Dragon Ball Watch Order: Every Series and Movie in Order (2026)

The best way to watch Dragon Ball is in story order: Dragon Ball, then Dragon Ball Z (or the shorter Dragon Ball Z Kai), then Dragon Ball Daima, then Dragon Ball Super, then the movies Super: Broly and Super: Super Hero. Dragon Ball GT is optional. The new Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, airing now, is a remade version of Super’s opening arcs, so new viewers can watch it in place of Super’s first 46 episodes. Crunchyroll streams almost all of it in the US.

Updated November 1, 2026 · Includes Dragon Ball Daima and Dragon Ball Super: Beerus

Dragon Ball watch order at a glance

1. Dragon Ball (1986-1989)

Start with kid Goku. The original series follows Goku from a monkey-tailed boy in the woods to a young martial artist, as he hunts the seven Dragon Balls with Bulma and fights his way through the World Martial Arts Tournaments. It’s lighter and funnier than what comes later, and it sets up nearly every major character. Plenty of fans skip straight to Z, but you’ll get more out of the payoffs if you don’t.

2. Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball Z Kai

Z is the famous one: the Saiyans, Frieza, Cell and Majin Buu, and the fights everyone still argues about. You have two ways to watch it:

• Dragon Ball Z (291 episodes): the original, with its classic music and dub, and a lot of filler between fights.
• Dragon Ball Z Kai (167 episodes): a remastered recut that drops most of the filler and follows the manga more closely. It’s the faster way through the same story, and our pick for first-time viewers.

Either way, you end at the defeat of Majin Buu.

3. Dragon Ball Daima (2024-2025)

Daima is set right after the Buu saga. A wish shrinks Goku and his friends back into kids, and they travel to the Demon Realm to undo it. It’s 20 episodes, it introduces Super Saiyan 4 into the main story, and it was the last series Akira Toriyama worked on, writing the story and designing the characters. Watch it after Z and before Super.

4. Dragon Ball Super (2015-2018) and Super: Beerus

Super picks up after Buu (and after Daima) with Beerus, the God of Destruction, and takes Goku and Vegeta to god-level power and the Tournament of Power. It’s 131 episodes. Its first two arcs retell the movies Battle of Gods (2013) and Resurrection ‘F’ (2015), so you don’t need those movies too.

New in 2026: Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is an “ENHANCED edition” of Super’s opening Beerus, Golden Frieza and Universe 6 arcs, with re-drawn animation and new dubbing, cut down to about 19 episodes. It premiered October 11, 2026, with new episodes on Sundays on Crunchyroll, and it’s expected to run into February 2027. Super’s early episodes are the weakest-looking part of the series, so the remake is a good shortcut: watch Super: Beerus, then pick up the original Super at episode 47 (the Future Trunks arc). Our Dragon Ball Super: Beerus guide has the details.

5 and 6. The Super movies: Broly and Super Hero

After Super’s last episode, watch Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018), which brings Broly into the main story, then Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022), which gives Gohan and Piccolo the spotlight. Super Hero is currently the latest point in the anime timeline. The manga goes further, through the Moro, Granolah and Black Frieza arcs; see our strongest Dragon Ball characters ranking for what happens there.

Where does Dragon Ball GT fit?

GT (64 episodes) was made in the 1990s as a sequel to Z without Akira Toriyama writing it, and Super later replaced it as the main continuation. Treat it as an alternate ending: watch it after everything else if you want more, or skip it. Its best part, Super Saiyan 4, has since shown up in Daima anyway.

What about the older Dragon Ball movies?

The movies made during the original Dragon Ball and Z runs are side stories that don’t fit the TV timeline, including the original 1993 Broly movie. They’re fun extras, not required. The only movies that matter for the main story are Battle of Gods and Resurrection ‘F’ (both retold in Super), Super: Broly and Super: Super Hero.

How long does it take to watch all of Dragon Ball?

Episodes run about 23 minutes. At three episodes a night, the Kai route takes around five months.

Where to stream Dragon Ball

In the US, Crunchyroll is the one service with nearly the whole franchise, including Dragon Ball, Z, Kai, GT, Super, Daima and the new Super: Beerus. Daima and Super: Beerus have also streamed on Hulu and Netflix. Streaming deals change often, so check your app before you subscribe; the two Super movies can also be rented or bought digitally.

Dragon Ball watch order FAQ

Should I watch Dragon Ball Z or Kai?

Kai, if it’s your first time. It’s the same story in 167 episodes instead of 291, with most of the filler gone. Watch the original Z if you want the full nostalgia trip.

Is Dragon Ball Daima canon?

Yes. Akira Toriyama wrote its story, and it slots in between the end of Z and the start of Super.

Do I need to watch Dragon Ball Super: Beerus if I’ve seen Super?

No. It covers the same story as Super’s first 46 episodes, with better animation. It’s worth it if those early episodes bothered you.

Can I skip the original Dragon Ball?

You can, since Z recaps what matters, but you’ll miss how Goku meets Krillin, Piccolo’s origins and a lot of the jokes that pay off later.

Read next: The Strongest Dragon Ball Characters, Ranked · Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Guide · Avatar Watch Order

Sources: episode counts and air dates from Toei Animation; Dragon Ball Super: Beerus details from the official Dragon Ball site and Crunchyroll’s fall 2026 lineup (the 19-episode count is as reported, not final); streaming availability checked November 1, 2026. Images: Toei Animation.

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