Dragon Ball watch order
Watch Dragon Ball, then Dragon Ball Z, then Dragon Ball Super, and finish with the movies Broly and Super Hero. Daima fits between Z and Super if you want it. Dragon Ball GT is an optional anime-only sequel, and Kai is a shorter cut of Z rather than an extra series.
This guide covers the TV series and the films that continue the story. It uses Japanese episode counts. For the filler inside each show, follow the links to our skip sheets.
The story order
| Step | Watch | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dragon Ball, episodes 1-153 | Goku's childhood. Our Dragon Ball filler list marks the 20 anime-only episodes. |
| 2 | Dragon Ball Z, episodes 1-291 | Starts five years later. Use the DBZ filler list to cut 30 filler episodes, or watch Kai instead. |
| 3 | Dragon Ball Daima (20 episodes) | Set shortly after the Majin Buu fight. Optional, but it slots in here by story. |
| 4 | Dragon Ball Super, episodes 1-131 | Episodes 1-27 retell the films Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F', so you don't need both. |
| 5 | Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) | Set after the Tournament of Power, the arc that ends Super's TV run. |
| 6 | Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (2022) | Set after Broly. |
Release order is almost the same. The only change is Daima: it aired in 2024 and 2025, after Super, but its story takes place before Super begins. Watching it after Super is fine too. It doesn't change what Super shows you.
Dragon Ball Z or Dragon Ball Kai?
Pick one. Kai is a recut of Dragon Ball Z that began airing in 2009, with most of Z's anime-only material removed. It's 98 episodes plus The Final Chapters for the Buu story. That second part has 61 episodes in Japan and 69 in the version shown outside Japan, so Kai runs 159 or 167 episodes against Z's 291.
Choose Z if you want the original broadcast, with our filler list to cut the side stories. Choose Kai if you'd rather someone else did the trimming. Our labels and episode numbers are for Z, so they won't line up with Kai.
Dragon Ball Super and its movies
Super's first two arcs retell two films. Episodes 1-14 cover Battle of Gods (2013) and episodes 15-27 cover Resurrection 'F' (2015). The TV versions are longer and change some details. Watch the films or those episodes; doing both is only for completists.
After episode 131, watch Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018), then Super Hero (2022). Both continue directly from Super's ending rather than retelling it.
Dragon Ball Super: Beerus started airing in Japan on October 11, 2026. The official site calls it an enhanced edition of Dragon Ball Super, and press coverage describes it as a new-animation retelling of the opening Battle of Gods arc rather than new story. If you've watched Super 1-14, you've seen this part of the story.
Dragon Ball movies in order
The four newer films are part of the route above: Battle of Gods (2013) and Resurrection 'F' (2015), which Super retells, then Broly (2018) and Super Hero (2022).
The other 17 films, including the thirteen Dragon Ball Z films released before Battle of Gods, are standalone side adventures. Treat them as extras after Z rather than stops on the route. Our Dragon Ball movies in order lists all 21 with their release years.
Where do GT and Daima fit?
Dragon Ball GT (64 episodes, 1996-1997) is an anime-original continuation after Z. It isn't based on the manga, and Super and Daima don't follow on from it. Watch it last, if at all, as an alternative ending.
Dragon Ball Daima (20 episodes, October 2024 to February 2025) takes place shortly after the Majin Buu story, before Super. It's a self-contained adventure, so it's easy to save for later.
Dragon Ball watch order without filler
- Watch the Dragon Ball episodes to keep: 133 of 153.
- Then the Dragon Ball Z episodes to keep: 261 of 291, or all of Kai.
- Carry on with Daima and Super. Our site doesn't label Super's episodes, so we can't give a filler list for it.
Mixed episodes stay in both routes. In Z, episodes 125, 174, 176 and 274 are mostly anime-only but keep a short manga scene. The label guide explains how we count them.
Questions
Do I need to watch the original Dragon Ball before Z?
It helps. Z assumes you know Goku's friends, rivals and the World Martial Arts Tournaments, and Piccolo's history comes from the first series. Starting at Z works, but you'll meet characters as old friends you haven't seen.
Is Dragon Ball GT canon?
It's an anime-original story, so it isn't adapted from the manga, and the later series don't follow it. Treat it as a side continuation.
Should I watch Battle of Gods or Super episodes 1-14?
Either. The film is quicker. The episodes are slower and add scenes, and they lead straight into the rest of Super.
Where does Broly fit?
After Super's last TV episode, 131. Super Hero comes after Broly.
Sources and scope
Episode counts for Dragon Ball and Z, and their filler labels, come from our Dragon Ball sources and Dragon Ball Z sources. The order and the advice on Kai, GT and the older films are our recommendations.
Other series, films and placements: Toei Animation: Dragon Ball Super, Kanzenshuu: Dragon Ball Kai episodes, Anime News Network on The Final Chapters, Kanzenshuu: story arcs, List of Dragon Ball films (Wikipedia), /Film on Daima's timeline, ComicBook.com on Super Hero's timeline and Dragon Ball Official on Super: Beerus, CBR on Super: Beerus. Checked November 3, 2026.