The five main Dragon Ball TV series add up to 659 episodes, with each series counted only once. The lineup breaks down into the original Dragon Ball with 153 episodes, Dragon Ball Z with 291, Dragon Ball GT with 64, Dragon Ball Super with 131, and Dragon Ball DAIMA with 20. That total matches the figure published by Toei Animation. It leaves out the recut Dragon Ball Z Kai, the TV specials, and the promotional web series.
Those extras matter if you want a bigger number, because adding them changes the final count. Dragon Ball Z is the longest of the main series, while DAIMA is the newest, with its 20 episodes airing between October 2024 and February 2025. The dates also help when you plan a watch-through, since the main run stretches from the original series in February 1986 to DAIMA in early 2025. Knowing the count for each series lets you decide whether to watch only the original show, which has 153 episodes, or to follow the full franchise from start to finish. Either way, the breakdown below gives you a clear starting point for planning your viewing.
Key Takeaways
- The five main Dragon Ball TV series total 659 episodes, with each series counted only once.
- Dragon Ball Z Kai (98 episodes), Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters (69 episodes), the Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT TV specials, and the Super Dragon Ball Heroes web series are not included in the 659-episode total.
- A Dragon Ball episode count should state what it includes, since a list that stops at Dragon Ball Super totals 639 episodes while the complete five-series total is 659.
- Anyone planning a Dragon Ball watch-through should start with the original Dragon Ball’s 153 episodes and move forward in release order.
How Many Episodes Does Dragon Ball Have in Total?
Dragon Ball has 659 episodes across its five main TV series, and each series is counted only once. Those series are the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super, and Dragon Ball DAIMA.
Counting each series once keeps the total clean. The franchise has several versions of the same story, so counting every release would repeat episodes. Dragon Ball Z Kai, for example, is a recut of Dragon Ball Z, so its episodes cover material already in the main count.
Some releases sit outside the 659 figure entirely. Toei Animation USA’s catalog lists two Dragon Ball Z TV specials and one Dragon Ball GT TV special as separate items. The same catalog lists Dragon Ball Z Kai at 98 episodes and Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters at 69, which adds up to 167 more if you count them. Super Dragon Ball Heroes, a promotional web series, is also left out.
That is why you may see different totals on other sites. A list that adds Kai, the specials, or the web series will land on a bigger number, while a list that sticks to the TV series will match 659. Neither choice is wrong, but a good episode count should say what it includes.
The sections that follow go through each series in order. You will see how many episodes each one has, when it aired, and where the newer releases fit into the count. We also explain how Kai, the specials, and the web series change the picture if you want to watch them too.
Dragon Ball Episode Count by Series at a Glance
Here is the full breakdown in one place. The table covers the five main TV series, with each one counted once, so you can check any series quickly.
| Series | Episodes | First Episode Aired | Last Episode Aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Ball | 153 | February 24, 1986 | April 19, 1989 |
| Dragon Ball Z | 291 | April 26, 1989 | January 31, 1996 |
| Dragon Ball GT | 64 | February 7, 1996 | November 19, 1997 |
| Dragon Ball Super | 131 | July 5, 2015 | March 25, 2018 |
| Dragon Ball DAIMA | 20 | October 2024 | February 2025 |
| Running total | 659 |
Dragon Ball Z is the largest single entry at 291 episodes. It also ran for nearly seven years, from April 1989 to January 1996, which makes it the longest stretch of the main run.
Dragon Ball GT is the shortest of the middle series, with 64 episodes spread across less than two years. Dragon Ball Super arrived more than 17 years after GT ended, starting in July 2015 with 131 episodes.
Dragon Ball DAIMA is the newest entry and the smallest by count. Its 20 episodes aired between October 2024 and February 2025, so the whole run covers only about five months.
The dates matter if you plan to watch in release order. The original series and Dragon Ball Z met in the spring of 1989, so it helps to know that before you start. The running total at the bottom is the figure you can compare against other lists, as long as those lists also use the five TV series.
How Many Episodes Is the Original Dragon Ball Series?
The original Dragon Ball series has 153 episodes, according to Toei Animation. It aired from February 24, 1986, to April 19, 1989, and it is the first of the five main TV series in the franchise.
The show follows Goku as a young boy with a tail, searching for the seven Dragon Balls. Along the way he meets Bulma, a teenage inventor who helps him find the balls, and Master Roshi, a retired martial arts master with a love of mischief. Much of the story is built around silly detours, odd villains, and martial arts tournaments where the fights are playful as often as they are serious.
That comedy-adventure tone sets the original apart from what comes later. Dragon Ball Z shifts toward long, intense battles against powerful enemies, and the mood is much darker. Viewers who start with the first series should expect a lighter pace, with more jokes and more time spent on the journey than on world-ending fights.
The original series is also the natural starting point for a full watch-through. Because each later series picks up Goku’s story where the previous one left off, watching in release order means you meet the characters as they were first introduced. Starting with the 1986 premiere gives you the background on Goku’s friends, rivals, and the rules of the Dragon Balls, which later series assume you already know.
If you are planning a viewing schedule, the 153 episodes are a manageable first step. They are a bit more than the 131 episodes of Dragon Ball Super but far fewer than Dragon Ball Z’s 291. Many viewers use the original as a warm-up before moving on to the longer series that follow.
How Many Episodes Does Dragon Ball Z Have?
Dragon Ball Z has 291 episodes, which makes it the largest of the five main TV series. It aired from April 26, 1989, to January 31, 1996, and it accounts for the biggest single share of the 659-episode franchise total.
The show picks up after the original Dragon Ball ends. Goku is now an adult, and the story shifts from playful tournaments to battles against alien warriors and world-threatening villains. Goku learns that he comes from a warrior race called the Saiyans, and the series builds from there into some of the most famous fights in anime.
A big part of the episode count comes from pacing. A single battle can stretch across many episodes, with characters powering up, trading attacks, and pausing for dramatic speeches between blows. Fans often joke about this, but it is the main reason the series runs so long. If you are used to the quicker jokes of the original, expect Z to feel slower and more focused on one fight at a time.
Toei Animation’s official Dragon Ball Z listing confirms the 291-episode count and the April 1989 to January 1996 air dates. That listing covers the TV series only, so it does not include the two Dragon Ball Z TV specials that Toei Animation USA lists separately.
Dragon Ball Z is also the series people most often mix up with Dragon Ball Z Kai. Kai is a recut of the same story, with scenes trimmed and some material rearranged. Because it is a separate release, its episodes are not part of the 291 count. We cover Kai and how it changes the total in a later section.
If you want to watch the original Z as it first aired, plan for the full 291 episodes. Watching in order means you will see the Saiyan arc, the Frieza fights, and the later battles exactly as they were originally shown. Breaking the run into smaller chunks, such as one story arc at a time, can make the long series easier to follow.
Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Super Episode Counts
Dragon Ball GT has 64 episodes, and it aired from February 7, 1996, to November 19, 1997, according to Toei’s GT listing. It is the shortest of the main TV series in the 659-episode total, apart from DAIMA, which has only 20. GT’s run was short enough to finish in under two years.
GT picks up after Dragon Ball Z ends, but it takes the story in a different direction. The Dragon Balls are used to make Goku a child again, so much of the show follows a small Goku on new adventures with a few familiar faces. Trunks, the time-traveling warrior from Z, returns, and Goku’s granddaughter Pan becomes a central character. The tone is lighter and more playful than Z, and the show leans toward new journeys rather than the nonstop, world-threatening battles that defined the middle run.
GT’s place in the timeline is easier to see when you compare it with the newer series. Super did not arrive until July 5, 2015, and it ran through March 25, 2018, with 131 episodes. That gap meant GT and Super were separated by nearly two decades without new Dragon Ball television.
Super continues the story after Dragon Ball Z in a newer run. It picks up after the Majin Buu fight, and it brings in new gods, new tournaments, and a fresh set of threats. Its art style and pacing feel closer to Z’s, though the show is built around newer animation and its own storylines. Because Super is set after Z’s ending, it follows the main story rather than taking a side path like GT.
Putting the two series side by side shows how different they are in size and feel. GT is a shorter, self-contained season-style run with a childlike Goku at its center, while Super is a longer run that returns to the core cast in a more modern form. Both were produced by Toei Animation, and both count toward the five-series total.
When you plan a watch-through, GT and Super each sit at a different point in the franchise’s history. GT fits after Z if you want to follow the release order, while Super is the natural next step if you want to keep following Goku’s main story after the Buu saga. Knowing the episode counts and air dates helps you decide how much time each one will take.
Is Dragon Ball DAIMA Included in the Episode Count?
Yes, Dragon Ball DAIMA is included in the 659-episode total. It is the newest entry in the main count, and its 20 episodes sit alongside the original Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super as the fifth TV series.
Dragon Ball DAIMA’s run was short and tightly packed. Toei Animation’s 2025 financial presentation states that all 20 episodes aired between October 2024 and February 2025. That window is far shorter than the years-long runs of the earlier series, so the newest episodes are still fresh for many fans.
The series also reached international viewers quickly. Crunchyroll began streaming DAIMA with subtitles on October 11, 2024, as Toei Animation USA announced in its press release. New episodes arrived weekly and were simulcast with the Japanese TV broadcast, so subtitled viewers could watch each episode close to its Japanese airing instead of waiting months for a later release.
Because DAIMA is a TV series, it follows the same counting rule as the rest of the lineup. It is not a TV special, and it is not a web series, so it counts toward the total without any adjustment. This also means you do not need to add anything extra to reach 659.
Older lists are where the confusion usually shows up. If a list stops at Dragon Ball Super, its total will read 639 episodes, which is 20 short of the full count. Checking whether DAIMA appears as its own line is the quickest way to tell whether a list is up to date.
Does Dragon Ball Z Kai or Specials Change the Total?
No, Dragon Ball Z Kai, the TV specials, and Super Dragon Ball Heroes are not part of the 659 figure, but you can add any of them if you want a bigger number. Kai is left out because it is a recut of Dragon Ball Z, so its story is already covered by the 291 episodes of the original series. Counting both would count the same battles twice.
Kai has two separate listings that you can add together. Dragon Ball Z Kai runs 98 episodes, and Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters runs 69 episodes. Together, the two Kai listings make 167 episodes.
The specials are a separate group. Toei Animation’s U.S. catalog lists two Dragon Ball Z TV specials and one Dragon Ball GT TV special, and each is counted apart from the series totals. Here is a quick summary of the extra items:
- Dragon Ball Z Kai: 98 episodes
- Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters: 69 episodes
- Dragon Ball Z TV specials: two, counted separately
- Dragon Ball GT TV special: one, counted separately
Super Dragon Ball Heroes sits outside the count for a different reason. It is a promotional web series rather than a TV series, so it does not fit the five-series rule that produces the 659 total. If you want to include it, treat it as its own entry and do not mix it into the series numbers.
Adding the extras is simple once you pick what you want to count. If you include both Kai listings, the total moves from 659 to 826 episodes. From there, you can add each TV special as its own line, since the catalog does not fold them into the Z or GT series counts. Heroes is a separate decision, and it is best left out of a TV episode total altogether.
The most useful habit is to label your number. A total of 659 means the five main TV series only. A total of 826 means the five series plus both Kai listings. Anything higher means you have added specials or web content, and the label should say which ones.
Which Order Should You Watch Dragon Ball In?
Start with the original Dragon Ball and move forward in release order, because each later series assumes you already know the characters, the Dragon Balls, and how Goku’s journey began. Skipping ahead usually spoils reveals and makes the newer arcs harder to follow.
Your first real choice is whether to watch only the original series or the full franchise. The original Dragon Ball is 153 episodes of comedy and adventure, which makes it a manageable first project. The full run of five main TV series is 659 episodes, and it covers a much longer story that moves from silly tournaments to planet-threatening battles.
Dragon Ball Z Kai creates the next decision. Kai retells the same story as the original Z, with trimmed scenes and some rearranged material, so watching both means seeing the same battles twice. If you want the shorter route, swap in Kai’s 98 and 69 episodes. Your total then becomes 535 episodes instead of 659. If you want the original pacing and every scene as it first aired, keep the 291 episodes of Z.
The specials and web series are optional extras, so you can skip them without missing the main story. The two Dragon Ball Z TV specials and the one Dragon Ball GT TV special are best watched after the series they belong to. Super Dragon Ball Heroes is a promotional web series, so treat it as a separate project if you decide to watch it at all.
Runtime is not listed here, so you will need to check it yourself. Your streaming service or the episode listing will show how long each episode runs. Here is how to estimate your total viewing time:
- Choose your path: the original series only (153 episodes) or the five main series (659 episodes).
- Decide whether to count Dragon Ball Z Kai (167 episodes across both listings) in place of the original Z (291 episodes).
- Add any specials you plan to watch, counting each one separately.
- Find the runtime of a typical episode on your service.
- Multiply your total episode count by that runtime, then divide by 60 to get hours.
The number of hours is only part of the picture, since your pace changes how long the project takes. Watching one episode a day means the original series takes about five months, while the full main run of 659 episodes stretches to just under 22 months. Watching two episodes a day cuts that roughly in half. Long fights can make certain stretches feel slower, so many viewers plan breaks between story arcs instead of pushing through in one stretch.
Planning Your Dragon Ball Watch-Through
Dragon Ball has 659 episodes across its five main TV series, and that number is the best place to start any watch-through. Before you press play, decide whether you want Dragon Ball Z Kai and the specials in your plan, because each choice changes your total. Kai can replace the original Z if you want a shorter route, while the TV specials are easiest to watch right after the series they belong to.
If you want to watch in order, start with the original Dragon Ball. Its 153 episodes introduce Goku, Bulma, Master Roshi, and the rules of the Dragon Balls, and the later series assume you already know them. Once you finish the original, you can move on to Dragon Ball Z with a clear sense of how the story grew.
A practical next step is to pick your path, write down the matching total, and mark the first 153 episodes as your first milestone. Seeing the number in front of you makes a 659-episode project feel much more manageable.
Planning Your Dragon Ball Watch-Through
Your next step is to pick your path and start the first episode of the original Dragon Ball. If you want a short project, stop at the 153 episodes of the original series. If you want the full franchise, plan for 659 episodes and decide now whether Dragon Ball Z Kai will replace the original Z.
Next, check your streaming service. Search for each series title and compare the episode count it shows with the numbers in this article. If Dragon Ball Super appears with fewer than 131 episodes, or Dragon Ball DAIMA is missing, the listing may be incomplete, so look for another place to watch before you set a schedule.
Then write your plan in one place. A notebook or a note on your phone works well. List each series, its episode range, and the date you expect to finish it. For example, the original Dragon Ball covers episodes 1 through 153, and Dragon Ball Z starts its own count at episode 1 and runs 291 episodes.
Finally, choose a weekly target that fits your schedule. Divide your total by the number of weeks you want to spend, and you will know how many episodes to watch each week. Start tonight with episode 1, and let the 153-episode mark be your first real goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the first saga of Dragon Ball Z called?
The first saga of Dragon Ball Z is called the Saiyan Saga. It starts when Goku’s older brother Raditz arrives on Earth and reveals that Goku is a Saiyan warrior. The saga sets up the rest of the Z story, including the battles that follow.
2. Who is Goku’s best friend?
Krillin is Goku’s best friend and one of his closest companions from the original Dragon Ball series. The two trained together under Master Roshi as kids and stayed close through Dragon Ball Z and the later series. Krillin is often the friend who stands beside Goku in the toughest fights.
3. Is Dragon Ball cancelled?
No, Dragon Ball has not been cancelled. The franchise’s most recent TV series, Dragon Ball DAIMA, finished airing in February 2025, after Dragon Ball Super ended in March 2018. Each new release has come with its own run of episodes, so the franchise is still active.
4. Is Dragon Ball Z officially over?
The Dragon Ball Z TV series itself is complete, with its 291 episodes airing from April 1989 to January 1996. Its story continues in later releases, most notably Dragon Ball Super, which picks up after the Majin Buu fight. If you want the original show, you can watch every episode of Z as it first aired.
