https://www.cbr.com Read up on the latest Dragon Ball franchise News, Reviews and Features from the team at CBR. Fri, 30 Jun 2023 16:51:16 GMT en-US hourly 60 Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball works tirelessly to surpass shonen series expectations and remain relevant in the face of new modern classics. Dragon Ball is even more popular today than when it first premiered and the exaggerated heights of the series’ latest battles continue to excite fans. There are many different reasons to love Dragon Ball, but it’s these fateful fights that frequently receive the most attention.

]]> Fri, 30 Jun 2023 16:51:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-anime-best-pointless-fights/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z is a formative shonen series full of unforgettable moments. The fandom is frequently divided over what qualifies as Dragon Ball's best battle or character breakthrough. That being said, every Dragon Ball fan remembers their reaction to the first time that Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan. Goku's iconic transformation is a major turning point for the series, and Super Saiyans are now so prevalent it's hard to imagine a version of Dragon Ball Z without them. Dragon Ball Z's first Super Saiyan reveal is hard to top; at that moment, it feels like Goku has achieved peak power. It's an exciting experience for both Goku and the audience, but it's also the start of a dangerous precedent that Dragon Ball Z fails to ever completely abandon.

]]> Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-cell-saga-solved-intensified-super-saiyan-problem/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball is a signature shonen series that's entertained audiences for over three decades, yet it's still one of this generation's most popular anime. Dragon Ball Z picks up from the events of the original Dragon Ball, with Goku now a father ready to take on unprecedented evil from across the galaxy.

]]> Thu, 29 Jun 2023 14:20:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-bad-writing/ It’s extremely challenging to create a successful anime or manga series, let alone one that’s able to run for as long as Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball. Toriyama has put Goku and the rest of Dragon Ball’s characters through incredible situations over the course of hundreds of episodes. A story of this scope is prone to face inconsistencies or introduce certain retcon measures in the sake of streamlining storytelling.

]]> Thu, 29 Jun 2023 11:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-akira-toriyama-best-forgotten-character-arcs/ It's common for an anime to significantly change certain parts of the manga it's adapting for creative and practical reasons. This can affect the manga's characters in such a way that they either feel familiar yet different, or they become new people entirely. The best kinds of changes are those that impress viewers and improve the story.

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 21:30:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/manga-characters-better-in-anime/ Despite the differences between the Dragon Ball and Naruto franchises, the two series' main protagonists actually have a lot more in common than one might think. Both Goku and Naruto devoted their very lives to gaining power, protected people from imposing outside threats, fell in love, got married and then had kids. Oddly enough, the similarities between them don't exactly stop there when it comes to fatherhood. Both Goku and Naruto have two children, and they are equally famous for devoting more time to their duties and responsibilities than their own families. This has led to their reputation as fathers being scrutinized, but which one is a worse dad, Goku or Naruto?

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 20:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/naruto-worse-father-than-goku/ Among Dragon Ball Z's contributions to modern shonen anime, its core rivalry is one of the biggest. Goku and Vegeta's constant efforts to one-up each other have set the standard for rivals in battle anime and all series. Nearly every anime rivalry trope can be tied or traced back to what was established by this series.

]]> Wed, 28 Jun 2023 19:20:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/goku-vegeta-rivalry-explained/ The biggest draw of Dragon Ball is the spectacle of its fights. Seeing these martial artists battle at high speeds and fire explosive energy blasts is enough to give anybody an adrenaline rush. However, that's not to say there isn't also an emotional aspect to the fights. There are times when the reasons for these fights are just as epic as the fighting itself. However, if there were one character who best mixes intense action with good story development, it would have to be Vegeta.

]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 16:20:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/vegeta-had-best-fights-dragon-ball-z/ One of the more contentious elements of the Dragon Ball franchise is ironically its main hero, Goku. While he's considered one of the greatest warriors in the series' universe, his fighting skills far away his skills as a family man. This sees him many times turning to training instead of being a father and a husband. Worst of all, this sees him completely overlook another family member.

]]> Tue, 27 Jun 2023 12:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-goku-never-visits-grandpa-gohan-other-world/ Shonen anime has learned a lot from Dragon Ball. It's no secret that modern shonen anime would not even exist in the form that it does today if not for the foundation laid by Akira Toriyama's magnum opus. It wasn't planned that way though. In an early interview with Telepal Tokyo in 1986, Toriyama had this to say when asked about his writing process, "I take things as they come and I don't really have a plan about the story."

]]> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 22:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-influence-on-modern-anime/ In the anime medium, quality parents come at a premium. Countless anime characters are born to fractured households, and as a result, they often lack any sort of concrete parental guidance. That’s not to say that there aren’t amazing parents in anime — Maes Hughes from Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Minato Kamikaze from Naruto: Shippuden are both solid examples of parents who love, protect, and challenge their children.

]]> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:00:29 GMT https://www.cbr.com/worst-anime-fathers-ranked/ Dragon Ball Z is mostly known for epic fighting and duel between its many characters, but a rather overlooked element in the series is the music. This is particularly the case in Japan, where several now iconic songs have been tied to the series. Though they might not be as popular among Western fans, these tunes (and one in particular) definitely fit a bit better than the Funimation dub's main theme.

]]> Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-openings-cha-la-head-cha-la-better-than-rock-the-dragon/ The daughter of the Ox-King and princess of Fire Mountain comes to life in a hilarious Dragon Ball cosplay.

]]> Sun, 25 Jun 2023 23:19:06 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-chi-chi-fierce-matriarch-cosplay/ Dragon Ball Z and the franchise as a whole have been seen as primarily Goku's story, but that wasn't always going to be the case. It's well-known that the series was meant to segue into following Gohan instead of his father, though this ended up not happening. Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity to pass this torch was in Dragon Ball Z's ultimate saga, wherein Gohan was more hyped up than ever.

]]> Sun, 25 Jun 2023 22:31:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-needed-to-let-gohan-beat-buu/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z remains one of the shonen genre's most popular anime, even after decades of dedicated storytelling. Dragon Ball Z works so well because it establishes a rewarding formula yet still manages to subvert expectations, surprise audiences, and allow its concepts to evolve with the times.

]]> Sun, 25 Jun 2023 13:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/fan-favorite-dbz-characters-ranked/ Streaming recent and classic Dragon Ball movies has just gotten significantly easier.

]]> Sat, 24 Jun 2023 18:01:37 GMT https://www.cbr.com/crunchyroll-adds-15-dragon-ball-movies/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Super is the culmination of nearly four decades of inspirational and entertaining storytelling. Dragon Ball has evolved in drastic ways since its humble origins, and what started as Goku's adventure has gradually become a generational saga of heroism. Dragon Ball Super's manga, by Toriyama and Toyotarou, has gone far beyond the events of the anime's Tournament of Power. Dragon Ball Super's manga is full of new villains and fresh transformations, but it also finds ways to redeem some of the series' more neglected characters, like Gohan. Gohan remains Dragon Ball Super's most frustrating case of wasted potential after hundreds of episodes of character development are cast aside in favor of more Goku-led victories. Dragon Ball Super has finally decided to rethink this strategy and celebrate the series' diverse roster.

]]> Sat, 24 Jun 2023 14:40:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbs-manga-gives-gohan-my-bulma-moment/ Most fights in Dragon Ball Z were decided by who was the strongest, but it wasn't always like that. There was a time when all the Z-Fighters were strong enough to at least damage an enemy. Back then, everyone was welcome to join in on a fight and contribute to a win. Later on, however, only the strongest could face off against an overwhelmingly powerful opponent and hope to make a difference. If they tried to so much as help, they would only put themselves at risk of getting one-shotted. The rapid power creep outpaced all of them, so they were forced to stay out of the major fights.

]]> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 20:30:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-rapid-power-creep/ The Japanese anime industry is renowned for its many ingrained traditions, conventions, clichés, and running jokes, from shouting attack names to big, sparkly Disney-style eyes. Some of these are just cosmetic or are cheap fun, while other long-running traditions, such as gratuitous fan service, are really showing their age.

]]> Fri, 23 Jun 2023 15:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/fanservice-ruins-anime/ Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Super is one of anime’s greatest shonen success stories and it remains at the top of its genre even though it’s been telling this epic adventure for nearly 40 years. One of the benefits of such a lengthy saga is that characters get to genuinely change and grow in both a physical and psychological sense. Piccolo has always been one of Dragon Ball’s most compelling characters and he’s shown extreme evolution across the many Dragon Ball series. Piccolo debuts as a demonic villain with the sole purpose of carrying out his father’s homicidal wishes. Piccolo not only outgrows his original objective, but becomes one of Goku’s greatest allies and a character who’s repeatedly put his own life on the line to save Gohan. Piccolo is a fearless and courageous hero, but he’s not without his faults and there are certain skills that it looks like he may never gain.

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:40:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-manga-piccolo-hates-technology-running-gag/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball continues to entertain audiences with an impressive legacy that's lasted more than three decades with still no end in sight. Dragon Ball fans love the ongoing series' powerful characters, unbelievable transformations, and the exaggerated clashes that punctuate the storytelling. It's not easy to keep a narrative going for several decades and this has led to plot armor arising in Dragon Ball.

]]> Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-anime-best-plot-armor-characters/ Few anime and manga series reach the international success of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Super, which has kept audiences entertained for nearly four decades and continues to turn out new material through its ongoing manga series. The Dragon Ball Super anime ended five years ago in 2018 following the events of the Tournament of Power, but Toriyama and Toyotarou's accompanying manga has ventured forward into exciting new territory. It’s always fascinating whenever Dragon Ball Super’s manga expands upon corners of the franchise that go neglected in the anime, such as the series’ cocky celebrity, Hercule Satan.

]]> Tue, 20 Jun 2023 22:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-manga-hercule-important-fame-celebrity-status/ An important player in the Dragon Ball franchise is trying to start the series from scratch.

]]> Mon, 19 Jun 2023 23:20:20 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-director-interest-reboot/ Anime don't have as much filler as they used to. Now, animation studios prefer to stick to the manga and spend more time on the show's quality. Nonetheless, they still occasionally have filler episodes, while older shows have whole arcs for filler.

]]> Mon, 19 Jun 2023 11:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/bad-anime-filler-arcs-according-to-reddit/ It's no secret that Dragon Ball GT didn't live up to fans' expectations after Dragon Ball Z. Trying to take everything back to the adventurous tone of the original Dragon Ball, GT stumbled by nervously embracing DBZ's battle-oriented storytelling in its latter half. As disappointing as DVGT may have been, the series ends on an emotional high note by highlighting Goku's legacy far into the future.

]]> Sat, 17 Jun 2023 17:40:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragonball-gt-goku-jr-vegeta-jr-reincarnation-theory/ Even the most refreshing and unorthodox anime of today take inspiration from the medium's classics—older series that defined anime before it became mainstream. Even the characters fans currently view as archetypes were once revolutionary, which made them go down in history as prototypes for modern heroes and villains.

]]> Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:31:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/classic-anime-villains/ Anime heroes come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and personality types; some are outgoing and open-minded, while others have a hardened disposition that's tougher than steel. However, looks are often deceiving and some of the toughest of anime heroes actually have a softer side that few ever see.

]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 19:50:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/secret-softie-anime-heroes/ Humor is a staple of the Dragon Ball series. Even scenes that are more serious tend to have a joke or two sprinkled in just to lend some brevity to the scene. Furthermore, its absence shows the audience just how bad things have gotten. When the laughing stops, that's when you know how dangerous the threat is. Even then, it still doesn't prevent fans from cracking their own jokes.

]]> Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:30:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-funniest-fights-ranked/ Many Dragon Ball fans dislike the way Chi-Chi approached raising Gohan. She often insisted that Gohan focus on studying at the cost of everything else, including his training to protect the Earth. She's a disliked variant of the tiger mother Japanese people call kyoiku mama. The anime made matters worse by emphasizing these negative traits.

]]> Mon, 12 Jun 2023 18:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-trunks-saga-gohan-abusive-tutor/ The many different genres of anime showcase tremendous creativity, but a common trait in the medium is a protagonist who's unbelievably overpowered. There's a certain level of satisfaction in a strong hero who dominates on the battlefield, but this superiority can come at the cost of tension and suspense.

]]> Mon, 12 Jun 2023 15:51:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/greatest-anime-with-op-protagonist/ Goku's orange dogi ranks as one of the most iconic outfits in anime history. Since obtaining it from Master Roshi during Dragon Ball's "21st World Martial Arts Tournament" arc, Goku hasn't changed his main look much over the years. He gained an undershirt, the Kanji emblazoned on the chest has changed and the knotted belt has been exchanged for a sash, but otherwise, Goku's character design has remained incredibly consistent.

]]> Mon, 12 Jun 2023 13:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-goku-orange-dogi-retire/ Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has entertained audiences for over three decades with its superpowered battles between unbelievable characters. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and the rest of the series’ characters continue to face greater evils while they surpass previous milestones.

]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2023 23:30:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/strongest-non-saiyans-dragon-ball/ Dragon Ball has a legacy of more than three decades under its belt, and there's still no end in sight as new manga volumes, feature films, and video games continue to go into production. Many broader Dragon Ball elements remain the same regarding Earth's heroes' dedicated training to surpass their limits and ward off evil.

]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2023 17:20:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/weird-dragon-ball-episodes-details/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball is one of the gaming industry's most popular anime series, and the franchise has seen many game installments. Current titles like Dragon Ball FighterZ, Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2, and Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot have set new standards for what's possible in a Dragon Ball game.

]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2023 15:41:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/rare-unknown-obscure-dragon-ball-video-games/ At the start of Dragon Ball Z, Raditz chastised Goku for having his tail removed. At that time, a Saiyan's tail was supposed to be their ultimate source of power, although the truth behind that changed over time. Either way, Goku has no plans for growing his tail back.

]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2023 15:00:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-goku-saiyan-tail-removal-backstory/ Anime is notorious for having filler arcs. Animation studios don't do filler as much these days, but back in the day, producers needed a way to keep audiences entertained until the next volume came out and gave them more material to work with.

]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2023 14:51:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/reddit-fan-favorite-anime-filler-arcs/ Death doesn't have as much weight in Dragon Ball as in other series. The eponymous wish-granting orbs can be used to bring back anyone met with an untimely demise. The end of Dragon Ball Z even ensured that multiple people could be brought back as many times as need be. This could be why so few people in Dragon Ball Super ever die in the first place; the only ones who have needed to be wished back so far are Piccolo and the defeated universes of the Tournament of Power. Such constant circumvention of death has removed almost all sense of tension or stakes from the Dragon Ball franchise.

]]> Sun, 11 Jun 2023 13:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-merus-revival-debate/ While the field of manga has a rich history that can be traced back centuries, the manga style most commonly seen today developed about 70 years ago. Since then, thousands of different manga have been created, spanning a variety of genres and themes. Regardless of when they began, how long they've run, and how many volumes have been published, some works have soared to the top of the charts while others haven't.

]]> Sat, 10 Jun 2023 17:20:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/best-selling-manga-how-many-copies/ Dragon Ball Z is known for its epic fight scenes, with Saiyans, Namekians and everyone in between battling it out like gods in the flesh. Of course, it's sometimes seemingly normal humans who engage in the fisticuffs, and these bouts are no less interesting. In fact, it was two humans who were the combatants in one of the series' most grueling fights, and the result was downright torturous.

]]> Sat, 10 Jun 2023 14:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-world-tournament-videl-spopovich-brutal-fight/ Shonen is home to some of anime's greatest and most beloved characters. Among them, none are more adored than the iconic shonen heroes. With lovable personalities and compelling backstories, many of shonen's heroes have stolen the hearts of fans everywhere and changed the face of anime forever. But while it almost feels impossible to dislike them, plenty of shonen heroes have almost ruined their likability.

]]> Sat, 10 Jun 2023 11:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/shonen-anime-protagonists-controversial-choices/ Dragon Ball is a franchise that extends far beyond Super Saiyans, power levels, and villains whose ashes literally need to be obliterated from existence for them to actually die. Any series that's run as long as Dragon Ball has gone through several phases. Although the original manga was simply titled Dragon Ball, Toei Animation chose to split their adaptations up.

]]> Fri, 09 Jun 2023 16:00:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-series-chronological-order/ Created by Akira Toriyama in 1984, Dragon Ball remains one of the most popular anime series of all time. Inspired by the beloved manga, the long-running anime has spawned countless spinoffs and merchandise. For example, the latest update for the Dragon Ball: The Breakers video game is slated for a new update on June 9, 2023 (via Nintendo News).

]]> Fri, 09 Jun 2023 14:00:17 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-characters-zodiac-age-height/ Sand Land, the beloved and acclaimed manga by Dragon Ball mangaka Akira Toriyama, will release a video game adaptation.

]]> Thu, 08 Jun 2023 20:58:37 GMT https://www.cbr.com/sand-land-game-trailer-dragon-ball/ It would be downright impossible to talk about legendary anime without mentioning the masterpiece that is Dragon Ball. Dragon Ball is filled with everything one might expect from an action-packed shonen series, whether that's heart-pounding action, endearing characters, or amazing transformations that help individuals achieve new heights of power.

]]> Thu, 08 Jun 2023 19:30:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-strongest-characters/ Ninjas, mutants, demons, cyborgs, and aliens battle across anime with sword strokes powerful enough to slice through steel and energy blasts that can level mountains. There are many powerful characters in Japanese anime, so it's hard to determine exactly which characters are the strongest of all time.

]]> Thu, 08 Jun 2023 17:30:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/strongest-anime-characters/ The third season of Demon Slayer has been great thus far, and its first episode is especially memorable because of Kokushibo's debut. Kokushibo is part of the Twelve Demon Moons and holds the position of Upper Rank One, making him the strongest demon alive other than Muzan Kibutsuji. He possesses his own Demon Slayer Mark, and as a demon, he has immense speed, strength, durability, and reflexes.

]]> Thu, 08 Jun 2023 15:20:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/anime-characters-can-defeat-demon-slayer-kokushibo/ Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime and manga of all time but the ongoing shonen series also has a rich life in video games. There are dozens of satisfying Dragon Ball fight games that tackle different chapters of the franchise. The fighting genre has evolved in major ways across Dragon Ball's lifespan, which has helped the latest crop of Dragon Ball games exceed expectations.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 20:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/most-powerful-fighters-dragon-ball-xenoverse-2-ranked/ Vegeta's first on-screen Super Saiyan transformation was a nigh unprecedented event in Dragon Ball Z. Only two other Saiyans had ascended to this legendary state of being back then. The legendary warrior had to be pure of heart and awakened by fury, at least according to Goku. Vegeta had the fury part down pat, but the purity of heart was debatable. He said it was because his heart was pure evil, but even that didn't sit well with everyone.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 19:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-android-saga-how-vegeta-went-super-saiyan/ It's almost impossible to have a good action anime without a great rivalry. Rival characters push protagonists into growth in friendly... and sometimes, not so friendly ways. The key is that this growth becomes necessary to take on the true challenges of the series, sometimes even being the reason the hero is able to save the world.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 15:20:22 GMT https://www.cbr.com/anime-greatest-friends-from-rivals/ In 2013, Dragon Ball gave Trunks a new love interest in the form of Mai. In Dragon Ball Super, the two are shown having grown up together and developing a strong bond. That initially seems wholesome, but there's one thing fans can’t help but ask about: Mai's actual age.

]]> Wed, 07 Jun 2023 11:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-how-mai-became-a-child-again-how-old-she-really-is/ Launched as a manga in 1997 and later as a Toei Animation anime in 1999, One Piece has been entertaining readers and viewers for over 20 years. The series — written by Eiichiro Oda — contains excellent storytelling, fantastic world-building, compelling characters, and a hilarious sense of humor that has fans wanting more.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 17:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/one-piece-anime-recommendation-fans/ In anime, a villain's depravity is usually intended to make the hero look better in comparison. Though sometimes given sympathetic qualities, they're meant to represent forces fundamentally opposed to the beliefs of the audience. In this regard, a villain is almost as responsible for making a protagonist likable as the hero themselves.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:50:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/most-evil-anime-villains-ever-ranked/ Across all genres of manga and anime, one of the most common elements is strong rivalries between characters. In nearly every series, the main protagonist — as well as many of the secondary characters — takes part in a rivalry, whether it be with one of their closest allies or staunchest enemies.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 16:10:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/best-anime-rivalries-ever-ranked/ Dragon Ball Super's “Granolah the Survivor” Saga featured multiple titanic battles for both Goku and Vegeta. The first clashes came with their enemy-turned-ally Granolah, then they all teamed up to face the dastardly Heeter family's primary muscle, Gas.

]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 01:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-vegeta-never-kills-villain-explained/ May 9th, 2023 marked Goku Day, informally celebrated by fans and license holders alike as a day to commemorate all things Dragon Ball. The lead-up to the event had many fans anticipating a new announcement, in particular hoping that Toei would capitalize on the momentum of the Super Hero movie release and finally confirm the long-awaited follow-up to the Dragon Ball Super anime.

]]> Sun, 04 Jun 2023 12:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-anime-long-absence-revival-debate/ Japanese anime has given fans plenty of powerful characters, often leaving fans debating who is the strongest. These anime characters have all trained and honed their abilities to become some of the most powerful characters in anime and some of the most powerful fictional characters ever.

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 18:30:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/anime-strongest-signature-moves-ranked/ For all of Dragon Ball Z's titanic otherworldly battles between Saiyans and aliens and scenes of heart-wrenching emotion, one of the most intense and uncomfortable clashes in the series was between two human fighters. The “World Tournament” arc's first round pitted Gohan's girlfriend and Hercule Satan's daughter, Videl, against Spopovich, a muscle-bound fighter who was vaguely known from previous tournaments.

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 13:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-theory-spopovich-beat-videl-hercule-revenge/ Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is full of memorable characters, but few have become such universal pop culture icons as the shonen series’ protagonist, Goku. Audiences have watched Goku mature from an oblivious boy into a courageous grandfather. Goku has witnessed horrible tragedies, yet he still carries an optimistic disposition that informs his heroic acts. However, these accomplishments don’t always translate into respect and there are some frustrating occasions where Goku is given less than what he deserves.

]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-anime-goku-deserved-better/ Currency plays a vital role in the daily lives of everyone, and it's no different in the world of anime. The money used in fictional worlds can add depth and context to the stories being told. By exploring these fictional currencies' exchange rates and purchasing power, fans can better understand the economic systems and power dynamics within these imagined worlds.

]]> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 19:50:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/anime-money-dollar-value/ Goku's first transformation into Super Saiyan stands as one of the most iconic moments in Dragon Ball history. After his best friend Krillin's death, Goku's grief and rage would finally allow him to ascend into the mythic form, and put a stop to the alien tyrant Frieza once and for all. The next two Super Saiyan debuts, if not quite as iconic, still stand among the series' most striking moments.

]]> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 19:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-gohan-first-super-saiyan-transformation/ The Dragon Ball franchise is named after the titular wish-granting objects used to summon the Eternal Dragon, Shenron. Given his role in the series, one would think that Shenron would be one of the most powerful beings in the universe. That's far from true, however, and he actually has some rather potent fears.

]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 19:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-shenron-fears-lord-beerus-oddity/ The Dragon Ball franchise became famous for its epic fight scenes. Back in the franchise's heyday, the fights were meticulously choreographed, resulting in some of the best animated fight scenes in anime. However, it’s also famous for its outrageous sense of humor. From dirty jokes to goofy fights, Akira Toriyama had a knack for comedy.

]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 14:30:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-best-running-gags/ Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime of this generation and the ongoing success of Dragon Ball Super is proof that Akira Toriyama’s trademark shonen series still has a lot to say. Dragon Ball Super is ultimately an optimistic anime, but it’s not afraid to tease some darker ideas as new characters and iconic protagonists like Goku and Vegeta confront their fears.

]]> Tue, 30 May 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-anime-best-dark-episodes/ Dragon Ball Z’s creator Akira Toriyama based Frieza on a group he called the “worst kind of people.”

]]> Mon, 29 May 2023 20:54:52 GMT https://www.cbr.com/house-flippers-inspired-dragon-ball-frieza/ While anime has plenty of strong characters who are willing to risk their lives to save the world, not all such heroes can be considered soldiers. A soldier is someone who is trained as part of a strong group willing to do what it takes to protect their homeland and the people in it.

]]> Mon, 29 May 2023 16:10:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/strongest-anime-soldiers-ranked/ Goku’s fight against Majin Vegeta in the ''Majin Buu'' arc is one of Dragon Ball Z’s most iconic clashes. Vegeta, having been possessed by the warlock Babidi, goads Goku into having a rematch with him by slaughtering hundreds of innocent bystanders at the World Martial Arts Tournament.

]]> Mon, 29 May 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-goku-supreme-kai-standoff-majin-vegeta/ Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball has celebrated more than three decades of ongoing shonen success, yet there’s still no end in sight for the action-packed series. Dragon Ball remains such an evergreen hit because it understands how to evolve with the times through fresh ideas, albeit ones that are still faithful to the series’ core values.

]]> Mon, 29 May 2023 13:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/darkest-dragon-ball-deaths-ranked/ The new Saint Seiya movie, Knights of the Zodiac, has been compared to Dragon Ball Evolution for several reasons. They're both not-so-great live-action adaptations of beloved anime franchises. Incidentally, Saint Seiya and Dragon Ball were both series whose anime were done by Toei Animation and whose manga were published in Weekly Shonen Jump. Putting these series into a format more appropriate for mainstream audiences should have been a no-brainer, but the result was two movies that scored pretty low on Rotten Tomatoes.

]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 21:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/knights-of-the-zodiac-dragon-ball-evolution-comparison/ Dragon Ball is a series known for its big power-ups, and the power creep present in the series has been around since the beginning. As a series that started with regular martial artists and evolved into a show about fighting planet-destroying aliens, Dragon Ball's power scale has rapidly transformed through the years.

]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 15:20:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/worst-dragon-ball-power-creeps-ranked/ Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball is a sensational shonen series that’s produced hundreds of hours of content for its eager audience and many of the franchise’s greatest moments are contained to Dragon Ball Z. The longest chapter in the franchise, Dragon Ball Z has 291 episodes that aired over the course of seven years. Dragon Ball Z is a fairly uplifting shonen series. However, some episodes dabble in particularly dark territory in contrast to the rest.

]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 14:20:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-anime-best-dark-episodes/ Dragon Ball’s Super Saiyan transformations rank among some of the most iconic in all of anime. While the original Super Saiyan form is still probably the most recognizable, Super Saiyans 2, 3 and 4 aren’t far behind.

]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 14:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-super-saiyan-nearly-numbering-system-different/ PlayStation is currently in the middle of the "Planet of the Discounts" Sale, and just as the scope of the name suggests, there are a ton of amazing deals to sift through. From some of the biggest AAA titles to heartfelt indie games, there's no shortage of choice across both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 for those video game fanatics who are looking to this sale for their next gaming experience.

]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 12:15:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/playstation-planet-of-discounts-may-june-2023-sale/ Five years have passed since Dragon Ball Super’s climatic ''Universe Survival'' saga. The anime’s final arc saw a battle royale between eight of the twelve universes, with only one left standing by the end. Goku had to assemble the nine best warriors from Universe 7 and round out the team, forming some unlikely alliances -- like Frieza and Android 17 -- along the way.

]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 00:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-second-tournament-of-power-potential-story-expansion/ The Dragon Ball franchise is one of anime's most famous and recognizable, and that status isn't for nothing. Stacked with memorable characters, fights, and moments, Dragon Ball's popularity can be attributed to many elements. However, that doesn't mean that the series is infallible to writing pitfalls.

]]> Sat, 27 May 2023 23:31:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-bad-writing-choices/ Dragon Ball remains among the most iconic anime of all time. It is perhaps best well-known for how a character will inevitably unveil some new power-up transformation strong enough to pummel the bad guys to a pulp in every fight when the situation looks most dire. There's always a new transformation in Dragon Ball.

]]> Sat, 27 May 2023 19:11:28 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-every-goku-form-ranked/ Dragon Ball Z is full of iconic characters who are now synonymous with anime as a whole. With countless amounts of merchandise and memorabilia, these heroes and villains are a big part of what's made the franchise so timeless. Of course, there are also several stinkers among the cast, with some characters being outright deplorable.

]]> Sat, 27 May 2023 16:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-broly-why-worst-character/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball is an anime classic that has produced hundreds of episodes across three decades. One reason that fans continue to return to this series is because Dragon Ball continually builds its characters and its world.

]]> Fri, 26 May 2023 16:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-worst-writing-decisions-ever/ The Dragon Ball Super manga put itself into a pretty awkward position. It decided to skip the events of the Broly movie almost entirely when it had a chance to line up with it. This was apparently done in favor of telling a completely new story in the Galactic Prisoner Saga. The decision has come back to haunt the writers with the adaption of the Super Hero Saga.

]]> Fri, 26 May 2023 13:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/the-dbs-manga-broly-unnecessary-omission/ Ever since the later days of Dragon Ball Z, the half-Saiyan Gohan's occupation post-graduation has remained a mystery. While the issue wasn't exactly pressing in the Z and GT eras, the subject of Gohan's job and how he provides for Videl and Pan came up more and more over the course of Dragon Ball Super.

]]> Thu, 25 May 2023 19:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-gohan-job-entomologist/ Akira Toriyama's original Dragon Ball manga entertained audiences for more than a decade. During this time, Dragon Ball introduces lovable characters who come to life through expressive manga panels that dynamically depict conflict, character development, or slice of life silliness.

]]> Thu, 25 May 2023 17:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/greatest-dragon-ball-manga-panels-ranked/ Even if today's anime landscape is more diverse and saturated than ever, fans still look at older classics from way back with fond nostalgia. There's a reason that the classics are regarded as such. Innovative and daring, old-school anime possesses irreplicable charms modern shows lack.

]]> Thu, 25 May 2023 13:00:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/classic-anime-badly-written-women-characters/ Hundreds of new anime series premiere each year, but a wealth of properties continue to turn out content. It's not uncommon for an anime to accrue hundreds of episodes, and this factor has turned into a mixed bag for the medium.

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 19:30:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/why-fans-stop-watching-long-anime-series/ As of Chapter 92, Broly has well and truly joined the cast of the Dragon Ball Super manga. It's a momentous occasion for a character who, despite debuting in 1993 and instantly becoming one of the franchise's most popular villains, never actually appeared in the original manga run as penned by series creator Akira Toriyama.

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 18:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-manga-tournament-of-power-arc-broly-canon/ In the Dragon Ball franchise, there are hundreds of techniques that have become ingrained in popular culture all across the world. From Dragon Ball Z to Dragon Ball GT, the manga and anime alone have featured many iconic skills, leaving viewers eager to discover how they'll evolve as characters grow stronger.

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 15:10:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-games-best-noncanon-moves/ Dragon Ball is one of the most popular anime and manga series of all time. Son Goku's hunt for the titular Dragon Balls and his quest to improve himself has captured countless viewers' imaginations around the world. While Goku is undoubtedly the most popular character, Dragon Ball is home to countless beloved characters who could all star in their own series.

]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 13:00:12 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-characters-need-spin-off/ The Kaio-ken is one of Goku’s most iconic techniques from Dragon Ball Z. Taught to him by King Kai, the "World King Fist" has been used by Goku a number of times to save his life during his fights against Vegeta and Frieza. Its reappearance in Dragon Ball Super, paired with Goku’s Super Saiyan Blue form, allowed him to reach entirely new levels of strength, which raises the question: Why has no one else bothered to learn Kaio-ken?

]]> Tue, 23 May 2023 23:11:09 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-why-king-kai-didnt-teach-kaio-ken-to-other-z-fighters/ The events of Dragon Ball Super: Broly finally has an official place in the manga's timeline.

]]> Tue, 23 May 2023 19:01:37 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-broly-timeline/ The protagonist of the Dragon Ball series has been kicking it at the top of the anime world since Akira Toriyama first published his Dragon Ball manga back in 1984. At the time, Goku was thought to be a fourteen-year-old shonen protagonist, but things have changed quite a bit since 1984.

]]> Tue, 23 May 2023 18:00:16 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-goku-age-every-arc/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball has kept its audience entertained for nearly four decades by not only featuring endless fights and powerful transformations but also a series of surprising twists that reflects Toriyama's talents as an unpredictable storyteller. Dragon Ball certainly falls into patterns, but it still knows how to deliver a subversive reveal that mixes up the series' status quo.

]]> Tue, 23 May 2023 15:20:12 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-darkest-twists-ranked/ Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball features some of the shonen genre’s most thrilling battles and powerful transformations, but none of these displays of strength mean anything if audiences don’t care about the characters at the core of it all. Dragon Ball is originally Goku’s journey, but the series gradually expands to incorporate dozens of compelling characters who experience growth and arcs that rival and surpass Goku's.

]]> Tue, 23 May 2023 14:30:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-best-writing-character-arcs/ Saint Seiya was one of the biggest manga to ever come out of Shonen Jump's golden age. It ran from 1986 to 1990 as a contemporary to other hit series like Fist of the North Star and Dragon Ball. Just like these series, it helped define the genre of shonen battle manga and continues to be a beloved franchise to this day, at least in international markets. It had intense drama, brilliantly extravagant outfit designs, and some of the most powerful protagonists in all of fiction. This is all despite the series technically being incomplete.

]]> Mon, 22 May 2023 02:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/saint-seiya-best-shonen-anime-without-ending/ The Dragon Ball Super manga's mini-arc preceding its Super Hero adaptation -- in which Trunks and Goten assume the identities of Great Saiyaman X-1 and 2 while trying to balance their school lives -- was a breath of fresh air for many readers.

]]> Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-super-hero-arc-bigger-role-goten-trunks/ Many anime series have left permanent marks on the industry, and Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Z is in a class of its own when it comes to action-packed shonen series. Dragon Ball has entertained audiences for over three decades through its charming characters, grandiose storytelling, and the explosive battles between good and evil that punctuate the series.

]]> Sun, 21 May 2023 15:51:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-filler-problem/ Dragon Ball Z's filler material is notorious for its abundance of contradictions. Back during the franchise's original heyday, the anime would play fast and loose with its own continuity, leading to many errors that have lingered as common misconceptions to this day.

]]> Sun, 21 May 2023 01:00:15 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-episode-195-goku-black-hair-super-saiyan-form-pikkon/ The conversations within the anime community haven't always revolved around whichever hottest seasonal series is relevant. The old-school fans still fondly remember when anime was a niche hobby, access to new shows was limited, and every new series was a big deal.

]]> Sat, 20 May 2023 17:20:12 GMT https://www.cbr.com/harsh-realities-retro-anime-series/ Dragon Ball Z is mostly known for its loud, flashy fight scenes and the iconic characters that make them worthwhile. This has turned the anime into an international success for years, with audiences all over the world loving the adventures of Goku and the Z Fighters. Unfortunately, the series is also infamous for its rather terrible filler, with these episodes being some of the worst throughout the franchise. Despite this bad reputation, the filler in DBZ isn't uniformly terrible.

]]> Sat, 20 May 2023 16:01:12 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-good-anime-only-filler/ Dragon Ball Z's conception of the afterlife is one of the most defining features of its mythology. Goku's training in Other World during the two occasions in which he died allowed him to meet King Kai and other members of the series' divine pantheon, as well as learn some of the franchise's most iconic techniques such as the Spirit Bomb, Kaio-Ken and Fusion Dance. While Goku's experiences are the audience's main exposure to Dragon Ball's afterlife, the anime offers other glimpses as well.

]]> Fri, 19 May 2023 13:00:14 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-hell-concept-anime-vs-manga/ Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball Z remains one of the most celebrated battle shonen series and after three decades its popularity is arguably greater than ever. Audiences love Dragon Ball Z for a number of reasons, but more often than not, a hero's accomplishments are only as strong as the villains that they face.

]]> Thu, 18 May 2023 15:20:12 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dbz-villains-died-too-soon/ Upon his introduction in Dragon Ball Z, Frieza was established to be the strongest known warrior in the universe -- a title that mostly stuck in the years to come. While he would eventually be surpassed, all subsequent villains native to Universe 7 were either dormant ancient evils or foes who achieved their strength long after Frieza's defeat.

]]> Thu, 18 May 2023 13:00:12 GMT https://www.cbr.com/dragon-ball-z-frieza-vs-king-cold-strongest-debate/ When two Japanese anime characters form a duo, those characters either complete one another or challenge each other, and there is always a sense of co-dependency. In a trio, however, there are ongoing tensions, a strong sense of competition, and rivalry that can also become jealousy, making the whole group much more interesting.

]]> Wed, 17 May 2023 18:10:13 GMT https://www.cbr.com/anime-best-trios-all-time-ranked/