Source plot synopsis — published story coverage
Coverage is limited to the scope described in this write-up. Recording changes, further installments or an unwritten ending may remain outside it.
Son Goku, a monkey-tailed boy, and Bulma, a teenage girl, travel to find the seven Dragon Balls, which summon the dragon Shenlong to grant the user one wish. Their journey leads to the shapeshifter Oolong; the desert bandit Yamcha, who later becomes an ally; Chi-Chi, whom Goku unknowingly agrees to marry; and Pilaf, an impish man who seeks the Dragon Balls to fulfill his desire to rule the world. Pilaf gathers the Dragon Balls, but Oolong stops his wish from being granted. Goku undergoes rigorous training regimes under the martial arts master Kame-Sen'nin to fight in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai (天下一武道会; lit. 'Strongest Under the Heavens Martial Arts Tournament'). He becomes friends with a monk named Kuririn, his training partner and initial rival. After losing the tournament to Kame-Sen'nin, Goku searches for the Dragon Ball his grandfather left him and almost single-handedly defeats the Red Ribbon Army and their hired assassin, Taopaipai. Goku then reunites with his friends to defeat the fortune teller Baba Uranai's fighters and use her to find the last Dragon Ball held by Pilaf in order to revive a friend killed by Taopaipai.
Three years later at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Goku and his allies oppose Kame-Sen'nin's rival and Taopaipai's brother, Tsuru-Sen'nin, and his students Tenshinhan and Chaozu. Tenshinhan, the winner of that year's tournament, and Chaozu reject their former master and their old assassin ways. Kuririn is killed after the tournament; Goku tracks down the murderer's leader, the Great Demon King Piccolo, but is defeated. The samurai Yajirobe takes Goku to the hermit Karin, who heals him and gives him a power boost. Meanwhile, Kame-Sen'nin and Chaozu die in battle against Piccolo. Piccolo uses the Dragon Balls to regain his youth and then destroys Shenlong. Goku then kills the Great Demon King Piccolo, who, before dying, spawns his son/reincarnation Piccolo. Karin then directs Goku to Kami, the original creator of the Dragon Balls and the Great Demon King Piccolo's other half, to restore Shenlong and revive Goku's slain friends. Goku trains under Kami for the next three years, once again reuniting with his friends at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. There, he defeats Piccolo, whose life he spares as it would also kill Kami and Shenlong. Goku leaves with Chi-Chi to keep his promise to marry her.
Five years later, Goku is a young adult and father to a son, Gohan. A man named Raditz arrives on Earth, identifies Goku as his younger brother Kakarrot, and reveals to him that they are members of a nearly extinct extraterrestrial race called the Saiyans (サイヤ人, Saiya-jin), who sent Goku to conquer Earth for them; however, Goku had suffered a severe head injury as an infant and lost all memories of his mission. Goku refuses to continue the mission, and sides with Piccolo to kill Raditz at the cost of his own life. In the afterlife, Goku trains under the Lord of the Northern Worlds, until he is revived by the Dragon Balls to save the Earth from the invading Saiyans Nappa and Vegeta a year after his death. Goku and his friends defeat the Saiyans; Goku asks Kuririn to spare Vegeta's life so he can have a rematch. In the battle, Yamcha, Chaozu, Tenshinhan, and Piccolo are killed, and the Dragon Balls cease to exist. Kuririn and the galactic tyrant Freeza learn of another set of Dragon Balls on the planet Namek (ナメック星, Namekku-sei), Piccolo's homeworld. Bulma, Gohan, and Kuririn search for them to revive their friends and thus restore Earth's Dragon Balls, while Vegeta and Freeza are searching for them to have their wishes of immortality granted. Vegeta and Goku later stand alongside Gohan and Kuririn to fight Freeza and his team of mercenaries, the Ginyu Force. The long battle with Freeza ends when Goku transforms into a legendary Super Saiyan (超サイヤ人, Sūpā Saiya-jin) and defeats him. The wish of bringing Goku's friends back to life is granted by Namek's version of Shenlong, Porunga. Barely surviving, Freeza recovers and goes to Earth to take his revenge on Goku; however, he is killed by a Super Saiyan from the future named Trunks.
Three years later, a group of Androids (人造人間, Jinzōningen; lit. 'Artificial Humans') created by a member of the former Red Ribbon Army, Doctor Gero, appears, seeking revenge against Goku. During this time, an evil life form also created by Gero called Cell emerges and, after absorbing two of the Androids to achieve his "perfect form", holds his own fighting tournament to challenge the protagonists. After Goku sacrifices his own life to no avail, Gohan avenges his father by killing Cell. Seven years later, Goku—revived for one day to compete in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai again—and his allies are drawn into a fight against Boo the Djinn. After many battles, including the destruction and re-creation of the Earth, and Goku's proper resurrection, Goku destroys Boo with a Genki-Dama (a sphere of pure energy drawn from all intelligent beings on Earth), and wishes for him to be reincarnated as a "good guy". Ten years later, at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Goku meets Boo's human reincarnation, Oob. After testing his powers, Goku departs with Oob to train him to be the Earth's new protector.
Three years later at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Goku and his allies oppose Kame-Sen'nin's rival and Taopaipai's brother, Tsuru-Sen'nin, and his students Tenshinhan and Chaozu. Tenshinhan, the winner of that year's tournament, and Chaozu reject their former master and their old assassin ways. Kuririn is killed after the tournament; Goku tracks down the murderer's leader, the Great Demon King Piccolo, but is defeated. The samurai Yajirobe takes Goku to the hermit Karin, who heals him and gives him a power boost. Meanwhile, Kame-Sen'nin and Chaozu die in battle against Piccolo. Piccolo uses the Dragon Balls to regain his youth and then destroys Shenlong. Goku then kills the Great Demon King Piccolo, who, before dying, spawns his son/reincarnation Piccolo. Karin then directs Goku to Kami, the original creator of the Dragon Balls and the Great Demon King Piccolo's other half, to restore Shenlong and revive Goku's slain friends. Goku trains under Kami for the next three years, once again reuniting with his friends at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. There, he defeats Piccolo, whose life he spares as it would also kill Kami and Shenlong. Goku leaves with Chi-Chi to keep his promise to marry her.
Five years later, Goku is a young adult and father to a son, Gohan. A man named Raditz arrives on Earth, identifies Goku as his younger brother Kakarrot, and reveals to him that they are members of a nearly extinct extraterrestrial race called the Saiyans (サイヤ人, Saiya-jin), who sent Goku to conquer Earth for them; however, Goku had suffered a severe head injury as an infant and lost all memories of his mission. Goku refuses to continue the mission, and sides with Piccolo to kill Raditz at the cost of his own life. In the afterlife, Goku trains under the Lord of the Northern Worlds, until he is revived by the Dragon Balls to save the Earth from the invading Saiyans Nappa and Vegeta a year after his death. Goku and his friends defeat the Saiyans; Goku asks Kuririn to spare Vegeta's life so he can have a rematch. In the battle, Yamcha, Chaozu, Tenshinhan, and Piccolo are killed, and the Dragon Balls cease to exist. Kuririn and the galactic tyrant Freeza learn of another set of Dragon Balls on the planet Namek (ナメック星, Namekku-sei), Piccolo's homeworld. Bulma, Gohan, and Kuririn search for them to revive their friends and thus restore Earth's Dragon Balls, while Vegeta and Freeza are searching for them to have their wishes of immortality granted. Vegeta and Goku later stand alongside Gohan and Kuririn to fight Freeza and his team of mercenaries, the Ginyu Force. The long battle with Freeza ends when Goku transforms into a legendary Super Saiyan (超サイヤ人, Sūpā Saiya-jin) and defeats him. The wish of bringing Goku's friends back to life is granted by Namek's version of Shenlong, Porunga. Barely surviving, Freeza recovers and goes to Earth to take his revenge on Goku; however, he is killed by a Super Saiyan from the future named Trunks.
Three years later, a group of Androids (人造人間, Jinzōningen; lit. 'Artificial Humans') created by a member of the former Red Ribbon Army, Doctor Gero, appears, seeking revenge against Goku. During this time, an evil life form also created by Gero called Cell emerges and, after absorbing two of the Androids to achieve his "perfect form", holds his own fighting tournament to challenge the protagonists. After Goku sacrifices his own life to no avail, Gohan avenges his father by killing Cell. Seven years later, Goku—revived for one day to compete in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai again—and his allies are drawn into a fight against Boo the Djinn. After many battles, including the destruction and re-creation of the Earth, and Goku's proper resurrection, Goku destroys Boo with a Genki-Dama (a sphere of pure energy drawn from all intelligent beings on Earth), and wishes for him to be reincarnated as a "good guy". Ten years later, at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Goku meets Boo's human reincarnation, Oob. After testing his powers, Goku departs with Oob to train him to be the Earth's new protector.
Sources and content license
Source and revision history ↗ · Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, Dragon Ball (manga). Section headings and formatting adjusted. · Content license