Dragon Ballis one of the most famous anime & manga series in the world, and even people unfamiliar with anime will know whatDragon Ballis. The manga started its publication inWeekly Shonen Jumpin 1984, and its popularity grew to the point that it now has several anime adaptations, sequels, and spin-offs, as well as multiple movies, video games, and even live-action adaptations.Dragon Ballremains a popular franchise even in 2022,as people are looking forward to the new movie.
Despite its massive popularity, there are many anime fans who have yet to really experienceDragon Ball. This is because both the original manga and anime are several decades old, and new anime fans may not have had the chance to experience it in the way that older fans have. In addition, with new anime series still coming out, it can be a little hard to parse exactly the best place and way to start. Here’s a short guide to help new fans get intoDragon Ball.
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What Is Dragon Ball?
Dragon Ballfollows the story of the character Son Goku, an energetic young boy with incredible strength and a monkey’s tail. His journey starts when he meets a young girl named Bulma, who is searching for the seven Dragon Balls. Legend claims that if all seven Dragon Balls are gathered together, the person who does so will be granted a wish. Goku goes on a great adventure to find the Dragon Balls, and learns that there is much more to the world than he had previously believed. This quest inspires him to go on even more adventures, as he goes to trains with Master Roshi, compete in tournaments against mighty martial artists, and fight against tyrannical demons and criminal organizations.
AsDragon Ballgoes on,Goku grows from a child to a young adult. By the start ofDragon Ball Z, Goku is now a married man with a young child named Gohan. However, he learns something that will change his entire worldview: that he is actually an alien called a Saiyan. This sets off a chain of events that bring a whole host of threats and challenges to Goku, including the Saiyan prince Vegeta, the mighty tyrant Frieza, and the monstrous Cell. With each major battle, Goku continues to surpass his limits and achieve new levels of strength.
WhileDragon Ball Zwas the canon end of theDragon Ballstory for a very long time, a new series,Dragon Ball Super, began running, which chronicled new adventures for Goku and his friends.Dragon Ball Supershows Goku ascending to greater heights as he faces off with gods like Beerus and mighty fighters from other worlds like Hit and Jiren. With new fighters to challenge and worlds to explore, Goku continues to grow in strength and power. While the originalDragon Ballmanga has been concluded for quite some time,Dragon Ball Superis still being published on a monthly basis, meaning that Goku’s adventures are still going to continue for quite some time.
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Dragon Ballas a manga is licensed in Japan by VIZ media, which releases the graphic novels as part of itsShonen Jumpline. However, new readers who aren’t interested in purchasing physical copies ofDragon Ballyet can also read the chapters on VIZ’sShonen Jumpapp and website, where they haveDragon Ball,Dragon Ball Z, andDragon Ball Superall available to read. Reading them will require having a subscription for theShonen Jumpwebsite, but the subscription is extremely cheap at $1.99. Readers can also find the manga on the Manga Plus app and website.
Where To Watch Dragon Ball
Dragon Ballhas several anime series, and unfortunately, they are somewhat scattered across several streaming services. In addition, watching certain parts ofDragon Ballmay require the viewer to purchase a subscription, depending on the service being used. It is possible to find all the series available on Prime Video, however, they must be purchased and cannot be watched for free.
All ofDragon Ball,Dragon Ball Z,Dragon Ball Super, and the anime-only non-canonDragon Ball GTcan be found on Funimation. However, there are some limitations, especially for those who want to watch these shows for free. The biggest series,Dragon Ball Z, requires a subscription for any episode after Season 2.Dragon Ballcan be watched for free, but only in Japanese, andDragon Ball SuperandGTrequire subscriptions to watch.Dragon Ball Supercan also be found for free on Crunchyroll, for those who do not want to pay for Funimation’s subscription. WhileDragon Ball GTis not considered part of the main series timeline, those who want to watch it will have to pay for a subscription, either for Funimation’s streaming service, or for Hulu’s (which also has the originalDragon Ball).
