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The Worst Episodes of Dragon Ball

Every episode of Dragon Ball ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Dragon Ball!

Long ago in the mountains, a fighting master known as Son Gohan discovered a strange boy whom he named Son Goku. Gohan raised him and...
Genres:AnimationAction & AdventureSci-Fi & Fantasy
Network:Fuji TV

Worst Episodes Summary

"Arale vs. Blue" is the worst rated episode of "Dragon Ball". It scored 6.2/10 based on 5 votes. Directed by Minoru Okazaki and written by Keiji Terui, it aired on 4/8/1987. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Terror and Plague".

  • Arale vs. Blue
    6.2/105 votes
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    #1 - Arale vs. Blue

    Season 1 Episode 57 - Aired 4/8/1987

    Dr. Senbe’s eldest son Turbo-kun fixes the Dragon Radar. Blue then appears, takes Arale as a hostage, and steals the Dragon Radar, using his physic powers to immobilize Goku!! At this time, Arale uses amazing power to send Blue flying!! However, even though the Dragon Balls are returned, the Dragon Radar was sent flying along with Blue. Goku receives a newly made Dragon Radar from Turbo, and leaves Penguin Village behind.

    Director: Minoru Okazaki

    Writer: Keiji Terui

  • Terror and Plague
    6.2/104 votes
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    #2 - Terror and Plague

    Season 1 Episode 79 - Aired 9/16/1987

    Having set off on his own journey of training, Goku visits Chao’s village, a boy he met along the way. The village where Chao lives is plagued by the outlaw brothers named Kinkaku and Ginkaku! Goku confronts Kinkaku and Ginkaku, but ends up sealed inside a mysterious gourd that sucks you in if you don’t reply when your name is called!! However, Goku is saved thanks to the Nyoi-Bo. He steals the gourd away from the two and punishes them!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Strange Visitor
    6.4/105 votes
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    #3 - Strange Visitor

    Season 1 Episode 56 - Aired 3/25/1987

    Arale, the girl Goku meets in Penguin Village, is a mysterious young girl who can run at super speed, and even ride the Kinto'un. The village’s police force, consisting of Taro and the others, attempt to capture Blue of the Red Ribbon Army, but they can’t scratch him! The Dragon Radar is malfunctioning, and Goku cannot pinpoint the position of the Dragon Balls. At a loss, Goku takes Arale’s advice and visits Dr. Senbe, who just might be able to fix the Dragon Radar!!

    Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi

    Writer: Toshiki Inoue

  • Goku vs. Sky Dragon
    6.5/104 votes
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    #4 - Goku vs. Sky Dragon

    Season 1 Episode 80 - Aired 9/23/1987

    Continuing on his training journey, in the city Goku learns of a martial artist named Chin Taiken, and ends up taking the place of the ill martial artist in an important match! But Taiken’s son, Shoken, doesn’t like the idea of Goku participating, and feeds him laxative-spiked food. The match with Ten Long, master of Hyuga-Ryu, then begins! An intense battle unfolds, but Goku’s stomach starts to feel strange due to the laxative! However, he somehow endures this to win the match!!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Roaming Lake
    6.8/10513 votes
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    #5 - The Roaming Lake

    Season 1 Episode 29 - Aired 9/10/1986

    Searching for the Dragon Balls, Goku comes to a desert region where he hears the legend of the moving lake. There, Goku rescues Namu as he is attacked by monsters. Namu has gone upstream to investigate why the river has dried up! After discovering that Giran and his tribe had damned up the river, Goku breaks the dam with a Kamehameha, but this time a sandstorm buries the river!! The villagers despair, but after the sandstorm leaves, it leaves behind the legendary lake.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Legend of a Dragon
    6.8/10485 votes
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    #6 - The Legend of a Dragon

    Season 1 Episode 33 - Aired 10/8/1986

    After returning to Red Ribbon Army Headquarters, Silver receives his orders from the commander, and sallies forth to once again search for the Dragon Balls. Meanwhile, having been rescued by Kinto'un from the moving base’s explosion, Goku also reopens his search for the Four-Star Ball. Silver realizes that a baby monkey Goku saved on a mountain has a Dragon Ball, and shoots fire at the mountain! The monkeys are pursued by the fire. As Silver aims a rifle at the baby monkey, it is saved by Goku!! However, the Dragon Ball floats down the stream.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Penguin Village
    6.8/105 votes
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    #7 - Penguin Village

    Season 1 Episode 55 - Aired 3/18/1987

    Blue uses his psychic powers to manipulate ropes to attack Goku and the others, who are relaxing after having returned from the sea-bottom cave! Everyone is tied up, and Goku has his tail grabbed and cannot put out his full power!! Blue steals the Dragon Balls and plants a bomb, then flees. Goku is saved by Lunch, who returns after reverting to her original personality, and he chases after Blue’s rocket!! After an intense chase, the two of them at last arrive in Penguin Village, home to Arale Norimaki!!

    Director: Yoshihiro Ueda

    Writer: Michiru Shimada

  • Goku Goes to Demon Land
    6.8/104 votes
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    #8 - Goku Goes to Demon Land

    Season 1 Episode 81 - Aired 9/30/1987

    In the middle of his journey, Goku happens to pass by the Village of Fiends! When night falls, fiends appear from the Demon Realm Gate located between this world and the Demon Realm, and run wild in the village! In order to rescue Princess Misa, who was kidnapped by the fiends, Goku sets out to enter the Demon Realm Gate!! After having a showdown with Shura, the martial arts master of the Demon Realm, Goku blinds the fiends’ eyes with a Kamehameha and rescues Princess Misa while they’re off guard! The Demon Realm Gate is then sealed once again by Goku!!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Awaken Darkness
    6.8/105 votes
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    #9 - Awaken Darkness

    Season 1 Episode 115 - Aired 6/15/1988

    Something stirs in the cold, deep black below. Moans bellow from a hallow cavern beneath the ice. The Dark is alive! And it calls for Goku, as he sets out on a dangerous quest to find the Super Spirit Water. One sip could mean amazing power - or painful death!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Pilaf and the Mystery Force
    7.0/10496 votes
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    #10 - Pilaf and the Mystery Force

    Season 1 Episode 30 - Aired 9/17/1986

    After the Dragon Radar is stolen by a thief, Goku spots it in a secondhand goods store. A Dragon Ball signal shows up there! However, the Dragon Ball that Pilaf and co. buy from the store owner is a complete fake! The store owner also tries to sell a fake to a mysterious army who are searching for the Dragon Balls, but they see through this and shoot him. The real Dragon Ball turns out to be in a bird’s nest on the roof of the shop!! Startled by the sound of gunfire, the bird flies off with the Dragon Ball.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Secret of Dr. Flappe
    7.0/10482 votes
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    #11 - The Secret of Dr. Flappe

    Season 1 Episode 42 - Aired 12/10/1986

    It turns out that Ha-chan had the Dragon Ball. He had hidden it, knowing that the villagers would be killed once they found it. The mayor recommends that Ha-chan stay in the village, but Ha-chan says it is dangerous, because of his self-destruct mechanism. In order to get Ha-chan’s self-destruct mechanism removed, they visit his creator, Dr. Flappe. But Murasaki has gone there ahead of them! He steals Goku’s luggage, in an attempt to find the Dragon Balls. However, it only contained Goku’s bento (single-portion meal)?! The self-destruct mechanism is safely removed.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Danger in the Air
    7.0/10459 votes
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    #12 - Danger in the Air

    Season 1 Episode 45 - Aired 1/7/1987

    Drawing closer to Goku and the others as they play in the floating amusement park, Husky tries to seduce Yamcha, who was carrying a Dragon Ball. Figuring out his opponent’s true identity, Yamcha corners her but is taken out by Bulma, who mistakes this for a love scene!! Husky leaves a bomb and runs away. Goku breaks the bomb’s controls just in the nick of time, and retakes the Dragon Balls. But it’s a completely angry Bulma who sets out with Goku to search for the Dragon Balls.

    Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi

    Writer: Michiru Shimada

  • Bulma's Bad Day
    7.0/10472 votes
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    #13 - Bulma's Bad Day

    Season 1 Episode 46 - Aired 1/14/1987

    Bulma and Goku arrived at the middle of the sea. This was General Blue’s territory, where he’s searching for the Dragon Balls! Dropped into the sea by Bulma from a nearby island, Goku dives, but it is very deep and he can’t hold his breath! Left on her own, Bulma wanders around the island trying to buy capsules, but it turned out there was a Red Ribbon Army base there!! Goku comes running and defeats the soldiers who are assaulting Bulma!! Goku suggests that they borrow a submarine from the Turtle Hermit.

    Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi

    Writer: Miho Maruo

  • Boss Rabbit's Magic Touch
    7.1/10532 votes
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    #14 - Boss Rabbit's Magic Touch

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 4/23/1986

    Goku and the others visit a stand in order to fill up on gasoline. The townspeople are all frightened of Bulma, who is wearing rabbit ears. They don’t understand why, but then some scoundrels calling themselves the Rabbit Gang show up! Their boss, the Carrotizor, has the power to turn anyone who touches his hand into a carrot!! Bulma is turned into a carrot by him. Unable to merely watch, Yamcha rescues Bulma. Goku and the others defeat the Rabbit Gang, and once again set out to search for the Dragon Balls!!

    Director: Minoru Okazaki

    Writer: Akira Toriyama

  • Goku's Rival
    7.1/10588 votes
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    #15 - Goku's Rival

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 5/28/1986

    Done with collecting the Dragon Balls, Goku heads to the Turtle Hermit’s place to receive training! However, in order to become the Turtle Hermit’s pupil, the fee is to bring a pichi-pichi gal!! At the same time, a person comes from across the sea. The boy, who calls himself Kuririn, came in order to become the Turtle Hermit’s pupil, just like Goku! In order to be received as a pupil, Kuririn presents a large stash of porn magazines that he brought. Will he manage to safely become a pupil…?!

    Director: Kazuhisa Takenouchi

    Writer: Keiji Terui

  • Look Out for Launch
    7.1/10580 votes
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    #16 - Look Out for Launch

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 6/4/1986

    Goku and Kuririn set out in search of a pichi-pichi gal, the fee for becoming a pupil of the Turtle Hermit. Saving Lunch, a girl who was pursued by the police, they immediately bring her to the Turtle Hermit’s place! Having passed the test, Goku and Kuririn are recognized as the Turtle Hermit’s pupils!! But it turns out that Lunch is an incredibly peculiar girl with two personalities, and becomes either violent or peaceful each time she sneezes!!

    Director: Minoru Okazaki

    Writer: Toshiki Inoue

  • Wedding Plans?
    7.1/10488 votes
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    #17 - Wedding Plans?

    Season 1 Episode 31 - Aired 9/24/1986

    The army that was searching for the Dragon Ball was in fact Captain Silver’s Red Ribbon Army unit. Silver and Pilaf go after the Dragon Ball. The Dragon Ball turns out to be inside the stomach of a monster that Gyumao defeats. Hearing that Goku is coming, they prepare a reception for him. Pilaf makes Shuu into a fake Goku, and enters the village, but the Silver Corp. attacks! Taking advantage of the confusion, Pilaf gets the Dragon Ball and flees to his moving base. Having reunited with Chichi, Goku perceives that something is amiss, and hurries to the village!!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Flying Fortress — Vanished!
    7.1/10490 votes
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    #18 - The Flying Fortress — Vanished!

    Season 1 Episode 32 - Aired 10/1/1986

    Giving his parting words to Gyumao and Chichi, Goku goes after Pilaf and co. Meanwhile, following the signal on the Dragon Radar, Silver discovers Pilaf’s secret base. Calling for reinforcements, Silver commences a general offensive! Having infiltrated the base, Goku also hurries to where the Dragon Ball is!! Pilaf is forced to flee, but the moving base he is riding in is hit by the combined attacks of the Red Ribbon Army, and Goku is caught in the explosion!! The Dragon Ball finally falls into Silver’s hands.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Cruel General Red
    7.1/10510 votes
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    #19 - Cruel General Red

    Season 1 Episode 34 - Aired 10/15/1986

    Using the Dragon Radar that Bulma made, Goku easily spots the Dragon Ball that drifted down the river. However, Kinto'un is blown away by Captain Silver’s bazooka! After defeating Silver with a single swipe of his tail, Goku heads north in a plane flown by a robot who came out of a capsule. Goku shudders from the extreme cold. The robot is frozen solid as well, and the plane crashes!! Having been frozen solid, Goku is saved by a girl named Sno.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Cold Reception
    7.1/10511 votes
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    #20 - Cold Reception

    Season 1 Episode 35 - Aired 10/22/1986

    Goku wakes up in Sno’s house, and receives gentle care from her and her mother. Sno is frightened when she hears that Goku is searching for the Dragon Balls. In this village, General White of the Red Ribbon Army has taken the mayor hostage, and is using the townspeople to search for a Dragon Ball! After regaining his health, Goku defeats the soldiers who came in pursuit of him, and heads for General White’s base, Muscle Tower, in order to rescue the mayor! After defeating the soldiers outside, Goku immediately thrusts himself up to the second floor!!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Five Murasakis
    7.1/10496 votes
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    #21 - Five Murasakis

    Season 1 Episode 38 - Aired 11/12/1986

    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: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Master Thief, Hasky
    7.1/10476 votes
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    #22 - Master Thief, Hasky

    Season 1 Episode 44 - Aired 12/24/1986

    Goku finally reunites with Bulma. However, Bulma and Yamcha are right in the middle of an argument! Riding on Kinto'un with Bulma, who has become small using the micro-band, Goku reunites with Yamcha and the others. But Yamcha, unaware of the shrunken Bulma, talks bad about her right to her face!! Goku and the others set off for the floating amusement park, with Bulma in a completely bad mood. Husky is there, an entrepreneur hired by the Red Ribbon Army, and is aiming for Goku’s Dragon Balls.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Kame House — Found!
    7.1/10467 votes
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    #23 - Kame House — Found!

    Season 1 Episode 47 - Aired 1/21/1987

    Goku arrives at Kame House, but Kuririn and Lunch are using the submarine to go shopping. The Turtle Hermit asks for the micro-band in exchange for letting them borrow the submarine. He plans on making himself small and peeking in on her in the toilet and bath! However, when the Turtle Hermit goes to peak on Bulma when she uses the toilet, he’s flushed down the toilet!! When Kuririn comes back, Goku and Bulma set off with him. Meanwhile, having used the dragon radar to follow Goku’s Dragon Balls, General Blue discovers Kame House.

    Director: Yûji Endô

    Writer: Keiji Terui

  • Deep Blue Sea
    7.1/10468 votes
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    #24 - Deep Blue Sea

    Season 1 Episode 48 - Aired 1/28/1987

    In addition to his group pursuing Goku and the others, General Blue launches a detached group to attack Kame House. They believe that the Turtle Hermit is the scientist who created the Dragon Radar. Going after the Dragon Ball which fell into the sea-bottom chasm, Goku and the others enter the cavity in the chasm from the other side, and discover a cave. General Blue’s submarine then suddenly attacks! Bulma and Kuririn panic when they learn that the ones attacking them are the Red Ribbon Army!! Blue’s submarine pursues Goku and the others as they flee into the cave!!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Find That Stone!
    7.2/10571 votes
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    #25 - Find That Stone!

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 6/11/1986

    Moving to a large island, the Turtle Hermit begins the training. First, in order to learn Goku and Kuririn’s ability, he measures how fast they can run 100 meters. The two look promising, and the Turtle Hermit gives them some training before dinner. It’s a great trial where he throws a stone with the “turtle” mark on it into the jungle, then tells the two to find it! The person who doesn’t manage to find it will go without dinner! Goku and Kuririn take this severe training in earnest!! The sly Kuririn seizes victory in this contest!

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Akira Toriyama