A resurgence of interest in the Dragon Ball series’ began in Japan in the early 2000s, and amid a re-release of the manga in a kanzenban (“Perfect Edition”) format, Toei Animation announced they would be releasing the TV series’ in DVD box sets called “Dragon Boxes”. Unlike many countries around the world, which had been releasing the TV series’ on either VHS or DVD for years, Japan had no proper home video release. Up until this point, the only Dragon Ball properties released in Japan were the movies, which were available on VHS and LaserDisc.

Dragon Box Releases

Beginning in 2003, Toei Animation, in cooperation with the DVD manufacturing company Pony Canyon, began releasing a series of four box sets in Japan covering the entire Dragon Ball TV series property, which were dubbed the “Dragon Boxes”. By mid-2005, all three TV series had been released, although out of chronological order, which marked the first time that any of these properties were available on a home video format in Japan. In 2006 Toei Animation dropped Pony Canyon and released all of the Dragon Ball movie properties in the fifth and final Dragon Box.

The Dragon Boxes were limited items in the truest sense of the word. An order start date would be announced several months in advance, as well as an order deadline. The ordering windows were typically several months in length, and all manufacturing of the box sets were based solely on the number of orders received. In other words, they only made enough boxes to satisfy the orders made within the given timelines, after which point production on the boxes ended indefinitely. With so few actual Dragon Boxes in circulation (most of which already in the loving arms of Dragon Ball fans), it makes finding these boxes nowadays somewhat difficult.

Dragon Ball DVD Box – Dragon Box

This limited-production DVD box set contains Dragon Ball episodes 001 through 153 (complete series), plus bonus features. Although Dragon Ball is the first series chronologically, this was actually the third DVD set in the Dragon Box series, following both Dragon Box Z volumes.

Release Information

Released:07July 2004
Retail:¥105,000
Catalog Number:PCBC-50482
Manufacturer:Pony Canyon
Discs:26 discs
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball Z DVD Box – Dragon Box Z Volume 1

This limited-production DVD box set contains Dragon Ball Z episodes 001 through 147, plus bonus features. Although Dragon Ball Z is the second series chronologically, the Dragon Box DVD series was actually launched with Dragon Ball Z, making this the very first Dragon Box release.

Release Information

Released:19 March 2003
Retail:¥100,000
Catalog Number:PCBC-50368
Manufacturer:Pony Canyon
Discs:25 discs + 1 special disc
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball Z DVD Box – Dragon Box Z Volume 2

This limited-production DVD box set contains Dragon Ball Z episodes 148 through 291 (series finale), plus bonus features. Although Dragon Ball Z is the second series chronologically, the Dragon Box DVD series was actually launched with Dragon Ball Z, making this the second Dragon Box release.

Release Information

Released:18 September 2003
Retail:¥100,000
Catalog Number:PCBC-50369
Manufacturer:Pony Canyon
Discs:24 discs + 2 special discs
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball GT DVD Box – Dragon Box

This limited-production DVD box set contains Dragon Ball GT episodes 01 through 64 (complete series), plus bonus features. Due to the amount of pre-orders put in for this box being much higher than Toei had anticipated, its release was actually delayed to meet the demand.

Release Information

Released:15 June 2005
Retail:¥52,500
Catalog Number:PCBC-50657
Manufacturer:Pony Canyon
Discs:11 discs + 1 special disc
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Box The Movies

This limited-production DVD box set contains Dragon Ball theatrical movies 01 through 17 (complete theatrical release schedule), plus bonus features. Although almost all of the material in this box set pre-dates Dragon Ball GT, this was actually the fifth and final box to be released.

Release Information

Released:14 April 2006
Retail:¥52,500
Catalog Number:DSTD-02536
Manufacturer:Toei Video
Discs:8 discs
Video Format:16:9 Letterbox

Individual Dragon Box Disc Releases

Following the release of the TV series Dragon Boxes, Toei announced the release of their individual discs, giving fans that didn’t own the Dragon Boxes a chance to own these properties. Unfortunately, these individual discs wouldn’t contain any of the extras that came with the Dragon Boxes, but instead special diorama sets were created exclusively for those that purchased all of the individual discs. Following this, individual discs for all of the movie properties were also released.

Dragon Ball Individual Discs

These individual DVD releases contain Dragon Ball episodes 001 through 153 (complete series) as originally presented on the series’ respective Dragon Box.

Release Information

Released:04 April 2007 – 05 December 2007
Discs:01-26 (26 individual volumes)
Retail:¥3,800 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:PCBC-51141 to PCBC-51166
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball Z Individual Discs

These individual DVD releases contain Dragon Ball Z episodes 001 through 291 (complete series) as originally presented on the series’ respective Dragon Box.

Release Information

Released:02 November 2005 – 07 February 2007
Discs:01-49 (49 individual volumes)
Retail:¥3,800 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:PCBC-50781 to PCBC-50829
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball GT Individual Discs

These individual DVD releases contain Dragon Ball GT episodes 01 through 64 (complete series) as originally presented on the series’ respective Dragon Box.

Release Information

Released:06 February 2008 – 04 June 2008
Discs:01-11 (11 individual volumes)
Retail:¥3,800 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:PCBC-51311 to PCBC-51321
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball The Movies Individual Discs

These individual DVD releases contain Dragon Ball theatrical movies 01 through 17 (complete theatrical release schedule) as originally presented on “Dragon Box The Movies”.

Release Information

Released:08 August 2008 – 13 February 2009
Discs:01-17 (17 individual volumes)
Retail:¥2,800 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:PCBC-07851 to PCBC-07867
Video Format:16:9 Letterbox

Dragon Ball Kai Releases

In early 2009, Toei Animation announced that a “refreshed” version of the Dragon Ball Z TV series, re-titled Dragon Ball Kai, was being produced for a high-definition (HD) presentation in honor of its 20th anniversary. This was the first time that any Dragon Ball property would be released on high-definition Blu-ray, bringing Dragon Ball into the digital age. So far, Dragon Ball Kai is the only series to see both a standard-definition DVD and a high-definition Blu-ray release. It is also the only series to see any sort of release while the series was still being broadcast in Japan. Visit the “Episode Guide” for more information about Dragon Ball Kai.

Dragon Ball Kai Individual DVD Discs

These individual DVD releases contain Dragon Ball Kai episodes 01 through 98.

Release Information

Released:18 September 2009 – 02 August 2011
Discs:01-33 (33 individual volumes)
Retail:¥2,800 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:BIBA-7811 to BIBA-7843
Video Format:16:9 Letterbox

Dragon Ball Kai Blu-ray Box Sets

These Blu-ray box set releases contain Dragon Ball Kai episodes 01 through 98, plus bonus features. Each box set came with a “Dragon Book” highlighting the respective box set’s contents and often included exclusive interviews with the series’ staff and cast.

Release Information

Released:18 September 2009 – 02 August 2011
Box Sets:01-08 (8 box sets + 1 volume; varying discs per box set)
Retail:¥15,200 (+ tax); ¥13,980 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:BIXA-1020; BIXA-9321 to BIXA-9328
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Other Releases

In 2009, Shueisha released the Dragon Ball “Jump Super Anime Tour” Special through a limited mail-in order. Unlike the Dragon Boxes, the process for ordering this DVD was much more complex and limited. Anyone in the world was allowed to order any of the Dragon Boxes as long as the order was placed before the deadline ended. However, this DVD release was restricted to those living within Japan and Shueisha even went so far as to specifically note that orders from outside of Japan would not be accepted.

Later in 2011, Shueisha released both Dragon Ball Z TV specials which were previously only available through the limited Dragon Box releases. Unlike the Dragon Ball “Jump Super Anime Tour” Special DVD, this release was easily obtainable through most online retailers to those outside of Japan. Interestingly, the DVD contained some great bonus material that was not included with the Dragon Boxes.

In March 2012, the recently relaunched Saikyō Jump‘s March 2012 issue came packed with a bonus DVD that contained Episode of Bardock (debuted the prior December at Jump Festa and subsequently streamed online), as well as Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans (originally included as a part of the Raging Blast 2 video game and also streamed online exclusively in Japan).

“Jump Super Anime Tour” Super DVD

This mail-in order DVD release contains the “Dragon Ball – Heya! Son Goku and Friends Return!!” Jump Super Anime Tour feature, plus bonus features.

Release Information

Released:April 2009
Discs:1 individual disc
Retail:¥1,524 (+ tax)
Catalog Number:SDVD-014187
Video Format:16:9 Letterbox

Dragon Ball Z Special Selection DVD

This DVD release contains both Dragon Ball Z TV specials, plus bonus features. It also marks the first time these TV specials were readily available in Japan outside of their inclusion on the Dragon Box Z sets.

Release Information

Released:05 August 2011
Discs:1 individual disc
Retail:¥1,000
ISBN:4-08-908141-9
Video Format:4:3 Standard Size

Dragon Ball Saikyō Jump Bonus DVD

This DVD release contains both Episode of Bardock as well as Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans. It also marks the first time these specials were available in any standard home format (with the latter being previously available on the Raging Blast 2 video game).

Release Information

Released:03 February 2012
Discs:1 individual disc
Retail:¥480
ASIN:B006ZNF4P2
Video Format:16:9 Letterbox