Common Sense Media Review
Prequel is violent, too, but with more humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Dragon Ball
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 20 parent reviews
Parents say this classic anime offers excellent animation and engaging storytelling, but it is marred by excessive sexual humor and violence that may not be suitable for younger audiences. Many reviewers express concern over inappropriate themes, suggesting that while older children may enjoy the adventure, parental discretion is essential due to the content's potentially harmful messages.
- sexual humor concerns
- violence awareness
- inappropriate themes
- parental discretion needed
- classic appeal
Summarized with AI
Based on 57 kid reviews
Kids say that while the original anime series presents a whimsical martial arts adventure filled with humor and memorable characters, it grapples with a significant amount of sexual content and violence that raises concerns about its appropriateness for younger audiences. Most reviewers recommend it for teens and mature viewers due to scenes involving nudity, suggestive humor, and inappropriate behavior by certain adult characters, particularly Master Roshi, and suggest parental discretion for younger viewers.
- lighthearted adventure
- sexual content
- parental discretion
- appropriate for teens
- cartoon violence
- mature humor
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Goku, a strange tailed boy, has been living alone in the woods since his grandpa passed away. Through a chance encounter he meets a teenage girl named Bulma, who is searching the world for mysterious items called Dragon Balls. It is said when all seven balls are collected, you can have any wish granted. Eager to go out and see the world, Goku decides to join Bulma in her quest. However they are not the only ones going after the mysterious relics, and their competition will do anything to stop them. It's a race against time to find all seven Dragon Balls and keep them out of the wrong hands.
Is It Any Good?
Although DRAGON BALL never got a big reputation like its sequel series Dragon Ball Z, it is a fun little tale of Goku's many adventures as he grows into an adult. Since the secondary focus of the show is on martial arts, there are plenty of episodes where characters will fight hand to hand and include some fantasy elements such as energy blasts or flying in the air. However unlike Dragon Ball Z (which takes this kind of fighting to the extreme), Dragon Ball focuses more on choreography and a bit of the spiritual side of the martial arts discipline.
The plot of the story itself is focused around Goku's growth as a person after facing new challenges and making new friends. Simple enough for a younger child to follow, Dragon Ball also throws in a good plot twist every now and again. The emphasis on humor also gives the show a more lighthearted atmosphere though, depending on the villain, the show has its fair share of serious moments. The sexual humor can get a bit over the top at times and the shift between comedy and drama can get a bit jarring for people who are not expecting it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about about the violence in this series. Can you tell the difference between the fighting that's defensive and that which is hostile? Does the show have a message about violence to deliver?
What makes anime appealing? How is it different from American-made cartoons?
Can you think of some positive messages that come out of this show? Who are the "good" characters? How can you tell?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 9, 1995
- Cast : Mike McFarland , Stephanie Nadolny , Tiffany Vollmer
- Network : Nickelodeon
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Adventures
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 8, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate