Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball
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This article is about the media franchise. For other uses, see Dragon Ball (disambiguation).
This article may require copy-editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (September 2008)
Dragon Ball

First tankōbon volume, released in Japan on November 10, 1985
ドラゴンボール
(Doragon Bōru)
Genre Bangsian fantasy, Martial arts, Science fiction
Manga
Author Akira Toriyama
Publisher Shueisha
English publisher Chuang Yi

Viz Media


Gollancz Manga
[show]Other publishers:
Conrad Editora

Juvenile & Children's Publishing House
Carlsen Comics
Sangatsu Manga
Glénat
Carlsen Comics
CitiComics, Culturecom
Semic Interprint
Elex Media Komputindo
Star Comics
Grand Comics
Comics House
Grupo Editorial Vid
Glénat (Studio de Raaf)
Japonica Polonica Fantastica
/ Planeta deAgostini
Bonnier Carlsen
Tong Li Publishing
NED comics
Seoul Munhwasa
Kim Dong Publishing House


Eksmo & Comix-ART

Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump
Shonen Jump
Formosa Youth
EX-am
Boom
Original run 1984 – 1995
Volumes 42 (List of volumes)
TV anime
Director Minoru Okazaki
Daisuke Nishio
Studio Toei Animation
Licensor Pony Canyon
FUNimation Entertainment
Network Fuji TV, Animax
English network YTV

Cartoon Network, CNX, Toonami


Cartoon Network, CoLours TV, FUNimation Channel, Toonami Jetstream, KIKU
[show]Other networks:
Cartoon Network, Magic Kids

ETB1
SBT, Globo, Cartoon Network
TVC
Megavisión
Canal Caracol, Citytv
Repretel 4
Telesistema Dominicano
TF1, TMC, AB1, Mangas, MCM, NT1
TVG
RTL II
Animax
Italia 1
AnimaxIndia
LNK
TV9, RTM 2, Animax
XHGC-TV
GMA 7, RPN 9, IBC 13,Animax
RTL 7, TVN Siedem
RTP1, SIC, SIC Radical
Antena 3, Cuatro, Canal Sur, Cartoon Network, Telemadrid
Modern Nine TV, iTV, Animax
ATV
Canal 9
Hanoi1


Spacetoon

Original run February 26, 1986 – April 12, 1989
Episodes 153 (List of episodes)
TV anime
Dragon Ball Z
Director Daisuke Nishio
Studio Toei Animation
Licensor Pony Canyon
FUNimation Entertainment
Network Fuji TV, Animax, Tokyo MX
English network Network Ten, Cartoon Network

YTV
Cartoon Network, Toonami


Cartoon Network
[show]Other networks:
Magic Kids, Canal 9, Cartoon Network

ETB
MCM, AB3, Club RTL
Band, Cartoon Network, Globo
Televisió de Catalunya
Megavisión, Etc...TV
Cartoon Network, Canal Caracol, CityTv
Repretel
Telesistema Dominicano
Cartoon Network
Subtv
TF1, TMC, RTL9, AB1, Mangas, MCM, NT1
TVG
Tele 5, RTL II
ANT1
Cartoon Network, Toonami
Indosiar
The Children's Channel
Italia 1
LNK
RTM 2, TV 9
XHGC-TV, Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
TV 3, Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network, Toonami
Cartoon Network
RPN 9, IBC 13, GMA Network
RTL 7, TVN Siedem
SIC, SIC Radical
Animax
Antena 3, Cartoon Network, Canal Sur, Telemadrid, Cuatro, Televisió de Catalunya, TVG, ETB
Modernine TV, ITV and TITV, Channel 3
Spacetoon
Canal 9


Televen, Cartoon Network

Original run April 26, 1989 – January 31, 1996
Episodes 291 (List of episodes)
TV anime
Dragon Ball GT
Director Osamu Kasai
Studio Toei Animation
Licensor Funimation Entertainment
Network Fuji TV, Animax
English network Network Ten, Cartoon Network

YTV
Cartoon Network


Toonami, CNX
[show]Other networks:
Cartoon Network, Globo

Televisió de Catalunya
Megavisión
Cartoon Network Caracol
Telesistema Dominicano
TF1, TMC, RTL9, AB1, Mangas, MCM, NT1
RTL II
The Children's Channel
Italia 1
LNK
TV2
XHGC-TV, Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network, Yorin
America Television
RPN 9 , GMA Network
RTL 7, TVN Siedem
SIC, SIC Radical
Antena 3, Canal Sur, TVC, ETB, TVG, Telemadrid, Cartoon Network, Cuatro
Televen


Modernine TV MCOT

Original run February 7, 1996 – November 19, 1997
Episodes 64 (List of episodes)
TV anime
Dragon Ball Kai
Studio Toei Animation
Network Fuji TV
Original run April 5, 2009 – ongoing
Episodes 35 (List of episodes)
Related
Films, specials, and original video animations
Video games
Soundtracks
Collectible card games
Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball Z

Anime and Manga Portal
Dragon Ball (ドラゴンボール, Doragon Bōru?) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 through 1995, and later the 519 individual chapters were published into 42 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha. Inspired by the Chinese folk novel Journey to the West, it follows the adventures of Son Goku from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts and explores the world in search of the seven mystical objects known as the Dragon Balls, which can summon a wish-granting dragon. Along his journey, Goku meets several friends and fights against several villains who also seek the Dragon Balls.

The 42 tankōbon have been adapted into three anime series produced by Toei Animation: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, and Dragon Ball GT. Additionally, Toei has developed seventeen animated feature films and three television specials. In 2009, Toei started rebroadcasting Dragon Ball Z under the name of Dragon Ball Kai which changes the footage from the original anime. Several companies have developed various types of merchandising such as a collectible trading card game, and a large number of video games.

The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media, in the United Kingdom by Gollancz Manga, and in Australia and New Zealand by Chuang Yi. Several companies have dubbed and aired the three anime series in North America. In China, it was produced a live-action film adaptation in 1989. In 2002, 20th Century Fox began production of the first American-made live-action film which was released on April 10, 2009.

Since its release, Dragon Ball has become one of the most popular manga series of its time in both Japan and North America. It enjoys a high readership, with over 150 million volumes of the series sold by 2007. Several manga artists have noted that the manga series was the inspiration for their own now popular works, including Naruto and One Piece. The anime is also highly popular, ranking number 12 among the best anime series of all time in 2006. Reviewers praise the art, characterization, and humor of the manga story. The anime series have had more mixed reviews, with the first also praised for its characterizations, but the second was criticized for its long, repetitive fights, and the third series considered even more repetitive.