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

[ronaldnorth_03]

Continuity 1 - Dragonball: includes the entire canonical chronology of the author for the manga.

Continuity 2 - Complement: is used as support for continuity 1 and 3.

Continuity 3 - It is the canonical chronological line of the anime.

Continuity 4 - Movies e Specials: It follows a chronology parallel to the series, finished in Dragon Ball GT.

Continuity 5 - It arises as a continuity 4 what-if.

Continuity 6 - It is the mirror of continuity 5, bringing the same stories as manga.

[Robo4900]

I always thought it was more like this...

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 Z movies 1 and 3.
Continuity 3: The modern anime: DB, Kai, Super, and the Broly movie.

Then all the spinoff manga, movies that don't fit, etc. (including BOG and ResF, since Super has superseded them in the main modern continuity) all have their own minor continuities that aren't worth noting; trying to stretch the movies to all fit into one continuity is merely silliness to try to fit things neatly together when they were never intended to; while there are certain connections between some movies and other things (Z movies 1 and 3 are followed up on in the anime with Garlic Jr. and Hiya Dragon appearing, the '80s DB movies tie together to form a connected trilogy, the Broly trilogy ties together, the two Coola movies tie together), most of them are pretty much unconnected. I do like to imagine that Z movie 13 took place in the original anime timeline, for instance, but there's no references to it, no actual following-up from it, no ties to anything.
Arguably since the original manga timeline skips ResF, and pretty much covers BoG as a brief recap, one could consider those two movies to take place there, especially given Toriyama approached them as sequels to his original manga... And in fact, that's how I consider it... But, that's more a judgement call.

[MasenkoHA]

(Z movies 1 and 3 are followed up on in the anime with Garlic Jr. and Hiya Dragon appearing,

The problem is those two movies, like all the other DBZ movies, simply do not fit.

Movie 1 ostensibly is suppose to take place before the start of the series, if it fit at all, but Roshi, Kurilin, and Bulma aren’t suppose to have seen Goku since the end of Dragon Ball or know about his son. There’s also the matter of the movie repeating some of the same plot beats of the Raditz arc. Gohan is kidnapped>Piccolo and Goku form a temporary alliance>Gohan reveals his hidden power to the shock of Goku

Movie 3 is even worse trying to fit. It has to take place after the Saiyajin saga because Goku knows the Genki Dama and Kaioken techniques but he’s not a Super Saiyajin yet but all the dead Z warriors are alive and there’s place for the movie to work.

[Kunzait_83]

I do like to imagine that Z movie 13 took place in the original anime timeline, for instance, but there's no references to it, no actual following-up from it, no ties to anything.

You mean aside from the Dragon Fist/Ryuken technique featuring pretty heavily in GT?

[MasenkoHA]

I do like to imagine that Z movie 13 took place in the original anime timeline, for instance, but there's no references to it, no actual following-up from it, no ties to anything.

You mean aside from the Dragon Fist/Ryuken technique featuring pretty heavily in GT?

I forgot Z movie 13 is one of the few (only?) films that can fit snuggly into the main series without any actual hiccups. More so than movie 1 and 3 for sure.

[Big Boss]

I do like to imagine that Z movie 13 took place in the original anime timeline, for instance, but there's no references to it, no actual following-up from it, no ties to anything.

You mean aside from the Dragon Fist/Ryuken technique featuring pretty heavily in GT?

I forgot Z movie 13 is one of the few (only?) films that can fit snuggly into the main series without any actual hiccups. More so than movie 1 and 3 for sure.

Aside from the whole Trunks' sword thing.

[Zephyr]

How is Trunks getting a sword a hiccup?

[MasenkoHA]

How is Trunks getting a sword a hiccup?

The movie wants to be like “Here’s how Trunks got his sword we saw from Future Trunks” but the events of the movie couldn’t have possibly occured in the bad future timeline.

It was nonsense easter egg by Toei but I don’t think it actively contradicts anything it’s just saying Trunks got his sword a different way than Mirai Trunks did.

[Big Boss]

How is Trunks getting a sword a hiccup?

I'm pretty sure the whole inclusion of of that scene is supposed to imply that's where Future Trunks got his sword from, but it obviously makes zero sense. The first thing a fan will think who watches Movie 13 and that scene for the first time is "Oh! So that's where he got his sword!".

I know it isn't THE sword, but it still bugs me because that's implication.

[Kunzait_83]

I forgot Z movie 13 is one of the few (only?) films that can fit snuggly into the main series without any actual hiccups. More so than movie 1 and 3 for sure.

Movie 9 also fits in perfectly with zero issues whatsoever.

I've also made the case that movie 5 on its own (without movie 6) also fits just fine, and that most of people's reasoning for why it doesn't come down to silly, pedantic nitpicks: but that's neither here nor there.

[MasenkoHA]

[

Movie 9 also fits in perfectly with zero issues whatsoever.

I've also made the case that movie 5 on its own (without movie 6) also fits just fine, and that most of people's reasoning for why it doesn't come down to silly, pedantic nitpicks: but that's neither here nor there.

I’m trying to think of what about movie 5 didn’t fit with the series other than small insignificant shit like Gohan having his Namek era bowl cut and Vegeta not being around

Movies 1-4, 6&7, 10-12 are the ones I think someone would be most pressed to try to fit in the series.

[ABED]

Movie 8 also wouldn't fit. Let's just say it takes place before the Cell Games but after Goku and Gohan exit the Room of Spirit and Time, then Gohan could turn SSJ2 or at least has the potential, in which case, why wouldn't Goku try to draw it out when things took a turn?

[MasenkoHA]

Movie 8 also wouldn't fit. Let's just say it takes place before the Cell Games but after Goku and Gohan exit the Room of Spirit and Time, then Gohan could turn SSJ2 or at least has the potential, in which case, why wouldn't Goku try to draw it out when things took a turn?

Oops. For some reason I just remembered it seeming like it could fit in during the 10 day wait for the Cell Games without a significant snag.

[Hellspawn28]

I feel like Movie 13 can't fit with Super now because Cell's time machine was all rusty while the time machine that Tapion used at the end of the movie look like it was brand new.

[jjgp1112]

I forgot Z movie 13 is one of the few (only?) films that can fit snuggly into the main series without any actual hiccups. More so than movie 1 and 3 for sure.

Movie 9 also fits in perfectly with zero issues whatsoever.

I've also made the case that movie 5 on its own (without movie 6) also fits just fine, and that most of people's reasoning for why it doesn't come down to silly, pedantic nitpicks: but that's neither here nor there.

The big thing hurting Movie 5 for me is the nature of Goku's Super Saiyan transformation to me - it appears that he still needs to be triggered spontaneously by rage even though he was supposed to have complete control over transforming by that point. We know Goku is prone to being lax but, especially with Goku at his most heroic serious business Toei Goku-ness here, it doesn't really make sense why he'd even try fighting in his base form if he can sense that Cooler is both as strong as Frieza and has an extra transformation that pushes him even further than Frieza. If he could go Super Saiyan on his own accord, he'd do it.

The basic plot beats of Cooler can fit, but the movie that we actually see has some inconsistencies.

[Kunzait_83]

I’m trying to think of what about movie 5 didn’t fit with the series other than small insignificant shit like Gohan having his Namek era bowl cut and Vegeta not being around

The stupid Namek bowl cut thing gets brought up a lot, but what people get the most hung up on is Goku not going SSJ till the very end of the fight. Not taking into consideration how fairly new SSJ still was at this point and not seeing it as a simple case of the movie going for "dramatic impact" with it and getting overly-literal and hyperfocussed on power level nonsense.

Movies 1-4, 6&7, 10-12 are the ones I think someone would be most pressed to try to fit in the series.

Someone on this forum once (like WAAAAAY back in the day) came up with a really cool idea for fitting in Movie 7 at least: having it set in one of the alternate timelines that Trunks created in the Cell arc that we didn't get to see (or at least see very much of).

Basically by this person's idea was that in the timeline where Trunks helped the Z Warriors defeat #17 and #18, then went back to his time and got killed by Cell is the timeline where Movie 7 would fit: Trunks helps the crew beat 17 and 18, then chills in the past for a little while (which is where Movie 7 happens) then heads back to his time and gets offed by Cell.

Further, it could work like this because it would also explain why Movie 7 doesn't happen in the "main" timeline after Cell travels back in time: Trunks and Kuririn are prompted to blow up the hidden underground part of Gero's lab when Cell comes back to the past: they take out not only Cell's larva/incubator, but also by extension with the rest of the lab they'd take out #13, #14, and #15's pods as well (since in Movie 7 they were ostensibly stored in the same underground lab-area as Cell's incubation tube).

The big thing hurting Movie 5 for me is the nature of Goku's Super Saiyan transformation to me - it appears that he still needs to be triggered spontaneously by rage even though he was supposed to have complete control over transforming by that point. We know Goku is prone to being lax but, especially with Goku at his most heroic serious business Toei Goku-ness here, it doesn't really make sense why he'd even try fighting in his base form if he can sense that Cooler is both as strong as Frieza and has an extra transformation that pushes him even further than Frieza. If he could go Super Saiyan on his own accord, he'd do it.

The basic plot beats of Cooler can fit, but the movie that we actually see has some inconsistencies.

Like I said before: I think this is a point people get too hung up on and are thinking a bit too "in-universe" about. The reason why the form gets held off on the way it does in the movie is simple "climactic/dramatic effect" movie pacing: SSJ was still a new element to the series at the time, so the movie's final fight simply builds up to it and uses it as a climactic finisher against Coola, rather than as a "Yep, this is now a normal part of the series" element.

By the time we get to Movie 6, SSJ had been well established enough where it could get away with having everyone just snap into it: and even THEN, Movie 6 STILL builds up to its first use a bit in Goku and Coola's fight. As does Movie 7 even!

[jjgp1112]

The big thing hurting Movie 5 for me is the nature of Goku's Super Saiyan transformation to me - it appears that he still needs to be triggered spontaneously by rage even though he was supposed to have complete control over transforming by that point. We know Goku is prone to being lax but, especially with Goku at his most heroic serious business Toei Goku-ness here, it doesn't really make sense why he'd even try fighting in his base form if he can sense that Cooler is both as strong as Frieza and has an extra transformation that pushes him even further than Frieza. If he could go Super Saiyan on his own accord, he'd do it.

The basic plot beats of Cooler can fit, but the movie that we actually see has some inconsistencies.

Like I said before: I think this is a point people get too hung up on and are thinking a bit too "in-universe" about. The reason why the form gets held off on the way it does in the movie is simple "climactic/dramatic effect" movie pacing: SSJ was still a new element to the series at the time, so the movie's final fight simply builds up to it and uses it as a climactic finisher against Coola, rather than as a "Yep, this is now a normal part of the series" element.

By the time we get to Movie 6, SSJ had been well established enough where it could get away with having everyone just snap into it: and even THEN, Movie 6 STILL builds up to its first use a bit in Goku and Coola's fight. As does Movie 7 even!

That's fair, and the dramatic effect was always my go-to explanation for that as well, but it bugs me the more I think about it.

I also think I was the one who brought up the Movie 7 timeline deal haha. I definitely recall posting the idea on here around 2009 or so

[Kunzait_83]

That's fair, and the dramatic effect was always my go-to explanation for that as well, but it bugs me the more I think about it.

I also think I was the one who brought up the Movie 7 timeline deal haha. I definitely recall posting the idea on here around 2009 or so

I think it was first batted around by someone else on here even EARLIER than that: like back in 2005/2006, before you were even a regular here yet.

But yeah, I always thought it was a cool/clever idea: its even supported by supplemental guidebook material that puts Movie 7 as being set in an "Alternate Universe". Which... yeah, with this explanation, it pretty much technically would be.

I feel like Movie 13 can't fit with Super now because Cell's time machine was all rusty while the time machine that Tapion used at the end of the movie look like it was brand new.

Not really relevant though with the original point, which is having 13 work in conjunction with GT (which it does, just fine).

[ruler9871]

I personally think it goes like this:

1. Jaco/DB Minus -> Original Manga -> DBS Manga

2. Bardock FOG -> Early DB Anime -> Z -> GT

3. Early DB Anime -> Kai -> DBS Anime

4. Xenoverse & Heroes (where everything is canon)

The DBS Broly film is canon to #1, 3 & 4.

Most of the old Z films don't connect to each other (and Dead Zone, World's Strongest & Bojack Unbound are the only ones that could fit into any of the main 3 canons) and together form at least 5 different continuities.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

How is Trunks getting a sword a hiccup?

The movie wants to be like “Here’s how Trunks got his sword we saw from Future Trunks” but the events of the movie couldn’t have possibly occured in the bad future timeline.

It was nonsense easter egg by Toei but I don’t think it actively contradicts anything it’s just saying Trunks got his sword a different way than Mirai Trunks did.

Didn't they also have the credits cut to Future Trunks? I think Toei were being way too on the nose with that.

Movie 8 also wouldn't fit. Let's just say it takes place before the Cell Games but after Goku and Gohan exit the Room of Spirit and Time, then Gohan could turn SSJ2 or at least has the potential, in which case, why wouldn't Goku try to draw it out when things took a turn?

More to point Gohan and Goku shouldn't be in base at all if it were suppsoed to be during the Cell Games wait.