Summary
Dragon Ballis a series full to the brim withsome of the greatest shonen arcs of all time. The battles of Goku and the Z Warriors as they take out massive world-ending threats make for a great time, and fans can’t get enough of these classic storylines that continue to hype them up and then some. The amazing battles present in some of the series' most memorable arcs are immense highlights that include everything from character development to numerous emotional highs.
It’s a testament to the quality of the late great Akira Toriyama’s writing thatDragon Ballcontinues to be talked about fondly by many fans to this day. Some of the sagas present in the series feature storylines that fans can watch over and over again without getting bored. There are times when fans need a refresher or spot new details as theyrewatch these arcs, making it a treat for fans who can’t get enough ofDragon Ball’s immaculate storytelling.
5Vegeta Saga
Introduces An Amazing Rival Who Engages In An Iconic Battle With Goku
The Raditz Saga was a massive tonal shift for long-timeDragon Ballfans. The revelation that Goku was a Saiyan blew the minds of fans, and the battle against his brother showed just how out of their depth the Z Warriors were. To make things worse, it turned out that Raditz was merely a precursor to the arrival of two more Saiyans who were way stronger than Raditz and would pose a major threat to Earth’s survival. While Goku trained under the watchful gaze of King Kai, the other warriors spent their time training in the world of the living as Piccolo took over Gohan’s teachings and bonded with his rival’s child in the process.
From the moment Nappa and Vegeta land on Earth, fans are treated to an amazing story arc that sets the tone for the rest ofDragon Ball Z.The struggles of the Z Warriors against Nappamake him seem like a massive threat who’s killing people left and right, only for Goku to step in and dominate the beast. This sets the stage for an iconic clash against Vegeta that features everything from an iconic beam clash to a transformation that compels everyone to help Goku out in his time of need. Ultimately, Vegeta is defeated and escapes after being humiliated by people he looks down on.
4Frieza Saga
Watching Goku Break And Then Transform Never Ceases To Be Engaging
Fans who thought that Vegeta was a daunting antagonist sang a different tune when Frieza decided to punish the Z Warriors for standing in his path to obtaining the Dragon Balls. His first form itself is enough to pose a substantial challenge to these warriors, so seeing him transform three times to reach his final stage is a nightmarish proposition that ends up being too much for most of the Z Fighters to handle. Despite Goku’s immense power, even he can’t hold a candle to Frieza’s final form.
Despite nailing the foe with a Spirit Bomb, Frieza shows his resilience by standing tall after this assault and killing Krillin in an explosion that triggered Goku and opened the floodgates of his rage,leading to the iconic Super Saiyan transformationeveryDragon Ballfan is familiar with. What follows is an epic beatdown where Frieza is battered, humiliated, and defeated with a ki blast after he tries to take advantage of Goku’s mercy. It’s an incredible fight, but fans gearing up for a rewatch should check out the Kai version of this battle if they don’t want to see recycled punch rushes and unnecessarily long staring contests.
3Cell Games Saga
Gohan Reaches His Potential In One Of The Most Rewatchable Tournament Arcs
The bio-android Cell is a harrowing antagonist who strives to reach his final form by any means necessary. After Vegeta’s generosity helps him become perfect, his arrogance leads to the announcement of the legendary Cell Games. It’s one of the greatest tournament arcs in anime history and is seen by many as the peak ofDragon Ball Z, and an arc they can watch numerous times. The battle between Goku and Cell is a joy to witness, but things take a turn for the unexpected when the former tags in Gohan so that he can achieve his full potential.
After watching the Cell Juniors decimate his friends, the destruction of Android 16’s head causesGohan to achieve the Ascended Super Saiyan formin one of the series' greatest transformations. His arrogance makes for a fun watch as the Cell Juniors are one-shotted, while Cell is forced to puke out Android 18 after a single punch that causes so much damage the hapless villain resorts to self-destructing to destroy the Earth. This prompts a heroic sacrifice from Goku, but the battle is far from over. Perfect Cell comes back stronger than ever and takes out Gohan’s arm in the process. Eventually, everything is settled with one of the most iconic beam clashes in the entire series, one that evaporates this perfect being and allows Earth to enjoy a semblance of peace.
2God Of Destruction Beerus Saga
The Movie Marked An Epic Return To Form For Dragon Ball
After thirteen long years, fans ofDragon Ballwere treated to a cinematic release for the ages. Not only wasBattle of Godsa return to form for the series, but many consider it to bethe bestDragon Ballmovie of all time, which is hefty praise indeed. Beerus and Whis turn out to be two of the best characters introduced in this saga, with Vegeta’s antics showing how much he’s grown since his midlife crisis during the Buu Saga. However, the highlight of this movie is the clash between Super Saiyan God Goku and Beerus, which in itself is a huge reason why fans can’t stop rewatching this anime masterpiece.
Ironically enough, some of the best moments in this battle come when Goku loses his divine form. Reaching a state of desperation during their battle, Goku channels an anger that fans had been missing for so long. Sean Schemmel’s screams elevate the latter half of this battle to new heights as Goku whips out a Kamehameha for the ages and shows Beerus the true depth of his strength, only for all his efforts to be for naught. Thankfully, the culinary delicacies of Earth convince Beerus to keep the planet alive, and set the stage for further plotlines inDragon Ball Super.
1Universe Survival Saga
The Tournament Of Power Features Some Of Dragon Ball’s Best Moments
WhileDragon Ball Superis a show everyone looks back on fondly now, there was a time when fans were worried that its introductory arc would be the series' peak. The Universe 6 Saga featured an amazing highlight in the form of Goku combining his Super Saiyan Bluetransformation with the Kaio-ken powerup, but it still felt like the series was missing something epic that was present inDragon Ball Z. Thankfully, fans were in for one of the greatest and most rewatchableDragon Ballarcs of all time with theUniverse Survival Saga.
The Tournament of Power is arguably the greatest competition in the series, which is hefty praise givenDragon Ball’shistory with such story arcs.Universe 7 engages in numerous brawls, with Goku slowly channeling the power of Ultra Instinct before perfecting this form in battles against Kefla and Jiren. The sheer number of iconic moments in this arc is limitless, with a few of the many notable mentions being the incredible Sliding Kamehameha,Vegeta evolving his Super Saiyan Blue form, Goku achieving the Autonomous Ultra Instinct form, and Goku & Frieza teaming up to forgo their rivalry, fighting in a last-ditch attempt to take out Jiren and win the tournament.
