'Dragon Ball" is one of the most iconic anime franchises from Japan. "Dragon Ball" spawned several series and a dozens of films, with various storylines and countless characters. Its mythology has become so big that a casual viewer could easily get confused and be overwhelmed in watching the approximately 30 sagas of "Dragon Ball".
These many sagas of "Dragon Ball" are what comprise the journey of a manga series from its humble martial arts-themed origins up to its inter-galactic alien-destroying-planets arcs. It has definitely come a long way, with the protagonist Son Goku learning martial arts, to finding the Dragon balls which grant three wishes, to him learning his alien ancestry, and eventually becoming the ultra-powerful Super Saiyan.
"Dragon Ball" has become a giant of a storyline that Comic Book has listed the five best sagas from the more than 30 story arcs of the franchise. Here are the 5 best sagas from "Dragon Ball", to wit:
5. Red Ribbon Army Saga
The saga is from the original 'Dragon Ball" series which features a more relaxed and under-powered Son Goku. The story involved Goku's quest for the Dragon balls and a mysterious organized crime group called the Red Ribbon Army following his steps with the plan of using the mystifying balls for world domination. The thrilling saga also introduced notable villains and terrifying characters like Colonel Silver and General White.
4. King Piccolo Saga
While the Red Ribbon Army Saga introduced as to Goku fighting a more serious and sinister nemesis, the King Piccolo Saga showed a turn of the franchise from a cheeky comedy into a serious one. In this saga, Goku was first confronted with the fact of life, that it is definite and fragile. This is also the first time that Goku made a kill of his opponent by punching a hole through King Piccolo's chest.
3. Trunks Saga
Known for its countless fighting scenes and overly stretched storylines, the "Dragon Ball" franchise made a saga that is complete with all the punches and excitement without having the viewers wait for a long time. The Trunks Saga featured the killing by a mysterious stranger of the invading alien force of King Cold and the avenging Frieza. He killed the two in a wink, stunning the Earth warriors, including Vegeta. It was then revealed that the stranger is named Trunks and he is from the future, bringing a warning of imminent apocalypse in the future.
2. Frieza Saga
One of the longer "Dragon Ball" sagas, the Frieza arc features a maniacal villain in the person of, who else, Frieza. This is a thrilling and emotional journey for the characters, with Piccolo gaining a new level of power but eventually dying, and Goku achieving the legendary Super Saiyan powers. But what makes this saga truly unforgettable is how it managed to keep the viewers at the edge of their seats every episode, with the first space journey featured in "Dragon Ball". It then ended in a fitting climax with Goku becoming the feared legend, that is the Super Saiyan warrior.
1. Vegeta Saga
This is dubbed as the quintessential "Dragon Ball" saga, which is the first sci-fi storyline introduced to set apart "Dragon Ball Z" from the previous 'Dragon Ball" series. The violent saga introduced the mysterious, cunning, and powerful Saiyan prince cum warrior named Vegeta. The saga laid down the foundation for what would be a funny rivalry between Vegeta and Goku in the succeeding "Dragon Ball" sagas.
