How to Watch Dragon Ball in Order: The Complete Guide (2026)

Dragon Ball is one of the longest-running franchises in anime, and figuring out where to start (or what order to watch in) can feel impossible. Original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, GT, Z Kai, Super, Daima, the films, the manga side stories - it adds up to hundreds of hours of content across decades. Here is the complete watch order for 2026, with three different paths depending on how deep you want to go. ## The Recommended Path (Most Fans Should Use This) This is the order most fans agree on as the cleanest, fastest path through the franchise without sacrificing important context. 1. **Dragon Ball** (1986, 153 episodes) - the original. Goku as a kid, the Tournament arcs, King Piccolo. Optional but highly recommended. 2. **Dragon Ball Z Kai** (2009-2015, 167 episodes) - the recut version of DBZ. Cuts out filler and pacing issues. Covers Saiyan, Frieza, Cell, and Buu sagas. 3. **Dragon Ball Super: Battle of Gods** (the film, 2013) - introduces Beerus, Whis, and Super Saiyan God. 4. **Dragon Ball Super: Resurrection F** (the film, 2015) - Frieza returns. Sets up Universe 6. 5. **Dragon Ball Super** (2015-2018, 131 episodes) - the main series. Skip episodes 1-27 since they recap the films. 6. **Dragon Ball Super: Broly** (the film, 2018) - canon, important. 7. **Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero** (the film, 2022) - Gohan Beast, Orange Piccolo. 8. **Dragon Ball Daima** (2024-2025, 20 episodes) - Goku and friends shrunk into kid forms. Lighter tone but adds lore. 9. **Dragon Ball Super: Beerus** (Fall 2026, upcoming) - the next major arc. This path covers everything important in roughly 350 episodes plus 4 films. Estimated time: 140-160 hours. ## The Manga-Reading Path (For Lore Completionists) If you want to get the full story including details the anime cuts: 1. **Dragon Ball manga** (chapters 1-194, the original Dragon Ball storyline) 2. **Dragon Ball Z manga** (chapters 195-519, equivalent to DBZ) 3. **Dragon Ball Super manga** by Toyotaro (ongoing) The manga is canon-leading. Toyotaro writes ahead of the anime, so the manga has the most current lore. The Granolah Saga and Black Frieza arc are manga-only as of 2026. Read the manga alongside or after the anime path. ## The Fast Path (If You Just Want the Greatest Hits) If you have limited time and want the iconic moments: 1. **Dragon Ball Z Kai** (167 episodes covering Saiyan through Buu Sagas) 2. **Battle of Gods** + **Resurrection F** films 3. **Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero** film (2022) That gets you the core story in roughly 80 hours. You skip the original kid Goku content, most of Dragon Ball Super (which is uneven), and Daima. You miss some lore but you get the franchise's strongest stretch. ## What to Skip (Or Save for Last) **Dragon Ball GT** is non-canon. It's a sequel to DBZ that Toriyama did not write. Some fans love it, most do not. If you watch it, treat it as a side story. SS4 Goku is a cool form but the story is divisive. **Filler episodes in original DBZ** add hundreds of episodes that don't advance the plot. DBZ Kai cuts most of them. If you watch original DBZ, skim a filler guide first. **Dragon Ball Super episodes 1-27** are recaps of the Battle of Gods and Resurrection F films. If you watched the films, skip these. ## Common Watch Order Questions **Where do the films fit?** The Super-era films (Battle of Gods, Resurrection F, Broly, Super Hero) are canon. Pre-Super films (Dead Zone, Tree of Might, Cooler's Revenge, etc.) are non-canon side stories. Watch them whenever you want for fun. **Should I watch DBZ or DBZ Kai?** Kai. Always. Original DBZ has too much filler and pacing issues. Kai is the recut version with better animation and tighter storytelling. **Where does Daima fit?** Daima is a side story set after the Buu Saga but before the main events of Super. It does not require Super context but adds lore that Beerus may reference. Watch it after Super and before the upcoming Beerus arc. **Is Super Hero a sequel to Daima?** No. Super Hero takes place between Tournament of Power and the Granolah Saga (anime continuity). Daima is a separate side story. ## Where to Watch in 2026 - **Crunchyroll** - has all major Dragon Ball series including Daima - **Funimation** - merging into Crunchyroll, same content - **Hulu** - has DBZ Kai and DBZ - **Netflix** - regional, varies by country - **Pirate sites** - if your region does not have streaming options The Beerus arc (Fall 2026) will premiere simultaneously on Crunchyroll worldwide. ## The Bottom Line If you are starting fresh in 2026: **DBZ Kai > Battle of Gods > Resurrection F > Dragon Ball Super > Super Hero > Daima**, then jump into the Beerus arc when it premieres. If you want maximum lore: read the manga in parallel. If you are short on time: **DBZ Kai > the major Super films > Super Hero**. Skip the rest. Whatever path you pick, you are committing to one of the longest stories in fiction. Pace yourself. Take breaks. The journey is more enjoyable than rushing the destination.