Ever since theDragon Ballmanga was translated into anime form in 1986, there have been many films that surround the events of the long-running manga, many of which take place outside the established canon of the series. While the films generally gained a larger following asDragon Ballbecame more popular, that wasn’t the case for all films.
With a manga, four anime series, plenty of films, and countless games under its belt,Dragon Balldoesn’t look like it’s going to be slowing down any time soon. The latest feature in the franchise,Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, came out in 2022 in North America, and it was the first project to focus almost exclusively on 3D animation.
Which is thebestDragon Ballmovie?
Updated June 08, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Dragon Ball is back in the spotlight thanks to the release of Daima, the Fall 2024 anime series set after the events of the Buu Saga. Reverting the Z-Fighters into children and sending them to the Demon World, the sequel/prequel/spin-off has been an enjoyable romp so far. When it comes toDragon Ball films, a new project does not appear to be in the works, although one has to assume that Goku and friends will eventually return to the big screen. This article has been updated with more detailed explanations for the rankings.
Specials will not be included. This includesThe History of TrunksandDragon Ball GT: A Hero’s Legacy.
Every Dragon Ball Movie
Not counting TV specials,Dragon Ballhas produced 22 movies over the span of nearly four decades, including entries in three different series. Clearly, the franchise has been kept busy, and the future will likely hold a few moreDragon Ballmovies. The following table contains everyDBfilm released so far.
Click on the movie’s title to jump to its ranking. Also, the films are split into theDragon Ballera their stories are associated with. Therefore, someDBZfilms will be classified underDragon BallorSuper.
By far the worst project associated with theDragon Balluniverse,Evolutiondid not get a single thing right. It is only natural that adaptations alter the source material to fit a new medium, butDragonball: Evolutionis devoid of anything that defines Akira Toriyama’s property. The action lacks punch and speed, failing to come anywhere close to replicating the epic bouts found in even the earliest chapters of the manga or anime.
While they might share a name with their animated counterparts,Evolution’s characters are otherwise entirely different entities; even when viewed in isolation, these people are just not interesting or likable enough to carry an adventure. The movie even wastes James Marsters.
While Broly is something of a one-note character in the non-canon films, he is well-loved among the majority ofDragon Ballfans for bringing more over-the-topSuper Saiyanaction to the series. That being said, theBio-Brolyfilm is not only the weakest of the films that center around Broly, but also the weakest of all the animatedDragon Ballfilms, which may have something to do with the fact that it centers around Goten and Trunks rather than Goku or even Vegeta.
This film takes an already quite straightforward character and simplifies his personality even further, essentially turning Broly into a brainless and, more importantly, boring monster. There is just no reason to watch this movie.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly?
There is no real reason to watch this movie except for completionist purposes. Broly is at his worst in this entry; meanwhile, Goten and Trunks are best in small doses rather than as the main driving forces.
Broly’s second film,Broly - Second Coming, is only slightly better thanBio-Broly,though that also isn’t particularly hard to accomplish. One saving grace that keeps this film from fading into obscurity is theGoku-Gohan-GotenKamehamehawhich is reminiscent of the similar ki-blast used by Gohan in the Cell Games, complete with a ghostly Kakarot to assist his sons.
Besides this moment,Second Comingis a by-the-numbersDragon Ballmovie that seems to exist only to capitalize on Broly’s popularity. Due to being non-canon, these releases can feel inconsequential, but there is no reason they should be boring.Second Comingis boring.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Broly – Second Coming?
As a two-parter withBroly – The Legendary Super Saiyan,Second Comingdoes its job as an action-filled romp with barely anything resembling a story. The movie has a couple of fun moments and, at the very least, is watchable when compared toBio-Broly. Honestly, this movie is just uninspired.
One of the earlierDragon Ball Zfilms,Lord Slugfollows arogue Namekianas he attempts to take over the earth while also giving fans a glimpse of Goku’s future Super Saiyan form during the final battle. This film also introduced the idea of Namekian ears being overly sensitive to high-pitched noises, something that doesn’t come up again in the series after this.
ThebestDBZmoviesfeature iconic villains, but Lord Slug is not one of them. Although he does come across as somewhat of a threat, his design is ultimately too familiar to stand out from the crowd.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug?
Fine as a stopgap filler saga that can be watched before the Namek saga. If someone has watched all ofDBZ, this movie might come across as a retread.
A somewhat bizarre film compared to most otherDragon Ballfeatures,The World’s Strongestfollows Goku and his friends as they try to keep a mad scientist from taking overGohan’s bodyto become the world’s strongest warrior.
Like most otherDragon Ballfilms, this one takes place during an undisclosed period inDBZ’s timeline. According to the canon of the story, this side adventure shouldn’t have occurred because Goku is shown discovering the Spirit Bomb attack while both Piccolo and Gohan are still on Earth. This only happened after he defeated Frieza on Planet Namek while he should have been on Yardrat.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: The World’s Strongest?
While not bad,The World’s Strongestthreatens to overstay its welcome despite lasting less than an hour. That said, the story strikes a middle-ground betweenDragon BallandDBZ.
AlthoughTree of Mightintroduced anotherSaiyan characterlike theBrolymovies, Turles, this story’s villain, is entirely forgettable despite the decent quality of the film as a whole. Although it takes place in the same odd continuity asWorld’s Strongest, one neat aspect ofTree of Mightis that it shows how Gohan met Icarus, a dragon he is often seen playing with during the series as a child.
Like so many of the earlyDragon Ballmovies,Tree of Mightjust feels like an extended filler episode, one that barely has better animation than the main show. That does not mean it is bad, just that it lacks much in the way of excitement.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Tree Of Might?
Honestly, leave this one for a rainy day when there is nothing else to watch, play, or read. It is just a nothing movie.
Originally released only in Japan as a quad-feature alongside theSaint Seiya, Hikari Sentai Maskman,andChoujinki Metalderfilms,Sleeping Princess in Devil’s Castlewas the secondDragon Ballfeature made. It follows a young Goku and Krillin as they are sent on a quest by Master Roshi as part of their training to investigate the titular Devil’s Castle.
Boasting more of an adventurous tone than most of the later movies,Sleeping Princess in Devil’s Castleis a pleasant enough side story that, unfortunately, is just not all that memorable. Still, it is a fine way to spend an hour.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess In Devil’s Castle?
Ultimately, yes.Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in Devil’s Castletells a cute adventure that captures the spirit and tone of the original anime.
The first-everDragon Ballfilm,Curse of the Blood Rubiesfollows a young Goku, alongside his regular traveling companions Bulma, Yamcha, Puar, and Oolong, as they attempt to find the Dragon Balls. Unlike most other movies in the franchise, this one tells an alternate story of the first arc of the series rather than something entirely new.
Consequently,Curse of the Blood Rubiescan be slightly dull since it does not hold too many surprises. That said, the film captures the spirit of the show’s early sagas, delivering a lighthearted romp with lovable characters and a bit of action.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies?
Worth watching as a historical piece due to being the franchise’s first feature. Its comedic tone sets it apart from the subsequent action-heavy stories.
The first film released under theDragon Ball Zname,Dead ZoneseesGoku and Piccoloteam up prior to Raditz’s arrival on Earth, having to fight against yet another bad guy who wants to gain immortality through the Dragon Balls. Unlike the majority of other villains, Garlic Jr. actually succeeds in his plan to gain immortality, but he is defeated by being banished to the titular Dead Zone by a young Gohan.
Narratively,Dead Zonedoes not fit in that well with the canon storyline, but it is a solid enough filler distraction. Garlic Jr. is a pretty fun villain, and he even makes an appearance in the main show.
Despite being mostly a joke nowadays, Garlic Jr. is still a fairly iconicDragon Ballvillain, and he is at his best inDead Zone.
Just likeCurse of the Blood Rubies,Mystical Adventure, once again, revisiting the classicDragon Ballorigin story, albeit with more new content than its predecessor. This time, the film introduces characters that debuted later, such as Tien and Chiaotzu, while still telling something of an origin story for the series.
The heroes travel to the kingdom of Mifan to take part in a tournament, but they quickly get dragged into a conspiracy to usurp Chiaotzu from the throne.Mystical Adventurehas some pretty impressive visuals, especially in its presentation of Mifan, and the fight sequences are decent forDragon Ball.
Should You Watch Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure?
A decent reimagining of Goku and Bulma’s early adventures. Not a must-watch, but fun enough in its own right.
