How to Watch Dragon Ball in Order? This Is What The Chronology Looks Like

Dragon Ball deserves to be called a cult series that has undoubtedly made history. Nor is it one of the smallest, as it is made up of several productions whose viewing order may not be as obvious as some might think, since they didn’t come out at all according to the chronology of events.

So what is the correct order to watch Dragon Ball? We have made a list for you that will allow you to fully experience what happens in the lives of Dragon Ball characters, without the turmoil of having something get tangled up in the chronology of events.

In addition to the non-canonical Dragon Ball movies and series, we have excluded the GT series from our list, which is still a topic of debate. According to some sources, this anime is canonical, while others say it doesn’t belong to the canon and is an alternate reality. However, if anyone is interested in watching GT, it should be at the end of our list, as the last one to watch.

Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball, Toei Animation, 1986

Number of episodes: 153

This anime is where it all started, and you should also start your adventure with this series, as it depicts Goku's beginnings. It also introduces the characters that will also accompany us in other productions in the series, so it is worth watching Dragon Ball to gain a basic knowledge of the world and the characters.

Dragon Ball Z (up to 287th episode) / Dragon Ball Z Kai (up to 165th episode)

Dragon Ball Z Kai, Toei Animation, 2009

Number of episodes: Z – 287 / Z Kai – 165

In the case of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Z Kai, you can choose either of them, there is no point in watching both, as they will present the same story. Z Kai is a revised version of Z, with fillers removed, improved quality and re-recorded dialogues.

Z or Z Kai are must-see ones. There we will see some of the most iconic scenes that belong to the history of popular culture. Keep in mind, however, that if you want to watch everything in chronological order, it's best to end at episodes 287 or 165, depending on whether you're watching Z or Z Kai, since it's after these that Dragon Ball Super enters, taking place during the 10-year time jump.

Dragon Ball Super

Dragon Ball Super, Toei Animation, 2015

Number of episodes: 131

Dragon Ball Super is set during the 10-year time jump that took place in Dragon Ball Z, so it's worth watching the series before the final episodes of Z. And unlike Dragon Ball GT, Akira Toriyama was involved in creating the story of Dragon Ball Super, which is, of course, a canonical production.

Dragon Ball Super: Broly and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

Dragon Ball Super: Broly, Tatsuya Nagamine, Toei Animation, 2018

Duration of movies: Broly – 1h 40m / Super Hero – 1h 39m

Both films in the Dragon Ball Super series are part of the canon, so it's worth not skipping them and watching them after the Super series, as they continue the story of characters well known to DB fans.

Dragon Ball Z (from 288th episode) / Dragon Ball Z Kai (from 166th episode)

Dragon Ball Z Kai, Toei Animation, 2009

Number of episodes: Z – 3 / Z Kai – 2

After watching all of Dragon Ball Super, you can finally watch the Dragon Ball Z / Dragon Ball Z Kai ending, which shows the events after a 10-year time jump.

Canonical Dragon Ball movies and series in chronological order

• Dragon Ball (1986-1989)
• Dragon Ball Z (up to 287th episode) (1989-1996) or Dragon Ball Z Kai (up to 165th episode) (2009-2011 i 2014-2015)
• Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018)
• Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018)
• Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022)
• Dragon Ball Z (episodes 288-291) (1989-1996) or Dragon Ball Z Kai (episodes 166-167) (2009-2011 and 2014-2015)

A new addition to the Dragon Ball universe will be the Daima series, however, for now we don’t know if and how it will fit into the canon. This will probably become clear after the release, which is expected in the fall of 2024.

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