Across its four main anime series, the story of Dragon Ball has been told across 18 major arcs and sagas. From Goku's early comedic adventures and first hunt for the Dragon Balls all the way to his climactic final battle with Jiren with the fate of the universe on the line, every arc offers something different, keeping the franchise constantly fresh.
The best arcs in Dragon Ball are the ones that not only feature the best action, but the best character development, the best villains, and the most emotion. Goku, Vegeta, and their friends have starred in countless great arcs across Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super.
10 The Baby Saga is the Most Loved GT Arc
Dragon Ball GT Episodes 1–40
Dragon Ball GT is the most controversial series in the franchise, but one thing most fans will agree on is that the Baby Saga is the best of its arcs. While there exists disagreement over what episodes the Baby Saga consists of, everything from Goku's transformation into a child by the Black Star Dragon Balls to Goku, Pan, and Trunks' adventures in space to the battle with Baby on Earth fits together to tell a single story.
While not all the space adventures are home runs, they're both a welcome return to the style of storytelling from the original Dragon Ball, and, in contrast to how safely Dragon Ball Super handles its storylines, their experimental nature is something to be commended. Baby is one of the most conceptually interesting Dragon Ball villains, his takeover of Earth briefly turns the arc into a horror series, and the final battle against him features great moments, like Goku's first transformation into Super Saiyan 4, and Super Saiyan 4 Goku vs Golden Great Ape Baby Vegeta.
9 The Red Ribbon Army Arc Embodies the Spirit of Adventure
Dragon Ball Episodes 29–78
The Red Ribbon Army Arc is Goku's first lengthy adventure and is often divided by fans between his conflicts with Colonel Silver, General White, General Blue, Mercenary Tao, and Fortuneteller Baba, but all of these smaller storylines are part of the same larger narrative. This arc sees Goku traveling the globe on his second Dragon Ball hunt, but facing competition from the villainous military force known as The Red Ribbon Army, led by Commander Red.
The Red Ribbon Army Arc is more of an adventure than any other, as Goku explores diverse locations, fights many different villains, and even briefly meets Arale, the protagonist of Dr. Slump. Mercenary Tao is one of the best Dragon Ball villains, being hilariously over-the-top, and the first villain to completely overpower Goku. Ninja Murasaki is also a stand-out antagonist, with his encounter with Goku being one of the funniest moments in the series. Where the arc lacks is in the utilization of its cast, as the spotlight is focused solely on Goku. This is easy to overlook by the end of the arc, however, as Fortuneteller Baba's brief, but amusing tournament concludes with an emotional reunion between Goku and Grandpa Gohan.
8 The Buu Saga is an Enjoyable Mess
Dragon Ball Z Episodes 200–291
The Buu Saga is weaker than the sum of its parts. Consisting of Gohan's misadventures in high school as the Great Saiyaman, the 25th World Martial Arts Tournament, and Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Gotenks' struggle against Majin Buu, these storylines fail to truly come together as a cohesive whole, but are nonetheless a fun time in spite of this.
While it fails to matter by the story's conclusion, the Great Saiyaman section of the arc displays a perfect evolution of Gohan's character and shows how he could have worked as the series' new protagonist following the Cell Games. Videl, Trunks, and Gotenks are great additions to the cast, the final battle between Goku and Kid Buu is spectacular, and fusion (first introduced in this arc) is one of the series' most enduring concepts. The true stars of the arc are Majin Buu and Mr. Satan, whose relationship and respective character arcs create the strongest narrative throughline. The finale to Dragon Ball Z could have been made stronger with a tighter, less bloated story, and the continued presence of Gohan as the main character all the way through.
7 The King Piccolo Arc Set the Standard for Future Arcs
Dragon Ball Episodes 102–122
Dragon Ball changed forever when Goku discovered Krillin's dead body at the end of the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Arc. The King Piccolo Arc picks up directly from this moment and shifts the series from the comedic adventures of a monkey boy and his friends to Goku's first dramatic battle to save the world.
While The King Piccolo Arc is held back by re-using plot elements from The Red Ribbon Army Arc and potentially being too simple, it still sets the standard for what a battle between Goku and a world-threatening villain looks like. King Piccolo may not have much personality outside of being evil, but he makes himself stand out through his actions, as he continuously raises the stakes by killing Master Roshi, Chiaotzu, and Shenron, and taking over the world. Master Roshi's story comes to a perfect end, as he goes out on his own terms, secure in the knowledge that Goku and Tien have surpassed him. Goku's final battle against King Piccolo is one of the best in classic Dragon Ball.
6 The 21st World Martial Arts Tournament Arc is the True Start of Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Episodes 14–28
The Pilaf Arc was the first Dragon Ball storyline, primarily a comedy loosely inspired by Journey to the West. Like Akira Toriyama's previous hit series, Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball was also filled with dirty humor. The 21st World Martial Arts Tournament Arc introduces a focus on action to the anime as Goku trains under Master Roshi and enters his first tournament, beginning to shape the series into what it will become.
Goku and Krillin's time training under Master Roshi together and becoming friends is one of the most charming sections in the franchise's history, and the lessons taught to the boys make up the series' core themes. Still keeping much of the same comedy as the previous arc, the 21st World Martial Arts Tournament is filled with funny gag fights, but the only stand-out match comes in the finals. Goku vs Jackie Chun is the first truly intense fight in the series, with both fighters giving it their all and utilizing a variety of techniques, Goku transforming into a Great Ape mid-fight, Jackie destroying the moon, and Goku ultimately facing defeat.
5 The Cell Saga is the Most Ambitious Dragon Ball Story
Dragon Ball Z Episodes 118–194
Most Dragon Ball storylines are fairly straightforward, but the Cell Saga is anything but. Through the introduction of time travel to the series and multiple drastic swerves to Akira Toriyama's plans encouraged by his former editor, Kazuhiko Torishima, the Cell Saga is as convoluted as it is captivating. The Cell Saga has the strongest opening of any arc in the franchise, with Frieza returning to get his revenge, only to be immediately cut down by the second-ever Super Saiyan, the fan-favorite Future Trunks.
From there, new villains are introduced one after another, with the stand-outs being Androids 16, 17, and 18, and Cell. While Cell gets less interesting as a main antagonist the longer the story goes on, his initial introduction is the scariest moment in Dragon Ball. The time travel elements in the arc can be confusing, but they bring an element of mystery not seen in any other. The Cell Saga also gives the majority of its cast room to shine, with even supporting characters like Tien, Krillin, Bulma, and Android 16 having important roles. Of course, this arc is best remembered for Gohan's breathtaking transformation into Super Saiyan 2 to defeat Cell and Goku's passing on the torch of being Earth's protector to his son.
4 The 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament Arc Debuted Adult Goku
Dragon Ball Episodes 123–148
When most fans picture Goku, they picture a muscular adult — but it was only in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament Arc, the final arc of the original Dragon Ball, that Goku finally left childhood behind. After losing his previous two tournaments, Goku seeks to finally claim the title of the strongest man in the world, and prevent Piccolo Jr. from getting revenge for his father.
Every fight in the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament Arc is fantastic. Goku's fights against Chi-Chi and Tien do a superb job re-introducing Goku's future wife and showing how far he's come from the previous tournament, respectively. Tien's fight with Mercenary Tao brings his character arc to a satisfying end, Yamcha gets his last shining moment against Kami, and Krillin vs Piccolo Jr. is one of the best fights in the franchise for both characters. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the arc is the final battle between Goku and Piccolo Jr., which stands among the best Dragon Ball fights ever.
3 The Frieza Saga is the Most Iconic Arc of Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z Episodes 44–107
If there is one thing everyone knows about Dragon Ball, it's the Super Saiyan transformation. This form first debuts in the Frieza Saga, which also introduced the eponymous villain, who's gone on to be the most iconic and recurring in the franchise. Consisting of Krillin, Gohan, and Vegeta's hunt for the Dragon Balls on Namek, as well as Goku's legendary first showdown with Frieza, this is an arc that has something to offer all fans.
The Frieza Saga is arguably at its best in its early stages, as the multiple factions of Krillin and Gohan, Vegeta, and Frieza and his forces plotting against each other and trying to get the Dragon Balls for themselves makes for some of the series' most compelling drama. While Zaborn and Dodorio are relatively forgettable as villains, The Ginyu Force's contrast between silliness and brutal, destructive power makes them the best antagonists in the arc besides Frieza himself. Goku vs Frieza is, of course, one of the best fights in the series, but Gohan, Krillin, and Vegeta's hopeless struggle against Recoome is also a stand-out match.
2 The 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Keeps its Focus on the Characters
Dragon Ball Episodes 83–101
The 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Arc is both one of the shortest and one of the smallest in scale in the franchise's history. This works to the arc's benefit, as it keeps its focus tight and where it belongs, centered not on Goku and his friends fighting to save the world, but on the character development of the story's villain, Tien.
Tien in the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Arc is introduced as a foil to Goku and Yamcha, the ruthless star student of the Crane School, who's training to be an assassin like Mercenary Tao. Through his amazing fights with Yamcha, Jackie Chun, and most especially Goku, Tien realizes this isn't the path he wishes to go down and embraces Master Roshi's teachings instead. Outside of Tien's arc, Krillin vs Chiaotzu strikes a nice balance between being a real fight and a gag fight, and Goku vs Krillin is a beautiful battle between best friends.
1 The Saiyan Saga is One of the Greatest Shonen Stories of All Time
Dragon Ball Z Episodes 1–38
The Saiyan Saga is a nearly perfect masterpiece; it's no surprise that, as the first arc most Western fans were exposed to, the Saiyan Saga caused the franchise to blow up. The Saiyan Saga introduces two of the most iconic Dragon Ball characters, Gohan and Vegeta, as well as the legendary rivalry between Goku and Vegeta. Piccolo's father/son relationship with Gohan and techniques like the Kaio-ken and the Spirit Bomb also make this arc drip with iconography, and weave it all into a well-paced, dramatic, and exciting story. The introduction of Raditz and the reveal that Goku is a Saiyan changes everything fans thought they knew about Dragon Ball, and the arc doesn't let up the gas following the reveal.
Goku and Piccolo's first team-up, their thrilling fight with Raditz, and the shocking death of Goku all follow in swift succession. Piccolo's training of Gohan creates one of the most powerful friendships in the franchise, and Gohan's personal development quickly makes him one of the series' best characters. The entire battle between the Earthlings and the Saiyans is outstanding, from Yamcha's memetic death to Tien, Chiaotzu, and Piccolo's emotional sacrifices to the best and most thematically resonant fight in the series: Goku, Gohan, Krillin, and Yajirobe vs Vegeta. The Saiyan Saga is Dragon Ball at its purest.
