Summary
Responsible for introducing generations of Western audiences to anime, theDragon Ballfranchise enjoyed incredible amounts of domestic and overseas success in its heyday. Based on Akira Toriyama’s highly acclaimedDragon Ballmanga, the eponymous first adaptation by Toei Animation, followed by its sequel,Dragon Ball Z, inspired many subsequent manga and anime franchises, such as Weekly Shonen Jump’s “Big Three” ofNaruto,One Piece, andBleach.
After the original manga had been fully adapted, theDragon Ballfranchise released sequels such asDragon Ball GTandDragon Ball Super, which have also enjoyed a fair degree of success in their respective eras. On a fundamental level,Dragon Ball’snarrative hasalways been composed of individual story arcsthat come together as part of a whole, and here are some of the longest arcs from its various anime adaptations.
#17 - #40
Year(s) Released
1996 - 1997
Picking up soon after the Black Star Dragon Ball Saga that kicked offDragon Ball GT,the Baby Saga covers theDragon Team’s conflict with the Tuffles' Machine Mutantsand the last survivor of the race: Baby.
Featuring a much darker and more action-oriented mood that was closer to the arcs seen inDragon Ball Z, this entry into the franchise also saw the debut of a new transformation not seen in the originalDragon Ballmanga,in the form of Super Saiyan 4.
#166 - #194
1992 - 1993
Covering the climax of the overarching Cell Saga that it is a part of, this arc is centered on atournament organized by the Bio-Android Perfect Cell. Dubbed the “Cell Games,” this event is staged in a manner similar to the World Martial Arts Tournament of earlierDragon Ballarcs, albeit with higher stakes and looser rules.
Widely regarded as one of the best segments ofDragon Ball Z,the Cell Games Saga is a pivotal momentfor Gohan, who consciously taps into his latent potential for the first time to awaken the Super Saiyan 2 form.
#7 - #35
1989 - 1990
Spanning the second half of the Saiyan Sagafrom the countdown to Vegetaand Nappa’s arrival on Earth until the Dragon Team’s battle against them, the Vegeta Saga is thegenesis of Goku and Vegeta’s rivalryinDragon Ball Z. This part of the anime introduced theKaio-ken, the Spirit Bomb, and Vegeta’s Galick Gun, all of which would go on to become staple attacks in later story arcs.
At its core, the Vegeta Saga is vintageDragon Ball Zat its most tense and exciting — before the main cast’s power levels shot through the ceiling.
#47 - #76
2016 - 2017
The long-awaited return of a beloved character from the Cell Saga brought a host of new challenges for the Dragon Team, who had to contend with a mysterious multiversal threat. After escaping his timeline, which had been ravaged by the enigmatic individual known as Goku Black,Future Trunks seeks helpfrom Goku and Vegeta to unravel the secrets behind this new foe.
This arc featured some ofDragon Ball Super’smost thrilling moments, such as the reappearance of Vegito and thepremiere of the Super Saiyan Rage form.
#123 - #153
1988 - 1989
Closing out theDragon Ballanime, the Piccolo Jr. Saga is focused onGoku’s training at the Lookoutand subsequent entry into the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, wherehe faces off against Piccolo Jr., the offspring of King Piccolo.
This arc also has a three-year time skip during Goku’s training with Kami, after which he returns as an adult. Concluding with a gripping battle between Goku and Piccolo Jr., this final segment of theDragon Ballanime paved the way for the more serious tone ofDragon Ball Z.
#75 - #107
1991
As far as iconicDragon Ball Zarcs go, the Frieza Saga ranks among the most acclaimed parts of the entire franchise, with Goku’s cataclysmic battle against Frieza on Namek at its center. Easily one of the most influential story arcs in shonen anime, the Frieza Saga would signal a pivotal turning point inDragon Ball Zdue to theunveiling of the Super Saiyan form, which altered the series forever and went down in the annals of anime history.
In some ways, the Frieza Saga is perhapsDragon Ball Z’sfinest hour since every successive story arc in the franchise would reveal a new variant of this iconic transformation.
#77 - #131
2017 - 2018
Encompassing the entire final third of theDragon Ball Superanime, the Universe Survival Saga revolves around theTournament of Power organized by Zeno, where elite warriors from each surviving universe compete for the title of being the strongest.
Unlike most other tournament arcs in the series, this one is structured like a time-constrained battle royale with all universes facing the threat of obliteration by Zeno if their combatants get knocked out. A breathtaking spectacle that is perhaps the best arc in all ofDragon Ball Super, this narrative segmentintroduces Goku’s new Ultra Instinct formduring his titanic clash with Jiren of Universe 11.
