Dragon Ball, by the legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama, is one of the most popular anime franchises in the world, continuing to captivate new generations of fans despite the passage of time. As a result, for decades, Son Goku’s adventure has been a source of inspiration for numerous subsequent anime series.
However, for the newest fans and those who grew up watching Goku fight and raising their hands to give him their energy with each Spirit Bomb, it’s impossible to find another anime that fills the void left by Dragon Ball. Still, Akira Toriyama influenced an entire generation of manga artists who followed Dragon Ball‘s example when crafting their works.
From their resemblance to Akira Toriyama’s writing style, their epic fights filled with adrenaline, and characters that make viewers laugh out loud, some of these anime aren’t only animation masterpieces with incredible stories but also titles that Dragon Ball‘s fans shouldn’t miss.
Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling has recently achieved massive international popularity as the ultimate power fantasy, which makes it a great follow-up series for Dragon Ball fans. While Sung Jinwoo later reached an unbeatable state after leveling up, his beginnings were a simple muscle workout, much like with Saitama and Goku.
Despite being based on a Korean novel, Solo Leveling‘s manhwa and anime have included references to Dragon Ball, proving the global impact of Akira Toriyama’s story in shaping the new generation of anime. Additionally, Solo Leveling not only features incredible battle sequences but also some of the best animation that no action fan should miss.
Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Arc
Despite Akira Toriyama’s work being often referred to as the father of shōnen manga, Kinnikuman played a big role in Dragon Ball‘s later success by pioneering many of the tropes in the genre. Dragon Ball later beat Kinnikuman, but the anime is a classic filled with exciting fights that parody real WWE competitions.
A fun anime, full of action, gags, unique character design, and featuring an alien protagonist and interspace tournaments, Kinnikuman is ideal for Dragon Ball fans. While Kinnikuman was originally adapted decades ago, Netflix’s recent revival series, Kinnikuman: Perfect Origin Series, serves as an entry point to the franchise.
The God of Highschool
While the anime adaptation of The God of High School has a divisive reception due to its rushed pacing, its animation undeniably deserves praise as one of the best in recent years. The God of High School wears its influences on its sleeve, drawing inspiration from both Dragon Ball and Journey to the West.
The God of High School‘s protagonist has a similar character design to Goku, and the anime also features a martial arts tournament with incredible fights that highlights the appeal of modern animation. This makes The God of High School an option that won’t disappoint viewers looking for impressive battles with different types of martial arts.
BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War
One of the big three shōnen manga, Bleach is an anime that has followed Dragon Ball‘s legacy with exciting, eye-catching powers, transformations, and large-scale fights with seemingly invincible enemies. Moreover, like Dragon Ball, Bleach had complex and well-developed villains with fascinating motivations that add another level of intrigue to the anime.
Although the anime was criticized for its number of filler episodes, this is no longer an issue in Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, which adapts the final arc of Tite Kubo’s manga. Therefore, fans interested in starting a long-running anime have the perfect time to binge-watch Ichigo’s journey and catch up before the final season.
One-Punch Man
Just like Dragon Ball, One-Punch Man features one of the strongest heroes in anime history, but while Goku strives to gain more power, Saitama is just tired of defeating everyone. While this shows the different ways both anime explore strength, One-Punch Man‘s playful approach to overpowered characters satisfies a different craving for viewers.
One-Punch Man is more than your typical superhero story, with absurd characters, impressive battles, and emotional scenes reminiscent of Dragon Ball, as well as featuring beings from other planets seeking to challenge Saitama and claim the title of strongest. Despite its inconsistent animation quality, One-Punch Man is an entertaining anime with incredible fight sequences.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Even though the plots of both anime aren’t particularly similar, like much of the newer generation of shōnen, Jujutsu Kaisen has been influenced by Dragon Ball. Jujutsu Kaisen takes up some of the best tropes from shōnen manga, having epic powers and many funny and charismatic characters that will appeal to Dragon Ball fans despite having a slightly darker tone.
However, while Jujutsu Kaisen has included clear Dragon Ball tributes, such as Yuji wanting to fire a Kamehameha and a Dodon ray, and the Grasshopper Curse in the Shibuya Arc resembling Cell, what makes the anime an essential watch for Akira Toriyama fans is its excellent fight choreography that has placed it at the top among new-gen shōnen.
YAIBA: Samurai Legend
One of the most underrated anime of 2025, YAIBA was clearly inspired by Dragon Ball. Created by the author of Case Closed, Gosho Aoyama, YAIBA shares certain key elements with Dragon Ball, from the protagonist training isolated by civilization who wants to become the strongest, to a journey to collect special spheres, and a perverted hermit teacher.
However, despite the similar shōnen tropes, YAIBA has its own essence, managing to become an exponent of manga in the 90s. With incredible sword fights, energy bursts, dazzling animation, and plenty of gags, the YAIBA reboot is a must-see for viewers looking for an action-packed anime and those who enjoy the retro atmosphere.
Sand Land: The Series
Another work coming from Akira Toriyama’s portfolio, which unfortunately premiered just a few days after his passing, Sand Land‘s anime adaptation is based on one of the old one-shots by the manga artist. While the manga was first adapted into a film, Sand Land: The Series also included a whole new arc specifically written by Toriyama for the anime.
Sand Land feels like a signature Toriyama story, with humans and demons teaming up on an adventure, but with a twist, as it sets a road trip in a post-apocalyptic world where resources are scarce. Sand Land also has amazing CGI, allowing for fluid movement and realistic cars, tanks, and chase scenes. This made Sand Land the perfect tribute to Toriyama.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai (2020)
Akira Toriyama was in charge of character and monster design for the original Dragon Quest games. So, while he only contributed to the characters’ appearance, it’s no surprise that his influence is present throughout the Dragon Quest franchise. In Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, Dai is a young boy who grows to become a hero similar to Son Goku.
Furthermore, beyond just sharing the old-school art style, The Adventure of Dai has everything to satisfy Dragon Ball fans craving another classic shōnen, from magic and friendship to battles against powerful villains. Additionally, Toei Animation successfully revived Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, creating a faithful and complete adaptation of the manga that will keep fans hooked.
Dragon Ball Daima
While it’s natural to think that no fan of Akira Toriyama’s franchise would miss his latest project, many viewers skipped Dragon Ball Daima due to its striking resemblance to Dragon Ball GT and its apparent focus on a younger audience. However, Dragon Ball Daima managed to earn a place in the franchise on its own merits.
Although Goku’s return to being a child and exploration of another world seems unoriginal, Dragon Ball Daima expanded the franchise’s lore, revealing more about the Demon Realms and its connection to main characters. Furthermore, Dragon Ball Daima features incredible animation, fight choreography, and transformations, sharing the sense of adventure of the franchise and becoming a satisfying anime for Dragon Ball fans.
- Created by
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Akira Toriyama
- Latest TV Show
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Super Dragon Ball Heroes
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
