Dragon Ball is a cultural phenomenon created by Akira Toriyama that began with the original manga series published in Shueisha’s “Weekly Shōnen Jump” from 1984 to 1995. The story follows Goku—the strongest fighter on the planet— from childhood to adulthood as he trains in martial arts and searches the world for the seven Dragon Balls. The Dragon Ball TV series first aired in 1986 followed by several adaptions including Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT.
Dragon Ball’s ever-increasing popularity in the 90s expanded beyond manga to include movies set in the Dragon Ball Z timeline from 1989 to 2015. In 2015, the TV animation series Dragon Ball Super began airing, and in 2022, the latest film in the series, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO was released, bringing the total number of theatrical films to 24.
While the Dragon Ball films don’t always strictly follow the TV series timeline, and some aren’t considered canon, this list arranges them based on Goku’s journey.
1. DRAGON BALL, (1986) EPISODES 1 – 43
Son Goku, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes on a quest with an assortment of odd characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give its bearer anything they desire
2. DRAGON BALL: CURSE OF THE BLOOD RUBIES (1986) FILM
Goku and his friends must stop King Gurumes from destroying the city for blood rubies and gathering the seven Dragon Balls
3. DRAGON BALL, (1986-87) EPISODES 44 – 70
Goku continues his quest against the Red Ribbon Army, defeating Colonel Silver and General Blue while recovering several Dragon Balls
4. DRAGON BALL: SLEEPING PRINCESS IN DEVIL’S CASTLE (1987) FILM
Goku and Krillin want to be trained in the martial arts by the great Master Roshi. The only way he will agree to train them is if they go to Devil’s Castle to find the Sleeping Princess, who is being held prisoner by Count Lucifer, and bring her back to his island
5. DRAGON BALL, (1987-88) EPISODES 71 – 118
Goku continues his training and quests battling Tien Shinhan and King Piccolo
6: DRAGON BALL: MYSTICAL ADVENTURE (1988)
Goku and Krillin are invited to participate in a martial arts tournament taking place in the country of Mifan, where a desperate emperor needs help
7. DRAGON BALL, (1988-89) EPISODES 119 – 153
Goku prepares for the next World Martial Arts Tournament, where he faces Piccolo Jr. in an epic battle
8. DRAGON BALL Z: DEAD ZONE (1989) FILM
Garlic Jr.’s on the hunt, and Gohan is on the hit list! Kidnapping the kid for his Dragon Ball, it seems the sad*stic villain is on a quest to collect all seven. As Goku arrives prepared to save his only son, Garlic Jr. summons the Eternal Dragon Shenron, prepared to wish for immortality. His ultimate goal: To take over the Earth, in order to seek revenge for the death of his father. With heightened powers and blessed with eternal life, not even the combined efforts of Goku and his friends can defeat Garlic Jr. now. And as the fiend creates a Dead Zone, intent on sending the heroes into the void, their rescue may lie in the hands least expected. This is the story of two sons and two fathers
9. DRAGON BALL Z, (1989- 90) EPISODES 1 – 35
The adventures of Earth’s martial arts defender, Son Goku, continue with a new family and the revelation of his alien origins. Now Goku and his allies must defend the planet from an onslaught of new extraterrestrial enemies
10. DRAGON BALL Z: THE WORLD’S STRONGEST (1990) FILM
The sinister Dr. Wheelo has been freed from his icy tomb at long last. Seeking out the most powerful fighters on the planet, both Piccolo and Master Roshi are brought before the deranged doctor. Yet just as their friends rush in to save them, it’s revealed that Goku is actually the world’s strongest
11. DRAGON BALL Z: THE TREE OF MIGHT (1990) FILM
A group of aliens visit Earth to plant the Tree of Might, a plant that grants cosmic power by draining the Earth’s life force
12. DRAGON BALL Z: LORD SLUG (1991) FILM
Once again called upon to save their planet from disaster, Goku and Krillin race to head off a giant asteroid on a collision course with Earth. The threat deflected, their home is saved… Or is it? This is the story of legend and loss
13. DRAGON BALL Z, (1990- 91) EPISODES 36 – 107
Goku is all that stands between humanity and villains from the darkest corners of space. Joined in battle by the Z-Fighters, Goku travels to distant realms in search of the magic powers of the seven Dragon Balls.
14. DRAGON BALL Z: BARDOCK – THE FATHER OF GOKU (1990) FILM
The tale of Bardock, the father of Goku, and his rebellion against his master the mighty Frieza
15. DRAGON BALL: EPISODE OF BARDOCK (2011) SHORT FILM
The continuing adventures of Goku’s father Bardock, who traveled through time and met new friends and enemies
16. DRAGON BALL Z (1991- 92) EPISODES 107 – 139
Goku faces the aftermath of the battle with Frieza, as a mysterious youth named Trunks arrives from the future to warn them about the impending threat of deadly androids created by Dr. Gero
17. DRAGON BALL Z: COOLER’S REVENGE (1991) FILM
Frieza’s older brother Cooler travels to Earth to take revenge against Goku for Frieza’s defeat on planet Namek
18. DRAGON BALL Z: THE RETURN OF COOLER (1992) FILM
Goku and the others settle in to fight the once-defeated Cooler and his forces. And yet victory won’t be so easy the second time around! As the Z Warriors are vanquished one after the other, the fate of New Namek hangs in the balance. This is the story of past versus present
19. DRAGON BALL Z: SUPER ANDROID 13! (1992) FILM
The death of Dr. Gero at the hands of Androids 17 and 18 prompts the activation of Androids 13, 14, and 15. They try to kill Goku, who fights them with the help of Trunks, Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillin, and Gohan
20. DRAGON BALL Z: THE HISTORY OF TRUNKS (1993) FILM
In a dark future where the Androids have taken over Earth, Gohan and his student Trunks are the last defense against these deadly killing machines
21. DRAGON BALL Z (1991) EPISODES 140 – 165
The Z Fighters face the terrifying threat of Cell, a bio-engineered android who absorbs Androids 17 and 18 to achieve his perfect form
22. DRAGON BALL Z: BROLY – THE LEGENDARY SUPER SAIYAN (1993) FILM
Goku, Vegeta, and the rest of the Dragon Team search for the fabled Legendary Super Saiyan, a destructive, all-powerful warrior
23. DRAGON BALL Z (1992-93) EPISODE 166 – 194
Seven years after the defeat of Cell, peace reigns as Goku remains in the afterlife. Gohan, now a teenager, attends high school and becomes a superhero named the Great Saiyaman. The Z Fighters reunite for the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament, where they encounter the wizard Babidi and his servant, Majin Buu
24. DRAGON BALL Z: BOJACK UNBOUND (1993) FILM
Warriors from every corner of the galaxy are gathering to battle in the most incredible martial arts tournament ever conceived. Many will test their power and technique. Few will make it to the finals. One will be hailed as the greatest. But before a victor can be crowned, sport gives way to a fight for survival. Bojack – an intergalactic scourge as evil as he is mighty. Leading a gang of deviant criminals, Bojack will stop at nothing short of universal domination
25. DRAGON BALL Z (1993) EPISODES 195 – 209
Goku, with the help of the newly fused Gotenks and a revived Vegeta, continues the battle against the increasingly powerful Majin Buu
26. DRAGON BALL Z: BROLY – SECOND COMING (1994) FILM
After seven years went by, Gohan grows up during the time around Goten’s birth. Goku died and when Goten cries, Broly regains life and the Z warriors must stop him again
27. DRAGON BALL Z: BIO-BROLY (1994) FILM
Broly is cloned by Lord Jaguar, who plans to pit him and other bio-warriors against Mr. Satan in an attempt to expose him as a fraud. Goten, Trunks, Kriilin and Android 18 must stop the new Bio-Broly
28. DRAGON BALL Z (1993-95) EPISODES 210 – 287
The story resumes ten years after the defeat of Kid Buu, focusing on Goku’s quest to find strong opponents
29. DRAGON BALL Z: FUSION REBORN (1995) FILM
The universe is thrown into dimensional chaos as the dead come back to life. Now Goku and Vegeta must track down the cause of this uproar
30. DRAGON BALL Z: WRATH OF THE DRAGON (1995) FILM
The Z-fighters find themselves in the middle of another extraterrestrial conflict, which includes a sword-wielding warrior named Tapion, a wizard and an enormous monster named Hirudegarn
31. DRAGON BALL Z (1993-95) EPISODES 288 – 291
The series concludes with a peaceful time on Earth, focusing on the next generation of fighters. Goku, now a grandfather, meets Uub, the reincarnation of Kid Buu
32. DRAGON BALL: THE RETURN OF SON GOKU AND FRIENDS! (2008) FILM
Goku and his family and friends encounter Vegeta’s brother, and a threat from Vegeta’s past shows up and causes trouble
33. DRAGON BALL GT (1996–1997)
After Goku is made a kid again by the Black Star Dragon Balls, he goes on a journey to get back to his old self. The Dragon Balls have been scattered to the ends of creation, and if Goku, Pan, and Trunks can’t gather them in a year’s time, Earth will meet with final catastrophe. The countdown to oblivion has begun
34. Dragon Ball GT: A Hero’s Legacy (1997) FILM
100 years after Goku defeats Omega Shenron, all of his friends and family are now deceased except for his granddaughter, Pan, who is now elderly. She has a great-great-grandson named Goku Jr., who closely resembles his great-great-great-great grandfather Goku, but lacks the latter’s courage and fighting spirit.
35. DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF GODS, DBS EPISODES 1 -14 (2013) FILM
After sleeping for 39 years, the God of destruction Beerus is surprised to learn that Frieza was defeated by the saiyajin Goku. Upon finding him, Goku is excited to face him, but realizes that his powers are negligible compared to Beerus
36. DRAGON BALL Z: RESURRECTION ‘F’, DBS EPISODES 15 -27 (2015) FILM
Even the complete obliteration of his physical form can’t stop the galaxy’s most evil overlord. After years in spiritual purgatory, Frieza has been resurrected and plans to take his revenge on the Z-Fighters of Earth
37. DRAGON BALL SUPER, EPISODES 28 – 131 (2015-2018) FILM
With Majin Buu defeated, Goku has taken a completely new role as…a radish farmer?! With Earth at peace, our heroes have settled into normal lives. But they can’t get too comfortable. Far away, the powerful God of Destruction, Beerus, awakens to a prophecy revealing his demise at the hands of an even more formidable being
38. DRAGON BALL SUPER: BROLY (2018) FILM
Goku is back to training hard so he can face the most powerful foes the universes have to offer, and Vegeta is keeping up right beside him. But when they suddenly find themselves against an unknown Saiyan, they discover a terrible, destructive force
DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO (2022) FILM
The Red Ribbon Army from Goku’s past has returned with two new androids to challenge him and his friends
40. SUPER DRAGON BALL HEROES (2018)
The Z-Fighters set out to rescue Trunks from a prison planet
