Dragon Ball facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dragon Ball |
|
|---|---|
The logo for the original manga series
|
|
| Creator | Akira Toriyama |
| Original work | Dragon Ball (1984–1995) |
| Owner | Bird Studio/Shueisha |
| Print publications | |
| Books | Companion books |
| Comics | Manga |
| Films and television | |
| Films | List of films |
| Short films |
|
| Animated series |
|
| Television specials |
|
| Direct-to-video |
|
| Games | |
| Traditional |
|
| Video games | List of video games |
| Audio | |
| Soundtracks | List of soundtracks |
Dragon Ball (Japanese: ドラゴンボール, Hepburn: Doragon Bōru) is a super popular Japanese story series created by Akira Toriyama. It started as a manga (Japanese comic book) that was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from 1984 to 1995. All 519 chapters were later collected into 42 special books called tankōbon.
The idea for Dragon Ball came from an old Chinese story called Journey to the West. It also took inspiration from exciting Hong Kong martial arts films. The characters in Dragon Ball use many different East Asian martial arts styles, like karate and Wing Chun (a type of kung fu).
The story follows the amazing adventures of a hero named Son Goku. We see him grow from a young boy into an adult as he trains hard in martial arts. Goku lives far from cities until he meets a smart teenage girl named Bulma. She convinces him to join her on a big adventure. Their goal is to find seven magical orbs called Dragon Balls. When all seven are brought together, they summon a powerful dragon that can grant any wish!
During his journey, Goku makes many friends and starts a family. He also learns about his alien background and fights against many different bad guys. Many of these villains also want to get their hands on the Dragon Balls.
Akira Toriyama's manga was turned into two main anime (Japanese animated TV shows) by Toei Animation. These were Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. They aired in Japan from 1986 to 1996. Toei Animation also made 21 animated movies and three TV specials. Later, they created sequel series like Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997) and Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018). A new series, Dragon Ball Daima, aired from October 2024 to February 2025.
From 2009 to 2015, a special version of Dragon Ball Z called Dragon Ball Kai was shown. This version was edited to follow the original manga story more closely. It removed extra scenes that weren't in the comic.
Many companies have made toys, games, and other cool items based on Dragon Ball. This has made it one of the most successful story series ever! The Dragon Ball manga has been sold in over 40 countries. The anime has been shown in more than 80 countries. Over 260 million copies of the manga books have been sold worldwide. This makes it one of the best-selling manga series of all time.
Fans love Dragon Ball for its amazing art, interesting characters, funny moments, and how it appeals to everyone. Many manga artists say Dragon Ball inspired their own popular works. The anime, especially Dragon Ball Z, is also super popular globally. It helped make Japanese animation famous in the Western world. Dragon Ball has had a huge impact on popular culture everywhere. Many artists, athletes, and filmmakers have been inspired by it.
Contents
Exploring the Dragon Ball World
The Main Setting: Planet Earth
The main place where Dragon Ball stories happen is Earth. It's also called the Dragon World (ドラゴンワールド). The people living there are called Earthlings (地球人, Chikyūjin). This name includes humans, animal-like people, and even friendly monsters.
As the story continues, especially in Dragon Ball Z, we meet many aliens. Two important alien groups are the Saiyans (サイヤ人, Saiya-jin) and the Namekians (ナメック星人, Namekku-seijin). They become very important to the story.
Goku's Amazing Journey
The story mostly follows Son Goku, a powerful Saiyan. When he first meets Bulma, they begin their quest to find the seven Dragon Balls. These magical orbs can summon the wish-granting dragon Shenlong.
Goku later trains in martial arts with Kame-Sen'nin. He also meets his best friend, Kuririn. Goku then enters the Tenkaichi Budōkai (天下一武道会, lit. "Strongest Under the Heavens Martial Arts Tournament"). Here, he fights against the world's strongest warriors.
When evil villains like Piccolo Daimao and his son Piccolo try to take over Earth, Goku trains with Earth's gods to defeat them. Goku even gives his life to save the planet from his alien brother Raditz. But he is brought back to life after training in the afterlife. He learns from North Kaio to fight other Saiyans, Nappa and Vegeta.
Goku later becomes a Super Saiyan and defeats the evil alien Frieza. This event sets the stage for the rest of the series. Each new enemy becomes stronger, pushing the heroes to train even harder.
The Multiverse of Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Super shows us that there are twelve different universes. Most of the Dragon Ball stories happen in Universe 7 (第7宇宙, Dai-Nana Uchū). Each universe has good gods called Kaioshin and powerful Gods of Destruction. A super-powerful being named Zeno oversees all the universes.
How Dragon Ball Was Made
Akira Toriyama loved Hong Kong martial arts films. He especially liked movies starring Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. He wanted to create a manga inspired by these action-packed films. This led him to create a short story called Dragon Boy in 1983, which later became Dragon Ball.
Toriyama based many parts of Dragon Ball on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. For example, Goku is like the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Bulma is similar to the monk Tang Sanzang. The idea of collecting Dragon Balls was inspired by an old Japanese novel where heroes collected eight magical beads. Toriyama changed it to seven Dragon Balls.
Toriyama first thought the manga would only last about a year. He wanted to tell a story that was easy to understand. He also wanted to move away from Western influences seen in his previous work. Instead, he used ideas from many Asian cultures, including Japanese, Chinese, Indian, and Arabic styles. For example, the island where the Tenkaichi Budōkai tournament is held was inspired by Bali in Indonesia.
His editor, Kazuhiko Torishima, suggested making Goku more interesting. So, Toriyama added characters like Kame-Sen'nin and Kuririn. He also created the Tenkaichi Budōkai tournament to focus on exciting fights. When the first tournament began, Dragon Ball became very popular. Toriyama made Goku lose the first two tournaments to show how much he could grow.
As the characters became the strongest on Earth, they started fighting aliens like the Saiyans (サイヤ人, Saiya-jin). Goku himself was later revealed to be a Saiyan sent to Earth as a baby. The villain Frieza, who took over planets, was inspired by real estate speculators. Toriyama found it challenging to keep making enemies stronger. So, he created the Ginyu Force to add more fun to the series.
When Goku first turned into a Super Saiyan (
Toriyama said he enjoyed creating the story more than drawing it in the later parts of the series. He focused on making the fight scenes feel fast and exciting. He once said his goal was to tell a fun and "unconventional" story. Toriyama also mentioned that he just wanted to make Japanese boys happy with his manga. He believed his manga's job was to entertain readers.
Dragon Ball Manga Series
The Dragon Ball manga was written and drawn by Akira Toriyama. It was published in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from December 3, 1984, to June 5, 1995. Toriyama decided to end it because he felt tired and needed a break. The 519 chapters were collected into 42 tankōbon books. These were released by Shueisha from 1985 to 1995.
Later, between 2002 and 2004, the chapters were re-released in 34 kanzenban volumes. These had new covers and some color artwork. In 2013, parts of the manga were fully colored and re-released.
Other Manga Stories
- Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock: This three-chapter manga by Ōishi tells a story about Bardock, Goku's father. It was published in V Jump magazine in 2011.
- Jaco the Galactic Patrolman: Akira Toriyama's 2013 manga series is set before Dragon Ball. It even includes a bonus chapter about Goku's mother.
- Dragon Ball: That Time I Got Reincarnated as Yamcha: This spin-off manga started in 2016. It's about a high school boy who wakes up in the body of Yamcha from Dragon Ball.
Fun Crossovers
Toriyama also created a short series called Neko Majin (1999–2005). This was a funny parody of Dragon Ball. In 2006, Toriyama worked with other artists on crossover chapters. One was with Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo and another with One Piece, called Cross Epoch.
Dragon Ball Anime Shows
The Dragon Ball manga was turned into several anime TV shows. Dragon Ball (1986–89), Dragon Ball Z (1989–96), Dragon Ball Super (2015–18), and Dragon Ball Daima (2024–25) all follow the main story. Other series like Dragon Ball GT (1996–97) and Super Dragon Ball Heroes (2018–24) explore different story paths.
The Original Dragon Ball Series
Toei Animation made an anime TV series based on the first 194 manga chapters. It was also called Dragon Ball. The show first aired in Japan on February 26, 1986, and ran until April 19, 1989, with 153 episodes. It has been shown in 81 countries around the world.
The Epic Dragon Ball Z
Instead of just continuing Dragon Ball, Toei Animation decided to give the next part a new name: Dragon Ball Z (ドラゴンボールZ(ゼット), Doragon Bōru Zetto, commonly abbreviated as DBZ). This series starts five years after the first one ended. It adapts the final 325 chapters of the manga. It aired in Japan from April 26, 1989, to January 31, 1996, with 291 episodes.
Two TV specials were also made for Dragon Ball Z. The first was Bardock – The Father of Goku in 1990. The second was The History of Trunks in 1993.
Dragon Ball GT Adventures
Dragon Ball GT (ドラゴンボールGT(ジーティー), Doragon Bōru Jī Tī) aired from February 7, 1996, to November 19, 1997, with 64 episodes. This series was not based on Toriyama's original manga. It was created by Toei Animation as a sequel. Akira Toriyama helped design the main characters, a spaceship, and three planets. He also came up with the title and logo. A TV special called A Hero's Legacy aired in 1997.
Dragon Ball Z Kai: A Closer Look
In 2009, Dragon Ball Z celebrated its 20th anniversary. Toei Animation released a re-edited and remastered version called Dragon Ball Kai (ドラゴンボール改, Doragon Bōru Kai, lit. "Dragon Ball Revised"). This version followed the manga more closely. It removed scenes and episodes that weren't in the original comic. The episodes were updated for modern TVs, and most of the original voice actors re-recorded their lines. Dragon Ball Z Kai had 159 episodes, much fewer than the original 291.
Dragon Ball Super: New Adventures Begin
On April 28, 2015, Toei Animation announced Dragon Ball Super (ドラゴンボール超, Doragon Bōru Sūpā). This was the first brand-new Dragon Ball TV series in 18 years! It started on July 5, 2015, and ran weekly until March 25, 2018, with 131 episodes. Many of the original voice actors returned for their roles.
The story of Dragon Ball Super takes place after the defeat of Majin Buu, when Earth is peaceful again. Akira Toriyama is credited for the original story and character ideas. This anime also has a manga version.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes Web Series
In May 2018, an anime was announced to promote the Super Dragon Ball Heroes card and video game series. This web series was released online from July 1, 2018, and concluded on August 8, 2024.
Dragon Ball Daima
Dragon Ball Daima aired on Fuji TV from October 2024 to February 2025. Its story is set after the Majin Buu Saga of Dragon Ball Z but before Dragon Ball Super. This was the last work by Akira Toriyama.
Other Animated Stories
- Dragon Ball: Yo! Son Goku and His Friends Return!!: A short film made in 2008 for Weekly Shōnen Jump's 40th anniversary.
- Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock: A short animated version of the Bardock manga, shown in 2011.
- Dragon Ball Z Side Story: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans: A two-episode video animation from 1993. A remake, Dragon Ball: Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans, was released in 2010.
- Dream 9 Toriko & One Piece & Dragon Ball Z Super Collaboration Special!!: A two-part crossover special with Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, and Toriko that aired in 2013.
More Dragon Ball Fun
Dragon Ball Movies
Twenty animated movies based on Dragon Ball have been released in Japan. The most recent films, like Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013), Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015), Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018), and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), were full-length movies. They were shown in theaters in Japan and other countries. These were also the first Dragon Ball films where Akira Toriyama was very involved. Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F' were even remade into story arcs for the Dragon Ball Super anime.
Older films were usually shorter, around 45–60 minutes. They were often shown with other movies. These older films often told alternate versions of stories or extra side-stories. The first three films and Dragon Ball: The Path to Power were based on the original Dragon Ball anime. The other thirteen older films were based on Dragon Ball Z.
Live-Action Dragon Ball Film
Two unofficial live-action Dragon Ball films were made in the early 1990s in Korea and Taiwan.
An American live-action film called Dragonball Evolution was released in 2009. It was not very successful and many critics and fans felt it didn't stay true to the original story. Akira Toriyama himself criticized the film. He said he was not involved in making it, even though he offered to help. Years later, the film's writer apologized, saying he wrote it just for money, not as a fan.
The film rights to Dragon Ball are now owned by The Walt Disney Company. However, there are no current plans for a new live-action Dragon Ball movie.
Theme Park Rides
"Dragon Ball Z: The Real 4D" opened at Universal Studios Japan in 2016. It featured a cool battle between Goku and Frieza using CGI. A second ride, "Dragon Ball Z: The Real 4-D at Super Tenkaichi Budokai," opened in 2017. This ride showed a battle with the powerful character Broly.
Dragon Ball Video Games
The Dragon Ball series has inspired many video games across different types of consoles. Early games for the Famicom often used a card battling system. Later games for the Super Famicom and Mega Drive were mostly fighting games or RPGs.
The first Dragon Ball game released in the United States was Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout for the PlayStation in 1997. For the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, characters were made with cool 3D cel-shaded graphics. These included the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai and Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi series.
Dragon Ball Xenoverse was the first game for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There was also a massively multiplayer online role-playing game called Dragon Ball Online. It was available in some countries until 2013. Fans are now working to bring it back as "Dragon Ball Online Global."
The mobile game Dragon Ball Z: Dokkan Battle (2015) has been downloaded over 350 million times worldwide. A very popular recent game is Dragon Ball FighterZ (2018). This fighting game won many awards for its fast 3v3 battles and amazing visuals. It's also a big part of eSports and has sold 4 million copies.
Cool Dragon Ball Merchandise
Dragon Ball has a huge amount of merchandise! In 1994, Bandai made $140 million from selling Dragon Ball toys and games in Japan. By 1996, Dragon Ball Z had earned $2.95 billion from merchandise sales worldwide. Bandai sold over 2 billion Dragon Ball Carddass cards in Japan by 1998. They also sold over 1 million Dragon Stars action figures in the Americas and Europe by 2018. In 2000, Burger King even gave away 20 million Dragon Ball Z figures in North America. By 2011, the whole franchise had made $5 billion from merchandise sales.
Awesome Soundtracks
There are many soundtracks from the anime, movies, and games. Shunsuke Kikuchi composed the music for the first two anime, Dragon Ball and Z. Akihito Tokunaga composed the music for GT, and Kenji Yamamoto and Norihito Sumitomo for Kai. Many CDs have been released, including compilations and music from the English versions.
Dragon Ball Books and Guides
Many companion books have been released for the Dragon Ball series. The Daizenshuu series had seven main books and three extra books. These covered the manga and the first two anime series. Dragon Ball: The Complete Illustrations (Daizenshuu volume 1) was released in English in 2008. It showed all 264 color drawings by Akira Toriyama for magazine covers and special items. It also included an interview with Toriyama.
Later, new guidebooks like Dragon Ball Landmark and Dragon Ball Forever were released. These books often included new interviews with the creator and the people who worked on the series.
Collectible Cards
Bandai has released many collectible cards based on Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. These cards show scenes from the manga and anime, plus special artwork.
Tabletop Role-Playing Game
Dragon Ball Z: The Anime Adventure Game is a tabletop role-playing game that was released in 1999.
Images for kids
-
The Earth of Dragon Ball, as published in Daizenshuu 4: World Guide
-
Dragon Ball debuted in Weekly Shōnen Jump No. 51, on December 3, 1984, which is highly sought after among fans and collectors
-
Cover of Dragon Ball: The Complete Illustrations
-
A Dragon Ball Z arcade conversion kit that includes the PCB, instructions and operator's manual
_is_the_first_appearance_of_Goku._Cover_art_by_Akira_Toriyama.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Dragon Ball para niños
