Dragon Ball is a representative manga work of Japan by Akira Toriyama, serialized from 1984 to 1995. It begins with an adventure revolving around the "Dragon Balls," which grant any wish when collected, and evolves into a grand battle to save Earth from crises. The story depicts the growth of the protagonist, Son Goku, and the bond with his friends, as well as the fierce battles with increasingly strong enemies, making it a beloved masterpiece worldwide.
This article will explain the entire story of Dragon Ball in chronological order. From the original series' Boy arc to the Buu arc, and comprehensive introductions to Dragon Ball Super, GT, and the latest work DAIMA, this article is a great reference for those seeing it for the first time or those wanting to look back after a long time.
The story of Dragon Ball is broadly classified into **five chapters of the original work and derivative works in the original work, which include the Boy arc, Saiyan arc, Frieza arc, Cell arc, and Buu arc. It depicts the growth of the protagonist, Son Goku, from his childhood to becoming a warrior who protects Earth and the universe. In each chapter, new strong enemies appear, and Goku and his friends train harder to grow stronger, overcoming crises through cooperation.
The original story consists of the Boy arc (searching for Dragon Balls and the World Martial Arts Tournament), the Saiyan arc (revealing his identity as an alien), the Frieza arc (awakening the Super Saiyan on Planet Namek), the Cell arc (warnings from the future and the threat of androids), **and the Buu arc (the final battle with Majin Buu). The Boy arc focused on adventure and comedy elements, but from the Saiyan arc onward.
Dragon Ball Super is an official sequel that depicts the time between the original work's Buu Saga and ten years after the final episode, introducing new concepts such as Beerus the God of Destruction and other Saiyans from different universes. Dragon Ball GT is an anime original work starting about ten years after the original, featuring adventures revolving around the Ultimate Dragon Balls. The newly released DAIMA in 2024 is a new story set after the Buu Saga where Goku and friends are turned into children. Super is positioned as the official sequel heavily involved by Akira Toriyama, GT as an original by Toei Animation, and DAIMA as the latest work supervised by Akira Toriyama.
The Boyhood Arc begins with the story of Son Goku, a boy with a tail living in the mountains, meeting a girl named Bulma who has come to search for Dragon Balls. The Dragon Balls, which can grant wishes when seven are gathered, lead Goku to encounter various allies and enemies on his adventure. This period depicts Goku's growth into the strongest warrior on Earth through martial arts tournaments and battles with formidable foes.
The story begins when Son Goku, who had been living alone in the mountains, encounters Bulma, the daughter of a scientist. **Goku, holding the Four-Star Ball, which was his grandfather's keepsake** is invited by Bulma to join her on a journey to find the Dragon Balls. Along the way, they meet desert bandit Yamcha and his companion Puar, Master Roshi's disciple Krillin, and the martial arts master, Master Roshi. After a fierce battle with the Pilaf gang, Goku and the others manage to protect the Dragon Balls using the power of the Great Ape transformation. Through this adventure, Goku learns about the vastness of the outside world and the bonds with various people. 【Related Articles】: Complete Explanation of the Dragon Ball Timeline | Summary of the Story Flow and Chronology
After the journey to find the Dragon Balls, Goku and Krillin begin rigorous training under Master Roshi. Carrying heavy shells, they handle deliveries and farm work, thoroughly training their basic physical strength. To test the results of their training, the two participate in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. Goku engages in a fierce battle with Jackie Chun in the finals but loses by a narrow margin. **In fact, Jackie Chun's true identity is the disguised Master Roshi**, who stood in front of his disciples to prevent them from becoming complacent. In this tournament, Goku learns that there are beings stronger than himself and begins to seek greater strength.
The military organization aiming for the Dragon Balls, **Red Ribbon Army begins its battle. Triggered by the murder of his friend Upa's father, Bora, by the army, Goku decides to fight the Red Ribbon Army alone. He goes on to destroy bases all over the place, fighting against Muscle Tower, General Blue, and meeting Android 8. Eventually, Goku penetrates the headquarters of the Red Ribbon Army and defeats Commander Red and his aide, Black, thereby completely destroying the organization. In this battle, Goku's combat power increases dramatically, evolving him into one of the strongest warriors on Earth.
In the midst of the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, the demon race leader, Piccolo Daimao, sealed by Master Roshi's master, Mutaito, is revived by the Pilaf gang. Piccolo Daimao begins to kill the fighters participating in the martial arts tournament one after another, resulting in the death of his close friend Krillin. Filled with anger, Goku vows revenge but is unable to stand a chance in their first battle. **After drinking the Ultra Divine Water at Korin Tower to unlock his potential**, Goku challenges Piccolo Daimao to a rematch. After a fierce battle, Goku defeats Piccolo Daimao with a thrusting attack, but before dying, he leaves behind his reincarnation (Majunia, later Piccolo). After that, Goku trains under the Kami for three years, confronts the grown-up Piccolo at the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai, and wins. He marries Chi-Chi, concluding the boyhood arc.
Starting from the Saiyan Arc, the Dragon Ball expands from a **Earth-scale adventure to a cosmic-scale battle. Goku's identity as a Saiyan alien is revealed** and formidable enemies from space invade Earth. This chapter features many elements that lay the foundation for future developments, including Goku and Piccolo's teamwork, fierce battles of the Z Fighters, and King Kai's training. A battle for the fate of the Earth has begun.
Five years after Goku and Chi-Chi had their son, Gohan, Raditz, a survivor of the warrior race Saiyans, suddenly arrives from space. Raditz tells Goku that he is the Saiyan "Kakarot" sent to Earth from Planet Vegeta, and demands his participation in conquering Earth. When Goku refuses, Raditz takes Gohan hostage. Goku joins forces with his rival Piccolo and grapples with Raditz to buy time to use the special move, Special Beam Cannon. Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon pierces through the two, resulting in a mutual death between Goku and Raditz. Just before dying, Raditz informs Goku that in one year, two more powerful Saiyans will come to Earth. Having died, Goku begins his training under King Kai on the path to heaven known as the "Snake Way." There, he learns powerful techniques called Kaioken and Spirit Bomb. Meanwhile, on Earth, Piccolo trains Gohan while Yamcha, Tien, Chiaotzu, and Krillin train under the God. A year later, Saiyan Prince Vegeta and his partner Nappa arrive on Earth. First, Yamcha loses his life in a battle against a cyborg named Saibaman, and in the subsequent fight against Nappa, Chiaotzu and Tien also become casualties. After finishing his training under King Kai, Goku finally arrives on Earth and defeats Nappa with overwhelming strength.
Raditz's Arrival and Goku's Identity
Preparation for the Saiyan Arrival
Final Battle with Vegeta & Nappa
The Frieza Saga is one of the most iconic chapters in Dragon Ball history. Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma, who are heading to Namek to revive their friends, encounter the Galactic Emperor Frieza and his army. This chapter features numerous pivotal events that alter the story, such as the awakening of the legendary Super Saiyan, Vegeta's alliance, and the fusion of Piccolo and Nail.
Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma arrive at Namek in a spaceship built by Bulma's father, but the Emperor of the Universe, Frieza, is already gathering Dragon Balls to wish for immortality. Frieza's subordinates raid the Namekian villages and take the Dragon Balls. Meanwhile, Vegeta, who was heavily injured in the battle with the Saiyans, also arrives at Namek after his treatment and plots to steal the Dragon Balls from Frieza. Gohan and Krillin have temporarily formed an alliance with Vegeta after being enhanced by the Elders of Namek. During this time, on Earth, Piccolo, who was revived by Shenron, is heading towards Namek.
Frieza's elite force, the Ginyu Force, arrives and engages in battle with Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin. The three struggle against the overwhelming difference in power, but just then, Goku, who has completed his training under King Kai, arrives. In an instant, Goku defeats Recoome, Burta, and Jheese. Captain Ginyu, surprised by Goku's high combat power, attempts to use body change to take over Goku's body, but fails as he cannot master Goku's body. Ultimately, Ginyu ends up trapped in a frog's body. Meanwhile, Piccolo, who has arrived on Namek, is... After merging with the dying Nail warrior, a significant power-up was achieved.
The Dragon Balls are gathered, and a wish is granted by Dende, but Frieza becomes furious and the final battle begins. Frieza transforms successively from his first form to his second, third, and final form, increasing his combat power dramatically each time. Even Piccolo, who fused with Nail, could not compete with Frieza's final form. Gohan and Krillin also join in, but one by one, they fall before Frieza's overwhelming power. Just before he is killed by Frieza, Vegeta tells Goku, "You are number one," and breathes his last. Afterward, Vegeta, who was revived by the Dragon Balls on Namek, joins the fight again, but the situation remains dire.
As the fierce battle with Frieza continues, Frieza explodes Krillin right in front of Goku. Witnessing the death of his best friend, Goku is engulfed in intense rage and awakens as the legendary Super Saiyan. The Super Saiyan, with golden shining hair and green eyes, demonstrates incredible power, turning the tables on the previously overwhelming Frieza. Frieza attempts planet destruction as a last resort, but Goku defeats Frieza with a Spirit Bomb and Kamehameha. Namek explodes, and everyone except Goku is revived with the Dragon Balls on Earth. Goku is thrown into outer space but escapes in Frieza's spaceship and later returns to Earth. [Related Article]: Types of Super Saiyans in Dragon Ball | Complete Transformation Guide
The Cell Saga begins with the warning from Trunks who came from the future. It depicts the battles against the androids created by Dr. Gero, the remnants of the Red Ribbon Army, and the perfect being Cell who came from the future. This chapter includes training in the Room of Spirit and Time, the holding of the Cell Games, and
Awakening of Gohan's Super Saiyan 2
**And so, stories unfold featuring the next generation of warriors.
Upon receiving information that Frieza has returned to Earth, the Z Fighters gather. However, before Frieza and his father King Cold arrive, a mysterious young man from the future instantly defeats Frieza. This young man is ** Future Trunks, the son of Vegeta and Bulma and reveals this only to Goku. Trunks warns"In three years, the androids will appear and destroy the Earth," and "Goku will die of a heart disease," and hands over the heart disease cure before returning to the future. Goku and the others begin three years of training in preparation for the androids.
Three years later, Dr. Gero appears as ** Android 20 but is defeated before Vegeta and the others. Dr. Gero, fleeing into his laboratory, activates Androids 17 and 18, but they refuse to follow his orders and kill Dr. Gero instead. Furthermore, Android 16 is also activated and the three androids begin to act to defeat Goku. Even Vegeta, transformed into a Super Saiyan, cannot match the overwhelming power of 17 and 18, and the Z Fighters face defeat one after another. Meanwhile, from another time machine, Cell aims to absorb the future androids and achieve his perfect form.
Cell aims to become perfect by absorbing Androids 17 and 18, gaining power by absorbing people from various places. Goku and Vegeta, aware of Cell's existence, train in the Room of Spirit and Time for one year in one day, growing strong enough to maintain a Super Saiyan state at all times. Vegeta overwhelms Cell's second form, but due to his interest as a warrior wanting to see the perfect form, he allows the absorption of Android 18. Once Cell becomes perfect, he overwhelms Vegeta, and Trunks is also defeated. Goku judges that he cannot win against Cell.
Cell holds a martial arts tournament called the The appearance of Super Saiyan 3, and the final battle depicted with the Spirit Bomb gathered from the power of the entire Earth.
Seven years after the Cell Games, Goku returns to the world for one day to participate in the World Martial Arts Tournament. Here, Goku’s son, **Goten**, who can also become a Super Saiyan, and Trunks’ son, also named Trunks, a young warrior, make their appearance. Behind the scenes of the tournament, the wizard Babidi was gathering the energy of strong fighters to resurrect Majin Buu. Babidi capitalizes on the darkness in Vegeta's heart, manipulating him as Majin Vegeta. The energy released in the battle between Goku and Majin Vegeta ultimately leads to the resurrection of **Majin Buu**.
Majin Buu has a child-like appearance, but his power is immeasurable. He possesses a strength that even Super Saiyan 2 Goku and Vegeta cannot compete with. Under Babidi's orders, Buu continues to destroy the city, and in a last resort, Vegeta attempts to defeat Buu by using a self-destruct technique. However, Majin Buu does not completely vanish and quickly regenerates. Goku **transforms into Super Saiyan 3 for the first time and fights Boo, but he cannot defeat him due to a time limit. Gradually, Boo absorbs evil hearts and becomes more monstrous,** killing or absorbing most of humanity on Earth.
As the hope for the next generation, Goku **teaches Goten and Trunks the fusion technique, and the two of them combine to become Gotenks, who can transform into Super Saiyan 3 and fought on par or even better against Majin Boo. Meanwhile, in the Kaio-shin realm, Gohan pulls out the Z Sword, which had been sealed by the Kaio-shin from 15 generations ago, and receives a ritual that brings out all his potential, gaining ultimate power. The powered-up Gohan overwhelms Majin Boo, but Boo **absorbs Gotenks and Piccolo, strengthening himself. Furthermore, Gohan is also about to be absorbed, and the situation becomes desperate.
Using the **Potara earrings that the Kaio-shin possess, Goku and Vegeta fuse to become Vegito, who turns into a Super Saiyan and corners Boo, who absorbed Gohan and the others, with overwhelming power. However, Vegito deliberately allows himself to be absorbed by Boo, and saves his friends from the inside. After regaining his friends, Boo **devolves into the pure existence of evil, Pure Boo, whose power is unimaginable, destroying the Earth. After moving to the Kaio-shin realm, Goku and the others use the Dragon Balls from Earth as a last resort to revive all of humanity, creating a Spirit Bomb by gathering energy from all of them. The Spirit Bomb, charged with the energy gathered from all of Earth in response to Satan's call, completely eradicates Pure Boo, and the long battle comes to an end. Ten years later, Goku meets Uub, the reincarnation of Buu, and embarks on a journey to train him. [Related articles]: A thorough explanation of the Kamehameha from Dragon Ball | Users and derivative techniques
**Dragon Ball Super depicts events from a few years after the Buu Saga to ten years after the final episode of the original seriesofficial sequel.Triggered by the encounter with the God of Destruction Beerus, Goku and the others learnthat there are 12 universes in existence, each with its own God of Destruction and Kaioshin.New transformations such as Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, and Ultra Instinct** are introduced, leading to universe-wide tournaments and battles with formidable enemies from different dimensions.
The God of Destruction Beerus awakens after 39 years and comes to Earth searching for the “Super Saiyan God” he saw in a prophetic dream. At Bulma's birthday party, Beerus appears and effortlessly defeats Vegeta with overwhelming power. Goku also challenges him as a Super Saiyan 3 but stands no chance. After learning how to become a Super Saiyan God from the Dragon Balls on Namek, Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan God with the help of five Saiyans. Goku, who possesses the spirit of a god, fought evenly against Beerus, and in the end, Beerus left without destroying Earth. In this battle, Goku touched upon **the realm of gods and realized the potential for a new power**.
The remnants of Frieza resurrect him using the Dragon Balls. Frieza, who became overwhelmingly stronger after four months of training, transformed into **Golden Frieza and appeared before Goku and the others. Goku also** transformed into **Super Saiyan Blue** to counter him, but struggled against Frieza's overwhelming power. However, there was a weakness to Golden Frieza, which was an energy depletion, and ultimately, he was defeated in collaboration with Vegeta. In this battle, Goku and Vegeta were able to[**make the power of Super Saiyan God their own, and evolve into Super Saiyan Blue**.
The God of Destruction Champa suggested **a tournament between Universe 6 and Universe 7, which are twin universes. From Universe 6, powerful warriors such as** Caulifla, another Saiyan Cabba, and the legendary assassin Hit **participated. Although Goku struggled against Hit's time-skip ability, he countered with a new technique that combined Kaioken and Super Saiyan Blue**. The match featured intense battles, and Goku and his allies came to learn the strength of beings from other universes. In this chapter, many characters appear that lead to the future tournament of power.
**Hosted by Zen-Oh, the "Tournament of Power" which gathered warriors from all universes was held.** Under the harsh rule that the losing universe would be obliterated, Universe 7 selected 10 representatives including Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Android 17, Android 18, and Frieza. In the tournament, the strongest warriors from each universe clashed, and** Jiren from Universe 11 displayed overwhelming power. With that, Goku awakens to the Ultra Instinct in a state of extreme conditions and fights on par or above with Jiren. **In the end, Goku, Frieza, and Android 17 defeat Jiren through their teamwork, leading Universe 7 to victory. The universe that was erased by Android 17's wish has been revived. In the subsequent movie "Super Hero," Gohan and Piccolo take the lead, depicting a new battle against the Red Ribbon Army.
After the completion of the original series, Toei Animation produced its own sequel, **Dragon Ball GT**. Additionally, a new work supervised by Akira Toriyama, **DAIMA**, will begin streaming in 2024, depicting a new world of Dragon Ball. These series have different timelines and settings than the original and Dragon Ball Super, each with its unique appeal.
Dragon Ball GT is set about 5 years after the original story, beginning with Goku reverting to a child form due to the side effects of the Ultimate Dragon Ball. The Ultimate Dragon Ball has a restriction that if not collected within a year, the Earth will explode, so Goku travels through space with Trunks and Pan to search for the Dragon Balls. Following this, the Baby Saga unfolds, where the parasitic life form Baby invades Earth, followed by battles against revived enemies from Hell and the Super 17 Saga, where Android 17 merges to become Super 17, culminating in the final chapter,** the Evil Dragon Saga, where seven evil dragons appear. In the Evil Dragon Saga, Goku fights dragons that embody the negative aspects of previous wishes, and in the decisive battle against the strongest one-star dragon, Goku transforms into Super Saiyan 4. Ultimately, Goku vanishes along with the Eternal Dragon and reappears before Pan's descendants 100 years later. GT is characterized by its unique transformation form called Super Saiyan 4 and the revival of adventure elements.
The Dragon Ball DAIMA, which began streaming in October 2024, is a new story set in the Demon World. Suddenly, Goku and the others are transformed into children, and it is revealed that the cause lies in the Demon World. Goku, King Kai, Guldo, and Piccolo embark on an adventure heading to the Demon World to uncover the mastermind behind the conspiracy. DAIMA is the last work deeply involved with Akira Toriyama while he is alive, featuring adventure elements and a comedic touch reminiscent of early Dragon Ball. The fresh elements include an unexplored setting in the Demon World, the activities of Goku and the others in child form, and the participation of a new character, Guldo. This work, unfolding about 30 years after the original story concluded, attracts attention as a piece that showcases new possibilities for Dragon Ball.
The story of Dragon Ball begins with the adventures of young Goku and evolves into a grand battle to protect the Earth and the universe. Each of the five chapters of the original series has different charms: the adventure and comedy in the early chapter, the full-scale battles starting from the Saiyan Saga, the awakening of Super Saiyan in the Frieza Saga, the warnings from the future in the Cell Saga, and the final battle in the Buu Saga, the story has continuously evolved. [Related Articles]: Order to Watch Dragon Ball | Beginner's Chronological and Viewing Guide
The highlights of each chapter are clear. The early chapter offers pure adventure fun, the Saiyan Saga reveals Goku's true identity and introduces his eternal rival, Vegeta, the Frieza Saga features the historical moment of the awakening of the legendary Super Saiyan, the Cell Saga focuses on the growth of the next generation Gohan and the parent-child bond, and the Buu Saga serves as the culmination of the original series. The derivative work, Super, explores reaching the realm of gods and battles on a universal scale, GT revives Super Saiyan 4 and adventure, while DAIMA offers a story in the new land of the Demon World.
As for the order of viewing or reading, it is ideal to either read the original work or watch the anime 'Dragon Ball Z' to grasp the basics first, then enjoy the official sequel with Dragon Ball Super. GT and DAIMA can be enjoyed as independent works. For newcomers, it's fine to start from the chapter that interests them, but starting from the Saiyan Saga will allow them to fully enjoy the excitement of serious battles and story.
With nearly 40 years of history, Dragon Ball remains an immortal masterpiece that continues to produce new works.
Using this story guide as a reference, please enjoy the world of Dragon Ball to the fullest.
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