The Dragon Ball series has been developed over nearly 40 years, starting from the original series, then Z, GT, Super, and the latest work, DAIMA. In addition, many theatrical films have been released, making it not easy to understand everything in chronological order. This article organizes the story of Dragon Ball in chronological order and clearly explains the positioning of each series and film based on the era called Age within the story. It is designed to provide a complete understanding of the Dragon Ball timeline, from beginners to those who want to revisit it after a long time.
To understand the Dragon Ball timeline, it is necessary to first know the concept of Age, the in-story era. This section explains what Age is, the characteristics of the Dragon Ball timeline, and how to read this article.
Age is the unit of time in the world of Dragon Ball. Just like the Gregorian calendar in the real world, it is used to organize events within the story chronologically. For instance, the main character Goku was born in Age 737, and Raditz invaded Earth in Age 761.
Age is a unique calendar that differs from the real-world timeline and is an important element in constituting the world view of Dragon Ball. Although it is not always clearly indicated in the story, it is elaborated in fan books and official setting materials, making it essential information for understanding the flow of the narrative. By using Age as a reference, one can accurately grasp in which era multiple series and theatrical works are situated.
The Dragon Ball timeline has several characteristic elements. Firstly, in addition to the main flow from the original to Z and Super, there are also spin-offs like GT and DAIMA. GT is an anime-original development that occurs after the manga's conclusion and is often treated as occurring in a different timeline from Super.
Furthermore, the positioning of theatrical works is complex. Recent films such as “God and God,” “Resurrection 'F',” “Broly,” and “Super Hero” are incorporated into the official canon, while many older films are considered parallel worlds. This means they are depicted as potential worlds that are different from the main story and are not included in a strict timeline.
Additionally, there are features like the existence of multiple timelines due to time travel, as seen in episodes featuring Future Trunks. This allows for different histories to coexist even within the same Age.
This article organizes the Dragon Ball timeline in order of Age and details what happened in each era. First, in the “Dragon Ball Timeline List” section, a chronological table covering history before Goku’s birth up to the latest work DAIMA will be introduced.
Next, in the “Positioning of Theatrical Works within the Timeline,” it explains where the theatrical works fit in chronologically and the differences between the official canon and parallel stories. Finally, in the “Viewing Order Guide,” it suggests recommended viewing methods and efficient viewing plans for beginners.
Each section provides specific ages and major events, making it possible to reference them dictionary-style.
Here, we will organize the story of Dragon Ball in chronological order and introduce the major events by age. Let's review the history from before Goku's birth to the latest installment, DAIMA, in a timeline format.
The story of Dragon Ball begins long before the birth of the main character, Son Goku. In the era before Age 737, the history of the Saiyans and the tyranny of the Frieza Force that rules the universe are depicted.
Especially important is the episode titled "The Lone Final Battle" featuring Goku's father, Bardock. In Age 737, fearing the latent power of the Saiyans, Frieza destroys Planet Vegeta. At this time, Bardock successfully sends his son Kakarot (later known as Son Goku) to escape to Earth. Due to the explosion of Planet Vegeta, most of the Saiyans are killed, with only a few surviving, including Goku, Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz.
Additionally, during this period, the God of Destruction Bills falls into a long slumber, and Frieza invades planets across the universe, leading to significant events that connect to later stories. The events of this era are also detailed in the movie "Dragon Ball Super: Broly," which is essential for understanding Saiyan history.
In Age 749, the baby Kakarot who crash-landed on Earth is found by Grandpa Son Gohan and named "Son Goku." At the age of 12 in Age 749, Goku meets Bulma and the journey to find the Dragon Balls begins.
The main events of this period are as follows. In Age 749, there were battles against the Pilaf Gang, training under Master Roshi, and competing for victory in the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament. In Age 750, battles against the Red Ribbon Army unfold, and Goku experiences encounters with Android 8 and Upa.
During the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament in Age 753, Goku has intense battles with rivals such as Tenshinhan and Krillin. Then, in Age 756, the Demon King Piccolo finally revives, and the world is enveloped in fear. Goku drinks the Super Divine Water at the Karin Tower, powers up, and manages to defeat the Demon King Piccolo.
In the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament held that same year, he faces the reincarnation of the Demon King Piccolo, Majunior (Piccolo), and after an intense fight, emerges victorious. This period tells the story of Dragon Ball without the Z, depicting Goku's growth from a boy to a young man.
For those who want to know more about each episode of Dragon Ball, please see the complete explanation of the Dragon Ball story | Summary.
In Age 761, Goku's brother Raditz arrives on Earth, and the story of Dragon Ball Z begins. Raditz tells Goku, "You are a Saiyan," and invites him to join in conquering the universe, but Goku refuses. He and Piccolo team up to defeat Raditz, but Goku also loses his life in the process.
After that, the Z fighters learn that even stronger Saiyans, Vegeta and Nappa, are heading towards Earth, and they dedicate themselves to a year of training. In Age 762, Vegeta and Nappa arrive on Earth and a fierce battle unfolds. Yamcha, Tenshinhan, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo fall in this battle, but Goku successfully fends off Vegeta using the Kaio-ken technique.
From the latter half of Age 762 to Age 763, the Frieza saga unfolds on Namek. In order to revive Piccolo, Krillin and the others head to Namek, where they encounter the Frieza Force. Goku arrives late, and the final showdown with Frieza begins. Triggered by Krillin's death, Goku awakens to the legendary Super Saiyan and manages to defeat Frieza. This battle is known as one of the most famous battles in Dragon Ball history. For those who want to know more about the transformation into a Super Saiyan, please see the complete explanation of the types of Super Saiyans in Dragon Ball | Transformation forms.
After defeating Frieza, Goku escapes from Namek in a spaceship but does not return to Earth, drifting through space instead. In Age 764, a mysterious boy suddenly appears and instantly defeats Frieza and his father, King Cold. This boy is Trunks, who has come from the future.
Trunks informs Goku that androids will appear in three years and destroy the world. In Age 767, as predicted, Androids 19 and 20 appear, followed by 17 and 18. Furthermore, Cell, who aims to become perfect, makes his entrance; he was not present in Trunks' time.
Cell absorbs 17 and 18 to reach his perfect form and holds the Cell Games, challenging the warriors of Earth. Goku and Gohan, who trained in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, step up to the challenge, but Goku entrusts his hopes to Gohan and dies in battle. Gohan awakens to Super Saiyan 2 and successfully obliterates Cell. In this battle, Goku dies and departs for the afterlife. The Androids and Cell saga is an emotional story depicting Gohan's growth and Goku's sacrifice.
Seven years have passed since Goku's death, and in Age 774, Goku, who has been training in the afterlife, is granted permission to return to the living world for one day. Upon returning to Earth to participate in the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament, Goku reunites with his grown son Gohan, Goten, and new friends.
However, it is revealed during the martial arts tournament that the wizard Babidi is advancing a plan to resurrect Majin Buu. Vegeta is manipulated by Babidi and regains his evil heart, facing Goku once again. Meanwhile, Buu is resurrected, and the world falls into crisis once more.
Initially, Majin Buu had an innocent personality, but his evil side separates, transforming him into a malevolent character. Ultimately, Goku, Gohan, Goten, and Trunks battle using fusion and Potara fusion, but their efforts do not deliver a decisive blow. In the end, Goku successfully completely annihilates Majin Buu using a Spirit Bomb gathered from the energy of all the Earth's inhabitants.
After this battle, Majin Buu's memories are erased with the Dragon Balls, allowing him to be reborn as the good-natured "Mr. Buu." By the end of Age 774, peace returns, and Goku chooses to train in the afterlife without being revived. The Majin Buu saga is the final chapter of the original manga and is depicted as the concluding part of Dragon Ball Z. For more details on the strength of each character, see 【Related Article】:Ranking of Dragon Ball's Strongest Characters | Comparing Battle Power and Strength.
Four years after the battle with Majin Buu, in Age 778, the God of Destruction Beerus awakens and comes to Earth. Beerus is searching for an existence called "Super Saiyan God," and Goku and his friends combine the powers of six good-hearted Saiyans to transform Goku into a Super Saiyan God. Goku engages in a fierce battle with Beerus but ultimately falls short and is defeated. However, Beerus is satisfied with the food on Earth and refrains from destruction.
Afterward, Frieza is revived. In Age 779, Frieza powers up to Golden Frieza to take revenge on Earth and attacks. Both Goku and Vegeta have learned a new transformation called Super Saiyan Blue, and after an intense battle, they succeed in defeating Frieza once again.
From the latter half of Age 779 to 780, a tournament between Universe 6 and Universe 7 is held. At the suggestion of the God of Destruction Champa and Beerus, an inter-universal tournament takes place, in which Goku and his friends fight against the warriors of Universe 6. This is the first time it is revealed that there are Saiyans in another universe. The storyline during this period includes the content of the theatrical films "God and God" and "Resurrection 'F'," unfolding as early episodes of Dragon Ball Super. For more details on how the theatrical films are handled in Super, see 【Related Article】:Timeline and Viewing Order of Dragon Ball Movies | Positioning of All 21 Works.
In Age 780, Future Trunks appears again, informing that an enemy resembling Goku called "Goku Black" is rampaging in the future world. Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks head to the future world to confront Goku Black and the Kaioshin apprentice Zamasu. The true identity of Goku Black is Zamasu, who has stolen Goku's body, and the two are plotting the destruction of the entire universe with the immortal Zamasu.
After a fierce battle, Goku and Vegeta combine through the Potara to become Vegito Blue and engage in an evenly matched battle against Zamasu. Ultimately, the Omni-King completely erased Zamasu by erasing the future world itself. Although Future Trunks' world is destroyed, Trunks sets off to the future of a different timeline.
In the latter half of Age 780, a tournament called the "Tournament of Power" that involves the entire universe is held. By the order of the Omni-King, 8 out of the 12 universes participate, and the losing universes face annihilation, making it a harsh rule tournament. Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Frieza, and 10 others represent Universe 7 and clash with the strongest warriors from each universe.
During the battles, Goku reaches a new state known as "Ultra Instinct," engaging in an evenly matched fight with the strongest warrior, Jiren. Ultimately, Universe 7 wins and fulfills the wish to revive the annihilated universes. The Tournament of Power arc is depicted as the climax of Dragon Ball Super, moving many fans.
Dragon Ball GT is an anime original work set 10 years after the Majin Buu arc, taking place after Age 784. Goku is turned back into a child by the Ultimate Dragon Ball (the Dragon Ball that summons the Ultimate Dragon), and travels through space with Trunks and Pan.
In GT, the Evil Dragon arc unfolds as the final chapter, and Goku acquires a new transformation called Super Saiyan 4. Super Saiyan 4 is a form that harnesses the power of the Great Ape in a human form, characterized by black hair and red body fur instead of golden hair. Ultimately, Goku merges with Vegeta to become Gogeta 4 and defeats the strongest evil dragon, Yi Xing Long.
At the end of GT, Goku disappears with Shenron, and a depiction of Goku's descendants living peacefully 100 years in the future is shown. GT is often treated as a different timeline from Dragon Ball Super, and it has not been officially confirmed as a continuation of the era after Super. However, its unique transformation of Super Saiyan 4 and the emotional final scene are beloved by many fans. For those wanting to know more about the relationship between GT and Super, please refer to 【Related Article】: The Differences Between Dragon Ball GT and Super | Which is Canon? A Timeline Explanation.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is the latest series that began airing in October 2024. It is speculated to take place immediately after the Majin Buu arc, around the end of Age 774 to 775, though a specific age has not been disclosed.
In DAIMA, Goku and others are turned into children by the Dragon Balls from the Demon Realm, and their adventures in the Demon Realm are depicted. The Demon Realm exists in a different dimension from the world of the gods, housing its own unique culture and species. Goku heads to the Demon Realm with the Kaioshin, and embarks on an adventure to return to their original forms.
DAIMA is the last new work that Akira Toriyama worked on while alive, being deeply involved in character design and world-building. With a new setting in the Demon Realm, the adventure of Goku and others who have returned to child form, and the introduction of new characters, it is a work filled with charms that differ from the traditional Dragon Ball. Since it is depicted as events occurring before Super in the timeline, there is a possibility that connections to Super may be indicated depending on future developments. If you want to know more about DAIMA, please see 【Related Articles】: Thorough Explanation of the Charms of Dragon Ball DAIMA｜Highlights of the Latest Work.
There are many theatrical works in Dragon Ball, but their relationships with the main story differ. In this section, we will explain in detail the positioning of theatrical works in the chronology and the works included in the official history and those treated as parallel.
The theatrical works of Dragon Ball are broadly classified into "Old Theatrical Works" and "New Theatrical Works". Below, we will organize the theatrical works in chronological order.
Theatrical Works Included in Official History:
Parallel Treated Old Theatrical Works:
These works are treated as parallel worlds due to the many inconsistencies with the main storyline, despite the existence of a time setting.
The four theatrical works released in recent years have been deeply involved in the script and story planning by Akira Toriyama and are treated as part of the canon of Dragon Ball Super.
"Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods" (Age 778)
The God of Destruction, Beerus, awakens from a 39-year slumber and comes to Earth in search of the "Super Saiyan God" he saw in a prophetic dream. Goku transforms into a Super Saiyan God with the help of six Saiyans and battles Beerus. This work marks the first appearance of Beerus and Whis and laid the foundation for later developments in Dragon Ball Super.
"Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'" (Age 779)
Frieza is revived by his subordinates and comes to Earth for revenge as Golden Frieza. Goku and Vegeta have mastered a new power called Super Saiyan Blue, leading to intense battles. This work is depicted in the Dragon Ball Super TV series and has been confirmed as part of the canon.
"Dragon Ball Super: Broly" (Age 780)
Set after the Tournament of Power, the newly established Broly makes his appearance. The history of the Saiyans, Bardock and the destruction of Planet Vegeta, and Broly's growth are illustrated. Goku and Vegeta fuse to become Gogeta Blue and fight the rampaging Broly. This work is categorized as a completely new creation involving Akira Toriyama and is positioned within the canon.
"Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero" (around Age 781)
The remnants of the Red Ribbon Army create new androids, with Gohan and Piccolo at the forefront of the battle. Gohan awakens to a new form, "Gohan Beast," and Piccolo transforms into "Orange Piccolo." This work is a unique entry that showcases the activities of Gohan and Piccolo in the absence of Goku and Vegeta.
Many of the old theatrical works released in the 1990s are treated as parallel worlds. Although the same characters from the main series appear, there are inconsistencies in the timeline and setting.
Main contradictions with the original story:
For example, Broly appearing in 'Burn Up!! Hot Fight, Intense Fight, Super Fight' is an old setting character and is not the same person as in 'Dragon Ball Super: Broly,' released in 2018. Similarly, movie-original enemy characters like Cooler, Turles, and Slug do not appear in the original story at all.
However, even if treated as parallel stories, these movies can be enjoyed as independent works. They develop various characters and stories as an
How to Watch in Chronological Order
If you want to emphasize the chronological order, it is also possible to watch in age order. However, some movies are treated as parallel, so they are not strictly included in the chronological order.
The advantage of watching in chronological order is that you can understand the flow of the story along with the ages, but since the release periods of the works differ, the quality of the visuals and animation styles may vary. For a more detailed viewing guide, please see 【Related Articles】: How to Watch Dragon Ball | Chronological Guide for Beginners.
When to watch the movie works is a point that many people struggle with. Here, I suggest an efficient viewing plan.
Plan to Incorporate Canon Movies into the Main Series:
Plan to Enjoy the Old Movies:
The old movies are treated as parallel, but they can be enjoyed as independent works. After finishing the main series, it is recommended to pick up the movies that interest you and watch them. The particularly popular works are as follows.
These contents can be enjoyed fully with prior knowledge of the main series. For detailed reviews and recommendations for all the movies, please see: Dragon Ball Movie Recommendation Ranking | Reviews of All 21 Works.
For those who don't have time to watch the entire series, here is a carefully selected shortest route featuring important episodes.
Shortest Route (about 80 hours):
Ultra Shortest Route (about 40 hours):
If you want to save even more time, a plan focused on the movies is recommended.
In this route, the original series is skipped, so Goku's adventures as a child are omitted, but you can efficiently follow the main story from Dragon Ball Z to Super. If you have time later, rewatching the original series or the skipped episodes can offer a deeper enjoyment. For more details on the differences between Dragon Ball Kai and the original Z, please see: Thorough Comparison of Dragon Ball Z and Kai | Which One Should You Watch?.
By organizing the Dragon Ball chronology based on the age known as 'Age', you can clearly understand the seemingly complex flow of the entire series. The grand story spanning nearly 40 years from the original series to DAIMA can be enjoyed more deeply by grasping the chronology.
This article explains the flow starting from the destruction of Planet Vegeta in Age 737, Goku's childhood, the battles of the Z Fighters, and up to the latest work, DAIMA, in a chronological format. It also clarifies the positioning of the movie works, highlighting the differences between the official history and parallels. The four works included in the official history, 'Battle of Gods', 'Resurrection 'F'', 'Broly', and 'Super Hero' play an essential role in understanding the story of Dragon Ball Super.
For viewing order, beginners are recommended to watch in the order of release, while those who want to focus on the chronology should watch in age order. For those who are busy, focusing on Dragon Ball Kai and the movies allows you to efficiently follow the core of the story. Although the old movies are considered parallel, they are sufficiently enjoyable as independent works.
Dragon Ball is a work that can be enjoyed in different ways depending on the order in which you watch it. Please use the chronological information in this article to enjoy the world of Dragon Ball in a way that suits you. By understanding the flow of ages, you should be able to see the characters' growth and the connections in the story more clearly.
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