Summary
Akiria Toriyama’s iconicDragon Ballseries gets its name from one of the story’s more overlooked plot devices, the mythical Dragon Balls. The eponymous artifacts are seven golden crystal orbs, each identified by a number of red stars on one side, and when someone finds them all, a dragon is summoned and grants their wish. The Dragon Balls' appearance inthe series' long timelineis a rare and momentous occasion, due to the nature of their power, andmultiple sets of Dragon Balls exist across the universe in a variety of sizes and abilities.
TheDragon Ballanime spans multiple series, usually focusing on the exploits of Goku, an alien raised from boyhood on Earth, who eventually becomes a renowned fighter across the universe and has many experiences with the Dragon Balls. While the series focuses mostly on Goku and his family facingever-stronger adversaries,the titular Dragon Balls are vital to restoring balance to the universeafter those enemies are defeated.
No matter the size, color, or origin,each set of Dragon Balls serves their own unique purpose and are integral to the plotof theDragon Ballseries.
I Rewatched Dragon Ball as an Adult, and It’s a Lot Better Than Anime Fans Think
By focusing on Dragon Ball’s role, influence, and age as a battle shonen, anime fans miss precisely what makes it such a special franchise.
Earth’s Dragon Balls Resurrect Goku from Death
The Powerful Orbs Have Their Limitations
The first set of Dragon Balls, introduced in 1986’sDragon Ball,were created on Earth by the Namekian, Kami, and summon theEternal Dragon, Shenron. Earth’s Dragon Balls are assembled many times throughout the series by both heroes and villains. Most commonly, they are used to revive anyone killed as a result of the villain’s rampage, including Goku following his own death inDragon Ball Z,episode #21, “Counting Down”.Once the wish is granted, the Dragon Balls turn to stone for one year to prevent overuse, and they scatter across the globe to be found once more.
Goku’s adventures take him off-world to the alien planet, Namek, where he and his allies encounter a different set of Dragon Balls. This basketball-sized set, created by the Namekkian elders, summons the muscle-bound dragon Porunga, a more benevolent counterpart to Earth’s dragon, Shenron. This dragon iscapable of granting up to three wishes, and can grant the same wish twice, but initially he cannot revive large masses of the dead.
A New Set of Dragon Balls Is Introduced with Each New Series
Superreveals the Dragon Balls' origins;GTexplores their corruption.
The third series,Dragon Ball GT,introduces the Black Star Dragon Balls, which summon a red Eternal Dragon, Ultimate Shenron. These Dragon Balls look and function just like Earth’s original set, except the stars are black, and Ultimate Shenron can grant any wish without restrictions, even killing someone.
However,the Black Star Dragon Balls then scatter across the universe and must be reunited within a year or the planet blows up. Additionally, once Earth’s original Dragon Balls overload with negative energy and crack, they turn blue with black stars, and summon Black Smoke Shenron, who releases an evil dragon from each corrupted Dragon Ball.
Introduced inDragon Ball Super,the Super Dragon Balls are planet-sized Dragon Balls from which all subsequent sets are derived. Their assembly summons Super Shenron, a glowing golden dragon the size of a galaxy, and if the user wishes in the language of the Gods, that wish is granted. In episode #131, “A Miraculous Conclusion! Farewell, Goku! Until We Meet Again!”, Android 17 wins the Tournament of Power and is awarded a wish, which he uses to restore the seven universes that were destroyed as a result of the tournament, hinting at the limitless potential of the Dragon Balls.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
