The originalDragon Ballseries marked the beginning of Goku’s rip-roaring journey, consisting of nine sagas that shaped one of the best anime franchises of all time. Before springing into non-stop action and explosive fights —Dragon Ball Z’s distinctive trademarks —Dragon Ballwas centered around Goku’s childhood and his quest for the seven Dragon Balls, throughout which he gets to know some of his lifelong friends, such as Bulma, Yamcha, Master Roshi, and Krillin.
ClassicDragon Ballwas astraight-up fantasy-adventure anime, focused entirely on exploration and world-building. It followed a predictable structure, but never failed to amuse and surprise fans in terms of exciting villains, threats, and challenges. Most importantly, it introduced keyDragon Ballelements that would later be used in bothDragon Ball ZandDragon Ball Super. Here’s our ranking of each saga in the original anime.
Every Dragon Ball Saga in Chronological Order
Chapters, Volumes, and Episodes
Emperor Pilaf
Ch. 1-23, Vol. 1-2, Ep. 1-13
Tournament
Ch. 24-54, Vol. 2-5, Ep. 14-28
Red Ribbon Army
Ch. 54-69, Vol. 5-6, Ep. 29-45
General Blue
Ch. 70-83, Vol. 6-7, Ep. 46-57
Commander Red
Ch. 84-96, Vol. 7-8, Ep. 58-67
Fortuneteller Baba
Ch. 97-112, Vol. 9-10, Ep. 68-83
Tien Shinhan
Ch. 113-134, Vol. 10-12, Ep. 84-101
King Piccolo
Ch. 135-161, Vol. 12-14, Ep. 102-122
Piccolo Jr.
Ch. 162-194, Vol. 14-16, Ep. 123-153
9Fortuneteller Baba Saga
TheFortuneteller Baba Sagaisn’t a badDragon Ballsaga by any means, especially because it offers a good breather between challenging confrontations against the Red Ribbon Army and the upcoming Martial Arts Tournament. In this saga, Goku and his allies must face Fortuneteller Baba’s five dangerous opponents in order to find out where the last Dragon Ball is located.
Doesn’t Add Anything New to the Anime
This saga doesn’t really add anything new to the story. The fights can be exciting but don’t carry the same thrilling energy of the Tournament, and the villains couldn’t be more generic; each paying tribute to a different Universal Monster. The biggest highlights are the emotional conclusion of Goku vs. Baba’s final opponent, who turns out to be Goku’s deceased grandfather, and Shenron bringing Bora back to life.
8General Blue Saga
TheGeneral Blue Sagarepresented that middle-of-the-road point between the introduction of new deadly enemies and the final battle against the higher-ups. Here, Goku engages in a game of cat and mouse with the ruthless General Blue, amping up the tension with a Red Ribbon officer who is actually dangerous: instead of recklessly attacking Goku, Blue acknowledges the kid’s power and strategically waits for the right moment to attack.
A Lackluster Antagonist
The whole underwater hunt quest gets as thrilling as it can, balancing great action sequences with creative obstacles, but at the end of the day, General Blue is as forgettable as the weaker Red Ribbon officers Goku stumbled upon.
7Red Ribbon Army Saga
TheRed Ribbon Army Sagais an amalgamation of classicDragon Ball’s best trademarks, effectively delivering hints of humor, compelling new characters, and increasingly difficult challenges. It delves deep into the adventurous aspect of the anime in contrast with theshow’s action sequences, introducing a range of smaller antagonists that aren’t necessarily dangerous, but have their own distinctive features that make the whole thing so fun to watch.
Goku’s Muscle Tower Adventure
Goku’s whole quest across the Muscle Tower might be the best example of that: each floor elevates the tension with a new set of enemies, where Goku must come up with creative ways to adapt and beat the different threats that get in his way. From the robotic brute Major Metallitron to the impenetrable Buyon monster, fans get to see Goku investing in his intelligence rather than his fists. It’s a saga that excels in its creative appeal, even though none of the challenges end up being genuinely life-threatening.
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6Commander Red Saga
It’s only in theCommander Red Sagathat fights in classicDragon Ballstart to get really intense, without leaving the narrative’s adventure and exploration appeal aside. This saga is a major pay-off to the events that took place in the Red Ribbon Army and General Blue Sagas, finally revealing the not-so-tough Commander Red, who, ironically, is the least dangerous threatGoku has to fightin this decisive part of his quest.
A Turning Point in Dragon Ball
The Commander Red Saga feels like a turning point in the series because it delivers the first impactful death inDragon Ball, hinting at the more serious approach the anime would embrace in the episodes to come. It’s here that the merciless Taopaipai kills Bora, protector of the Sacred Land of Korin, and where Goku beats the assassin in an unforgettable fight. Even the calm moments before the storm are a delight to watch, such as Goku’s training in the Korin Tower.
5Emperor Pilaf Saga
TheEmperor Pilaf Sagais the very firstDragon Ballsaga and pretty much sets the tone of the whole anime. Unsuspecting viewers who might expect a slow start, with only a few battles and villains, will be rewarded with non-stop doses of adrenaline as Goku and his newly made friends begin their odyssey across the continent in search of the Dragon Balls.
A Perfection Introduction to the Series
The magical setup feels like a cozyStudio Ghibli movieeven with all the action, giving these characters time to breathe, contemplate the world around them, and get to know each other. While Emperor Pilaf and his gang are among the weakest opponents Goku ever faced, the comical aura that surrounds these unprepared villains makes them genuinely likable, adding up toDragon Ball’s distinctively quirky humor.
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4Tien Shinhan Saga
What’s impressive aboutDragon Ballis how engaging it is while maintaining a fairly simple formula. The adventure-tournament-training format might seem repetitive at first glance, but with each new stage the characters get more powerful, the opponents stronger, and new martial arts techniques are brought to the table.
Features Dragon Ball’s First Major Character Death
TheTien Shinhan SagabringsDragon Ballback to a new Martial Arts Tournament and even though four out of eight participants of the previous tournament return — Goku, Krillin, Yamcha, and Jackie Chun — the addition of Tien Shinhan and Chiaotzu drastically turns the tables. The duo proves to be not only skilled and hard to defeat, but also dangerously unpredictable, guided by obscure purposes.
Although there’s nothing different in the tournament’s structure, there’s a lingering feeling that anything could happen, sustained by unforgettable duels such as Goku vs. Krillin and Goku vs. Tien. As if that wasn’t enough, the Tien Shinhan Saga ends with the first major death of the series, setting up a major mystery.
3Piccolo Jr. Saga
Before becoming one of Goku’s most faithful allies inDragon Ball Z, Piccolo Jr. represented the embodiment of evil inDragon Ball, fueled by a thirst for revenge and living up to the terrifying legacy of his father, King Piccolo. ThePiccolo Jr. Sagasets the ground forDragon Ball Zas fans get to see the characters entering adulthood: they spend a long time preparing to fight Piccolo for when he finally shows his claws. When the moment comes, old characters return and new overpowered moves come to light for the grand finale.
Dragon Ball’s Grande Finale
And what a grand finale it is. Goku and Piccolo fight in the ruins of the tournament arena, with Goku insisting on fighting alone to finally win the Martial Arts Tournament. Goku grew up, but he still has that same childish innocence from the beginning: to him, winning the tournament fairly is as important as saving the whole planet. It’s in this mix of innocence and hazard thatDragon Ballends, though setting the path for many great adventures to come.
2Tournament Saga
No otherDragon Ballsaga can top the nostalgic value of the firstTournamentSaga, which is all about developing the characters and their fighting potential. Not only do fans witness the Martial Arts Tournament for the first time, but they also get to see Goku meeting his best friend Krillin, their training with Master Roshi, and Roshi disguised as Jackie Chun having a hard time trying to beat his pupil in the finals.
Jackie Chun Versus Goku
Both the peaceful and explosive moments of this saga are special. There are brilliant life lessons to be taken from Master Rochi’s training, which focuses on simple, ordinary things to achieve fabulous goals. Alternatively, the intense fight between Jackie Chun and Goku is peakDragon Ballgenius, with Jackie Chun destroying the moon to prevent Goku from smashing the whole arena.
1King Piccolo Saga
Everything changes once theKing Piccolo Sagakicks in. There’s a strong sense of hopelessness and despair as Goku must face an adversary who can actually beat him, putting the fate of the Earth at stake. Every othermajor villain in the animebefore King Piccolo wanted to take control of the world and impose a tyrannical empire of evil, but none of them came nearly as close as the Demon King.
Goku’s First Loss
The shift in tone gives rise to a serious atmosphere of urgency, as major characters face death in unexpected ways. It’s the first time things don’t work out for Goku and his team, and tragedy snowballs into a catastrophic threat: in one shocking moment, King Piccolo murders the divine dragon Shenron like it was nothing. The death of the supposedly untouchable, godlike creature is the fateful moment in which viewers realize no one is safe in the hands of King Piccolo, sending tension through the roof and cooking up a life-threatening battle between the forces of good and evil.
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