Dragon Ball Timeline: The Complete Canon Watch Order (2026)

Quick answer: The Dragon Ball timeline in order is the Broly movie prologue, the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z or Kai, Dragon Ball Daima, Dragon Ball Super, the Broly movie, and Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero. Watch the series in this chronological order, not release order, and treat Dragon Ball GT as a separate side story. The full era-by-era breakdown, the canon movies, and the 2026 updates are below.

The Dragon Ball timeline confuses almost every new fan, and for good reason. The story spans Dragon Ball, Z, Kai, Daima, Super, three canon movies, and manga-only arcs, and the release order does not match the in-story order. This guide lays out the correct canon roadmap for 2026, shows exactly where Dragon Ball Daima fits, lists which movies count, and gives a clean beginner path so you never feel lost.

The full Dragon Ball timeline at a glance

Dragon Ball runs on an in-world calendar called the Age system. Here is the official chronology from Goku’s arrival on Earth to the most recent canon point.

Age	Series or Event	Key milestone
Age 737	Saiyan genocide	Goku is sent to Earth
Age 749	Dragon Ball begins	Goku meets Bulma
Age 761	Dragon Ball Z begins	Raditz arrives
Age 774	End of Buu Saga	Kid Buu defeated
Age 774	Dragon Ball Daima	The Demon Realm journey
Age 778	Dragon Ball Super	Battle of Gods
Age 780	DBS: Broly	Broly becomes canon
Age 781	Moro and Granolah	Black Frieza appears
Age 782	DBS: Super Hero	Gohan Beast debut
Age 784	End of Z	Goku meets Uub

Why watch Dragon Ball in timeline order, not release order

Release order jumps between shows and movies in a way that breaks the story’s flow. Watching in chronological order lets you follow the power system as it grows from martial arts and ki control into divine transformations.

The shift from Z to Super feels natural, and the emotional payoff of the End of Z lands the way it should. For most fans, the Dragon Ball timeline order turns a sprawling franchise into one connected story.

What counts as canon in Dragon Ball

Canon means the story Akira Toriyama wrote or supervised, which is the version the official timeline follows. Filler is extra material the TV studio added to let the manga catch up, and it does not change the main plot.

A retcon is when newer content, like Super, rewrites the meaning of an older ending, like the original close of Z. When you keep these apart, the Dragon Ball canon timeline stops feeling like a contradiction and starts reading as one clear line.

The Dragon Ball timeline in order, era by era

Saiyan origins (Age 737)

Start with the prologue of Dragon Ball Super: Broly, or the older Bardock: The Father of Goku special. Both cover the destruction of Planet Vegeta and baby Goku’s trip to Earth. The Broly prologue is the version Akira Toriyama supervised, so treat it as the canon account of the Saiyan genocide.

Dragon Ball, the adventure era (Age 749)

The original Dragon Ball begins in Age 749, with a young Goku meeting Bulma on the hunt for the seven Dragon Balls. It runs through the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd World Martial Arts Tournaments and builds the bonds, especially Goku and Krillin, that give later stakes their weight. The original 153 episodes set the martial arts foundation before the sci-fi scale takes over.

Dragon Ball Z or Kai (Age 761 to 774)

This is the core of the franchise. It opens with Raditz arriving and revealing Goku’s Saiyan heritage, then moves through the Saiyan, Frieza, Android and Cell, and Buu sagas, ending with Kid Buu’s defeat in Age 774. For the manga’s pacing without filler, watch Dragon Ball Z Kai. For every scene and the original score, watch the full Z.

Dragon Ball Daima (Age 774)

Daima is the newest piece of the timeline and the reason this guide matters in 2026. It sits right after the Buu Saga, set about a year after Buu’s defeat and before Dragon Ball Super. The story sends the cast into the Demon Realm and adds lore to the Supreme Kais that the older series never explained. If you want the Dragon Ball watch order including Daima, slot it here, between Z and Super.

Dragon Ball Super (Age 778 to 780)

Super starts in Age 778 and introduces the Gods of Destruction. The first two arcs were retold as the Battle of Gods and Resurrection F movies with stronger animation, so many fans watch those instead of the early episodes. From there, the Dragon Ball Super timeline covers the Universe 6 tournament, the Future Trunks arc, and the Tournament of Power in Age 780.

The manga bridge, Moro and Granolah (Age 781)

After the Tournament of Power and the Broly movie, the story continues only in the manga. Goku and Vegeta face Moro the planet-eater and the bounty hunter Granolah. These arcs introduce Ultra Ego Vegeta and Black Frieza, and they set the power levels you need for the next movie. Read them after you finish the Super anime.

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (Age 782)

Super Hero is the most recent point in the main canon. It follows the manga arcs and puts Gohan and Piccolo at the center while Goku and Vegeta train off-world. Pan is around three years old here, and the film points toward the End of Z era, where an adult Goku meets Uub.

Which Dragon Ball movies are canon

Most Dragon Ball movies are side stories in their own continuity, so you can skip them without losing the plot. Only three feed the main timeline. The canon Dragon Ball movies are Battle of Gods, Resurrection F, and Dragon Ball Super: Broly, with the Broly prologue also covering the Saiyan origins. The History of Trunks TV special is worth watching during the Android arc too, since it explains the dark future that Future Trunks comes from.

Where Dragon Ball GT fits in 2026

Dragon Ball GT takes place in Age 789, after the End of Z, and for years fans treated it as the official sequel. Then Dragon Ball Super arrived and ignored it. In 2026, GT is no longer part of the main canon and reads as a separate “Grand Touring” side story with its own take on Super Saiyan 4 and the Shadow Dragons. If you enjoy the cast, watch it last, on its own terms.

Dragon Ball watch order for beginners

If you are starting from zero, keep it simple. Watch the original Dragon Ball, then Dragon Ball Z Kai to skip the filler, then Daima, then Dragon Ball Super, and finish with the Broly and Super Hero movies. This beginner watch order gives you the full story with the least padding. You can always go back for the original uncut Z and the side-story movies once you are hooked.

How long does it take to watch Dragon Ball

The full run is long. The original Dragon Ball is 153 episodes, Dragon Ball Z is 291 (or 167 in Kai), Daima is 20, and Super is 131, plus the canon movies. Watching everything takes roughly 180 to 200 hours, depending on whether you pick Z or Kai. At two episodes a day, the core canon takes a few months. The Kai route trims that total a lot by cutting filler, which is why most beginners choose it.

Is Dragon Ball over? What comes after Super

Dragon Ball is not finished. After Akira Toriyama’s death in 2024, Daima became the most recent new series, and the franchise has confirmed more is coming.

At the 40th anniversary event in early 2026, the team announced Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, an enhanced remaster of Super set for late 2026, along with teases of future projects. So after Super and Super Hero, the story currently continues through the Moro and Granolah manga arcs, with new anime on the way.

Frequently asked questions

Is Dragon Ball Z Kai better than the original?

For most viewers, yes. Kai cuts the filler and follows the manga more closely, with a more consistent dub. Some fans still prefer the original for its fuller pacing and the old Bruce Faulconer score.

Where does the Broly movie fit in the timeline?

Dragon Ball Super: Broly happens right after the Tournament of Power, in Age 780. It is fully canon and sets the current power ceiling for Goku and Vegeta.

Is Dragon Ball GT canon in 2026?

No. GT is an anime-only sequel that does not line up with Dragon Ball Super, so it sits outside the main canon timeline.

Should I watch the movies first?

No. Watch the series first so the power levels and relationships make sense. Only the three canon movies tie into the main story.

What is the newest Dragon Ball series?

As of 2026, Dragon Ball Daima is the most recent series, set in Age 774 in the Demon Realm. A remaster, Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, is also on the way.