ドラゴンボール · Manga, television anime, theatrical films and games · 1986–present (multiple series) · Toei Animation · Multiple directors across television series and films · Action, adventure, fantasy, martial arts · 1986-02-26
Overview
Created by Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball began manga serialization in 1984 and anime broadcasting in 1986. Son Goku grows from a martial-arts adventurer into a defender of Earth and the wider universe. Dragon Ball, Z, GT, Super and Daima, alongside films, games and consumer products, form a major international franchise. This report separates theatrical gross, manga unit sales, Bandai Namco group IP sales and rights-holder profit.
Story & Plot
Early adventures and the Dragon Balls
Story: Young Goku meets Bulma, searches for mystical Dragon Balls and learns martial arts while building lifelong friendships.
World Martial Arts Tournaments
Story: Goku tests his abilities against rivals including Krillin, Tien and Piccolo; training and personal growth shape the early series.
King Piccolo and Piccolo Jr.
Story: The stakes rise as King Piccolo threatens the world and Goku confronts the legacy of the Demon King.
Saiyan Saga
Story: Raditz reveals Goku’s origins; Vegeta and Nappa arrive on Earth and challenge the defenders.
Namek and Frieza
Story: The heroes travel to Namek for Dragon Balls, leading to Goku’s defining confrontation with Frieza.
Android and Cell
Story: Future Trunks warns of new enemies; the Cell Games place Gohan at the center of the conflict.
Majin Buu
Story: Magic, fusion and sacrifice shape the concluding major arc of Dragon Ball Z.
Battle of Gods
Story: Beerus introduces divine power and a much larger cosmology.
Universe 6 and Future Trunks
Story: Inter-universe competition and the Goku Black conflict develop Dragon Ball Super’s multiverse.
Tournament of Power
Story: A survival tournament brings together fighters from multiple universes and tests Goku’s Ultra Instinct.
Dragon Ball Daima
Story: A separate television adventure revisits the franchise’s exploration and fantasy elements.
Characters & Voice Cast
Son Goku
Voice actor: Masako Nozawa
About: Saiyan martial artist whose drive to improve powers the story.
Vegeta
Voice actor: Ryo Horikawa
About: Saiyan prince whose rivalry with Goku evolves into loyalty.
Son Gohan
Voice actor: Masako Nozawa
About: Goku’s son, scholar and powerful fighter.
Piccolo
Voice actor: Toshio Furukawa
About: Namekian warrior and mentor to Gohan.
Bulma
Voice actor: Aya Hisakawa (current Japanese performer)
About: Scientist and inventor whose technology enables many adventures.
Krillin
Voice actor: Mayumi Tanaka
About: Goku’s longtime friend and Earthling martial artist.
Trunks
Voice actor: Takeshi Kusao
About: Vegeta and Bulma’s son, appearing in multiple timelines.
Frieza
Voice actor: Ryusei Nakao
About: Intergalactic tyrant and recurring antagonist.
Cell
Voice actor: Norio Wakamoto
About: Bio-engineered enemy central to the Cell Games.
Beerus
Voice actor: Koichi Yamadera
About: God of Destruction introduced in Battle of Gods.
Whis
Voice actor: Masakazu Morita
About: Beerus’s attendant and divine martial-arts teacher.
Broly
Voice actor: Bin Shimada
About: Powerful Saiyan whose story is reinterpreted in Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
Seasons & Episodes
| Season | Title | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Ball (1986–1989) | Dragon Ball (1986–1989) | 153 television episodes; childhood adventures, training and martial arts tournaments. |
| Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996) | Dragon Ball Z (1989–1996) | 291 television episodes; Saiyan, Frieza, Cell and Majin Buu sagas. |
| Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997) | Dragon Ball GT (1996–1997) | 64 television episodes; anime-original sequel continuity. |
| Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018) | Dragon Ball Super (2015–2018) | 131 television episodes; divine power, universes and Tournament of Power. |
| Dragon Ball Daima (2024–2025) | Dragon Ball Daima (2024–2025) | 20 television episodes; fantasy-oriented adventure created with Akira Toriyama’s involvement. |
| Films and specials | Films and specials | Theatrical movies and TV specials should be viewed with attention to their separate continuity and release chronology. |
Production & Animation
Original television production
Dragon Ball Super
Theatrical production
Production budget caution
Manga & Publishing
Original Dragon Ball manga
Worldwide publishing
Dragon Ball Super manga
Reviews & Awards
Global cultural influence
Animation legacy
Commercial longevity
News & Updates
Financial reporting update policy
Comparisons
Dragon Ball vs Naruto
Dragon Ball vs One Piece
Dragon Ball vs Demon Slayer
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Dragon Ball Super: Broly earn worldwide?
The Numbers lists approximately $122.74 million worldwide; theatrical totals can vary by provider and reporting date.
How much did Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero earn?
The Numbers lists approximately $97.24 million worldwide.
How many manga copies has Dragon Ball sold?
Toei Animation cited more than 260 million copies worldwide in a published milestone.
What were Bandai Namco Dragon Ball IP sales in FY2026?
Bandai Namco reported ¥138.0 billion for the fiscal year ended March 2026, before intersegment eliminations. This is company-group IP sales, not complete global franchise revenue.
What was the FY2025 Dragon Ball IP sales figure?
Bandai Namco reported ¥190.6 billion for FY ended March 2025, on the same groupwide reporting basis.
How much does Dragon Ball animation cost?
A comprehensive confirmed production budget for every Dragon Ball series is not publicly disclosed; scenario calculations are not verified costs.
Are movie box office and franchise profit the same?
No. Box office is gross ticket revenue before cinema shares, distributor expenses, production costs and other allocations.
How much do Dragon Ball voice actors earn?
A complete, reliable public record of individual contracts is unavailable; this report does not assign invented salary figures.
Can I convert Dragon Ball earnings to INR and MYR?
The financial display supports currency conversion where enabled; converted amounts depend on exchange-rate date.
What is the Dragon Ball viewing order?
Start with Dragon Ball, continue to Dragon Ball Z, then consider Super, GT and Daima with attention to their differing continuity and release histories.
Financial Intelligence
Production & Animation Costs
| Television episode low-case costIllustrative assumption; not an official Dragon Ball episode budget. | USD 100,000.00 |
| Television episode high-case costAlternative cost assumption; not additive to low case. | USD 300,000.00 |
| 50-episode production low case50 × $100,000 illustrative scenario. | USD 5,000,000.00 |
| 50-episode production high case50 × $300,000 alternative scenario. | USD 15,000,000.00 |
Marketing
| Theatrical campaign low caseIllustrative campaign planning input, not disclosed Dragon Ball expenditure; campaigns may overlap. | USD 5,000,000.00 |
| Theatrical campaign high caseIllustrative campaign planning input, not disclosed Dragon Ball expenditure; campaigns may overlap. | USD 20,000,000.00 |
| International promotional expansion low caseIllustrative campaign planning input, not disclosed Dragon Ball expenditure; campaigns may overlap. | USD 2,000,000.00 |
Voice Cast & Crew Salaries
| Illustrative 10-session recording budget low caseHypothetical aggregate recording expense, not a named performer salary or contract. | USD 10,000.00 |
| Illustrative 10-session recording budget high caseHypothetical aggregate recording expense, not a named performer salary or contract. | USD 50,000.00 |
Box Office
| Dragon Ball Super: Broly worldwide grossApproximate worldwide theatrical gross reported by The Numbers; not distributor receipts or profit. | USD 122,740,000.00 |
| Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero worldwide grossApproximate worldwide theatrical gross reported by The Numbers; not distributor receipts or profit. | USD 97,240,000.00 |
| Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F worldwide grossApproximate worldwide theatrical gross reported by The Numbers; not distributor receipts or profit. | USD 58,410,000.00 |
| Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods worldwide grossApproximate worldwide theatrical gross reported by The Numbers; not distributor receipts or profit. | USD 41,400,000.00 |
Streaming & Licensing
| Annual streaming and TV rights low caseIllustrative franchise-wide annual case; licensing categories may overlap and are not verified receipts. | USD 10,000,000.00 |
| Annual streaming and TV rights high caseIllustrative franchise-wide annual case; licensing categories may overlap and are not verified receipts. | USD 40,000,000.00 |
| Annual home entertainment low caseIllustrative franchise-wide annual case; licensing categories may overlap and are not verified receipts. | USD 2,000,000.00 |
Manga Publishing & Sales
| Manga copies sold worldwide milestoneToei Animation published a more-than-260-million-copies milestone; this is a unit count, not money. | UNITS 260,000,000.00 |
| Hypothetical manga retail spending at $5/copyAlternative 260-million-copy retail-price sensitivity, not audited receipts; scenarios are not additive. | USD 1,300,000,000.00 |
| Hypothetical manga retail spending at $10/copyAlternative 260-million-copy retail-price sensitivity, not audited receipts; scenarios are not additive. | USD 2,600,000,000.00 |
Merchandise & Licensing
| Bandai Namco groupwide Dragon Ball IP sales FY2024Bandai Namco groupwide IP sales before intersegment elimination; includes multiple product categories, NOT merchandise-only or total franchise revenue. | JPY 140,600,000,000.00 |
| Bandai Namco groupwide Dragon Ball IP sales FY2025Bandai Namco groupwide IP sales before intersegment elimination; includes multiple product categories, NOT merchandise-only or total franchise revenue. | JPY 190,600,000,000.00 |
| Bandai Namco groupwide Dragon Ball IP sales FY2026Bandai Namco groupwide IP sales before intersegment elimination; includes multiple product categories, NOT merchandise-only or total franchise revenue. | JPY 138,000,000,000.00 |
Gaming Revenue
| Hypothetical gaming royalty base low caseIllustrative annual rights receipts, not disclosed game publisher or franchise revenue. | USD 5,000,000.00 |
| Hypothetical gaming royalty base high caseIllustrative annual rights receipts, not disclosed game publisher or franchise revenue. | USD 25,000,000.00 |
Profit Analysis
| Theatrical hypothetical worldwide grossSingle hypothetical film sensitivity model; not actual Dragon Ball profit. Inputs form one calculation, not separate revenue streams. | USD 100,000,000.00 |
| Theatrical hypothetical distributor share at 40%Single hypothetical film sensitivity model; not actual Dragon Ball profit. Inputs form one calculation, not separate revenue streams. | USD 40,000,000.00 |
| Hypothetical production costSingle hypothetical film sensitivity model; not actual Dragon Ball profit. Inputs form one calculation, not separate revenue streams. | USD 15,000,000.00 |
| Hypothetical marketing costSingle hypothetical film sensitivity model; not actual Dragon Ball profit. Inputs form one calculation, not separate revenue streams. | USD 15,000,000.00 |
| Illustrative theatrical contribution before other costsSingle hypothetical film sensitivity model; not actual Dragon Ball profit. Inputs form one calculation, not separate revenue streams. | USD 10,000,000.00 |
Gross revenue is not net profit. Categories may overlap.
Financial disclosure: This report combines reported milestones and illustrative BoxOfficeX financial scenarios. Scenarios are not confirmed Dragon Ball production budgets, marketing costs, salaries, streaming rights receipts, profits or franchise valuations. Bandai Namco groupwide IP sales include multiple business categories and are not worldwide franchise totals. Theatrical grosses, manga copies, retail spending and company IP sales are distinct measures and must not be added together. Currency conversions depend on rate and date.