The Best Episodes of Dragon Ball

#1 Fan Favorite
Click to reveal
8.9/10(7 votes)
#1 - Goku Hangs On
S1:E1473/1/1989
The Tenkaichi Budokai begins to fall to piece as Ma Junior unveils a technique that not only threatens to destroy Goku, but his friends as well. Even the mighty God believes that there is no way for Goku to survive in this winner-take-all massacre!
Director:Kazuhisa Takenouchi
Writer:Toshiki Inoue
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Kazuhisa Takenouchi
Writer:Toshiki Inoue
8.8/10(10 votes)
#2 - The Final Blow
S1:E289/3/1986
Jackie blew away the moon, guarding against Goku ever becoming an Oozaru again!! At the same time, Goku returns to his normal form, and the match is restarted. With their energy rapidly falling from exhaustion and hunger, the two muster the last of their power, and their clash unfolds. Having received slightly less damage, Jackie declares that he has won the championship, and he achieves victory. Having learned that there are many strong people in the world, Goku and Kuririn vow to train even harder!
Director:Daisuke Nishio
Writer:Michiru Shimada
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Daisuke Nishio
Writer:Michiru Shimada
8.8/10(10 votes)
#3 - Roshi's Gambit
S1:E1115/11/1988
Global destruction is one wish away if Piccolo Daimao succeeds in calling fourth the Eternal Dragon. The Turtle Hermit answers the call for a hero by placing himself between the creature and the remaining Dragon Balls. However, in his attempt to save the world, he may pay the ultimate price.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.8/10(9 votes)
#4 - Anonymous Proposal
S1:E13712/7/1988
Goku takes on his most lovely opponent yet in the second match of the Tenkaichi Budokai. Know only as Anonymous, the beautiful warrior's identity is a mysterious as her fierce anger toward Goku, who must win the match in order to learn her real name.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.7/10(9 votes)
#5 - Preliminary Peril
S1:E13411/16/1988
The Tenkaichi Budokai gets underway as Goku and the others compete in the exciting preliminary round. But the competition threatens to turn ugly when Goku gets a visit from an old adversary.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.7/10(9 votes)
#6 - Goku Gains Speed
S1:E1401/11/1989
As the battle between Tenshinhan and Goku rages, Goku unloads a heavy burden, one that may shift the balance in the extraordinary showdown. All eyes turn to Tenshinhan as an embarrassing moment spurs him to make a dangerous choice.
Director:Osamu Kasai
Writer:Keiji Terui
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Osamu Kasai
Writer:Keiji Terui

TRENDING NOW

The 20 WORST Episodes of Dragon Ball

READ

8.7/10(9 votes)
#7 - Battle for the Future
S1:E1432/1/1989
Goku faces the ultimate test as he confronts his greatest nemesis in the final round of the Budokai. This time his fight is for more than the title. The future of the free world is at stake!
Director:Mitsuo Hashimoto
Writer:Takao Koyama
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Mitsuo Hashimoto
Writer:Takao Koyama
8.7/10(10 votes)
#8 - Super Kamehameha
S1:E1442/8/1989
The battle to save the planet continues as Goku tries to take down Ma Junior in the final match of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. Goku has an ultimate weapon: The Ultimate Super Kamehameha Wave. However, if he uses it to destroy Ma Junior, God will be sacrificed, having been trapped inside Ma Junior's stomach.
Director:Daisuke Nishio
Writer:Toshiki Inoue
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Daisuke Nishio
Writer:Toshiki Inoue
8.7/10(9 votes)
#9 - The Victor
S1:E1483/8/1989
The end of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai finds Goku struggling for survival as Ma Junior gets the upper hand, poised to take the Title and his life. God devises a way to rescue the young hero, but his plan calls for the ultimate sacrifice!
Director:Osamu Kasai
Writer:Takao Koyama
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Osamu Kasai
Writer:Takao Koyama
8.6/10(10 votes)
#10 - The Grand Finals
S1:E268/20/1986
The finals for the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai have been decided! Goku is knocked out of bounds by Jackie. But he spins his tail like a propeller and comes back! Goku and Jackie at last put forth their best. The two fire a Kamehameha at the same time!! Goku’s Kamehameha evenly matches Jackie’s, and knocks it back!! Demonstrating a back-and-forth display of such attacks as the Zanzouken, the Suiken, and the Saruken, their red-hot battle continues!
Director:Yoshihiro Ueda
Writer:Keiji Terui
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Yoshihiro Ueda
Writer:Keiji Terui
8.6/10(9 votes)
#11 - True Colors of the Masked Man
S1:E768/26/1987
Grabbing onto Goku’s tail, the fox mask man knocks Goku around! But then Goku’s tail comes off!! As Goku is about to counterattack, having lost his weakness, the man quickly surrenders. His identity was Goku’s adoptive grandfather Son Gohan after all!! Goku rejoices in their reunion! Thanks to Uranai Baba, Gohan was able to return from the afterlife for a single day. After the brief reunion, Gohan returns to the afterlife once again!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(9 votes)
#12 - Final Showdown
S1:E1228/10/1988
The fierce battle between Goku and Piccolo Daimao continues, but Piccolo gains the advantage when he breaks Goku down limb by limb. To make matters worse, Tenshinhan is used as a pawn in the battle. Goku is forced to make an awful choice. Will he surrender to Piccolo Daimao and save his friend or choose to fight and risk his own life?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(9 votes)
#13 - Changes
S1:E13311/9/1988
Warriors the world over are lining up to compete as the Tenkaichi Budokai prepares to get under way. Unfortunately, all of the Turtle Hermit's pupils are missing, including Goku. With the entry-deadline approaching, the competitive future of our heroes look bleak, as does Muten Roshi's patience.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.6/10(8 votes)
#14 - Goku's Trap
S1:E1462/22/1989
As the exhausting battle between Goku and Ma Junior continues, Goku avoids disaster by taking the battle within. Ma Junior surprises all when he unveils a new threat!
Director:Minoru Okazaki
Writer:Keiji Terui
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Minoru Okazaki
Writer:Keiji Terui
8.5/10(10 votes)
#15 - Number One Under the Moon?
S1:E278/27/1986
Becoming serious against Goku, Jackie uses the Yoiko Min-Min Ken! Goku enters a deep sleep. He somehow manages to escape this pinch, but he is assaulted by Jackie’s special attack, the Bankoku-Bikkuri-Sho! With a shockwave like an electric current running up his entire body, Goku is robbed of the ability to move. But just as he’s about to surrender, his eyes catch sight of the full moon! Against Goku, who has transformed into an Oozaru once again, Jackie fires an extra-large Kamehameha!! What is Goku’s fate…?!
Director:Kazuhisa Takenouchi
Writer:Yasushi Hirano
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Kazuhisa Takenouchi
Writer:Yasushi Hirano
8.5/10(10 votes)
#16 - Tao Attacks!
S1:E604/29/1987
Goku is completely helpless before the might of Tao Pai-pai, who is unaffected by even the Kamehameha. Goku is felled after taking a direct hit from Tao Pai-pai’s sure-to-kill Dodonpa! Tao Pai-pai steals the Dragon Balls, and heads to a town to get new clothes to replace his tattered ones. However, Goku survived!! The Four-Star Ball that he had on his breast protected him!! After resolving to use the Dragon Balls to restore Bora to life, Goku climbs Karin Tower in order to become stronger than Tao Pai-pai. However, no matter how far he climbs, he is still unable to see the top.
Director:Daisuke Nishio
Writer:Keiji Terui
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Daisuke Nishio
Writer:Keiji Terui
8.5/10(8 votes)
#17 - The Fallen
S1:E1012/17/1988
The Kikouhou has left both fighters weary and exhausted. With all of their energy gone and the stage destroyed by the Kikouhou, Tenshinhan and Goku plummet towards the Earth, with the first to touch down losing the match! A new Champion is crowned today!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.5/10(8 votes)
#18 - Enter King Piccolo
S1:E1022/24/1988
Kuririn is dead! As Goku sets out on a quest for revenge, his friends attempt to learn the identity of Kuririn's killer. All clues lead to the Turtle Hermit's past and an evil that could destroy the world!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(10 votes)
#19 - Krillin's Frantic Attack!
S1:E248/6/1986
The fifth match is the semi-finals fight, Kuririn vs. Jackie Chun. Kuririn and Jackie’s battle unfolds at ultra-fast speed that the eye can’t follow!! The spectators who came to watch the Tenkaichi Budokai are extremely excited by the pair’s high level battle!! Kuririn puts up a good fight against Jackie, but he rushes to win! Because of this, he is hit by Jackie’s karate chops after Jackie goes around behind his back, and is downed!! Sadly, Kuririn is defeated during the semi-finals.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(10 votes)
#20 - Danger From Above
S1:E258/13/1986
The sixth match is Goku and Namu’s semi-finals fight. Goku attacks Namu by imitating the Zanzouken that Jackie displayed during his fight with Kuririn. Namu skillfully dodges this attack! Namu attempts to finish Goku off with his special attack, the Tenku pekeji-ken! Goku is hit by the attack and downed, but revives right before the count of ten! Namu further comes out him with the Super Tenku pekeji-ken, but Goku breaks through the technique. Goku then advances to the finals!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(8 votes)
#21 - Five Murasakis
S1:E3811/12/1986
Unable to finish Goku off with the boomerang shuriken, Murasaki uses his final ninjutsu, Bunshin no Jutsu (Split-Image Technique). Having somehow increased to five people, the Murasakis each take out their different weapons! Unable to tell which of them is the real one, Goku has no choice but to run! However, it turns out the Mursakis are merely a set of quintuplets. Now aware that they are all real, Goku uses Zanzouken to defeat four of them in the blink of an eye. With no other card to play, Mursaki calls forth Artificial Human No. 8!!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(9 votes)
#22 - The Last of Mercenary Tao
S1:E645/27/1987
Having climbed Karin Tower, Tao Pai-pai tries to get the Super Sacred Water by threatening Karin-sama. However, Karin-sama successfully tricks Tao Pai-pai, and sends him back to the surface! After descending back to the holy land, Tao Pai-pai unleashes a violent attack, but Goku is unharmed!! Tao Pai-pai turns pale and uses a bomb, but Goku kicks it back and Tao Pai-pai ends up blowing himself away. After gathering the four Dragon Balls, Goku flies off to the Red Ribbon Army Headquarters to gather the remaining ones!!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(8 votes)
#23 - The Biggest Crisis
S1:E1218/3/1988
Piccolo Daimao puts all of Metro West on edge when he invades the King's Castle, but Goku is not about to let him take over without a fight. While Tenshinhan watches from the sidelines, the young warrior takes it on the chin and refuses to go down. It's a fierce battle but even Goku has his limits. How much can he take?
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(8 votes)
#24 - Goku's Doll
S1:E13010/19/1988
"Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it!" Goku learns this lesson the hard way when he asks Mr. Popo for the ultimate sparring partner to aid in his training. What he gets is the battle of his life! Meanwhile, Yamcha and the others continue their long journey to reach Karin Tower, in hopes of receiving training from the wise Master.
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
8.4/10(8 votes)
#25 - Hotter than Lava
S1:E13211/2/1988
While Goku continues his training, Tenshinhan, Yamcha, Chiaotzu and Kuririn find themselves in a very hot situation! A remote village is threatened by an erupting volcano and it is up to the good guys to put a lid on it. The time has come to put their new training to the test!
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Unknown
Writer:Unknown