Summary
For decades, the beloved seriesDragon Ball Zhas been the entry point to anime for many. The recent announcement forDragon Ball DAIMA, taking place afterDragon Ball Zbut beforeDragon Ball Super,only ensures more eyes will be brought to the epic saga. As prospective fans look for an introduction to the franchise,Dragon Ball Zis a natural starting point because of its popularity and legacy.
The good news is, despite technically following the originalDragon Ball,Dragon Ball ZandKaiarea perfect way to jump into Goku’s legendary adventures. The bad news is that things get trickier.
There are currently two versions ofDragon Ball Z: the original which started airing in 1989, and a remaster calledDragon Ball Kai(Dragon Ball Z Kaiin the US). Each has a unique identity and relationship to Akira Toriyama’s original manga, so the choice is harder than it looks. Below is a summary for those in a hurry, but scroll on for gritty details.
Original Run
July 21, 2025 – June 27, 2025
July 24, 2025 – July 30, 2025; Jun 09, 2025 – July 24, 2025
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How Your Dragon Ball Z DVD’s Ruined The Original Anime
Every Dragon Ball Z home release has been changed from how it originally aired, and YouTuber Totally Not Mark has highlighted each boxset’s big flaws.
Dragon Ball Kai Brought New Life To A Renowned Series
Kai Revitalized Dragon Ball Z, But Not Everybody Prefers It
Dragon Ball Zneeds little introduction considering its profound cultural impact. Even people who haven’t watched an episode ofDragon Ballknow about Goku, Vegeta, and the Super Saiyan form. In celebration of twenty years sinceDragon Ball Zfirst aired,the remasteredDragon Ball Kaiwas produced by Toei Animation.
In many ways,Dragon Ball Kaiis a “definitive version” ofDragon Ball Z. The goal behind it was to refine the original animation, pacing, and localization efforts, bringing them more in line with the manga as Toriyama had intended. In practice, thiswould end up splitting opinion on what version is most worth watching— unsurprising, consideringDragon Ball Z’s worldwide seismic shock in the ’90s, which brought anime to new viewers worldwide.
Dragon Ball Z And Kai Have Very Important Differences
Virtually Every Aspect Of Dragon Ball Z Has Gotten A Touch-Up
Dragon Ball Kaibrought several changes that distinguish it from the originalDragon Ball Zanimation. Many of these are quality-of-life changes, like retouching colors and remastering the original series to HD. However,some are more significant than that.
For example,Kaihas redrawn some scenesto bring them closer in line with the manga. The redrawn scenes have drawn controversy for their discontinuity with the original scenes. More controversially,Kaimade the decision toreframe the series for modern widescreen displays, which inevitably means excluding detail - though this generally isn’t a big deal.
Another big change is thatthe English scripts are much closer to the original Japanese. Inability to obtain the Japanese scripts for translation, budget constraints, and casting issues led toDragon Ball Z’s English dub being inaccurate and underwhelming.Kaiis unquestionably the better option for new viewers who want to watch in English, although for those watching in Japanese, the question isn’t so clear-cut. In general,Kai’s audio quality is much better thanZ’s, having been remastered, but features a new soundtrack and rerecorded dialogue from both the Japanese and English versions fans will know.
Most importantly,Dragon Ball Kaicuts out the filler and improves the pacing ofDragon Ball Zdramatically. On one hand, it’s worth noting that some really enjoy the filler content inDragon Ball Z, but on the other,a good filler listcan get you through the bulk of the full filler. However, the overall streamlined experience ofKaiismuch better for binge-watching and far more digestible.
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Which Version of Dragon Ball Z Is Best?
The Answer Depends, But For New Fans, Dragon Ball Kai Is The Way To Go
The short answer is that for the vast majority of people,Dragon Ball Kaioffers the best way to experienceDragon Ball Z: it’s shorter by over 100 episodes, more accurate to the core dialogue of the manga, and visually better (for the most part). It also better suits the way people typically approach media today, since it’s easier to binge. Finally, since many new anime viewers prefer English dubs, its fantastic localization will be preferable.
Those who grew up withDragon Ball Z, whether dub or sub, are often partial to whatever version they know best overKai. It’s hard to go wrong, and there’s always a way to navigate the shortcomings of either version. The newDragon Ballviewer will want tocheck outDragon Ball Kaiand save the original version for a later deep-dive. In the end, either version will have the viewer following Goku on his quest to become the strongest, a beautiful path that has madeDragon Ball Zan unforgettable mainstay for almost 40 years.
Dragon Ball Z
Cast
Dragon Ball Z follows Goku, who lives a peaceful life with his family until the arrival of Raditz, a mysterious warrior claiming to be Goku’s brother. This revelation unveils their true heritage as Saiyans, a formidable warrior race known for conquering planets.
