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Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball, Z, Super and Daima — one continuity, plus the four films that count.

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Where to start with Dragon Ball

Two questions come up every time, and both have real answers. Do you need the original Dragon Ball before Z — no, but you lose things. And Z or Kai — Kai is the same story with the filler cut out, so it is a genuine choice rather than a trick question.

  1. 1
    Dragon Ball (1986) — 153 episodes Dragon Ball

    A smaller, funnier adventure series, closer to a martial-arts comedy than to what came after. Not required before Z, which reintroduces enough to follow — but every character, running joke and rivalry Z leans on starts here, and plenty of people prefer it.

  2. 2
    Dragon Ball Z (1989) — 291 episodes Dragon Ball Z

    The one people mean when they say Dragon Ball. If 444 episodes is too much, start here and you will lose very little. Its final episodes jump ten years ahead, which is the gap Daima and Super are later set inside.

  3. 3
    Dragon Ball Super (2015) — 131 episodes Dragon Ball Daima

    The continuation the manga's own author worked on, picking up inside that ten-year gap. Its first two arcs retell the Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F' films with extra material, so you can watch either the films or these arcs and skip the other.

Then what? Daima is twenty episodes set earlier in the same gap and can be watched any time after Buu. GT is below and separate — an anime-only sequel that Super was written without regard for, worth watching only if you want more after everything else. The pre-2013 films are alternate retellings and are not listed.

A suggested way in, not an official one. The full list is below — tick anything off in either place.

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