The reach and reputation of anime in the West have come a long way since the 1990s, and alongside Pokémon, Dragon Ball Z is among the most important series in expanding that reach. Sequel series and new movies have kept the Dragon Ball name active in pop culture, but nothing has yet matched the impact of the original (not even…well, the original). The latest film is still nearly a year away, but the popularity of the franchise endures, and longtime fans and newcomers alike may want to get their Dragon Ball fix before the new film by revisiting Z.
Not sure where to do that? No need to fret. Here’s where you can catch Dragon Ball Z, and all its sister series.
What Is the “Z” in 'Dragon Ball Z'?
For the uninitiated, it might help to clarify: Dragon Ball is a long-running manga written and drawn by Akira Toriyama, published between 1984 and 1995. It was adapted into a 153-episode anime of the same name between 1986 and 1989. For a variety of reasons, at the moment in the manga when series lead Goku reaches adulthood and has a son, the anime rebranded as a new series, Dragon Ball Z, that continued for 291 episodes until 1996. Dragon Ball Z, as dubbed by Funimation and aired on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block, is what popularized the series outside of Japan, and remains the best known of all the Dragon Ball television series.
Where Can You Watch 'Dragon Ball Z'?
Dragon Ball Z has received several comprehensive home video releases which can be obtained relatively easily. Episodes and seasons can also be purchased through Amazon Prime.
Where Can You Stream 'Dragon Ball Z'?
Dragon Ball Z and its 13 original movies are available to stream through Funimation and AnimeLab. On both platforms, you can watch the American dub or the original Japanese language track. The original Dragon Ball is available on both platforms, and is also available to stream on Hulu in Japanese.
What Other 'Dragon Ball' Series Are There?
Besides Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, there are three more anime series in the franchise. Dragon Ball GT is a short-lived direct sequel to Dragon Ball Z, developed by Toei Animation without direct input from Akira Toriyama. Dragon Ball Super is a slightly longer-lived direct sequel to Dragon Ball Z that did have involvement from Toriyama. Then there’s Dragon Ball Z Kai, a “remake” of the first Dragon Ball Z that re-edits and re-dubs the original footage to produce a leaner (by 132 episodes) series that discarded most of the anime-exclusive material to more closely match Toriyama’s manga.
Where Can You Watch the Other 'Dragon Ball' Series?
Dragon Ball GT is available to stream through Funimation and AnimeLab. Dragon Ball Super can be purchased through Amazon Prime, seen on Adult Swim, or streamed on CrunchyRoll, Funimation, Hulu, or AnimeLab. The movies tied to the Super label aren’t so widely available, but they can be purchased through AppleTV. Dragon Ball Z Kai is available to stream through Funimation.