Original series, manga, non-canon stories, movies, television specials, prequels and much more of Akira Toriyama’s work.
Dragon Ball is an eternal work, that has been with us for more than 30 years and that far from finishing, is still in top form. Not only with the plot that continues to expand in the middle of 2020, but also due to its presence in all types of media. To speak of pop culture is to make it of Dragon Ball, surely the best-known manga and anime in the world and the one that opened the doors to many other proposals. The published material is almost endless, but that does not mean that everyone -or almost- knows where the great adventure of Son Goku begins, the little boy with a tail who met a young Bulma and undertook one of the greatest adventures ever told.
In this article we are going to try to order the Akira Toriyama saga, born in 1986, not only with canon and official events, but also with Toei’s television specials, films and creations beyond the canon designed by its creator and followed by his disciple. Note that we are going to review two types of works, audiovisuals and those found in manga format. And that some of the locations of certain audiovisual products have a more or less clear space, but not precise since many encompass diffuse events and that are interspersed at impossible moments during the original work.
What is Dragon Ball?
Dragon Ball is basically a Shonen, a manga and anime style that focuses on a teenage audience that highlights action, touches of humor and a plot where great fantasy adventures are lived in which you fight with enemies increasingly powerful. Shonen well known by many we have the Dragon Ball itself, but also One Piece or Naruto, and they can be recreated in both anime and manga formats. One of the great successes of Dragon Ball is usually explained in the visual narrative of Akira Toriyama’s cartoons, capable of generating dynamism, sequences and movements in a fluid and disruptive way compared to other works that made him a reference. It is, in fact, one of the points that is most criticized -although less and less- Toyotaro, the disciple who is in charge of Dragon Ball Super today.
Without further delay, this is the order to see the entire Akira Toriyama saga and enjoy, once again, the great adventures of Goku and company. To name the sagas we have used the sagas that are officially mentioned in Compendium 1 of Dragon Ball. Will you join us on this journey to discover the dragon balls?
Prequel: Jaco the Galactic Patrolman and Dragon Ball Minus (manga) – Canon
Seven years ago, in 2013, a manga was published under the name Jaco, The Galactic Patrolman, the original work of Akira Toriyama in which he narrated the adventures of Jaco, who you will surely meet by Dragon Ball Super. He arrives on Earth on an interplanetary mission and will meet Bulma’s older sister. The manga also serves to introduce the idea of the low-ranking soldiers of the planet Vegeta and to learn about Dragon Ball Minus, the story that tells how Bardock and Gine (the first time his mother appears), parents of Goku, send him to earth .
Dragon Ball Hunt Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
Once the prequel to the work of Dragon Ball was known, we entered the first of the canon sagas and the one that introduces us to Goku and Bulma. The two young men meet and start searching for the dragon balls. During their journey they will meet Yamcha and Puar, they will face the Pilaf gang and they will see how Goku transforms into Ozaru when he looks at the full moon.
Bonus: The Legend of the Dragon Shenron (film, not canon). An OVA that reinterpreted Goku and Bulma’s first adventure until the appearance of the Dragon after obtaining the seven dragon balls.
Training saga with Mutenroshi – Canon
The adventure of Goku and his friends ends and he decides to go to train with that old Mutenroshi who had demonstrated so much strength and incredible techniques, such as that of Kame Hame Ha. In this arc he will meet Krillin, another character who wants to become stronger. Both will train under the tough sessions delivering milk, swimming among sharks and helping in construction or in the field. The objective of following Mutenroshi’s training is to get stronger and get to participate in the Martial Arts tournament.
Bonus: Sleeping Beauty in the Castle of Evil (film, not canon). Movie that changes the events of Goku and Krillin, who will have to rescue a princess from a cursed castle if they want to be trained by Mutenroshi.
Saga of the great tournament of Martial Arts (manga, anime) – Canon
The two disciples participate in the Great Tournament of Martial Arts, where they will go round until they meet in the grand final with other fighters such as Nam, Yamcha or the mysterious Jackie Chun. The saga recounts all the events from the start of the tournament to the grand final, in which Goku ends up losing by a hair after a fight that had everything, including the transformation into Ozaru.
Red Ribbon Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
Goku finishes the Grand Tournament and decides to undertake a new adventure to find the four-star ball that his grandfather gave him. What you don’t know is that you will encounter some of the greatest possible dangers on Earth, the Red Ribbon army, which is also searching for dragon balls. The journey to fight this military group will take him to different locations around the world, to end all kinds of generals and even to regain the flavor of living adventures with Bulma and, this time, Krillin. During his journey he will meet the Sacred Land, the great tower and will have to face enemies like Tao Pai Pai.
Saga of Baba the Seer (manga, anime) – Canon
Aiming to resurrect one of the dead left by the Red Ribbon army, Goku sets out to get the last of the dragon balls. But to do so, she will have to obtain the approval of Baba the seer, who only wants either a lot of money or for Goku and his friends to face the enemies that this witch has prepared. Dangers and surprises lurk in this plot.
Saga of the 22nd Grand Tournament of Martial Arts (manga, anime) – Canon
Goku and his friends get together again to participate in the Grand Tournament, where they will meet another rival Mutenroshi school, where Chaoz and Ten Shin Han are disciples. Furthermore, their teacher is certainly connected to Red Ribbon events, since who is the brother of Tao Pai Pai. The saga recounts all the events that take place in the tournament.
Bonus: Mystical Adventure (film, not canon). Third film that narrates the events of Dragon Ball reinventing the martial arts tournament and the role of Ten Sin Han and Chaoz.
Piccolo Daimaoh Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
Directly linked to the end of the Tournament, Goku has to face the greatest of enemies, the demon Piccolo Daimaoh who has come to life because of Pilaf and his minions, and who wants to get the dragon balls to rejuvenate himself. Goku must face this enemy and resurrect all the dead, including friends of his, who has left behind the arrival of the great demon.
23rd Great Martial Arts Tournament saga (manga, anime) – Canon
Goku will train with the Earth God and prepare to face Piccolo Daimaoh’s heir, Piccolo Junior. Both will meet at the third great tournament that takes place in the plot of Dragon Ball, where many of Goku’s friends return, a mysterious girl from the past appears and the protagonist has already grown to become a young teenager.
Dragon Ball Z – Saiyans from space saga (manga, anime – canon)
The end of the 23rd Great Martial Arts Tournament also signifies the end of Dragon Ball and the start of Dragon Ball Z in the anime. Years go by and we are introduced to a Goku father of Son Gohan, who lives quietly with Chichi, his wife. The events intensify with the arrival of Raditz, the brother of Goku who reveals his true identity. After Goku’s battle and death, the Earth warriors and the Saiyan himself will have to train because within a year two stronger Saiyans will arrive, Nappa and Vegeta. The saga recounts all the confrontations to defend the earth from this attack.
Bonus: Garlic Junior Immortal (film, not canon). Film that is located at the dawn of Dragon Ball Z, with a new enemy who wants to get the Dragon balls, which is why he kidnaps Gohan, who wears one in his hat.
Bonus: The strongest in the world (film, not canon). Second feature film that narrates the events of a scientist who wants to get the body of Goku, the strongest in the world.
Namek saga (manga, anime) – Canon
After repelling the attack of the Saiyans, one of the problems of the humans is that they have run out of the dragon balls due to Piccolo’s death. It is then that they learn of the existence of the planet Namek, where the race of the Namekians exists and also other dragon balls. While Goku is recovering from his injuries, an expedition of Bulma, Gohan and Krillin go looking for the balls. There they run into the problem that Vegeta is looking for them too and someone much worse, Frieza, wants the same goal.
Extra. The last battle (anime, not canon). Television special that was published to explain how Frieza destroys the planet Vegeta and meet a new warrior, Bardock, the father of Son Goku.
Returning to Namek, it is the longest saga to date, since in Dragon Ball Definitive Edition it occupies almost 80 chapters in which a whole game of betrayals and robbery of three-party dragon balls occurs, the arrival of the Ginyu Special Forces, the arrival of Goku and an eternal combat with Frieza and his multiple transformations. It all ends in the legendary Super Saiyan, when Goku transforms for the first time to finish off once and for all with the greatest villain ever known.
Extra. The Super Battle (film, not canon). An unknown saiyan named Turles, with a great resemblance to Goku, comes to earth to plant the holy tree and to improve its power thanks to the fruits of this evil tree. Goku will fight to finish him off.
Extra. The super warrior Son Goku (film, not canon). Lord Slug, an evil Namekian, comes to earth to face the Z Warriors, who will have to join forces to finish him off.
Extra. The best rivals (film, not canon). Cooler, Freeza’s brother, wants to finish off the enemy that is capable of defeating his brother.
The Android Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
Time passes and the arrival of Goku is accompanied by other unexpected arrivals. That of Frieza, who wants to exterminate the inhabitants of Earth, and that of a mysterious young man, Trunks, who destroys the emperor and his father Cold with great ease. When Goku lands, Trunks tells him that in a while some droids created by an evil Red Ribbon doctor will wreak havoc. Goku falls ill, and a Vegeta transformed into a super saiyan cannot cope with androids that differ from the future Trunks spoke of when he arrived.
Extra. A different future: Gohan and Trunks (anime). Another television special that told the future that Trunks came from, how he trains as a disciple of Gohan and when he transforms into super saiyan for the first time. Also how he manages to travel in the future thanks to Bulma’s time machine project.
Extra. Warriors of Unlimited Strength (film, not canon). Cooler resurrects in a metallic way and attacks the new planet Namek, where Goku will travel with Vegeta to try to finish him off once and for all.
Extra. The Big Three Super Saiyans (film, not canon). Goku, Trunks and Vegeta will have to fight against new models of androids created by the supercomputer that continued working after the death of Dr. Guero.
Extra. Duel breaks out (film, no canon). Paragus is another exiled Saiyan who invites the Saiyans from the land to retrieve the race. There the Z warriors discover that Broly, son of Paragus and legendary super saiyan inhabits with an incalculable power that also has a special annoyance towards Goku.
The Cell Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
The events of the androids are turned upside down when the news of Bulma, who discovers a new ship of time, and Piccolo’s bad omen, lead to the appearance of Cell, a bio-android who comes from another timeline to absorb A17 and A18 and become the perfect machine. The warriors will have to try to prevent him from becoming his perfect form and then participate in the Cell Tournament where Goku has an idea, the only one that can save them all from the great enemy they face: a Gohan with a higher power that the super saiyan had achieved so far.
Extra. The Silver Warriors (film, not canon). After the Cell Games a new tournament is organized in which all the warriors participate. There they face some space pirates led by Bojack, before whom Gohanm will have to transform again into SSJ2.
Institute Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
Son Gohan becomes the protagonist of Dragon Ball Z, and his story revolves around his adventures in the big capital where he goes to study. There he will try to become a defender of good while meeting Videl, daughter of Mr Satan, and begins training with his brother Goten to prepare for the Martial Arts Tournament in which his father Goku will also participate. Vegeta and his little son Trunks also train to take part in it.
Extra. Broly’s return (film, no canon). The legendary saiyan reappears on planet earth and Gohan and the little Trunks and Goten will have to fight him without the help (or yes?) Of Goku, who is no longer present on earth.
Saga of the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament (anime, manga) – Canon
Saga in which all the characters meet again to participate in the great tournament. In it, two mysterious fighters warn that something is wrong. And indeed, the tournament ends in a series of events that reveals the intention of Babidí, an evil sorcerer, to resurrect the monster Buu. Goku, Vegeta and Gohan try to avoid it, but their fights against Darbra and other minions end up allowing the monster to arrive.
Extra. The definitive combat (film, not canon). Goten and Trunks will have to face Broly again, as a scientist is working on a new clone army that ends up in an indescribable beast made with Broly’s DNA.
Buu Saga (manga, anime) – Canon
With the arrival of Buu, the warriors will climb in power to try to finish him off. Buu will transform into a bigger and more evil enemy, while sacrifices like Vegeta, Goku’s transformation into SSJ3 or mergers parade to try to avoid the disappearance of the earth. Neither Gohan with the power unleashed nor Vegetto can finish him, and everything will end in the great final battle on the planet Kayoshin where only with the help of the entire universe can the greatest enemy be terminated.
Extra. Fusion! (film, no canon). It is located in a strange moment, with Vegeta dead but Goku alive, and both must fight before Janemba in the other world while on earth, in cartoon format (more), they have to fight against big defeated villains, including old acquaintances. The Gogeta merger is performed for the first time.
Extra. Attack of the Dragon (film, not canon). Plot that is located in the earth with the arrival of Tapión, a mysterious character who managed to seal a legendary monster named Hildegrán, released by a warlock. The Saiyans must finish this new challenge.
Dragon Ball Z: The Battle of the Gods (film, canon)
In 2012, Dragon Ball returns in style with the movie of the Battle of the Gods, where the legend of the Super Saiyan God tells. Beerus, God of Destruction, is interested in fighting this new form, which ends up getting Goku in a battle that will unite ties with said deity and his angel, Whis.
Dragon Ball Super: F’s Resurrection (film, canon)
Released in 2015, Frieza returns to the fray thanks to the dragon balls collected by his minions. This catches Earth off guard, where neither Goku nor Vegeta are present as they train with Whis. While they return, Gohan, Piccolo and others will try to keep Frieza and his new Golden transformation at bay. The latest Super Saiyan blue transformation will end him.
Here starts Dragon Ball Super, which in the anime recovers the two movies to retell them and in the manga, from the hand of Toyotaro, skips some events to follow the adventures of Goku and Vegeta. Be that as it may, the plot continues as follows.
Dragon Ball Super: the saga of Universe 6 – Canon
The plot of Dragon Ball Super continues with the rivalry between Beerus and Champa, both gods of the destruction of their respective universes. Their discussions end up in a tournament between universes where Z warriors will have to face new enemies, such as characters from the Frieza race, a saiyan from the other universe or Hit, a mysterious assassin who puts the potential of Goku to the limit.
The Trunks saga of the future – Canon
Trunks returns from the future to ask his old friends for help. Despite having done away with all the known evils in Z, Trunks finds himself battling a villain of superlative power, Goku Black. The protagonists’ investigations will uncover the cake: Zamas, a disciple of a Kaioshin from another universe, urges a plan to eradicate all humans. Goku and Vegeta, who will even merge into Vegetto Blue, and a Trunks who will unleash a power never seen before, will have to face the power of a God.
The Tournament of Power saga – Canon
During the previous sagas, Goku befriends Zeno, the God of everything that exists, and he is encouraged to perform a tournament between several Universes. The Tournament of Power will have a Battle Royale system, where only the last one standing will win and the rest will be eliminated. Universes will disappear if there are no representatives left in the tournament. A great opportunity to see the best warriors fighting with great opponents, with Jiren being the strongest of all. Goku will break the limits once again with his Ultra-instinct transformation, which not even the gods are able to control, but only a surprising union between ancient enemies can end the final triumph of Universe 7.
Dragon Ball Super: Broly (film, canon)
After the tournament of power, a new danger lurks on Earth. Frieza is done with the services of Broly, a saiyan banished by Vegeta’s father long ago, with whom he will return to earth to get the dragon balls. Goku and Vegeta face a rival that accumulates and unleashes power as he fights, up to levels that force him to create the ultimate warrior to defeat him: Gogeta.
The Galactic Patrol Prisoner saga (manga, still in development, canon)
Waiting to know if the Dragon Ball Super anime returns, the Toyotaro manga continues its course with a new saga in which Moro appears, a warlock who escapes from his intergalactic prison and fights to restore his original powers. How can you defeat an enemy that absorbs and leaves the other warriors without energy? At this point they are fighting Goku and Vegeta, in which is surely the best story arc of all Dragon Ball Super.
Dragon Ball GT: The Great Journey Saga (anime, not canon)
Dragon Ball GT was born from Toei’s need to continue with the successful Dragon Ball and Toriyama’s refusal to continue with it. In theory, Super is located before GT and after Z, that’s why we leave this series for the end. The production company released a series of 64 chapters that followed the story after the tournament in which Goku meets Uub. The first saga explains how Pilaf asks Goku to be a boy again. Continued use of the balls endangers the earth, and Goku, Trunks, and Pan – his granddaughter – set out on a journey to search for the balls once again.
Baby’s saga (anime, not canon)
Once they get the dragon balls, when they return to earth they find that a new enemy, Baby, can manipulate the characters and, as if it were a parasite, control their bodies. The battle will be bloody because it will be between family and friends, until Goku gets the new level of Super Saiyan 4 to face it.
The Super Android 17 saga (anime, not canon)
From hell itself, Gero works on a new plan to fight the Saiyans and cry out for revenge. Merge the two Androids 17, the one from the future of Trunks and the one from the present, into a new killing machine against which they will have to fight with all their strength.
The Evil Dragons Saga (anime, not canon)
The dragon balls end up emitting negative energy after years of abuse, and from each one an evil dragon is born. Goku and Vegeta, who manages to transform into SSJ4 with the help of Bulma, will have to face all these enemies with the help of their companions, reaching Omega Shenron, the hardest of all, before whom we will see Gogeta in Supersaiyan 4. With This battle ends Dragon Ball GT.
Other contents: Dragon Ball Heroes, Live Action ….
Dragon Ball has been expanding enormously with multiple spin-offs and proposals of all kinds. The main plot that revolves around the manga and anime is developed from Dragon Ball to GT, but there is much more content that you can consume. We do some brushstrokes.
100 years later (anime, no canon). A television special that tells us what happens in the world of Dragon Ball 100 years after Dragon Ball GT, when Pan is an old woman and is in charge of Goku Jr, a little boy who is the living image of his great-great-grandfather .
Super Dragon Ball Heroes (anime, not canon). Promotional series in spin-off format that covers different sagas: planetary prison, universal conflict and dark king Mechikabura. They are 7 minute chapters, packed with fanservice and multiple cross universes.
Dragon Ball Heroes (manga, not canon). Adaptation of the arcade video game -with versions for laptops- in manga format under the title Mission Victory, which has several chapters. In Spain, two of them have already been translated.
Dragon Ball Evolution (film, not canon). Film with people of flesh and bones that was released in the late 2000s and is reviled by everyone. He had a video game for PSP.
Bardock Episode (TV special). Another film based on Bardock, where it is narrated how Goku’s father survives Frieza’s attack, ends in the distant past and transforms into Super Saiyan.
Neko Majin Z (manga). Series of Toriyama chapters where he created the Neko Majín race, which interacts at various times with characters related to Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball Z Gaiden (OVA). Movie where the Saiyans face a huge new enemy: Hatchyack, in addition to reliving battles against certain enemies that have already expired. It came out as a movie, it was as a video in the Playdia game and it came as a remake in 2010 within the game Raging Blast 2.
Dragon Ball in 4-D: Two digital animation cinematic experiences that wanted to transcend what was seen on screen. One was done in 2016 and the other in 2017; in this the rival was a God version of Broly.
Other specials. Other television specials of all kinds were released in Japan. One in which Gohan explained to Goten everything that had happened so far, very much in the style of the PC Engine game; another in the same style where the events were remembered (Summer Vacation Special, ’92) and another special in which the Z Warriors met Vegeta’s brother, Tarbles.
