- Created by:
- Akira Toriyama
- First Film:
- Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
- Latest Film:
- Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
- First TV Show:
- Dragon Ball
- Latest TV Show:
- Super Dragon Ball Heroes
- First Episode Air Date:
- April 26, 1989
- Latest Episode:
- 2019-10-05
- Cast:
- Sean Schemmel, Laura Bailey, Brian Drummond, Christopher Sabat, Scott McNeil
- Current Series:
- Dragon Ball Super
- Related Articles
- Details
Summary
Dragon Ball is the labor of writer/illustrator Akira Toriyama, beginning with Dragon Ball back in 1984. The series originally started as a serialized manga back in Weekly Shonen Jump for nearly a decade until it expanded into the anime franchises it is most known for today. Dragon Ball was later adapted into two animes, with one being Dragon Ball Z, the most universally known series in the entire Dragon Ball canon. The franchise has continued to expand lore via films, video games, and additional sequel TV series, such as the more recent Dragon Ball Super and Super Dragon Ball Heroes. Dragon Ball centers mostly around Son Goku, a being known as a Saiyan, and his friends as they face off against intergalactic threats and seek out the titular dragon balls. When all seven of these balls are collected, they can be used to summon a legendary dragon that can grant the wishes of whoever so gathers them. The Dragon Ball franchise continues to be one of the most well-known and beloved animes of all time, with over forty different countries airing it, and has had a tremendous impact on Western culture as a whole.
latest Dragon Ball Articles
10 Dragon Ball Fights That Went Absolutely Nowhere
The Dragon Ball franchise produces so many fights, between alien warlords like Frieza and Super Saiyans, that some are bound to lead nowhere.
How The Cell Saga Solved (And Intensified) DBZ's Super Saiyan Problem
DBZ fans are well aware of what Super Saiyan transformations mean to the franchise; the Cell Saga had the opportunity to make perfect the plot device.
15 Worst Writing Decisions In Dragon Ball Z
Dragon Ball Z is an iconic anime staple, but that doesn't mean the series hasn't been marred by bad writing decisions.
10 Dragon Ball Character Arcs Akira Toriyama Abandoned
Akira Toriyama crafted one of the best manga and anime franchises of all time with Dragon Ball, but he also abandoned some pivotal character arcs.
10 Manga Characters That Are Better In The Anime
These anime adaptations helped characters like Ghost in the Shell's The Major and Lust from Fullmetal Alchemist reach their full potential.
Is Naruto A Worse Dad Than Goku These Days?
When it comes to heroics, Naruto and Goku have it down pat, but the same can't always be said about their parenting skills.
Goku & Vegeta's Rivalry, Explained
Goku and Vegeta have one of the most iconic and nuanced rivalries in all of shonen battle anime. Here's everything there is to know about it.
Vegeta Had the Best Fights in Dragon Ball Z
Vegeta has some of the best fights in the Dragon Ball Franchise in terms of not only action but also character development and plot progression.
Dragon Ball: Why Goku Never Visits Grandpa Gohan in Other World
Goku never visits Grandpa Gohan in the afterlife or even revives him, but there's a reason for this beyond just Goku forgetting about the old man.
Modern Shonen Anime Still Have A Lot To Learn From Dragon Ball
Most modern shonen anime would not exist as they do today without Dragon Ball’s influence, but they still have a lot left to learn.
15 Worst Fathers In Anime, Ranked
The term "daddy issues" was invented for these horrible anime fathers.
Dragon Ball Z: Rock The Dragon's Got Nothing On Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Dragon Ball Z's English dub rocked the house with "Rock the Dragon," but the Japanese theme is an even better (and catchier) thematic representation.
Dragon Ball's Chi-Chi Is a Fierce Matriarch in Playful Cosplay
Chi-Chi establishes that she is no pushover in a hilarious Dragon Ball cosplay that brings protagonist Son Goku's powerful wife to life.
Dragon Ball Z Needed to Let Gohan Beat Buu
Dragon Ball Z didn't do enough to make Gohan the new protagonist, but having him be the one to defeat Majin Buu would have sealed the deal.
25 Best Dragon Ball Z Characters, Ranked
DBZ is iconic, with fan-favorite characters like Goku, Piccolo, and Android 18 often stealing the spotlight.
Crunchyroll Powers Up Over 9,000 With Addition of 15 Dragon Ball Movies
A plethora of Dragon Ball films is coming to Crunchyroll, including Dragon Ball Z: Broly - The Legendary Super Saiyan and Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
The Dragon Ball Super Manga Gives Gohan His "My Bulma" Moment
The Dragon Ball Super manga echoes a fan-favorite Vegeta line as Gohan desperately rescues his daughter in an emotionally charged training exercise.
When Did Dragon Ball Z Become All About Power Creep?
Dragon Ball Z is infamous for constantly introducing stronger enemies that the weaker heroes couldn't handle, but it wasn't quite that simple.
Nothing Ruins an Anime Faster Than Gratuitous Fan Service
Fan service is a decades-long anime tradition, especially in shonen, and it's time to lay that tradition to rest.
The Dragon Ball Super Manga Highlights Piccolo's Aversion To Technology
Piccolo has notoriously hated technology since Dragon Ball Z, but events in the recent Dragon Ball Super manga chapter force him to use tech.