The Dragon Ball franchise has been on a pedestal for a long time now and is still ongoing with newer movies and sequels. Since its debut in 1984, Dragon Ball has gone from a quirky manga about some super-strong kid to a cultural juggernaut and one of the Big Three. Akira Toriyama poured his heart and soul into the making of the Dragon Ball series, mixing martial arts, humor, and otherworldly adventures that left a lasting impact on generations of fans. Along the way, Toriyama faced many challenges like tight deadlines, studio pressures, and health crises.
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But he still delivered one of the best character dynamics, storylines, and artwork that has shaped Shonen Jump into what it is today. The anime’s rise in the late ’80s and early ’90s, particularly with Dragon Ball Z, cemented its legacy. This called for sequels, exclusive merch, live-action adaptations, and more. Soon enough, fans’ yearning for more of the series pushed Dragon Ball into the movie realm. Often standalone tales, these films expanded the DB universe with fresh villains, emotional depth, and jaw-dropping animation, the best of which are ranked below.
10) Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods
Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods was a movie that significantly changed the franchise’s future. It was a pleasant introduction to the God of Destruction Beerus and the transformation of Dragon Ball Z into Dragon Ball Super. It introduced new characters, enjoyable battles, and was filled with comedic instances. A visual feast, in short, and a must-watch for every DBZ fan.
The movie starts with Bulma’s birthday celebration. Everyone’s happy, until Beerus wakes up after his centuries-long nap and decides to destroy Earth because Goku is a strong Super Saiyan and could destroy other planets. An all-out battle takes place, and Beerus easily defeats everyone in a rather typical display of power for Dragon Ball Z adversaries. But in the end, all the Saiyans give their Super Saiyan energy to Goku, turning him into Super Saiyan God and allowing him to fight Beerus on equal footing until he almost wins, changing the God of Destruction’s mind about destroying Earth.
9) Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero
One of the recent and particularly well-received releases, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is a CG-animated movie. The main focus of the film is on Gohan and Piccolo in their battle with the revived Red Ribbon Army and their new Android models, Gamma 1 and Gamma 2. The animation is superb and very different from previous movies, thanks to its use of CGI animation while strictly keeping Toriyama’s aesthetic in the process. It doesn’t hurt that it features incredible new forms for Gohan and even Piccolo, those moments being worth the price of admission alone.
The plot is far more serious than expected, while still retaining that classic goofy Toriyama charm. The movie continues the comedic scenes and tales in between, keeping things engaging throughout, including a surprisingly wholesome “Uncle Piccolo” take on the Namekian’s relationship with Gohan’s family, including little Pan. All in all, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero earns its spot on this list for its vivid visual evolution and focus on underutilized characters, proving the series’ versatility.
8) Dragon Ball: The Path to Power
Dragon Ball: The Path to Power is a retelling of the original Dragon Ball Saga. It’s a visual depiction of Goku’s early adventures, but with somewhat better animation than the original ‘80s series. In the movie, Goku meets Bulma in a faithful and comedic encounter. Later on, they set out on a journey to look for the seven Dragon Balls that can summon the powerful dragon Shenron, who can grant any wish.
Although released in 1997, this movie still has good enough, nostalgic animation that we can continue watching it today without feeling bored. The movie’s pacing is well-versed too, and it gives fans an intro to Red Ribbon Army, the company behind the Androids 17 and 18 that later come to annihilate Goku and the Saiyans in the Dragon Ball series. The focus on Goku’s innocence and growth makes it a wholesome movie, earning its place on this list for its heartfelt homage to the series’ origins and its polished execution.
7) Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock
Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock explores a frequently questioned idea: What if Bardock somehow survived Frieza’s annihilation? It’s a daring spin-off episodic movie where Bardock really does survive Frieza’s attack and time-travels to the past to confront Frieza’s ancestor, Chilled.
This bold premise allows the movie to really delve into a character everyone wanted to see more of: Goku’s father. In the movie, Bardock finally gets the attention he deserves, even achieving the Super Saiyan state in his battle with Chilled. While the story‘s animation and execution exceeded fan expectations, earning it a spot on this list.
6) Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon
Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon explores the limits of Goku’s power. This movie introduces Hirudegarn, a colossal beast threatening Earth, and Tapion, a mysterious warrior tied to its legend. The pacing is slow and a bit off track, but the final battle, where Goku unleashes his special move, the Dragon Fist technique, to finish off Hirudegarn, is visually one of the best moments in the series.
Goku’s Super Saiyan 3 transformation’s special technique is something fans have often seen in the Dragon Ball Budokai Tenkaichi games. Dragon Ball Z: Wrath of the Dragon is where the move actually comes from. This movie has it all: a visual spectacle, a great story, and the cherry on top – Goku’s SS3 in his prime.
5) Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan
Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan is one of the most iconic DBZ movies featuring a legendary super saiyan as a villain. It’s the original Broly movie, introducing him as a hulking, rage-fueled Saiyan that’s a force of nature. The plot is rather straightforward. Broly attacks Goku and company, leading to an all-out fight right off the bat.
But as soon as our heroes think they’ve got Broly pinned down, he loses himself completely, transforming into his original legendary Saiyan form and rampaging uncontrollably, causing massive destruction. This was the first time in Dragon Ball’s world where a villain as awfully powerful as Broly was introduced, shaping Dragon Ball battles to come and giving fans a glimpse of what happens when raw power and talent come together.
4) Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn
Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn shows us a different dimension that plays a big role in the Dragon Ball universe: the afterlife. But what starts as a humor-filled introduction to Goku and Vegeta with halos in the afterlife, slowly turns into something devastating as the two face off against the demonic Janemba. In its initial form, Janemba was quite cute.
But after that, he evolves into a devilish and extremely overpowered villain. As Janemba begins to overthrow the balance between heaven and hell in the afterlife, Goku and Vegeta fight him. But they fail to even scratch his demonic form. That’s when they successfully learn and perform fusion to become one as Gogeta and finally overthrow Janemba.
3) Dragon Ball Super: Broly
Dragon Ball Super: Broly is the recently released remake of one of the most iconic movies of the Dragon Ball franchise, “Dragon Ball Z: The Legendary Super Saiyan”. The storyline is the same with a few newer additions. But the main idea, portraying the backstory of the legendary Super Saiyan with DBS’s color, was a fantastic move.
Broly is a Super Saiyan outcast, unknowingly living on a distant planet. When Goku and Vegeta visit him, Broly’s memories resurface, inducing his trauma once again, and he goes on a full-out rampage. This battle, a clash of raw power and emotional complexes, is one of the most crucial face-offs in DBZ. Especially because of Broly’s introduction, his overpowered Super Saiyan form, and his status as a fan-favorite villain.
2) Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku
Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku is a somewhat sad movie to watch. It covers the canon series of events before Goku was sent to Earth. Specifically focusing on how Goku’s father, Bardock, along with many other Saiyans, was brutally massacred by the likes of Frieza as he rebelled against his tyrannical ideals.
This Dragon Ball movie’s narrative strength lies in its exploration of fate and defiance. Bardock was just a low-class warrior who gained visions of his planet’s destruction. But although Bardock’s end was tragic and heartwrenching, that’s where the story actually took off, and Goku couldn’t have been Goku if he weren’t sent to Earth.
1) Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks
Dragon Ball Z: The History of Trunks shows us a future in the DBZ universe where Androids succeed in destroying most of the life on Earth. The Trunks of the future is Gohan’s disciple. These two half-Saiyans are the only Saiyan remnants among the good guys, as Goku and Vegeta couldn’t make it in this dark timeline. The movie explores Trunks’ resilience in the face of loss as he trains to confront Androids 17 and 18.
Gohan trained Trunks as much as he could in this Dragon Ball Z movie before he lost to the Androids, leading to one of the most brutally sad scenes in the series. The look on 17 and 18’s faces as Gohan tried fighting them was terrifying. That’s when Trunks became a Super Saiyan for the first time. The events that followed are what prompt Trunks to go to the past and prevent this apocalyptic outcome. The movie earns the top spot on this list for its unflinching portrayal of sacrifice and the human cost of heroism. The animation is dated, but it perfectly captures the despair of a shattered world, making every punch feel like a cry for hope.
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Image courtesy of Marvel Studios. -
Image Courtesy of Marvel Studios
