# Dragon Ball (1986)

> A young, super-strong boy named Goku travels the world with teenage Bulma in search of the seven Dragon Balls, which grant a single wish.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/11756

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 153
- Episode runtime: 24 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, action, adventure
- Network: Fuji TV
- Cast: Masako Nozawa, Chikao Ohtsuka, Mayumi Tanaka, Hiromi Tsuru, Hirotaka Suzuoki, Toru Furuya, Mami Koyama, Naoki Tatsuta
- TMDB rating: 8.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088509/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: cheerful, adventurous, comedic, optimistic, energetic

## What critics say

Audiences broadly regard the series as an acclaimed, fun action-adventure with memorable tournament battles and an endearing hero.

## Synopsis

Dragon Ball (1986-1989) is a Japanese shonen animated adventure series created for Fuji TV and produced by Toei Animation. Young Goku (voiced by Masako Nozawa) sets off on a quest with his teenage friend Bulma (Hiromi Tsuru) to collect the seven Dragon Balls, mystical orbs that grant whoever gathers them a single wish. Along the way they meet a rotating cast of allies and rivals, including Kulilin (Mayumi Tanaka), Tien Shinhan (Hirotaka Suzuoki) and the monstrous Piccolo Daimao (Takeshi Aono), while the cheerful Oolong and the talking Puar drift through the journey. The engine of the series is a steady escalation of martial arts challenges: each stretch of road brings a new fighter, a new tournament or a new threat, and Goku's appetite for training and battle keeps pushing him further. Across one continuous run of 153 episodes, the story moves from playful treasure hunting to increasingly ambitious combat. The tone is bright, comedic and adventurous, with a sense of wonder about the wider world and a steady current of rivalry and friendship. Fans of Naruto, One Piece and Yu Yu Hakusho will find the same mix of martial arts spectacle and shonen optimism.

## Shows like Dragon Ball

- [Dragon Ball Super (2015)](https://ember.film/tv/55731)
- [Doraemon (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/51842)
- [Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/81716)
- [Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009)](https://ember.film/tv/54974)
- [Monkey (1978)](https://ember.film/tv/12886)
- [Hunter x Hunter (2011)](https://ember.film/tv/41970)
- [Dragon Ball Super: Beerus (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1104904)
- [Dragon Ball GT (1996)](https://ember.film/tv/11839)
- [Dr. Slump (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/34550)
- [Digimon: Digital Monsters (1999)](https://ember.film/tv/29156)

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