I've created a guide to the continuities of Dragon Ball

[MasenkoHA]

See, I told you so. Read all the replies. Toriyama didn't write the anime filler.

I never said he did. The hell are you babbling about?

[Goten_jr]

How I see it:
Jaco->DB Minus->DB->BOG->RoF->DBS->End Of Z->Sidestory:GT
Stories in a different dimension:OG DB/Z Movies,Anime Filler,Bardock Special(?)

[ZodaEX]

See, I told you so. Read all the replies. Toriyama didn't write the anime filler.

I never said he did. The hell are you babbling about?

Yes you did you said he wrote the anime, and filler is part of it. You're in major denial.

[ronaldnorth_03]

1 | This first continuity is complex. It is the canonical scheme of Akira Toriyama for the manga and also for the anime.
The center line is the one that is connected for both manga and anime, with Jaco as the guiding thread. On the left and right line is the central story of manga and anime. Around it, there are parallel continuities to the central storyline, in this case, Dragon Ball Super, a continuation written by the author.

2 | In the second continuity, we have the three recent stories of Dragon Ball Z, written by Akira Toriyama. It works in parallel with the original series / original manga, following its own continuity.

3 | The third continuity is completely separate from the original series. The films follow a different story, and each one is well alone. With the exception of the Cooler and Broly films, they had sequels.

4 | This continuity parallels the previous continuity. It's simply, a What-If, taking manga and anime version.
PS: '=' means parallel

5 | Continuity 5 is the most distorted of all. This is the SD universe.


6 | It's the Heroes universe, which echoes everything that's happened in the series. There is both manga and anime...

[KBABZ]

2 | In the second continuity, we have the three recent stories of Dragon Ball Z, written by Akira Toriyama. It works in parallel with the original series / original manga, following its own continuity.

Did Toriyama contribute to the JSAT special?

[MasenkoHA]

See, I told you so. Read all the replies. Toriyama didn't write the anime filler.

I never said he did. The hell are you babbling about?

Yes you did you said he wrote the anime, and filler is part of it. You're in major denial.

Nowhere did I say Toriyama wrote the anime. KBABZ said he wrote the STORY, which is true because he wrote the manga. That’s not the same thing as saying he wrote the anime. Nobody said Toriyama wrote the anime. Your poor reading comprehension isn’t my fault.

[Kunzait_83]

Jesus H. motherfucking Christ these charts.

Seriously, some of you guys are WAAAAAAAAAAAY needlessly over-complicating this shit. Robo4900 all the way on the first page perfectly summarized it:

Continuity 1: The original manga, optionally including the Super manga, Jaco, and Minus.
Continuity 2: The original anime: DB, Z, GT, both TV specials, and optionally whichever Z movies you think fit.
Continuity 3: The modern anime: DB, Kai, Super, and the Broly movie.

Easy. This isn't DC Comics. Its just Dragon Ball. Even with the new material that's currently out, this still isn't particularly THAT complex. Manga, old anime, new anime: pick your poison.

Good lord, this "canon" shit has been starting to get almost as bad as the Power Level crap: some of you are just WAY needlessly over-thinking it into a convoluted knot that it in NO WAY warrants.

[The Tori-bot]

Is that one supposed to be less confusing?

Also, rolandnorth_03, I've noticed you never seem to actually discuss anything or engage with anyone. Most of your posts are just your own needlessly complicated timeline charts/theories.

[MasenkoHA]

Is that one supposed to be less confusing?

Also, rolandnorth_03, I've noticed you never seem to actually discuss anything or engage with anyone. Most of your posts are just your own needlessly complicated timeline charts/theories.

Plot twist: Just watch and enjoy the Dragon Ball material you like. There’s going to be continuity snarls due to the original anime trilogy and supplementary material running pretty close behind the original manga. That plus Toriyama’s general “make shit up as I go along” modus operandi.

[The Tori-bot]

Is that one supposed to be less confusing?

Also, rolandnorth_03, I've noticed you never seem to actually discuss anything or engage with anyone. Most of your posts are just your own needlessly complicated timeline charts/theories.

Plot twist: Just watch and enjoy the Dragon Ball material you like. There’s going to be continuity snarls due to the original anime trilogy and supplementary material running pretty close behind the original manga. That plus Toriyama’s general “make shit up as I go along” modus operandi.

That's what I do personally. I understand the desire to put everything in its proper toy box so to speak, but it's only going to get more and more difficult as more new material continues to come out that may or may not contradict something else.

Don't get me wrong, I like having my continuities in order as much as the next nerd, I just accept that it's not always feasible. I enjoyed the Planet Vegeta scenes in Super: Broli without worrying about how it probably contradicts something the anime, or how Bardock's outfit is different from the flashback in the manga. I'll echo that what Robo4900 said (in the very first reply no less!) is a perfectly sound and logical way to go about it - not a chart in sight, because it really is that simple when you stop trying to overthink it.

I don't even factor in stuff like Heroes. I know DB itself isn't exactly a bastion of artistic integrity, but Heroes and its related media literally only exist to sell cards to Japanese children. It's not supposed to make sense or fit in anywhere, it just wants to impress you by showing you all these strong characters that you can then go and buy/play. It's like trying to find out where in the DC multiverse those old Jerry Seinfeld/Superman American Express ads take place.

[ABED]

BS, it all must fit!

Truthfully, the last two posts sum up my feelings well. Like whatever you like, regardless of continuity, and don't overthink this stuff.

[Goten_jr]

One thing I never understood is how GT is always considered "non canon“ although Toriyama himself stated that it’s a Sidestory of The Original DB(his own work)Can Sidestory not be. Canon? Especially in a Story where alternate Timelines are introduced?

[ABED]

One thing I never understood is how GT is always considered "non canon“ although Toriyama himself stated that it’s a Sidestory of The Original DB(his own work)Can Sidestory not be. Canon? Especially in a Story where alternate Timelines are introduced?

Alternate timelines are the result of time travel.

[MasenkoHA]

One thing I never understood is how GT is always considered "non canon“ although Toriyama himself stated that it’s a Sidestory of The Original DB(his own work)Can Sidestory not be. Canon? Especially in a Story where alternate Timelines are introduced?

Non-canon in the sense that Toriyama didn’t write it (but I believe he was a consultant on some level?) and the current stuff with Super pushes it out of continuity.

GT fits in with the original anime series just fine (indeed I believe it started a week after Z ended in Japan?)

It’s like Bardock:Father of Goku in that regard. The more recent material actively contradicts it but it still fit in with the anime trilogy that ran from 1986-1997.

This is why Robo’s break up of DB>Z>GT (and specials) and DB>Kai>Super>Super Broly movie is probably the best way to look at it.

But again it’s not like Super existing means GT doesn’t exist. Super Broly not being compatiable with Bardock Father of Goku doesn’t that tv special stopped existing and became invalid.

[KBABZ]

GT fits in with the original anime series just fine (indeed I believe it started a week after Z ended in Japan?)

Correct! Much in the same way Z aired the week after the final episode of Dragon Ball (which is solid proof that they are really the same show), GT started the week after the last episode of Z.

Jesus H. motherfucking Christ these charts.

Seriously, some of you guys are WAAAAAAAAAAAY needlessly over-complicating this shit.

Mine's still good right?


...right?

[Goten_jr]

One thing I never understood is how GT is always considered "non canon“ although Toriyama himself stated that it’s a Sidestory of The Original DB(his own work)Can Sidestory not be. Canon? Especially in a Story where alternate Timelines are introduced?

Non-canon in the sense that Toriyama didn’t write it (but I believe he was a consultant on some level?) and the current stuff with Super pushes it out of continuity.

GT fits in with the original anime series just fine (indeed I believe it started a week after Z ended in Japan?)

It’s like Bardock:Father of Goku in that regard. The more recent material actively contradicts it but it still fit in with the anime trilogy that ran from 1986-1997.

This is why Robo’s break up of DB>Z>GT (and specials) and DB>Kai>Super>Super Broly movie is probably the best way to look at it.

But again it’s not like Super existing means GT doesn’t exist. Super Broly not being compatiable with Bardock Father of Goku doesn’t that tv special stopped existing and became invalid.

I don’t think Super pushes it out of continuity because GT isn’t considered to be in the "Main Timeline" like Toriyama said it’s a Sidestory that is based on the Manga and continues the EOZ

[ABED]

Super does push it out in a way. The way the story unfolds makes GT impossible to occur within the same continuity.

[MasenkoHA]

I don’t think Super pushes it out of continuity because GT isn’t considered to be in the "Main Timeline" like Toriyama said it’s a Sidestory that is based on the Manga and continues the EOZ

When GT aired, despite not being adapted from the manga, it fit into the main anime series just fine.

GT and Super can not exist in the same timeline. Things established in Super are at odds with things in GT.

Super is saying “Dragon Ball and Z pretty did happen but GT did not”

[Kunzait_83]

When GT aired, despite not being adapted from the manga, it fit into the main anime series just fine.

GT and Super can not exist in the same timeline. Things established in Super are at odds with things in GT.

Super is saying “Dragon Ball and Z pretty did happen but GT did not”

The big thing that Super ultimately did was introduce a continuity fork in the road. Whereas before it was simply:

DB->Z/Kai->GT

Now its:



With the Bardock TV Special being dropped in or out depending on if you opt the GT or Super route.

While they may be fairly radically different in terms of presentation/aesthetics, in terms of sheer plot fundamentals I don't even think that Kai is so dramatically different from Z that its in an "alternate continuity": you can ultimately jump to either GT or Super from either Z or Kai just as easily and with no real hurdles or snags.

Though aesthetically it ultimately feels much smoother and more natural to go from Z to GT or from Kai to Super, if you don't care about production details all THAT much then the raw story still works just as well if you decide to mix it up and go from Kai to GT, or from Z to Super (though in the latter's case, you'd have to drop the Bardock special from Z, which is... exceedingly lame and frustrating, to put it mildly).

The absurd and ridiculous flowcharts in this thread are both stupid and wildly unnecessary.

[MasenkoHA]

When GT aired, despite not being adapted from the manga, it fit into the main anime series just fine.

GT and Super can not exist in the same timeline. Things established in Super are at odds with things in GT.

Super is saying “Dragon Ball and Z pretty did happen but GT did not”

The big thing that Super ultimately did was introduce a continuity fork in the road. Whereas before it was simply:

DB->Z/Kai->GT

Now its:



With the Bardock TV Special being dropped in or out depending on if you opt the GT or Super route.

While they may be fairly radically different in terms of presentation/aesthetics, in terms of sheer plot fundamentals I don't even think that Kai is so dramatically different from Z that its in an "alternate continuity": you can ultimately jump to either GT or Super from either Z or Kai just as easily and with no real hurdles or snags.

Though aesthetically it ultimately feels much smoother and more natural to go from Z to GT or from Kai to Super, if you don't care about production details all THAT much then the raw story still works just as well if you decide to mix it up and go from Kai to GT, or from Z to Super (though in the latter's case, you'd have to drop the Bardock special from Z, which is... exceedingly lame and frustrating, to put it mildly).

I do think its easier going from Kai to Super or Z to GT for a few reasons but yeah you can definitely go from Z to Super (as I expect a lot do since Kai isn’t exactly popular albeit for different reasons depending on the fandom niche) or Kai to GT.