Rank 1: Dragon Ball Z
- Release: 1989 to 1996
- Episodes: 291
What is it about? Dragon Ball Z picks up exactly where Dragon Ball left off. Goku has now started his own family and has given life to his son Son Gohan with Chichi. Everything seems peaceful until Son Goku learns from his brother Radditz that he is actually not a human but a Saiyan from the planet Vegeta.
Goku is drawn into space for the first time, and we experience iconic moments like the transformation into a Super Saiyan or the Genkidama. As the Saiyan suddenly has to face extraterrestrial beings, his powers grow remarkably.
Why is the anime in this position? Dragon Ball Z has a much more serious tone than Dragon Ball. Despite several resurrections, each defeat feels final, and the battles were exceptionally brutal and emotionally charged.
Moreover, Vegeta, one of the most popular characters in the entire Dragon Ball franchise, is introduced. His transformation from a cold-hearted mass murderer to a proud rival and eventually a family man is simply magnificent and has evoked emotions in many viewers.
Do you agree with the ranking? Feel free to tell us in the comments if you would have swapped some places or rated individual series differently. The same goes for another article where we took individual arcs and picked out the best for a top 5: Dragon Ball: From Prince Pilaf to Super Hero – 5 sagas with the most impressive moments in the ranking
