Ever since the Dragon Ball manga was translated into anime form in 1986, there have been many films that surround the events of the long-running manga, many of which take place outside the established canon of the series. While the films generally gained a larger following as Dragon Ball became more popular, that wasn't the case for all films.

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With a manga, four anime series, plenty of films, and countless games under its belt, Dragon Ball doesn't look like it's going to be slowing down any time soon. The latest feature in the franchise, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero, came out in 2022 in North America, and it was the first project to focus almost exclusively on 3D animation.

Which is the best Dragon Ball movie?

Updated May 18, 2024, by Mark Sammut: In 2024, Akira Toriyama unfortunately passed away, resulting in a flood of admiration for the mangaka's legacy. Although far from his only major contribution to the arts, Dragon Ball is undoubtedly the creator's most well-known property, and the series will live on in his memory. While not always involving Toriyama directly, most of the franchise's movies are still worth checking out.

Every Dragon Ball Movie

Not counting TV specials, Dragon Ball has produced 22 movies over the span of nearly four decades, including entries in three different series. Clearly, the franchise has been kept busy, and the future will likely hold a few more Dragon Ball movies. The below table contains every feature in the series.

22 Dragonball: Evolution

IMDb: 2.6

By far the worst project associated with the Dragon Ball universe, Evolution did not get a single thing right. It is only natural that adaptations alter the source material to fit a new medium, but Dragonball: Evolution is devoid of anything that defines Akira Toriyama's property. The action lacks punch and speed, failing to come anywhere close to replicating the epic bouts found in even the earliest chapters of the manga or anime.

While they might share a name with their animated counterparts, Evolution's characters are otherwise entirely different entities; even when viewed in isolation, these people are just not interesting or likable enough to carry an adventure. The movie even wastes James Marsters.

Should You Watch Dragonball: Evolution?

No.

21 Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly

IMDb: 5.9

While Broly is something of a one-note character in the non-canon films, he is well-loved among the majority of Dragon Ball fans for bringing more over-the-top Super Saiyan action to the series. That being said, the Bio-Broly film is not only the weakest of the films that center around Broly, but also the weakest of all the animated Dragon Ball films, which may have something to do with the fact that it centers around Goten and Trunks rather than Goku or even Vegeta.

This film takes an already quite straightforward character and simplifies his personality even further, essentially turning Broly into a brainless and, more importantly, boring monster. There is just no reason to watch this movie.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Bio-Broly?

There is no real reason to watch this movie except for completionist purposes. Broly is at his worst in this entry; meanwhile, Goten and Trunks are best in small doses rather than as the main driving forces.

20 Dragon Ball Z: Broly – Second Coming

IMDb: 6.5

Broly's second film, Broly - Second Coming, is only slightly better than Bio-Broly, though that also isn't particularly hard to accomplish. One saving grace that keeps this film from fading into obscurity is the Goku-Gohan-Goten Kamehameha which is reminiscent of the similar ki-blast used by Gohan in the Cell Games, complete with a ghostly Kakarot to assist his sons.

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Besides this moment, Second Coming is a by-the-numbers Dragon Ball movie that seems to exist only to capitalize on Broly's popularity. Due to being non-canon, these releases can feel inconsequential, but there is no reason they should be boring. Second Coming is boring.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Broly – Second Coming?

As a two-parter with Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan, Second Coming does its job as an action-filled romp with barely anything resembling a story. The movie has a couple of fun moments and, at the very least, is watchable when compared to Bio-Broly. Honestly, this movie is just uninspired.

19 Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug

IMDb: 6.5

One of the earlier Dragon Ball Z films, Lord Slug follows a rogue Namekian as he attempts to take over the earth while also giving fans a glimpse of Goku's future Super Saiyan form during the final battle. This film also introduced the idea of Namekian ears being overly sensitive to high-pitched noises, something that doesn't come up again in the series after this.

The best DBZ movies feature iconic villains, but Lord Slug is not one of them. Although he does come across as somewhat of a threat, his design is ultimately too familiar to stand out from the crowd.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug?

Fine as a stopgap filler saga that can be watched before the Namek saga. If someone has watched all of DBZ, this movie might come across as a retread.

18 Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest

IMDb: 6.6

A somewhat bizarre film compared to most other Dragon Ball features, The World's Strongest follows Goku and his friends as they try to keep a mad scientist from taking over Gohan's body to become the world's strongest warrior.

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Like most other Dragon Ball films, this one takes place during an undisclosed period in DBZ's timeline. According to the canon of the story, this side adventure shouldn't have occurred because Goku is shown discovering the Spirit Bomb attack while both Piccolo and Gohan are still on Earth. This only happened after he defeated Frieza on Planet Namek while he should have been on Yardrat.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: The World's Strongest?

While not bad, The World's Strongest threatens to overstay its welcome despite lasting less than an hour. That said, the story strikes a middle-ground between Dragon Ball and DBZ.

17 Dragon Ball Z: Tree Of Might

IMDb: 6.8

Although Tree of Might introduced another Saiyan character like the Broly movies, Turles, this story's villain, is entirely forgettable despite the decent quality of the film as a whole. Although it takes place in the same odd continuity as World's Strongest, one neat aspect of Tree of Might is that it shows how Gohan met Icarus, a dragon he is often seen playing with during the series as a child.

Like so many of the early Dragon Ball movies, Tree of Might just feels like an extended filler episode, one that barely has better animation than the main show. That does not mean it is bad, just that it lacks much in the way of excitement.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Tree Of Might?

Honestly, leave this one for a rainy day when there is nothing else to watch, play, or read. It is just a nothing movie.

16 Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess In Devil's Castle

IMDb: 6.6

Originally released only in Japan as a quad-feature alongside the Saint Seiya, Hikari Sentai Maskman, and Choujinki Metalder films, Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle was the second Dragon Ball feature made. It follows a young Goku and Krillin as they are sent on a quest by Master Roshi as part of their training to investigate the titular Devil's Castle.

Boasting more of an adventurous tone than most of the later movies, Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle is a pleasant enough side story that, unfortunately, is just not all that memorable. Still, it is a fine way to spend an hour.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess In Devil's Castle?

Ultimately, yes. Dragon Ball: Sleeping Princess in Devil's Castle tells a cute adventure that captures the spirit and tone of the original anime.

15 Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies

IMDb: 6.7

The first-ever Dragon Ball film, Curse of the Blood Rubies follows a young Goku, alongside his regular traveling companions Bulma, Yamcha, Puar, and Oolong, as they try to find the Dragon Balls. Unlike most other movies in the franchise, this one tells an alternate story of the first arc of the series rather than something entirely new.

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Consequently, Curse of the Blood Rubies can be slightly dull since it does not hold too many surprises. That said, the film captures the spirit of the show's early sagas, delivering a lighthearted romp with lovable characters and a bit of action.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies?

Worth watching as a historical piece due to being the franchise's first feature. Its comedic tone sets it apart from the subsequent action-heavy stories.

14 Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone

IMDb: 6.8

The first film released under the Dragon Ball Z name, Dead Zone sees Goku and Piccolo team up prior to Raditz's arrival on Earth, having to fight against yet another bad guy who wants to gain immortality through the Dragon Balls. Unlike the majority of other villains, Garlic Jr. actually succeeds in his plan to gain immortality, but he is defeated by being banished to the titular Dead Zone by a young Gohan.

Narratively, Dead Zone does not fit in that well with the canon storyline, but it is a solid enough filler distraction. Garlic Jr. is a pretty fun villain, and he even makes an appearance in the main show.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone?

Despite being mostly a joke nowadays, Garlic Jr. is still a fairly iconic Dragon Ball villain, and he is at his best in Dead Zone​​​​​​.

13 Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure

IMDb: 6.8

Just like Curse of the Blood Rubies, Mystical Adventure is another retelling of the Dragon Ball story. This time, the film introduces characters that debuted later, such as Tien and Chiaotzu, while still telling something of an origin story for the series.

The heroes travel to the kingdom of Mifan to take part in a tournament, but they quickly get dragged into a conspiracy to usurp Chiaotzu from the throne. Mystical Adventure has some pretty impressive visuals, especially in its presentation of Mifan, and the fight sequences are decent for Dragon Ball​​​.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball: Mystical Adventure?

A decent reimagining of Goku and Bulma's early adventures. Not a must-watch, but fun enough in its own right.

12 Dragon Ball Z: The Return Of Cooler

IMDb: 6.9

Following his defeat in an earlier film, Cooler returns to cause problems for New Namek, despite the fact that Goku soundly defeated him in their first battle. The villain has a new metallic body and a plan to drain all life from New Namek.

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The plot is somewhat nonsensical and only serves to bring Cooler back for another round against Goku and Vegeta. However, the action scenes are good enough to place The Return of Cooler as one of the better Dragon Ball films despite the story feeling like a retread.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: The Return Of Cooler?

While not as enjoyable as Cooler's first outing, the sequel is a passable movie in its own right. Watch The Return of Cooler and then check out the abridged version.

11 Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13!

IMDb: 7.0

Just when Goku thought he was done with fighting off the androids and Cell, Super Android 13 shows up to lecture him about his $20 haircut and put him in his place once and for all. While Dr. Gero may have been killed by his creations and his lab destroyed by Krillin and Trunks in Dragon Ball Z, one of the scientist's computers stayed active to create several new androids, though none of them were as imposing as 17, 18, or Cell.

Super Android 13 struggles to shake the feeling that it is a rehash of arcs from the canon show, including a villain that is a bit too generic. That said, the fight sequences are solid, and Super Android 13 is intimidating enough to at least come across as a threat to the Z-fighters.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Super Android 13!?

While coming across as Broly-lite, Super Android 13 is among the franchise's better non-canon villains. The action sequences are generally good too.

10 Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'

IMDb: 7.2

The second canonical film, coming out shortly after Battle of Gods, Resurrection 'F' sees the return of fan-favorite evil overlord and all-around bad guy, Frieza, who was last seen in 1995's Fusion Reborn film.

Not only did Goku and Vegeta get to show off their new Super Saiyan Blue forms in this movie, but fans of the series were finally able to see what Frieza could do if he actually trained. As fun as it is to see the villain again, Frieza does not come across as much of a threat in Resurrection 'F', which lessens the tension during the fight sequences. The third act also uses a deus ex machina that undermines one of the movie's most interesting moments: Frieza destroying Earth.

Still, Resurrection 'F' is a fun nostalgia-fueled actionfest that shines the spotlight on Vegeta, allowing the Prince to properly get revenge on Frieza.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F'?

While far better than Dragon Ball Super's rendition of this arc, Resurrection 'F' is the least exciting "new" movie in the franchise. Frieza's return is both a positive and a negative, and the villain has refused to leave ever since.

9 Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge

IMDb: 7.0

This movie starts by somewhat retconning the events of Planet Vegeta's destruction to show Cooler, Frieza's brother, letting Goku's ship fly off to Earth. After that, Cooler's Revenge sees King Cold's lesser-known child seeking revenge for Frieza's demise by coming after Goku on Earth.

While good, this film rewrites a few too many events surrounding Frieza and his race, which can be frustrating for die-hard fans. However, when all that is taken to the side, Cooler's Revenge has above-average action and a decent antagonist, arguably the two most important things in a Dragon Ball Z movie.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge?

Overall, Cooler's Revenge works well as a follow-up to the Frieza saga that manages to introduce enough new ideas to not be completely derivative.

8 Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound

IMDb: 7.1

While the events of Bojack Unbound aren't canon to Dragon Ball's story, it does bring up a few key questions about the world that were never answered in the main series. For instance, it ponders whether Goku can leave the Other World of his own volition with Instant Transmission, as it was already established that he could do so while he was still alive.

Bojack Unbound is also one of the few where Gohan gets to truly shine as the hero he should have been if he had not been overshadowed by Goku so many times. For these reasons, this film is worth checking out for fans of the franchise.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound?

Yes, especially for Gohan fans.

7 Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods

IMDb: 7.1

After a long break, Battle of Gods inspired a resurgence of Dragon Ball media. The first canon film in the series pits Goku against the God of Destruction, Beerus, who is tempted to destroy Earth if he isn't able to battle a Super Saiyan God.

After Dragon Ball Super was announced, the events of Battle of Gods were translated into the anime series, with certain things playing out differently for the sake of stretching out the run time. However, the movie is still the best way to experience this arc, delivering far better animation and superior pacing. The story is quite simplistic and features a few polarizing moments (generally involving Vegeta), but it was also fairly fresh for the franchise since it centers on an antagonist who is not necessarily a typical villain. Beerus is also far beyond Goku's capabilities, a rare dynamic.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods?

Although its shine has dulled a bit over the years, Battle of Gods is still comfortably among the best Dragon Ball movies. Watch this flick and skip DBS's version of the arc.

6 Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

IMDb: 7.1

Released in 2022, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is the franchise's most recent movie and the second one released under the DBS brand. Somewhat similar to the Broly film, Super Hero feels like a throwback to the anime and manga's heyday, bringing back characters and organizations that featured in the story's earlier chapters. Compared to DBS's arcs, this movie is fairly low stakes as it opts to tell a smaller-scale narrative centering on Piccolo and Gohan's relationship.

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While a fan favorite, Piccolo has been underutilized for quite a long time, often disappearing within Goku and Vegeta's shadows. Super Hero rectifies this by shining a spotlight on the Namekian, with the movie almost serving as a celebration of the character's legacy. Despite not having any children of his own, Piccolo is Dragon Ball's most iconic father figure; in DBZ, he helped prepare Gohan for the arduous trials he would face later in life. Super Hero revisits this dynamic, showing that Piccolo and Gohan's bond is stronger than ever.

Overall, the 2022 film does not reach the same heights as 2018's Dragon Ball Super: Broly, but it is still an enjoyable and nostalgic experience. Super Hero's 3D animation can be off-putting at first since it is a departure from the anime's traditional aesthetic; however, the visuals are pretty good when viewed in isolation.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero?

Polarizing art style aside, Super Hero is a competent action-adventure film that felt fresh due to Gohan and Piccolo's roles.

5 Dragon Ball: The Path To Power

IMDb: 7.2

Like Curse of the Blood Rubies, The Path to Power once again retells the first few chapters of Dragon Ball, though this time mixing in elements of later story arcs such as the Red Ribbon Army arc. If newcomers to Dragon Ball want to get a taste of what the series has to offer, this movie is a good place to start since it represents the original show's sense of adventure and humor quite well. While decently told and presented, The Path to Power might struggle to hold the attention of long-time fans who watched the original Dragon Ball anime.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball: The Path To Power?

Prototypical Dragon Ball, which is never a bad thing.

4 Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan

IMDb: 7.4

With Broly being such a popular character, it's no surprise that his debut film is not only one of the most beloved in the series but also one of the best. Focusing on the titular powerhouse and the Legendary Super Saiyan form that is even more powerful than the multiple transformations Goku and Vegeta can muster, Broly also brought back the idea that there were still Saiyans out in the universe aside from Goku and his children.

The action in this movie is quite superb, provided someone does not mind watching DBZ's heroes get thrown around like ragdolls for a good 20 minutes.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan?

Both epic and kind of dumb, The Legendary Super Saiyan reduces DBZ to its purest form. Although overshadowed by the later movie, the original flick is still a fun time.

3 Dragon Ball Z: Wrath Of The Dragon

IMDb: 7.5

Taking place shortly after the events of the Buu Saga, Wrath of the Dragon follows many of the same story beats, including a magical being trying to release a monstrous entity from its imprisonment to cause destruction on a galactic scale.

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While the story is fairly predictable, it does show one version of events that leads to Trunks obtaining his signature sword when he returns from the future during the Android arc. Wrath of the Dragon also moved away from the purely action-driven movies that dominated the DBZ era, opting to focus more on crafting a sense of adventure.

Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z: Wrath Of The Dragon?

Yes, Wrath of the Dragon is fantastic.