Dragon Ball - Recommendations

If you're looking for anime similar to Dragon Ball, you might like these titles.

Naruto

Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki is a young ninja who bears a great power hidden inside him, a power that has isolated him from the rest of his village. As such, his only dream is to become the Hokage - the most powerful ninja, and leader of the village; but first he needs to graduate! With his inability to perform even the most basic ninja techniques, it seems that all Naruto has going for him is his determination to succeed no matter what. Teamed up with the genius Sasuke, book-smart Sakura, and their team leader Kakashi, Naruto embarks on his quest to become the Hokage. But with outside forces posing a threat to the entire Hidden Leaf village, Naruto discovers that he must become much stronger if he ever wants to realize his dream and protect the friendships he's forged.

18 votes

I agree

Watch online

Reasons you might like Naruto...

SSJCloud SSJCloud says...

If you liked dragon ball's comedic anime with some good action, naruto is one for you. They both have a good amount of fighting, but tends to revolve around a main purpose of the show. Naruto is pretty catchy early on so i reccomend them because they're quite alike.

VRDave VRDave says...

Another series where a boy takes on the evils of the world with his friends and his fighting skills. Naruto is more of a ninja-lovers anime, whereas Dragonball is a martial-arts-lovers anime, but both are enjoyable for their fights and high octane action.

DraconPern DraconPern says...

Need a more grown up version of DB? This series is very long and still going strong.

kamirura kamirura says...

Are you looking for fighting and the growth of a hero? Naruto a kid trying to become a ninja has lear the road of life to become a great hero. Just like Songoku he gets friend who will help him on his way. A actionfilled series with alot of nice fighiting scenes. Id you liked DB be sure to watch Naruto.

Akuma Akuma says...

The next big anime from Akira Toriyama. Naruto is very similar in style to Dragon Ball. Each event requires a multitude of episodes to cover, and the story-telling and attention to detail is exceptional. Instead of Raw martial arts skills from Dragon Ball, Naruto introduces us to the world of Ninjas, whose use and mastery of "Chatra" parallels DB's use and mastery of "Ki." Naruto is overflowing with fantastic animation and loads of mind-boggling action. A MUST-SEE for Toriyama followers.

styln styln says...

Naruto and Dragon Ball are similar titles, I think more so than Naruto and Dragon Ball Z. Both Naruto and DB have young heroes who basically start off alone, have great hidden strengths, and have kind hearts. These heroes gain new friends and incredible strength along their journeys. Both series have a nice blend of both action and comedy as well.

phunk phunk says...

The two main characters of DB and Naruto, Goku and Naruto, are pretty similar - they both have a somewhat unexplained hidden power that if they learned to control, would be incredible. They both have that naivety too, which makes them the adorable main characters that they are.

gboichris gboichris says...

Both shows are about a young boy who grows up alone, although Goku's grandpa raised him...it is clear that he's been by himself for a while. It also shows how incredibly dumb the protagonist in both of the series are, but they are still incredible and unpredictable fighters. The fights in both series are similiar as well. Trust me if you like Dragon Ball you will definetely like Naruto.

Jake1989 Jake1989 says...

If you like action/adveture then either one is for you! Both follow a young hero that must get stronger in order to protect those close to him. They both also have thier funny moments too!

If you like your action/adventure with a side order of laughter then get watching!

xkub4 xkub4 says...

There is young boy who's growing with powers and protecting world from bad guys. Super powers, magic, fights etc. - you can find it in both.

fat10 fat10 says...

If you like Dragonball, you'll also like Naruto because it's an anime with lots of action, with a large number of characters, where each is worked carefully and especially, where each character has its own objective. Not only feel a special affection for the main character, but for all the characters, we understand even the villains. More importantly there is a link between all the characters, what makes the story even more incredible, is absolutely spectacular.

Falcon1991 Falcon1991 says...

Both cover the journey of a young hero with a variety of different characters. Goku's teacher Master Roshi is much like Jiraiya.

Plus we get  two enemies who eventually becomes a good guys, much like the Sand Siblings.

Lastly, both have exciting and over-the-top action which has the character gain in speed and power over time.

gretzky99 gretzky99 says...

Dragon Ball and Naruto are typical shounen anime. They feature a lot of characters and great fights. Dragon Ball is more fighting centric while Naruto has a more detailed plot and some emotional moments. Note that Naruto has a huge amount of pointless fillers in the last cca. 70 episodes.

NerdyNaeNae0 NerdyNaeNae0 says...

Though that these animes can have many things in common, I think that they can be different. Honestly though, if you are looking for something to laugh at, you can just look at either of these animes.

HepBisforme HepBisforme says...

Naruto is epic                                                                                                                                                                                                  

dimondprocats dimondprocats says...

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

i cant watch it for some reason it dosent show up

SailorSega SailorSega says...

Both are long runninng shonen series that feature martial arts and magical attacks.  

Both series have relationships that grow and expand over time.

Both series have thousands of fans World-wide.

BrandonTS16 BrandonTS16 says...

Light hearted most of the time, focused on battles and cool powers. Just the basic classic Battle Shonen. 

One Piece

One Piece

Long ago the infamous Gol D. Roger was the strongest and most powerful pirate on the seas. As he was about to be executed he revealed that he hid all of his wealth, including the legendary treasure known as One Piece, on an island at the end of the Grand Line - a treacherous and truly unpredictable sea. Monkey D. Luffy is a spirited, energetic and somewhat dim-witted young man with a very big dream: to find One Piece and become the Pirate King! However Luffy is no ordinary boy, as when he was younger he ate one of the Devil's Fruits and gained its power to become a Rubber Man. Now in this grand age of pirates Luffy sets out to gather a crew and sail to the most dangerous sea in the world so that he can fulfill his dream... and maybe even his appetite!

9 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like One Piece...

freakzilla freakzilla says...

Both DB and OP are pretty laid-back shounen anime. They both have a prominent adventure feeling to them while keeping the fights powerful, and are true eye candy for the real fighting fans.

Ne0 Ne0 says...

Both DB and OP are pretty laid-back shounen anime. They both have a prominent adventure feeling to them while keeping the fights powerful.

The hero travel over the world with their best friends searching for treasures and adventures having a lot of fun. & he likes to eat.

FireFlower FireFlower says...

If you liked Dragonball, you will also like this another classic. A story of a boy who wants to become a pirate and venture seas. Of course a pirate cannot be a pirate without fighting so this boy, Luffy, often finds himself in trouble with strong opponents when he seeks crewmates for his pirate crew who doesn't even have a proper ship. You hardly can say a row boat is a proper ship for pirating.

Hopefully you will enjoy this comedy as much as I do because you will enjoy this so much you want to become one of the Luffy's crewmates.

gretzky99 gretzky99 says...

I think Dragon Ball is the de facto standard of shounen anime and it's a real classic in the genre. In my opinion One Piece tops Dragon Ball in almost every aspect so if you have already seen Dragon Ball you might have lots of fun and excitement with OP.Also if you watch One Piece then I definitely recommend checking Dragon Ball because it has great characters and exciting adventures.

Patchoo Patchoo says...

Dragon Ball was the series that inspired One Piece's creator. You can see a lot of similarity between Goku and Luffy. Both are packed full of action and comedy - along with an insanely high number of episodes! Either enjoy the classic Dragon Ball, or watch a classic inspired modern One Piece. May shounen never end!

AProphet89 AProphet89 says...

If you loved the great storyline, action and characters in Dragon Ball, I think you'll really enjoy One Piece as well.

zuko266 zuko266 says...

Both have comedy mixed in with some epic action. The main characters are similar. Goku and Luffy are all around floating silly characters. Krillern and Ussop are also the same since at first they're kind of cowards and than they develop. They both travel in groups fighting evil or privates. Which will you watch, evil, private, or both?

QurChuck QurChuck says...

One Piece is Dragon Ball of nowadays for sure. I don't have to write more, do I? Anyway I recommend reading manga instead of watching anime

TheDivineWatcherr TheDivineWatcherr says...

Both anime feature a lovable character we are introduced to, both which have a goal and aim to get stronger for. Luffy and Goku have a lot in common: funny, laid-back and optimistic, serious and strong in battle, and big eaters ;)

Yu Yu Hakusho

Yu Yu Hakusho

Yusuke Urameshi was a normal middle school punk until he was hit and killed by a car, while saving a child. His selfless action earned him the right to gain his life back and serve as a detective of the spirit world, keeping the world of the living safe from a myriad of demons. But being reborn has its price: Yusuke must hatch a spirit beast that will develop according to his actions, and if he doesn't act in a good and honest manner, it will eat his soul. Can Yusuke protect the human and spirit worlds and still manage to save himself in the process?

8 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Yu Yu Hakusho...

Akuma Akuma says...

Yu Yu Hakusho follows the same principles as Dragon Ball: mastery of "Ki" life energy. Yu Yu Hakusho is set both on earth and in the afterlife. There are a host of demons and monsters to overcome. Lots of excellent battle action and a good storyline. Dragon Ball fans will love this!

Nanashi Nanashi says...

Yu Yu Hakusho is another shounen fighting anime that a Dragonball fan could easily get on board with. The plotline is relatively simple and the pace is much faster than that of Dragonball which leads me to believe that this would be a nice series match.

freakzilla freakzilla says...

Both Dragon Ball and YYH are fighting anime with a good story. If you like one, I recommend seeing the other as well.

baley7 baley7 says...

Both YYH and Dragonball have some similarities like many fighting scenes that increase in intensity as the series go on, and a good dose of comedy. If you liked Yu Yu (especially the first half) then you most likely will also enjoy Dragonball; and the same is true in reverse.

Foop Foop says...

Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho have very similar moods and intense fight scenes. If you are a fan of that, you should watch them both.

ADHDguitar ADHDguitar says...

Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho are both very similar.  Fight, fight, fight, huge tournament, fight fight and repeat. 

Both are very good action/martial arts animes.

Tanginello Tanginello says...

Both series have a similar storytelling style and pacing, with a minimal amount of filler. Story arcs go by quickly enough not to drag and enough humor to keep things ultimately light-hearted (and to make those few serious moments that much more poignant).

Yu Yu Hakusho does have a little more "spirit fighting" than Dragon Ball, but there are still plenty of physical punches being landed for all you martial arts fans.

ScottAF ScottAF says...

Both shows are similar in structure as far as martial arts tournaments and young protagonists that get stronger as they battle. There are several points where I can identify aspects of Yu Yu Hakusho that remind me of Dragon Ball. Most noticeably in the Red Ribbon Army Arc of Dragon Ball and the Beasts of Maze Castle in Yu Yu Hakusho. Any fan of Dragon Ball should consider Yu Yu Hakusho as a must see and vice versa.

Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Drawn to the mystique of the unknown, Hunters travel the world in search of terrifying creatures, incredible riches, and unexplored lands. Gon Freecss is a naive-yet-determined young boy who aspires to join the ranks of these individuals, in order to find his missing father Ging - a master of the profession himself. To reach his goal, he partakes in the formidable Hunter Exam, a series of tests that push the participants to their physical and mental limits, with a Hunter License as the prize. During the exam Gon befriends vengeful Kurapika, doctor-to-be Leorio, and skilled assassin Killua, who have entered for their own reasons. But with the sinister Hisoka standing in their way, will Gon and his friends be able to succeed in obtaining their reward, or even escaping with their lives?

7 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Hunter x Hunter (2011)...

AniMemeDad AniMemeDad says...

Dargon Ball and Hunter x Hunter share similar themes to a previous recommendation I made to "Pokemon". Goku (Dragon Ball) and Gon (Hunter x Hunter) are both young men that set out on an adventure in search for action and the solution to a noble cause. In both anime, they meet friends and enemies along the way. Tons of characters and creatures to learn about and connect to as you watch either shounen anime.

Justaway Justaway says...

Both are about naive, easy-going young boys who set out in the world to find something (DB = The Dragon Balls, HxH = Gon's father). Both have action, comedy and a great cast.

Dauntes Dauntes says...

One of the things I look for in animes is the sense of adventure. Dragon Ball and Hunter x Hunter (1999 & 2011) both got me sensing this in every episode.

Beyond that I believe Gon and young Goku have many many simularities. They will make you lol and their bumbkin manerisms and eternal optimism will endear them to you instantly.

Hunter x Hunter (2011) is my favorite shonen anime ever watched, by far. And Goku, from Dragon Ball, is arguably the best young shonen character. At the moment he is setting the bar imo.   

Give it a watch, it won't disapoint.

Synthwaver Synthwaver says...

Dragon Ball and HunterXHunter are some of the best shounen ever created about talented powerful young boys with good willing spirits fighting their way to the top and making friends along the way until themselves become the very best. There's an incredible resemblance between the relationship of Goku/Krilin and Gon/Killua.

miko miko says...

as this could be applied to also any dragon ball, there's no way to argue with this mash up, as these two are based off of two boys trying to be the best they can be.  even those the other dragon balls would be in the adult variety, they would still fit into this situation, in my opinion.

thor123 thor123 says...

Both are typical shounen anime that lots of people know, with on both sides a strong boy and his quest to become even stronger and do other stuff. 

Both have good action, interesting characters, a good storyline and are just amazing to watch

LagannZ32 LagannZ32 says...

Well lets ut this simply: 

The Main characters, Gon and Goku, are both incredibly strong. They have the purest of hearts, the biggest of appetites, and the smallest of brains. 

The fighting is very different, as you wont see as much screaming in hunter X hunter. but none the less they are still the same in terms of how awesome they can be. Ranging from long and epic, to short and expected. 

The strength levels: Now one thing way different about hunter x hunter is the main character (Gon) is weaker than the villains. And his transformation requires a large buildup of rage and nen, which he is then sacrificing his life just to get lets say x3 stronger. Dragon bal Z? No, they can turn super saiyan without moving a muscle

They are overall very similar, but can be different. 

Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter

Drawn to the mystique of the unknown, Hunters travel the world in search of terrifying creatures, incredible riches, and unexplored lands. Gon Freecss is a naive-yet-determined young boy who aspires to join the ranks of these individuals, in order to find his missing father Ging - a master of the profession himself. To reach his goal, he partakes in the formidable Hunter Exam, a series of tests that push the participants to their physical and mental limits, with a Hunter License as the prize. During the exam Gon befriends vengeful Kurapika, doctor-to-be Leorio, and skilled assassin Killua, who have entered for their own reasons. But with the sinister Hisoka standing in their way, will Gon and his friends be able to succeed in obtaining their reward, or even escaping with their lives?

4 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Hunter x Hunter...

jurexplay jurexplay says...

Both series start almost the same. A young boy, incredibly strong for his age, without a father, kind hearted and a bit naive. Just like a replica they even look alike. They take off for a journey to get hunter license/Dragon balls. I wouldn't say about HxH that it's a show for kids but if you liked Dragon Ball and didn't find anything disturbing about it then you may as well try out HxH .

Anathemus Anathemus says...

Altough the plot is farely different, the universe of DBZ and HxH are quite similar, Gon and Goku, the main characters also look alike in personality.

FullmetalDragon FullmetalDragon says...

Old shounen always has the same sort of feel to it. Both have an interesting group of characters, with a stupidly OP main child character who is as naive as they get and still loveable and a fairly interesting plot too. I will say I found Hunter x Hunter much less repetitive than Dragon Ball, but both are awesome series.

Bebea Bebea says...

i think people will like both animes cuz they're similar and both are shounen animes. WHY DOES THE RECOMMENDATION HAVE TO BE 100 CHARACTERS LONG, JUST LET ME LEAVE A RECOMMENDATION

Flame of Recca

Flame of Recca

Recca dreams of one day becoming an excellent ninja, but in this day and age ninjas are only talked about in history lessons. While playing his ninja games, he meets a mysterious woman that reveals to Recca his past, his bond with the powerful Hokage clan, and the special flame power that resides within him. Meanwhile, the evil Kurei has plans to gather the madougu from the Hokage clan so that he may take control over the elemental powers, but Recca is determined to master his flame and stop Kurei’s evil plans. Does he have what it takes to live up to his own expectations and put a stop to Kurei himself?

3 votes

I agree

Watch online

Reasons you might like Flame of Recca...

VRDave VRDave says...

One of the best fighting anime series of all time in my opinion. Flame of Recca is so much better than Dragonball, so if you liked DB, you will REALLY like FoR, especially the special powers, creative enemies and elemental weapons.

Nanashi Nanashi says...

Flame of Recca has a relatively simple plotline--fighting to defeat a villian--and tons of hand to unrealistic fighting magic combat. The characters are deeper than those of Dragonball, and the series is much shorter at a mere 42 episodes. A drawback to the show, however, is that the anime ends rather abruptly leaving a viewer wondering what just happened. Reguardless, a fan of Dragonball will salivate all over Flame of Recca.

1337Pear 1337Pear says...

both great and very interesting animes, both have the concept of fighting but very great main characters

Photon: The Idiot Adventures

Photon: The Idiot Adventures

A troublesome girl named Aun has stolen her village's holy item and has run away to marry a rock star; and because this sort of thing has happened before, her adopted brother Photon, a slightly clueless boy with superhuman strength, has been sent after her. Along the way he stumbles upon a naked rebel named Keyne (who, consequently, is being chased by a pervert who can’t seem to keep his clothes on); and Photon, not knowing the culture of the girl, accidentally engages himself to be married to her. Now, through a series of unfortunate events, the fate of the galaxy is now in the hands of Photon and his band of idiots!

3 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Photon: The Idiot Adventures...

Paull Paull says...

goku and photon are a lot alike... so is the world they live on

shalist shalist says...

Goku and Photon are both niave kids who, for some odd reason, possess extrodinary power, and an utter inabilitity to call it quits. Both series are refreshingly funny, with many interesting fights and quirky storylines to boot.

yokusei yokusei says...

Both anime serie have chibi like faced characters which this kind of art was the classic thing in those times of the anime age, though this one is not the exact same art as in Dragon Ball it has the smilair feel. Has smilair feel also otherwise as like the both main characters have super strenght.

Has both anime has ecchi and comedy.

Fairy Tail

Fairy Tail

Lucy is a seventeen-year-old mage with the power to summon stellar spirits, but what she really wants to do is join a guild - and not just any guild. She has her eyes set on Fairy Tail, a notoriously reckless and outrageous group of magic users who are likely to be drunk or destroying buildings and towns in the process of completing a job! While in town one day Lucy meets a perpetually-seasick boy named Natsu who, through a series of events, reveals to her that he's none other than the fire-eating mage Salamander of Fairy Tail! Lucy is finally able to join Fairy Tail and quickly begins to take on odd jobs with Natsu and his gang for fame and profit. Along with her fiery friend, Happy the flying cat, Natsu's archrival Gray and their overseer the invincible and beautiful Erza, Lucy sets forth for epic adventures that leave an epic amount of destruction in their wake. After all, destroying a city or five doesn't matter as long as they get the job done... right?!

3 votes

I agree

Watch online

Reasons you might like Fairy Tail...

gretzky99 gretzky99 says...

If you have seen one of these then you should definitely check out the other because these are among the best shounen anime to date.

Stats Stats says...

dragon ball and faiy tail are similar. you have the main char that will fight for the people they love for and gain there strength that way. in my opingion ft is better but dragonball has aged extermely well and should be proud of its self

Aspie Aspie says...

Both of these two series have a female character who is a bit tomboyish in her own way. In both cases the female character meets the main male character in a very interesting way which then leads to very interesting after effects. Both of them belong to the fantasy and action genres. In both series the main characters go on a quest to find or obtain something although in Fairy Tail there are quite a large amount of different quests whilst in Dragon Ball there’s a very large significant quest that is pursued throughout the whole Dragon Ball series. 

Saiyuki

Saiyuki

In the mystical world of Shangri-la, demons and humans live side by side, watched over by a parthenon of ancient Chinese gods. But when normally-civilized demons start to go berserk, the gods require the services of Genjou Sanzo - a Buddhist priest with a magical gun, an evil-banishing scripture and a take-no-prisoners attitude. Aided by the ancient monkey god Son Goku, the half-demon Sha Gojyo and the demon exterminator Cho Hakkai, he sets off on a treacherous journey westward, with armies of demons, dark mages and angry gods all standing in his way...

2 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Saiyuki...

Nanashi Nanashi says...

Gensou Maden Saiyuki and Dragonball are both based on the same Chinese legend, Xi You Ji. Saiyuki, however, follows the story much better than Dragonball could ever dream. If you are new to anime and love the shounen fighting style animes like Dragonball, Saiyuki will definetly be up your alley.

Verdeloth26 Verdeloth26 says...

Both stories are a retelling of Journey To The West, except that Saiyuki is closer to the original story. If you liked the first half or so of Dragonball, check Saiyuki out.

Scryed

Scryed

Some years into the future, a strange, unexplainable natural disaster has broken off a piece of the Japanese mainland. Known as the Lost Ground, it is now inhabited by people with Alters -- machine-like extensions of their own will. In order to keep the peace on the Lost Ground, the HOLY organization uses its own Alter capabilists to police the region. In the midst of the chaos is a young man named Kazuma, whose life will soon change forever as he discovers his hidden abilities, and how to wield them.

2 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Scryed...

VRDave VRDave says...

Another series far ahead of Dragonball, Scryed takes fighting to a whole new level. Awesome action and a far more dramatic plot.

FireFlower FireFlower says...

If you liked Dragonball, you might also like s-CRY-ed. Dragonball focuses a lot on the superhuman strength and the actual martial arts techniques but s-CRY-ed is a bit different. In this a certain phenemon has occured and gifted people with supernatural powers that can be used for fighting.

As always humans never can use their gifted powers for everyones' sake so they use their powers for their own sake. Is there anyone who will put the end to this?