Dragon Ball Z Kai

Rejoin Goku and his friends in a series of cosmic battles! Toei has redubbed, recut, and cleaned up the animation of the original 1989 animated series. The show's story arc has been refined to better follow the comic book series on which it is based. The show also features a new opening and ending. In the series, martial artist Goku, and his various friends, battle increasingly powerful enemies to defend the world against evil. Can Earth's defender defeat demons, aliens, and other villains?

Dragon Ball Z Kai (2009-2015) is a Japanese animated shonen action series produced by Toei Animation for Fuji TV, a refined and recut version of the 1989 anime adapted from the Akira Toriyama manga. Martial artist Goku (voiced by Masako Nozawa) and his friends, including Krillin (Mayumi Tanaka), Vegeta (Ryo Horikawa), Piccolo (Toshio Furukawa) and Bulma (Hiromi Tsuru), defend Earth against increasingly powerful opponents. Each episode builds around training, sparring and bursts of cosmic combat, with the stakes rising steadily from one saga to the next. Across six seasons and 158 episodes, the story unfolds as one continuing chain of tournaments, invasions and power-ups rather than standalone adventures. The tone blends brisk comedy and earnest camaraderie with high-energy, spectacle-driven fights. Set in an invented fantasy cosmos of demons, aliens and rival warriors, it has the sweeping stakes and playful spirit that fans of Naruto, One Piece and Yu Yu Hakusho will recognise. A Japanese anime tradition built on loyalty, rivalry and relentless self-improvement.

Audiences broadly regard this cleaned-up, re-cut version of the Dragon Ball Z saga as acclaimed, with the early sagas rated highest and the later seasons judged weaker.

• Narutoshared shonen action tradition, martial arts tournaments and escalating power-up battles
• One Pieceshared cosmic martial arts battles against escalating villains and a heroic underdog protagonist
• Yu Yu Hakushoshared Toei-era action anime with comedic tone and ongoing combat sagas
• My Hero Academiashared shonen lineage of superpowered fighters defending the world against invaders

Release Date

2009-04-05

Episode runtime

26 min

Rating

8.3 / 10 (831)

What is Dragon Ball Z Kai about?

Goku and his friends battle ever-stronger demons, aliens, and cosmic villains to defend Earth in this refined, cleaned-up retelling of the Dragon Ball Z saga.

What is Dragon Ball Z Kai like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dragon Ball Z Kai as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.

Is Dragon Ball Z Kai violent?

Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Dragon Ball Z Kai as moderate.

What did critics think of Dragon Ball Z Kai?

Audiences broadly regard this cleaned-up, re-cut version of the Dragon Ball Z saga as acclaimed, with the early sagas rated highest and the later seasons judged weaker.

Which shows are like Dragon Ball Z Kai?

Shows with a similar feel include Naruto, One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho, and My Hero Academia.

How long is Dragon Ball Z Kai?

Dragon Ball Z Kai: 6 seasons, 158 episodes.

Is Dragon Ball Z Kai still running?

No, Dragon Ball Z Kai has ended.

Where can I watch Dragon Ball Z Kai?

In United States, Dragon Ball Z Kai streams on Hulu, YouTube TV, Adult Swim.