Beginning with Goku meeting Bulma and ending with Goku flying off with Uub, the original Dragon Ball is made up of ten story arcs chronicling Goku's life from boyhood to adulthood. Most are only familiar with the Z-era onwards, but those first six story arcs offer some very important context and perspective not just for the character of Goku, but for the type of story Dragon Ball is.
Dragon Ball is a series where characters almost always develop through the action. It's a series that also always has extremely entertaining fights. The best ones tend to be the fights that strike a balance between length, character development, and just good action. After all, there's nothing satisfying about a fight that ends too soon.
10 Hunt For The Dragon Balls
The fights in the "Hunt for the Dragon Balls" arc certainly aren’t bad by any means, but this isn’t a story arc focused on martial arts. It’s a charming backdrop, one that makes those few bouts of combat relatively exciting, but Toriyama isn’t drawing fights on the same level he will later on in the series (and even just shortly.)
It’s worth noting that every single fight in this arc is incredibly short, even by the manga’s standard. Some fights, like Goku’s rematch with Yamcha, are over and done with in a handful of panels with no real arc to the action. It works for a story like the very first story arc’s, but the fights aren’t too exciting here.
9 Majin Buu
On paper, the "Majin Buu" arc has a lot of dramatic and meaningful fights– Vegeta’s fight with Majin Buu, Goku & Majin Vegeta’s rematch, Ultimate Gohan squaring off with Super Buu– but even at their very best, they’re all painfully short. Goku and Vegeta fight for three chapters, mostly off-page. Gohan only gets a single chapter of duking it out with Super Buu before the plot storms ahead.
Even if the arc is incredibly creative, it’s clear that Toriyama has lost interest in the longer fights that defined the Frieza and Cell arc. Now, combat is almost as brisk as it was back in the "Hunt for the Dragon Balls" arc.
8 Demon King Piccolo
If there’s one problem plaguing the "Demon King Piccolo" arc, it’s the fact that it’s derivative of the Red Ribbon Army arc: Kintoun dies, Goku “dies,” and the climax involves Goku storming the main villain’s fortress before transitioning into an epilogue centered on the series’ more divine aspects.
As far as fights go, the ones that are here are good, but almost all of them play off beats from the Red Ribbon Army arc. Tambourine plays off Silver, Old King Piccolo plays off Tao Pai Pai, and Young King Piccolo plays off Commander Red & Adjutant Black. Still, all the fights are brutal, fast paced, and full of great choreography. The storytelling is a bit uninspired, but the action is admittedly entertaining.
7 21st Tenkaichi Budokai
The series’ first tournament arc, the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai manages to set a really good precedent while also escalating Dragon Ball’s action in a very dynamic way. The quarter-finals actually aren’t too exciting (save for Yamcha’s fight against Jackie Chun,) but the semi-finals immediately ups the ante.
Krillin’s fight against Chun is downright fantastic, as is Goku’s fight against Namu. It’s the final match that really cements Dragon Ball’s status as an all time great series, though. Goku and Jackie Chun’s showdown is a showcase of the Turtle School’s teaching while tying into the arc’s core themes and Goku’s personal development thanks to an incredible ending.
6 Red Ribbon Army
The "Red Ribbon Army" arc almost takes a step back to indulge in the "Hunt for the Dragon Ball" arc’s sillier qualities, but it doesn’t forget the lessons learned in the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai; most notably the importance of storytelling through action. Most fights here are on the shorter side early on, but come Muscle Tower and Goku gets into some meaty duels.
This arc is notably home to Tao Pai Pai, one of the series’ most intimidating villains. His first fight against Goku is one of Dragon Ball’s very best, resulting in Goku getting some much needed humbling training with Korin. Uranai Baba’s tournament also marks a nice, action packed way to close the arc.
5 Frieza
The "Frieza" arc is mostly fighting so it’s for the best the majority of fights are some of Dragon Ball’s best. From Vegeta methodically taking out Frieza’s forces one-by-one, to the brutal showdown against the Ginyu Force, and the final fight with Fieeza, Namek brings out the brutality Dragon Ball had been festering since Tao Pai Pai’s introduction.
The fight against Frieza goes on too long in the anime, but it’s an endurance match against any other in the manga– one where Gohan, Krillin, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Goku all show the fruits of their character development while fighting the tyrant. Some of Goku’s best dialogue (and Toriyama’s best paneling) comes out during the fight against Frieza.
4 Cell
The "Cell" arc is a convoluted story that uses its cast poorly and ultimately settles on the least interesting villain, but if there’s one thing it consistently gets right from start to finish is the action. Just about every single fight in the "Cell" arc is creative, inspired, or just downright unique given the martial artists fighting.
This is an arc that might use its cast poorly in narrative terms, but it allows a lot of key players to star in some amazing fights. Trunks versus Mecha Frieza, Vegeta versus 18, Piccolo versus 17, and Goku versus Cell are very comfortably in the series’ top 10 fights– each one better than the last.
3 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai
The 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai is one of the most underrated arcs in the series. Introducing Tien into the mix, this arc really escalates the action in a meaningful way. The moment Tien snaps Yamcha’s leg, it becomes clear that this is a very different tournament. Goku and Krillin’s lives are actually at stake.
This tournament is home to some of Toriyama’s best writing. He very gradually develops Tien, using Jackie Chun as a fantastic catalyst for his growth, while characters like Goku and Krillin represent the heralding of a new generation of martial artists– a theme the series would ultimately close itself on. Plus, Goku’s fight with Tien is just insanely well choreographed.
2 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai
Akira Toriyama goes all out for the final tournament arc, giving every single character an excellent fight. The matches are all so well paneled, so well choreographed, and so dynamic, the "23rd Tenkaichi Budokai" really does feel like the grand finale of Dragon Ball, even if Roshi’s comments at the end of the arc clearly indicate it never was.
Still, there’s so much to love here: Tien completing his arc by defeating Tao Pai Pai; Goku basically getting married through a match; Krillin proving to Piccolo that Earth won’t be easily conquered; Kami recognizing Yamcha’s talents; Tien and Goku settling their rivalry; Piccolo and Kami adding some juicy lore; and Goku’s final fight with Piccolo offering some of the physical combat in Dragon Ball.
1 Saiyan
Even the smaller fights like Yamcha’s bout with a Saibaiman are amazing. The "Saiyan" arc really is Akira Toriyama and Dragon Ball at their very best. The first fight against Raditz is one of the most overwhelming in Dragon Ball as Goku and Piccolo desperately fight to do anything against the former’s big brother.
From there, the action only gets more intense as the fight against Nappa results in most of the supporting cast dying. Then there’s Goku’s fight against Vegeta– arguably the best fight in the entire medium. This is a lower class warrior not only proving himself to an elite, but asserting his own identity as an Earthling. Dragon Ball doesn’t get better than this.