How to watch dragon ball

‘Dragon Ball’ series Watch Order

Dragon Ball without any doubt is one of the most liked and loved series of anime fans. If in case, you haven’t watched a single episode or read any of the manga, getting into the series can seem totally overwhelming! This is why I article this made for you to figure out the correct order to watch Dragon Ball. Dragon Ball is a huge media franchise consisting of Manga, Anime, Feature Films, and Video Games. In this article, we will talk about how to watch Dragon Ball in the best correct order.

What is Dragon Ball?

Initially, Manga (say a Japanese comic) written by Akira Toriyama and was later published by Shueisha. The Dragon Balls are seven magic orbs, each with a number of tiny glowing stars in them, with which all collected, a dragon can be summoned called Shenron. If you keeping watch Dragon Ball, you’ll find out that there are actually two dragons. Both can be summoned and they both grant wishes but their powers are different. Does this sound like bull shit? Well, sssh, never mind and don’t think about these things already. You’ll actually find this series way more interesting once you start watching it.

Continue with this article. Starting out with Goku, he is a young boy who is on a journey to gather the Dragon balls (The seven Magical orbs) and during his journey meets many of the characters who would later become staples to the franchise.

You might want to read more on it on Wikipedia. We don’t wanna spill out all the fun here.

Should you watch Dragon Ball GT?

Dragon Ball GT mostly contains character-building arcs which are not very important. Most Dragon Ball fans don’t suggest you watching Dragon Ball GT. I also recommend you to skip this season and watch a few other seasons directly. You can watch it if you think you will miss something but it is rather not that necessary.

Which to watch? Dragon Ball Z Or Kai?

It does not matter which you watch because both are the same. The only difference is that the Kai is modified to make the series a little shorter by cutting some fight scenes.

As in the Dragon Ball Z series sometimes, a single fight can go up to 10 episodes, so these fights are made short. You can watch Kai as you will not miss any important details and can enjoy the show much more. So, this is my advice to watch the Kai series instead of Z.

What is the right order to watch Dragon Ball series?

Various people have various interests and thought about this. We don’t want to confuse you or something. We are giving you two ways for watching this series. Chose whichever way you want and start watching Dragon Ball now.

Watch Dragon Ball series our way (Our top recommendation)

So, this is the correct order to watch the Dragon Ball series. I highly recommend you to skip Dragon Ball GT as it is not so important and doesn’t have any important arcs. And the remaining movies, you can watch them later and enjoy yourselves.

Though this is our preferred way of watching the Dragon Ball series you might wanna watch it with a different approach. Various users have typically different interests. Well here is another order for watching this series, in the order how they have been released.

Watch Dragon Ball series in the order they were released

We also don’t find any logical watching order of the series, that is why you could also consider watching it in the order they were released. From a timeline perspective, we’d rather prefer it watch it this way like the TV viewers did that time.

Where can I watch Dragon Ball?

Well, there are some sites that allow you to watch Anime online. There are some paid online streaming services available (Which is generally preferred) but there are some other streaming platforms where we can watch anime online.

With the recent effect of legal copyright issues, all files are taken down by the copyright owners. Files and servers of pirated sites offering users watch Anime and read Manga were taken down forever due to Japan’s stricter copyright law. This means sites like KissAnime, KissManga can no longer operate unless they come under a new domain name (Which will actually be a great relief, at least for me.)

You can consider these platforms for watching the Dragon Ball series:

This is not it. If you want to enjoy reading, stay tuned with us and consider us for your future entertainment.

How to watch Dragon Ball in order

Your guide to watching all the series and films from the long-running anime franchise in the correct order.

Dragon Ball is one of the most popular, not to mention extensive, anime franchises of all time – and for newcomers, the wealth of content can make it slightly tricky to know exactly where to start.

Having first aired in 1986, the original series (which is based on the manga of the same name) has spawned a huge number of spinoffs and sequels including Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super and the most recent entry to the franchise Super Dragon Ball Heroes.

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Aside from the series, there are also a number of movies and television specials that confuse matters further, and then there’s the complication that not all the series are necessarily considered «canon».

So where to begin? We have you covered.

How to watch Dragon Ball in chronological order

While this method might be frowned upon by hardcore Dragon Ball fans, one way to watch the films is to go in chronological order in terms of the time scale of the story.

This order does not take into account whether each series or film is considered canon or not – hence why some fans would say it isn’t the best way to watch – and as such it includes a lot of content.

Meanwhile, a note that we have included Dragon Ball Z but not Dragon Ball Z Kai, given that the two series are essentially the same thing. (For reference, Dragon Ball Z Kai is a remake of the earlier series, telling the same story but with less filler and some new dialogue as well as updated animation.)

Anyway, here is every release in chronological order:

How to watch Dragonball in canon order

If you want to skip all the stuff that isn’t considered canon, i.e the series and films which don’t follow the events of the manga and were made without any input from creator Akira Toriyama, then there is an alternative order below.

Those entries considered non-canon include the series Dragon Ball GT in addition to the majority of the films.

Then you also have to make the choice of whether to watch Dragon Ball Z for the more extensive experience or Dragon Ball Kai for the more refined approach.

Anyway, here is the list for fans who wish to watch the series canonically:

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide.

How to watch dragon ball

This is the anime that started it all. We start out with Goku as a young boy who is on a journey to gather the dragonballs. And during his journey you later meet many of the characters who would later become staples to the franchise such as Master Roshi, Krillin and Bulma. You also see and learn about the beginnings of characters like Kami and Piccolo.

Before I got further, Dragonball Kai or Dragonball Z Kai is basically the director’s cut of the Dragonball Z series. It has a few more scenes than the original run (which were taken out either for various reasons). This allows the Kai series to be slightly more informational. Though this should be taken with a grain of salt as the original story honestly filled in every gap. Where it particularly shines is filling in a few gaps in some of the action sequences that were editted from the western version due to it being overly violent or subjective.

The nigh legendary anime that redefined and set the standard for virtually every action anime (where fighting is a central theme) that would later come along. Here we delve into the surprisingly in depth and expansiveness of the Dragonball universe at large. We learn about a WIDE deal of characters and get an even greater degree of understanding for the current and continuing characters of the franchise. The story largely follows Goku as he continues to grow in power, but we now get introduced to more permanent and central characters such as Vegeta. We also learn far more about Goku’s race and so much more.

For the first time in a long time, we see the 2nd canon Dragonball universe movie. Please note that though this is a DBZ movie, it technically marks the beginning of the Dragonball Super era. This movie was later split into roughly 14 episodes that officially aired as Dragonball Super episodes. It’s here that we learn that the Dragonball universe is FAR more expansive than we ever thought possible. We meet Beerus and Whis, the God of Destruction and his angel steward as they come to Earth to destroy it. We also learn a small bit about their roles in this movie as well as seeing Goku get pushed to new heights to face a power never before seen.

The 3rd canon movie. Here, the most prominent and far reaching villain of the Dragonball universe returns and there will be hell to pay. We see the resurrection and return of Frieza as well as the return of Beerus and Whis. Furthermore, we learn that Frieza has gained an all new and terrifying power. This movie, like it’s predecessor, also takes place within the first few episodes of Dragonball Super covering (roughly) episodes 15–27.

After years of waiting and asking, fan were finally rewarded with a new (canon) Dragonball series. This series takes place between the end of the Majin Buu arc (the last major arc of Dragonball Z) and the very end of the original Dragonball Z series. If you thought the Dragonball universe was huge before, you’re in for a treat as you learn that it’s simply MASSIVE complete new characters (allies, enemies and frenemies).

That’s the end of the Dragonball story unless you want to include the NON-CANON Dragonball Grand Tour often called Dragonball GT (or DBGT)

Despite what many a fan wishes were true, this isn’t canon and is not part of the actual story. However it does use the characters from the main series and continue after the Dragonball Z storyline, putting Goku in a whole new adventure. This series does not include characters or powers from the Dragonball Super arc. This is due to this series being created long before DBS was created. Still, as a fan of the entire Dragonball series, it’s at least worth a look.

The direct sequel to DBGT. This takes places long after the events of DBGT and we find a young man named Goku Jr who is named after his great grandfather Goku (the main character of the Dragonball universe) as he begins his own journey through the Dragonball universe.

How to Watch ‘Dragon Ball’ in Order

@ fIetcherpeters May 18, 2021 at 5:27pm

Where to Stream:

Dragon Ball Z

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The Dragon Ball franchise has been around for nearly 40 years, and is an incredibly popular creation from Akira Toriyama. The franchise started as a manga inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, combined with elements from popular martial arts films. Now, Dragon Ball has spiraled into a massive saga of films, TV shows, fandoms, manga, and more. Four decades of content may seem hard to follow in one straight timeline. Luckily, we’re here to help show you how to watch Dragon Ball in order.

Dragon Ball is divided into canonical and non-canonical content. The original TV show, Dragon Ball, helms the canon, with a handful of other series like Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super also joining the group. But most of the franchise’s films, like Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug and Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest are outliers, using the original ideas but not falling in line with the rest of the story.

Looking to watch Dragon Ball in order? Here’s how you can do it canonically, chronologically, and where you can watch the saga:

How to watch Dragon Ball in canonical order:

Looking to watch a start-to-finish storyline? This isn’t the same order as the franchise was released in real time, but here’s the order that the Dragon Ball canon follows:

In what order did Dragon Ball release? Dragon Ball chronological order:

Some diehard Dragon Ball fans may look down upon this method of viewing, but it’s worth referencing. This order does not take into account which parts are canon and which are not, meaning it includes a lot more content than just the canonical order. Here’s the chronological order in which Dragon Ball was released:

*denotes Dragon Ball content that is not considered a part of the Dragon Ball canon

Dragon Ball streaming guide: where is Dragon Ball available to watch?

Most of the Dragon Ball universe is streaming over on Funimation. Dragon Ball Super is also available to stream on Crunchyroll, Adult Swim, and Hulu.

How to Watch Dragon Ball in Order: The Definitive Watch Guide

Here’s the definitive Dragon Ball watch guide, including movies.

One of the most popular and enduring series ever, Dragon Ball first debuted as a manga in 1984, ending in 1995. The first anime adaptation, Dragon Ball, began airing in 1986 with the series ending in 1989.

Dragon Ball is a fun series for those wanting to relive it, or for those new to the iconic series. It may also help connect a lot of the cultural crossovers and references in other series.

So, this is the definitive guide to watching the original Dragon Ball series (not Dragon Ball Z). The order includes all movies – although, these aren’t necessarily canon – and all episodes including fillers. Movies will be inserted where they should be watched based for storyline consistency.

Below, you will find the full list, canon list, mixed canon list, and filler episode list for Dragon Ball. For reference, the Dragon Ball anime ends with chapter 194 of the manga, from which, chapter 195 becomes Dragon Ball Z.

How to watch Dragon Ball in order with movies

The list below will only include manga canon and mixed canon episodes. The list will remove fillers.

How to watch Dragon Ball in order with movies (without fillers)

The list below will be manga canon episodes only. Luckily, aside from fillers, there are only three mixed canon episodes.

Dragon Ball canon episodes list

With just the canon episodes, that drops the number of episodes to 129 of 153 episodes. With the relatively low number of fillers and mixed canon episodes, Dragon Ball makes for a streamlined viewing experience.

Dragon Ball show order

It’s important to note that Dragon Ball GT is an anime-exclusive non-canonical story. It has no relation to the manga. Dragon Ball Super is the adaptation of Akira Toriyama’s sequel series of the same name, the ongoing manga beginning in 2015.

Dragon Ball movie order

Note that the final Dragon Ball movie, “The Path to Power,” is a retelling of the Dragon Ball series.

The last two Dragon Ball Z movies actually set the stage for the first two seasons of Dragon Ball Super the anime. “Super Hero” is set to release in April 2022.

Below is a list of filler episodes for Dragon Ball should you want to view the fillers.

How to watch Dragon Ball fillers

That’s only 21 filler episodes.

Can I skip Dragon Ball fillers?

As they’re filler episodes, yes, you can skip them all, though they do tend to be comedic.

Can I watch Dragon Ball Z without watching Dragon Ball?

Yes, for the most part. Dragon Ball Z focuses on new stories with many new characters, though many of the characters in Dragon Ball do play pivotal roles. Some of the backstory is mentioned, but not all. However, aside from the first main arc with Raditz, the events of Dragon Ball don’t play as pivotal a role in the story of Dragon Ball Z.

Can I watch Dragon Ball Super without watching Dragon Ball?

Yes, even more than Dragon Ball Z. The story in Dragon Ball Super is completely new with several new characters. The events of Dragon Ball have little bearing on the story of Dragon Ball Super aside from the presence of long-standing characters such as Goku, Piccolo, Muten Roshi, Krillin, and others.

How many episodes and seasons are there of Dragon Ball?

There are nine seasons with 153 total episodes. There are three mixed canon episodes and 21 filler episodes, bringing the canon episodes total to 129.

While not as fondly remembered as its sequel in Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball is what set the stage for the latter’s popularity. Relive the early events of favorites such as Goku, Bulma, Tao Pai Pai, “Jackie Chun,” and Piccolo!