Dragon Ball (Japanese: ドラゴンボール Hepburn: Doragon Bōru) is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama. The initial manga, written and illustrated by Toriyama, was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995, with the 519 individual chapters collected into 42 tankōbon volumes by its publisher Shueisha. Dragon Ball was initially inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West. The series follows the adventures of the protagonist, Son Goku, from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts and explores the world in search of the seven orbs known as the Dragon Balls, which summon a wish-granting dragon when gathered. Along his journey, Goku makes several friends and battles a wide variety of villains, many of whom also seek the Dragon Balls.
The Dragon Ball manga has been adapted into two anime series produced by Toei Animation: Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, which together were broadcast in Japan from 1986 to 1996. Additionally, the studio has developed 19 animated feature films and three television specials, as well as two anime sequel series titled Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997) and Dragon Ball Super (2015–present). From 2009 to 2015, a revised, faster-paced version of Dragon Ball Z aired in Japan under the title Dragon Ball Kai, in which most of the original version's footage not featured in the manga is removed. Several companies have developed various types of merchandising based on the series leading to a large media franchise that includes films, both animated and live-action, collectible trading card games, numerous action figures, along with several collections of soundtracks and a large number of video games. As of January 2012, the franchise generated $5 billion in merchandise,[1] making Dragon Ball one of the most merchandisable anime based media franchises of all time.
Since its release, Dragon Ball has become one of the most successful manga and anime series of all time. The manga's 42 volumes have sold over 156 million copies in Japan and more than 240 million copies worldwide, making it the second best-selling manga series in history. Reviewers have praised the art, characterization, and humor of the story. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest manga series ever made, with many manga artists citing Dragon Ball as a source of inspiration for their own now popular works. The anime, particularly Dragon Ball Z, is also highly popular in various countries and was arguably one of the most influential in boosting the popularity of Japanese animation in Western culture.
Dragon Ball Z (Japanese: ドラゴンボールZ ゼット Hepburn: Doragon Bōru Zetto, commonly abbreviated as DBZ) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Toei Animation. Dragon Ball Z is the sequel to the Dragon Ball anime and adapts the latter 325 chapters of the original 519-chapter Dragon Ball manga series created by Akira Toriyama, that were published from 1988 to 1995 in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Dragon Ball Z first aired in Japan on Fuji TV from April 26, 1989 to January 31, 1996, before being dubbed in several territories around the world, including the United States, Australia, Europe, India, and Latin America.
Dragon Ball Z follows the adventures of the protagonist Goku who, along with his companions, defends the Earth against an assortment of villains ranging from intergalactic space fighters and conquerors, unnaturally powerful androids and nearly indestructible creatures. While the original Dragon Ball anime followed Goku from his childhood into adulthood, Dragon Ball Z is a continuation of his adult life, but at the same time parallels the maturation of his sons, Gohan and Goten, as well as the evolution of his rivals Piccolo and Vegeta from enemies into allies.
Due to the success of the anime in the United States, the manga chapters comprising its story were initially released by Viz Media under the title Dragon Ball Z. Additional works called animanga were released, which adapt the animation to manga form. Dragon Ball Z's popularity has spawned numerous releases which have come to represent the majority of content in the Dragon Ball universe; including 17 movies and 148 video games, many of them being only released in Japan, and a host of soundtracks stemming from this material. Dragon Ball Z remains a cultural icon through numerous adaptations, including a more-recent remastered broadcast titled Dragon Ball Kai[a]. There have also been two sequel series; Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997) and Dragon Ball Super (2015–present).
Dragonball Super Main article: List of Dragon Ball Super episodes After the defeat of Majin Buu, peace has returned to Earth. Son Goku has settled down and works as a radish farmer to support his family. His family and friends live peaceful lives.[3] However, a new threat appears in the form of Beerus, the God of Destruction, who is considered to be the most terrifying and the second most powerful being in Universe 7. After awakening from several years of slumber, Beerus tells Whis, the Angel, that he is eager to fight the legendary warrior whom he had seen in a prophecy known as the Super Saiyan God (超スーパーサイヤ人ゴッド Sūpā Saiya-jin Goddo).[4] To protect Earth, Goku transforms into the Super Saiyan God to fight Beerus, by using the power of five Super Saiyans, which includes Vegeta, Gohan, Son Goten, Kid Trunks, and the baby in Videl's womb. Despite losing, Goku's efforts appease the God of Destruction enough that he decides to spare the planet. This part of the series retells the events of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods.
While Goku and Vegeta leave with Beerus and Whis to train for a year, the remaining remnants of Freeza's army arrive on Earth in search for the Dragon Balls to revive the long gone Ruler. A few months after coming back to life and training, Freeza gathers his forces and returns to enact his revenge on Goku. Goku and Vegeta arrives to face him while Krillin, Gohan, Piccolo, Master Roshi, and Tien faced the remnants. Despite achieving a new transformation, he is defeated by not allowing time for his body to get used to his new form, losing to Vegeta before destroying the Earth. With Whis' do over ability, Goku was able to destroy Freeza. This part of the series retells the events of Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'.
After Freeza's revenge, Champa, Beerus' twin brother and the God of Destruction of Universe 6, convinces Beerus to hold a tournament between the best fighters from each god's universe for the possession of Earth. Goku and some of his friends join the tournament, with each match showing different surprises and abilities, the tournament reached it's climax with Goku vs Hit, who defeated Vegeta who had eliminated most of Universe six's warriors. After a failed attempt to lift the rules to face Hit in his full power, Goku forfeits the match. The tournament concludes with Universe seven as winners after Hit forfeited, inspired by Goku, to the last fighter in the team.
Goku later meets and befriends Zenō, the king of all universes who is respected and feared by all Gods of Destruction. He promises to bring him a friend to play with. The Grand Priest, the father of the Angels, also appears as Zeno's assistant.
After the tournament is completed, Future Trunks reappears and brings news of a new and powerful enemy resembling Goku that is known as Goku Black. Goku and the others eventually discover that Goku Black is actually a Kaiō-shin from Universe 10 named Zamasu, who hijacked Goku's body from a different timeline as part of his plan to attain immortality and wipe out all mortals.[5] In the end, Zamasu is erased along with the entire future timeline by Zenō from the future, who accompanies Goku back to his timeline. Goku fulfills his promise to Zenō by introducing him to his future self.
Some time after Future Trunks returns home, Zenō and Future Zenō hold a new tournament called the Tournament of Power (力の大会 Chikara no Taikai). The multiverse tournament features teams of fighters from each universe by Goku's suggestion. However, it becomes a battle for survival when both kings declare that the universes defeated at the tournament will be erased.[6] Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, Krillin, Android 17, Android 18, Piccolo, Tien, Master Roshi, and a temporarily revived Frieza join the tournament as representatives for Universe 7 to protect it. Despite the fact that Zenō and Future Zenō already had the intention to destroy the weaker universes, most of the fighters from the other universes who are unaware of it view Goku as a villain for suggesting to hold the tournament in the first place. Goku, while fighting Jiren, a mortal stronger than gods, attains a new godly form, known as the Ultra Instinct. This form is extremely hard to attain and, as explained by Whis is mastery of self-movement. With this form Goku is able to dodge attacks automatically without his brain having to send signal to his body to dodge, saving him much time.[7] However, he suddenly loses the form due to heavy drain of his stamina and loses to Jiren. The tournament then reaches its halfway point as more fighters are eliminated and the other universes start targeting Goku due to unlocking a form hard to obtain by the gods themselves.
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