Manga
The manga that were hits in Japan in the 1980s.
1980S HITS
About
Dragon Ball follows the adventures of Son Goku from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts and explores the world in search of the seven mystical orbs known as the Dragon Balls, which can 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 for their own desires. Along the way becoming the strongest warrior in the universe. Part II of Dragon Ball is also known as "Dragon Ball Z" in North America.
Character analysis
Goku grows up with no memory of his alien origins, raised by a kind old man who dies before he can teach him much beyond basic kindness and strength. His bottomless, almost childlike enthusiasm for getting stronger never curdles into arrogance, even as he goes from a wild kid chasing magic orbs to literally the strongest being in the universe.
Bulma's search for the seven Dragon Balls starts the entire story, and her scientific genius and short fuse make her a sharp contrast to Goku's naive, fight-focused worldview. She's one of the only characters who stays relevant across the whole saga purely through intelligence rather than physical strength.
Piccolo starts the story as a genuine, dangerous villain seeking revenge against Goku's mentor, and his slow transformation into a trusted ally and surrogate father figure for Gohan is one of the series' most complete character arcs.
Vegeta arrives as a genocidal invader convinced of his own racial superiority, and losing repeatedly to Goku, a lower-class warrior by his own culture's standards, becomes a wound to his pride that drives his entire arc. His grudging, never-quite-admitted respect for Goku is the emotional engine behind his eventual shift toward the side of good.
Krillin trains alongside Goku from childhood and never gains anywhere near his friend's absurd power ceiling, and the story's willingness to keep him around as a genuinely valued friend, not just comic relief, gives the cast's human characters real staying power next to its gods and aliens.
Status evaluation
Dynamic, highly influential action and character art set the template much of the shonen genre still follows.
The journey from a wild jungle kid to cosmic-scale hero is one of the most influential adventure arcs in the medium's history.
Especially in its earlier chapters, the series balances goofy, lighthearted comedy with escalating action.
Rivalries and found-family bonds add real heart, though the series leans more on adventure and spectacle overall.
Some villains are intimidating, but the tone stays adventurous rather than frightening.
Battles get destructive and occasionally graphic, especially in later arcs.
An escalating power scale and large cast add some tracking, though the core story stays easy to follow.
This is a completed series. This figure has not been verified against a current source and should be treated as approximate.
“A wild kid with a tail and superhuman strength, raised alone in the mountains with no memory of where he came from. Decades later, it's still one of the best setups shonen has ever had.”