dragged-out power-up scenes, so you get the same core plot in nearly half the time. Because of that, it can either be skipped entirely or watched instead of the original.
| Arc | Episodes |
| Saiyan Saga | 1 – 17 |
| Namek Saga | 18 – 27 |
| Captain Ginyu Saga | 28 – 35 |
| Frieza Saga | 36 – 54 |
| Androids Saga | 55 – 73 |
| Cell Saga | 74 – 98 |
| World Tournament & Babidi Saga | 99 – 116 |
| Majin Buu Saga | 117 – 167 |
4. Dragon Ball Daima (2024 – 2025)
Daima is the newest anime and the final Dragon Ball project Akira Toriyama worked on before his death in March 2024. He contributed the original concept, story, and character designs. In this series, Goku and his friends are turned into childlike versions of themselves and travel to the Demon Realm to undo it.
| Arc | Episodes |
| Demon Realm Arc | 1 – 20 |
Dragon Ball Super (2015 – 2018)
Despite being released earlier, Super is actually set after Daima. It picks up after Z and introduces a whole new level of power: gods, alternate universes, and tournaments between them all. It’s also where Goku unlocks some of his most famous newer transformations, including Ultra Instinct.
| Arc | Episodes |
| Battle of Gods Saga | 1 – 14 |
| Golden Frieza Saga | 15 – 27 |
| Universe 6 Saga | 28 – 46 |
| Future Trunks Saga | 47 – 76 |
| Universe Survival Saga (Tournament of Power) | 77 – 131 |
Every Dragon Ball Movie and How to Watch Them in Order
Dragon Ball has made a total of 20 anime movies since 1986, and most aren’t part of the main story. They’re side adventures that slot into specific points in the timeline. Here’s where each one fits and what it’s about, in watching order.
1. Curse of the Blood Rubies (After Dragon Ball Episode 13)
This movie basically retells the first arc with a different villain. Instead of Emperor Pilaf, a cursed king named Gurumes wants the Dragon Balls to feed an endless hunger, and Goku has to stop him before he causes more damage.
2. Sleeping Princess in Devil’s Castle (After Dragon Ball Episode 28)
Goku and Krillin want Master Roshi to train them, but he won’t agree until they rescue a sleeping princess from a literal demon’s castle. It’s a fun, low-stakes adventure with some surprisingly creepy villains.
3. Mystical Adventure (After Dragon Ball Episode 45)
This movie is another remake of a specific arc, as it retells the story of Goku’s first meeting with Tien and Chiaotzu. There’s a martial arts tournament, a power-hungry emperor, and the usual chaos that comes with the Dragon Balls.
4. Dead Zone (Before the start of Dragon Ball Z)
This movie bridges the gap between Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. Gohan, Goku’s son, gets kidnapped by Garlic Jr., who wants the Dragon Balls to become immortal, and Goku has to save him before that wish goes through.
5. The World’s Strongest (After Dragon Ball Z Episode 107)
A scientist named Dr. Wheelo wants the strongest body on Earth for himself, and he’s willing to fight anyone to get it. Goku and Piccolo end up teaming up to take him down.
6. The Tree of Might (Grouped with The World’s Strongest and Lord Slug)
A Saiyan named Turles, who looks a lot like Goku, plans to grow a tree that drains all the life out of Earth. It’s basically an evil mirror match, using Goku’s own moves against him.
7. Lord Slug (Grouped with The World’s Strongest and Tree of Might)
An ancient Namekian named Lord Slug attacks Earth and makes the sun disappear. The Z Fighters have to push past their limits before the planet freezes over.
8. Cooler’s Revenge (After Dragon Ball Z Episode 125, between the Androids and Cell Sagas)
Frieza’s older brother, Cooler, finally shows up for payback after Goku embarrassed his entire family on Planet Namek. He’s stronger and angrier than Frieza ever was, making for one of the most intense fights in the franchise.
9. Super Android 13! (After Dragon Ball Z Episode 146)
Three new androids built by Dr. Gero want their revenge against Goku. This movie is a simple action movie that’s mostly one long fight from start to finish.
10. The Return of Cooler (Directly after Cooler’s Revenge)
Cooler comes back, this time rebuilt as a cyborg and enslaving an entire planet of Namekians. Goku and the others step in to free them and finally finish Cooler off for good.
11. Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan (after Dragon Ball Z Episode 173)
As the name suggests, this is the movie that introduces Broly, a Saiyan with insanely high natural power who becomes unstoppable when he loses his temper. The whole Z Fighter crew has to team up just to survive.
12. Bojack Unbound (Between Dragon Ball Z Episodes 194–195)
This movie takes place after Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan. With Goku not around, a powerful villain named Bojack escapes from an old prison and threatens Earth. This is finally Gohan’s moment to prove he can protect the planet too.
13. Broly – Second Coming (Between Dragon Ball Z Episodes 209–210)
Broly is somehow still alive and comes back for round two, this time targeting Gohan, Goten, and Trunks. It’s less about plot and more about the next generation holding their own as Goku is still largely not available.
14. Bio-Broly (Direct sequel to Broly – Second Coming)
A shady businessman clones Broly to use against Mr. Satan and expose him as a fraud, but the clone turns into a giant, gooey monster instead. This is one of the weirdest entries in the franchise.
15. Fusion Reborn (Between Dragon Ball Z Episodes 287–288)
A mistake in the afterlife accidentally creates a chaotic demon named Janemba, who messes with the line between life and death. Goku and Vegeta end up fusing together, turning into Gogeta, to stop him.
16. Wrath of the Dragon (Between Dragon Ball Z Episodes 287–288)
The gang accidentally frees an ancient hero named Tapion, who also releases the giant monster he was sealing away. This is a fun, mostly self-contained story that doesn’t tie too closely into the main plot, so it can technically be watched anytime after you start DBZ.
17. Battle of Gods (after Dragon Ball Z)
This is a canon movie. Beerus, the God of Destruction, wakes up from a decades-long nap looking for a “Super Saiyan God.” This movie kicks off the entire Dragon Ball Super anime, so watch it before that.
18. Resurrection ‘F’ (directly after Battle of Gods)
This is another canon movie. Frieza is brought back to life and trains for the first time ever just to get revenge on Goku and Vegeta. It’s a satisfying rematch that raises the stakes well beyond Z.
19. Dragon Ball Super: Broly (after Dragon Ball Super Episode 131)
This canon movie retells Broly’s story from scratch and makes him part of the main continuity. It’s widely considered one of the best Dragon Ball movies ever made.
20. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (directly after Super: Broly)
This is the latest canon movie in the franchise, and it centers on Gohan and Piccolo finally getting the spotlight as the Red Ribbon Army returns with two powerful new androids. It’s a fresh, modern-feeling movie that shifts the focus away from Goku and Vegeta for once.
What to Skip and What Not To? The Filler Guide
Not every episode or movie in Dragon Ball is essential if you want to catch up on the main story. Like most long-running anime, the series added anime-only episodes over the years to give the manga time to get ahead. None of these affect the main plot, so you can skip them without missing anything important.
The biggest chunk of this filler comes from Dragon Ball Z‘s Garlic Jr. Saga, a full anime-original arc that doesn’t exist in the manga. If you want to avoid filler completely, Dragon Ball Z Kai is your best option, since it cuts out almost all of it. Even so, you may want to check out the following table for a better understanding.
| Filler Arc / Episodes | Series |
| Wedding Dress & Ox-King Detour (29 – 33) | Dragon Ball |
| General Blue Saga (46 – 48) | Dragon Ball |
| Tien Shinhan Saga Padding (62 – 78) | Dragon Ball |
| King Piccolo Saga Padding (79 – 83) | Dragon Ball |
| Gohan’s Wilderness Adventure (9 – 10) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Saiyan Saga Side Stories (12 – 16) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Fake Namek Arc (39 – 43) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Snake Way Detour (100) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Frieza Fight Padding (102 and scattered stretches in 75 – 107) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Garlic Jr. Saga (108 – 117) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Driving Test Saga (124 – 125) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Return of General Tao (170 – 171) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Cell Saga Filler (174) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Otherworld Tournament Arc (195 – 199, 202 – 203) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Inside Majin Buu (274) | Dragon Ball Z |
| Post-Buu Wrap-Up (288) | Dragon Ball Z |
Where to Watch the Complete Dragon Ball Franchise
Seeing how there are so many movies and anime, you may be stressing out, thinking that you’d need 10 different subscriptions to watch them all. However, the good news is that is not the case at all.
Crunchyroll is the easiest one-stop option since it carries almost the entire franchise. A few other platforms have partial libraries if you’re already paying for them.
| TITLE | STREAMING |
| Dragon Ball | Crunchyroll |
| Curse of the Blood Rubies | Purchase only (Amazon, Apple TV) |
| Sleeping Princess in Devil’s Castle | Purchase only (Amazon, Apple TV) |
| Mystical Adventure | Purchase only (Amazon, Apple TV) |
| Dead Zone | Crunchyroll |
| Dragon Ball Z | Crunchyroll |
| Dragon Ball Z Kai | Crunchyroll (availability varies by region) |
| The World’s Strongest | Crunchyroll |
| The Tree of Might | Crunchyroll |
| Lord Slug | Crunchyroll |
| Cooler’s Revenge | Crunchyroll |
| The Return of Cooler | Crunchyroll |
| Super Android 13! | Crunchyroll |
| Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan | Crunchyroll |
| Bojack Unbound | Crunchyroll |
| Broly – Second Coming | Crunchyroll |
| Bio-Broly | Crunchyroll |
| Fusion Reborn | Crunchyroll |
| Wrath of the Dragon | Crunchyroll |
| Battle of Gods | Purchase (Amazon, Apple TV) — check Crunchyroll for current availability |
| Resurrection ‘F’ | Crunchyroll |
| Dragon Ball Super | Crunchyroll |
| Dragon Ball Super: Broly | Crunchyroll |
| Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero | Purchase (Amazon, Apple TV) — check Crunchyroll for current availability |
| Dragon Ball Daima | Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu (US only) |
Now, all that’s left is for you to finally binge this masterpiece. Whichever way you choose depends on your preferences. However, do let us know in the comments which entry in the franchise you found best.
