how to watch dragon ball series in order
To watch the Dragon Ball series in order, start with the original Dragon Ball, then move through Z (or Kai), Super, and finally the newer/optional shows and movies in release-friendly order. This keeps the story, character growth, and power scaling feeling smooth and makes it easier to follow canon versus side content.
Core watch order (TV series)
Here is a clean, story-first order most fans recommend if you just want the main plot:
- Dragon Ball (TV series – Kid Goku’s adventures).
- Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball Z Kai (same main story, Kai is a shorter remaster with most filler removed).
- Dragon Ball Super (follows after the end of Z, expanding on gods, universes, and new villains).
- Dragon Ball Daima (newer series set around the Z/Super era, currently positioned after Z for most watch-order guides).
- Optional: Dragon Ball GT (non‑canon sequel made before Super; many fans treat it as an “alternate timeline” epilogue).
This sequence answers the core question of how to watch Dragon Ball series in order , keeping to the natural flow of Goku’s life from childhood through the big universe-level battles.
Movies in a simple order
If you want a straightforward movie path without obsessing over every filler film:
- After Dragon Ball Z (early arcs):
- Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (retells in-manga events but is still fun as a movie).
* Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’ (ties into early Dragon Ball Super material).
- After Dragon Ball Super (late):
- Dragon Ball Super: Broly (canon and directly referenced in later Super material).
* Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (canon, focusing more on Gohan and Piccolo).
Older Z-era movies like Dead Zone, Cooler’s Revenge, and others are mostly non‑canon side stories; many fans sprinkle them in roughly where they came out but treat them as bonus content, not required viewing.
Canon vs non‑canon (quick view)
Below is a compact view that many forum fans agree on when talking about how to watch Dragon Ball series in order without overcomplicating canon.
| Title | Type | Canon status | Recommended spot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Ball | TV series | Main canon | Start here |
| Dragon Ball Z | TV series | Main canon | After Dragon Ball |
| Dragon Ball Z Kai | TV (remaster) | Main canon (retelling) | Replacement for Z if you want less filler |
| Dragon Ball Super | TV series | Main canon | After Z / Z Kai |
| Dragon Ball Super: Broly | Movie | Canon | After Dragon Ball Super |
| Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero | Movie | Canon | After Broly |
| Dragon Ball Daima | TV series | New canon/adjacent | After Z, alongside/after Super |
| Dragon Ball GT | TV series | Non‑canon | Optional epilogue after Z |
Forum-style “Quick Scoop” (how fans phrase it)
“Watch Dragon Ball → DBZ or Kai → Super → the Super movies → Daima, and then check out GT if you’re curious. Heroes is just fun, non‑canon fanservice on steroids.”
From a trending-discussion angle, people in 2025–2026 keep revisiting how to watch Dragon Ball series in order because Daima and the newer Super movies reshuffled what counts as “must watch” versus “nice to have.” Most still agree the safest path for a newcomer is to follow release-like order but prioritize the clearly canon pieces listed above.
TL;DR: Start with Dragon Ball, then Z (or Kai), then Super, then Broly and Super Hero, add Daima after Z/Super, and keep GT and older Z movies as fun, optional side content if you still want more.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.