How to watch Dragon Ball in order: from series to spin-offs and movies

How to watch Dragon Ball in order: from series to spin-offs and movies

Embarking on Dragon Ball's journey can be exhilarating yet overwhelming. With multiple series, movies, and spin-offs, knowing how to watch Dragon Ball in order is essential for newcomers. With this guide, you will seamlessly navigate through all the sagas and films, ensuring you do not miss any pivotal moments.

Dragon Ball characters
Dragon Ball's chronological order organizes episodes, movies, and specials based on their timeline within the Dragon Ball universe. Photo: @Nininak on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Each Dragon Ball episode builds upon the last, introducing beloved characters and epic battles that define the franchise. Whether you are a seasoned fan or just starting, understanding the correct viewing sequence enhances your experience.

How to watch Dragon Ball in order

Dragon Ball is among the many widely known anime franchises, with multiple TV spinoffs and movies. While you can jump into any of the individual series, watching them in order helps you better understand the story and its famous anime characters.

Below is a comprehensive list of how to watch Dragon Ball chronologically and canonically. Credible sources such as GamesRadar, GameRant and LifeWire, greatly influenced the Dragon Ball-watching order.

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Dragon Ball characters
Dragon Ball was originally inspired by the classical 16th-century Chinese novel Journey to the West. Photo: @Nininak on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: Facebook

Dragon Ball in chronological order

Dragon Ball's chronological order organizes episodes, movies, and specials based on their timeline within the Dragon Ball universe. It typically involves watching all the franchise's content in the order of the Dragon Ball series timeline.

It incorporates non-canon films and specials, which can lead to a more extensive but potentially confusing viewing experience. Below is a detailed breakdown of how to watch the Dragon Ball franchise in chronological order;

  • Dragon Ball
  • Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 1-86
  • Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku (TV Special)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 87-107
  • Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Episodes 108-123
  • Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks (TV Special)

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Dragon Ball characters
Dragon Ball is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential manga series ever made. Photo: @Nininak on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: Facebook
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 124 and 125
  • Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 126-146
  • Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13 (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z episodes 147-173
  • Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 174-194
  • Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 195-207
  • Dragon Ball Z: Broly's Second Coming (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 208-250
  • Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 251-253
  • Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 254-288
  • Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon (movie)
  • Dragon Ball GT: episodes 1-64
  • Dragon Ball Super: episodes 1-3
  • Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods (movie)
Gragon Ball characters
Dragon Ball is considered one of the most influential in boosting the popularity of Japanese animation in Western culture. Photo: @Nininak on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: Facebook
  • Dragon Ball Super: episodes 4-18
  • Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Super: episodes 19-131
  • Dragon Ball Super: Broly (movie)
  • Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
  • Dragon Ball DAIMA
  • Dragon Ball Z: episodes 289-291
  • Super Dragon Ball Heroes(optional)

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Once you are done watching the Dragon Ball series in order, you can watch Super Dragon Ball Heroes, a mini-series and promotional anime. The best anime characters create fun moments for the viewers as the series follows the Z-fighters as they rescue a trunk from a prison planet.

How to watch Dragon Ball in canon order

The canonical Dragon Ball watch order focuses on core stories. Here is a breakdown of how you can watch the series canonically;

  • Dragon Ball (all episodes 153 episodes)
  • Dragon Ball Z or Kai: (up to the end of the Frieza Saga)
  • Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku (TV Special)
  • Dragon Ball Z or Kai: until the end of the Cell saga
  • Dragon Ball Z or Kai: The History of Trunks (TV Special)
  • Dragon Ball Z or Kai: just before the Peaceful World saga
  • Dragon Ball DAIMA
  • Dragon Ball Super
  • Dragon Ball Super: Broly
  • Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
  • Dragon Ball Z or Kai: (all remaining three episodes)

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Dragon Ball characters
Each Dragon Ball episode builds upon the last, introducing beloved characters and epic battles that define the franchise. Photo: @Nininak on Facebook (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Are Dragon Ball Z and Kai the same?

Although they share the same core storyline, Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Kai differ. Dragon Ball Z contains numerous filler episodes that extend the story, while Kai removes the filler episodes for a more streamlined experience. As Lifewire states Dragon Ball Kai is simply an adaptation of Dragon Ball Z but in a remastered shorter version.

Do you watch Dragon Ball or Dragon Ball Z first?

As per Gamesradar, watch the Dragon Ball series first to fully appreciate the franchise. The first series introduces characters and story elements that are important for understanding the context of Dragon Ball Z and its anime characters.

In what order should you watch Dragon Ball?

You can choose between chronological, release order, and canonical order to watch the Dragon Ball series. This depends on how you want the Dragon Ball narrative presented to you.

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Where can you watch Dragon Ball Z?

Dragon Ball Z and its famous anime characters are popular among fans and is available on multiple streaming services. Stream it on Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Amazon Prime.

Knowing how to watch Dragon Ball in order transforms your viewing experience into an unforgettable adventure. With its compelling characters and thrilling action, following the correct sequence allows you to appreciate the depth of this iconic series.

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Briefly.co.za published an article on the top twenty-five most iconic duos ever. In a world filled with memorable characters, iconic duos stand out as timeless symbols of friendship, capturing people's hearts and imaginations.

Iconic duo characters often demonstrate contrasting personalities, creating unforgettable moments that resonate with audiences. Check out this article to discover some of the best cartoon duos, actor duos from movies or TV shows, and celebrity and music duos.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Bennett Yates avatar

Bennett Yates (Lifestyle writer) Bennett Yates is a content creator with over five years of working experience in journalism and copywriting. He graduated from the University of Nairobi (2017) with a Bachelor's in Information Technology. In 2023, Bennett finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. He started working for Briefly in 2019. You can reach him via email at bennetyates@gmail.com.

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