Summary

• Watch Dragon Ball in order for crucial context, but remember GT's dubious canon.
• Dragon Ball Z introduces new characters and more aliens; enjoy standalone or with DB.
• Dragon Ball Z Kai cuts filler for a punchier experience; skip if you've seen Z.

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dragon Ball is a cultural force to be reckoned with. This anime based on the manga by 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:the late Akira Toriyama has inspired an entire generation around the globe, and it's not hard to see why. There's never a bad time to binge the series, whether you're nostalgic for the old days or new to the party.

It's best to watch the different Dragon Ball anime in chronological order since each installation builds off story elements from its predecessor. That, however, doesn't take the dubious canon status of GT and the two different Dragon Ball Z versions into account. Here's a general outline for your upcoming Dragon Ball binge.

Dragon Ball

The Underrated Original

While the original Dragon Ball is a beloved anime in its own right, it still doesn't get as much love as Dragon Ball Z or Super. Part of that is due to its age, but that still doesn't change the fact that Dragon Ball is just plain fun, so it's great to watch on its own, and binging Dragon Ball will also give you important context for later series.

If you're only familiar with Dragon Ball Z and its sequel anime, some of the story elements of Dragon Ball may surprise you. That's because Toriyama originally intended the series to be a loose adaptation of Journey to the West, a sixteenth-century Chinese novel that, notably, has no aliens; Dragon Ball is more down to earth than later installations, and that imparts its own charm.

Option A: Dragon Ball Z

The Beloved Sequel

If you're somehow unfamiliar with Dragon Ball Z, the anime is all about the adult life of Goku, which 168🍸澳洲幸运5开奖网:mostly revolves around fighting aliens. While many characters from the original Dragon Ball began to take more of a backseat during Dragon Ball Z, the latter series introduced some new faces that would go on to become pivotal ꧃to the story.

Dragon Ball Z can be enjoyed on its merit without having watched its predecessor, but having watched Dragon Ball first will give you important context for most of the characters. If you need a dose of nostalgia or just haven't gotten into the series before, it's recommended to watch the original anime over Kai.

Option B: Dragon Ball Z Kai

All Killer, No Filler

The original Dragon Ball Z is full of more filler than you might be willing to watch; this issue was fixed with Dragon Ball Z Kai, an updated version of the anime released for the series' twentieth anniversary. The dialog was written to more closely resemble the script from the original manga, and the show as a whole is much punchier than Z, eliminating most of the filler in its predecessor.

Watching both the original Dragon Ball Z and Kai on the same binge is both excessive and redundant. We recommend watching Kai if you grew up with the original Dragon Ball Z and just need to refresh your memory a bit, or if you don't have the time or energy to devote to the extensive series that is Dragon Ball Z.

Dragon Ball Super

We'll Never Stop Getting Stronger

Dragon Ball Super is set after the events of Z, but before the period that GT would have been set in (more on that later.) Unlike GT, it was made with Toriyama at the helm, continuing the events after the defeat of Majin Buu in Dragon Ball Z, and there's also more focus on Gohan's daughter, Pan, along with the adventures of Gotenks and Trunks.

That being said, there's still plenty of Goku and Vegeta to go around, as well as 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:a new array of foes to punch the crap out of. Perhaps one of the best developments in the anime, however, is the return of a few characters you haven't seen much of since the original Dragon Ball, such as Emperor Pilaf and his lackeys.

Dragon Ball GT

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Others

Dragon Ball GT is in an interesting position, as it was the only series in the franchise to be created mostly without the help of Toriyama, who designed a few characters but didn't do much else. As such, its grasp of characterization and continuity is shaky, with 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:no real confirmation whether it's canon to the official Dragon Ball timeline.

If you're a completionist or just can't get enough Dragon Ball, however, don't let that stop you, and for what it is, GT is still a perfectly enjoyable anime. It's best to watch GT without any expectations of faithfulness to the rest of the Dragon Ball canon, but if that doesn't bother you, there are plenty of interesting adventures to be had.

Dragon Ball Z Abridged

This Series Is Hilarious And You Will Quote Everything It Says

Alright, this one isn't an official Dragon Ball anime. But it's clear that Team Four Star genuinely loves the anime they're parodying with their abridged series, and their jabs are nothing if not affectionate. Dragon Ball Z Abridged never fails to appreciate just how the original series is utterly ridiculous in the best way possible.

Like Dragon Ball itself, the abridged series is a long runner, so some of the early episode's jokes haven't aged well since their original release in the early 2000s. Still, the abridged series is a great way to cap off your Dragon Ball binge and end on a high note, and with around 60 episodes averaging ten minutes or less, binging through this abridged series is a breeze.