Parents' Guide to

Dragon Ball Z

By Pam Gelman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Anime series stands the test of time, but very violent.

TV Cartoon Network Kids' Animation 1996
Dragon Ball Z Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 10+

Based on 28 parent reviews

moviefan12456
moviefan12456 Adult
September 11, 2022
age 10+

Very Good Sequel

This is the perfect sequel show and before i talk about the show it was amazing how they did such a great time jump form db to dbz even though dbz came out a week after db but let me talk about the show. At the start it establishes the characters well as it should, the fight scenes feel more just overall better i don't know why but theres less nudity than db which is definitely for the better it sends a good message to never give up, and if i could i'd give it six stars. (Also another good thing is that if you are lazy you can skip to dbz first which is cool i guess 😂)

This title has:

Great messages
1047972
1047972 Parent of 6-year-old
August 30, 2022
age 6+

77

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 28 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In DRAGON BALL Z, Goku, his son Gohan, and their faithful companions do whatever they can to defend Earth from a variety of bizarre alien villains. Goku and Gohan have special powers (including super strength) and an unyielding commitment to conquer evil. But their skills are often tested by villains who are seeking "genocide" or "mass destruction." The ultimate goal of the villains, besides complete domination, is typically to obtain dragon balls (seven in all), which, when gathered together, can grant a wish.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (28):
Kids say (104):

Having stood the test of time for more than a decade, there's little to debate about the appeal of Dragon Ball Z. Parents who haven't seen any anime before may not understand the genre's worldwide following. You'll need to watch a few shows to understand the characters, story, and consistent messages that are the main reasons for this show's longevity.

Compared to its predecessor, Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, has many more battle and fight scenes and more violent language -- but, then again, it's also more popular. Goku and Gohan use "ki" (life force) to perform spectacular feats such as flying or firing laser blasts from their fingertips. Cool to some viewers, scary to others; it's a parent's call to decide whether or not the content is appropriate for their kids. Parents also need to be aware of the skimpy clothes worn by female characters, as well as some flirty behavior and language directed at the males.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the appeal of the father-son team. Does this contribute to the series' long popularity? In what ways are these characters realistic?

  • Looking past the wham-bam violence, what are the show's overriding themes?

  • Since the show originated in Japan, families can discuss Japanese culture and history.

TV Details

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 suggesting a diversity update.

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