Dragon Ball is undoubtedly one of the biggest manga and anime series, having perfected the formula of emotional storytelling and action. It has also inspired several shonen titles, including One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Bleach. It has been decades since its debut, and even now, the franchise continues to attract longtime and new fans with its modern movies and games.
Following the Super Hero Arc in 2024, the manga went on an indefinite hiatus, leaving fans curious about what’s next. So, with Dragon Ball Super: Beerus and Dragon Ball Super 2 around the corner, it seems to be the perfect time to revisit the story. So, here are all Dragon Ball arcs in order.
How Many Arcs are There In Dragon Ball?
Dragon Ball features 19 canon arcs. Created by Akira Toriyama, the original Dragon Ball ran from 1984 to 1995. The series covered the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z storylines. Later, the manga’s sequel, Dragon Ball Super, was taken over by Toyotarou, who was chosen by Toriyama as a potential successor. Despite passing the massive responsibility to Toyotarou, Toriyama supervised the process until his passing in 2024. Following the conclusion of Super Hero Arc, the manga has been on a hiatus with no confirmed return date. So, for the newcomers and those who are willing to revisit the story of their beloved franchise, this article may help you follow the arcs in the correct order.
Dragon Ball
| Arcs Title | Anime Episode No. | Manga Chapter No. |
|---|---|---|
| Emperor Pilaf Arc | 1-13 | 1-23 |
| Tournament Arc (21st World Tournament) | 14-28 | 24-54 |
| Red Ribbon Army Arc | 29-45 | 55-69 |
| Uranai Baba Arc | 68-83 | 97-112 |
| Tien Shinhan Arc (22nd World Martial Arts Tournament Saga) | 84-101 | 113-134 |
| King Piccolo Arc | 102-122 | 135-161 |
| Piccolo Jr. Arc | 123-153 | 162-194 |
Dragon Ball Z
| Arcs Title | Anime Episode No. | Manga Chapter No. |
|---|---|---|
| Saiyan Arc | 1-35 | 195-241 |
| Namek / Frieza Arc | 36-117 | 242-329 |
| Android / Cell Arc | 118-194 | 330-420 |
| Majin Buu Arc | 200-286 | 421-519 |
Note: Episodes ranging from 195 to 194 are mostly fillers or the transitional ones. So, we haven’t included those in the table.
Dragon Ball Super
| Arcs Title | Anime Episode No. | Manga Chapter No. |
|---|---|---|
| God of Destruction Beerus Arc | 1-15 | 1-4 |
| Golden Frieza Arc | 16-27 | 5-9 |
| Universe 6 Arc | 28-46 | 10-13 |
| Future Trunks Arc | 47-76 | 14-26 |
| Universe Survival Arc | 77-131 | 27-41 |
| Galactic Patrol Prisoner Arc | TBD | 42-66 |
| Granolah the Survivor Arc | TBD | 67-87 |
| Super Hero Arc | TBD | 88-103 |
What Arc Is Dragon Ball Manga Covering Right Now?
What Arc Is Dragon Ball Anime Covering Right Now?
Dragon Ball anime took a long hiatus after the first season of Super, which ended its run on March 25, 2018. The final arc that it covered was the Universe Survival Arc, or the Tournament of Power Arc. Now, Dragon Ball Super is confirmed to return this year with its second season and a reboot. The reboot will pick up things from the God of Destruction Beerus arc, and it will continue on to adapt Galactic Patrol Prisoner and Granolah the Survivor arc.
Where to Read Dragon Ball Manga?
If you wish to read the Dragon Ball manga’s official English version, you can read it on Viz Media and Manga Plus, the very best and most reliable platforms to read manga online. Apart from Dragon Ball, you can read other popular manga series like One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Naruto on these platforms.
Where to Watch Dragon Ball Anime?
The hype for Dragon Ball Super Season 2 is starting to build, so it’s understandable if you wish to catch up on the previous episodes. In that case, you can watch Dragon Ball on Crunchyroll, the most popular streaming platform for anime fans. Apart from that, the anime is also available on Netflix and Prime Video, but the show’s availability on any platform will vary depending on your region. If, for some reason, you can’t see Dragon Ball on a selected streaming platform, we suggest you use any of these best VPN services.
