A Geeky Dad's Review: Dragon Ball

Watching a defining legend through New Eyes.

Jan 10, 2026

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Hello Everybody! I’m ROP, your resident Gamer… uhmmm… let’s say Geeky Dad this time. We are all defined by the stories we find, hear, watch, play and live. Stories that we jump at the occasion to share with another. To share beauty, value, and something that lives in us. For the geeky ol’me, one of those stories was Dragon Ball, and last year felt like the right time.

I realized that Junior had never seen anything quite like it. No long-running series. No martial arts. No story where training, failure, friendship, and perseverance sit at the very center of the experience and are interwoven through the whole multi-ordeal and multi-faceted story. So… I finally introduced my son to Goku and the strange, charming, and endlessly adventurous world of… Dragon Ball.

We didn’t rush it. Dragon Ball became part of our lives, for a time. A few evenings per week, one or two episodes—after homework was done, after the house quieted down. Other times, especially during school vacations, we’d plan it properly: popcorn, blankets, five to seven episodes in a row. We’d cheer like we were watching a football match, except the field was a martial arts arena and the players were throwing punches that bent the rules of gravity.
At one point, during the final tournament, Junior jumped up and yelled, “Come on, Goku. You can still win this!”
I smiled, because I knew what was to come.

Me, watching calmly. Junior, emotionally invested. Goku, casually removing ~110kg of “*training difficulty*.”

Originally aired in 1986, created by Akira Toriyama and adapted by Toei Animation, the original Dragon Ball spans 153 episodes and forms the foundation of everything that followed—Dragon Ball Z and beyond. But watching it now, with my son beside me, it didn’t feel like a prequel or a stepping stone. It felt like its own complete journey. One worth taking a second time and hopefully, a future third time as well. 😉

The Playground that invites a Journey

One of the first things that struck Junior—and surprised me all over again—was how cute the world is. Dragon Ball’s environments are built from round shapes, soft lines, and expressive designs. Everything feels approachable, almost cozy, even when danger was in full… “This world has DINOSAURS!?... They are kind of cute.” Junior said early on, after one of Goku’s encounters with one.

Delivering milk builds character. The dinosaur builds motivation.

And that friendliness hides an endlessly expanding world. Forests, deserts, mountains, rivers, islands, cities, rural villages, secret places above the clouds and deep below the earth—Dragon Ball constantly opens new doors. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, the map grows again. It’s a world designed for curiosity and exploration.

And what really elevates it, is how Toriyama blends humor and heart within the world, through the characters. A dramatic fight might be followed by a ridiculous misunderstanding. A tense moment might dissolve into comedy through Goku’s innocence or Roshi’s antics. And I feel, that these lighter beats don’t weaken the journey—they balance it. They make the world feel alive, unpredictable, and… curiously endearing.

Junior laughed constantly at the interactions between Goku and Bulma, and even more at Master Roshi’s exaggerated behavior. And yes… that did lead to some conversations:
“Dad… why is he acting like that?”
“That,” I explained, “is an example of how NOT to behave...”
Dragon Ball doesn’t always age perfectly—but it knows when to call itself out.

The Road Trip to A Hero’s Journey

At the start, Dragon Ball feels like a road trip. A journey across a charming world, driven by curiosity and small goals that slowly grow into something much larger. Early on, the quest is simple, almost playful, just gather a few Dragon Balls using Bulma’s radar. It’s the perfect entry point for Junior—light stakes, clear objectives, and a sense of adventure that pulls you forward, into the journey.

Even though Goku is inspired by Journey to the West and Sun Wukong, watching him with Junior gave the story more of a David versus Goliath flavor. This is because Goku is just a kid… small, underestimated, often dismissed. And his opponents are almost always larger, older, more intimidating.

Classic Dragon Ball rule: never judge power by size.

“He’s tiny, but…Why does everyone think he’s weak?” Junior wondered during one fight. This made us both cheer for the little guy, and yeah… I was actually cheering again. 😁

On Junior’s side, the real hook came once Goku and Krillin began training under Master Roshi, and I feel training becomes the language of Dragon Ball. Improvement isn’t instant. Progress is earned. And that culminates beautifully in the first martial arts tournament. Watching Junior react to that arc—seeing growth, setbacks, victories, losses; seeing friendships forming and how all can impact communities for good—this is where, I realized, the series had truly clicked for him.

Dragon Ball teaching sportsmanship before it throws a punch.

Dragon Ball starts with a simple idea: magical orbs that grant wishes. But it doesn’t stay simple. The first time the dragon is summoned, we see just how dangerous those wishes can be in the wrong hands. Over time, the story deepens—revealing origins, consequences, and responsibilities tied to that power. The world gains weight.

As for Goku, this is his Hero’s Journey in full form. Yes, he is powerful. Sometimes absurdly so. But Dragon Ball never pretends that power alone is enough. Goku fails. He’s beaten. He’s overwhelmed. Sometimes even defeated. But one thing is always clear, he Never Gives Up. He get’s back on his feet and tries again, giving proper respect to the challenge ahead and learning from mistakes.
Junior noticed this too.
“He never gives up, does he?”
“No.” I smiled. “That’s what makes him a hero!”
So failures in Dragon Ball are steps to improvement. Lessons and reasons to train harder, and come back stronger. Goku never stops trying, but he also never ignores his limitations. So he trains more. He endures. He accepts help from friends. And in doing so, he becomes someone worth rooting for.

There are also deeply wholesome moments. Like when Goku reunites with his Grandpa—the first time we see him truly emotional and vulnerable, in a way that feels instantly familiar to any child missing a parent. Or when the first villain who actually defeats Goku appears: Mercenary Tao. That loss leads to the climb of Korin’s Tower, to real training, real effort. And later, when Tao attempts the same climb, the lesson lands clearly—there are no shortcuts to growth. Only REAL work.

The sagas grow in scale beautifully: starting with a journey, but experiencing tournaments, adventures against world dominating armies, and Piccolo arcs, where the stakes become real, where we truly see Goku’s determination and resolve, and how he was able to overcome his greatest enemy yet.
Was awesome to see Junior’s invested expressions and cheers during this saga.
Roshi’s death hit hard. Junior went quiet.
“Is… is he really gone?”
And then, later, when Goku returned for the final confrontation, only to realize he still wasn’t strong enough—Junior leaned forward, tensing, and asking “But… didn’t he train enough?”… I realized that even I held my breath along with Junior’s. But, against all odds, Goku managed to pull off a last BIG punch to defeat Piccolo. Memorable! The final victory felt desperate, but fully earned.

Junior yelling: “He can’t move!” Dragon Ball: “Watch this.”

The Companions that Shape the Journey

Dragon Ball is packed with charming, expressive characters. Goku, Bulma, Krillin, Roshi, Yamcha, Tien, Lunch, and many more—each one distinct, memorable, and full of personality.

After many adventures, what matters most are the friendships formed.

Goku stands at the center as a perfect guide into this world. Innocent, genuine, endlessly curious. He’s discovering the world alongside the viewer, which makes him ideal for newcomers—especially kids. He’s energetic, kind, and powerful in a way that feels aspirational rather than… distant.

What makes Goku special is that we see him grow. He starts the series around 11 years old and ends it at 18. We watch him mature emotionally, mentally and even physically; learning restraint, discipline, kindness, and responsibility. Learning about his limitations, overcoming them and becoming physically and mentally stronger. He doesn’t lose his innocence—but gains depth, ultimately becoming a better and a more complex person than we could’ve envisioned.

The supporting cast shines just as brightly. Krillin’s journey from a sneaky trainee to dedicated martial artist resonated strongly.
“That’s not fair… he’s trying to skip the hard part.” Junior frowned during one training scene.
“Yeah,” I smiled, “but he’ll realize that real progress doesn’t come from tricks.”

That face, when you think clever beats training.

Yamcha and Tien begin as antagonists—selfish, aggressive, power-driven—and slowly transform into honorable warriors who value integrity and friendship. And Roshi, flawed as he is, remains and properly fulfills his role as The Mentor: consistent, wise when it matters, and crucial in shaping the next generation.

There are no Super Saiyans here. No instant power-ups. Even the one true transformation we do see—Goku turning into the Great Ape—comes with disastrous consequences. Dragon Ball puts its faith in something far less flashy: tough, gritty training and experience earned through failure. You fall, you learn, you try again, that is the focus. And when you try again some more, effort slowly turns into growth. Even if you treat Goku as a special case, just look at Krillin. He may not win the tournaments, but he’s never far behind the one who does—and that alone says everything about what this series tries to convey.

Our Favorite Moments Along the Way

For me, revisiting Dragon Ball was a joy filled with rediscovery. Jackie Chun. Tien’s Tri-Beam. Climbing Korin’s Tower. Training with Korin and later Mr. Popo. The Piccolo fight and then the one against Piccolo Junior. Sometimes I was just as tense as my son—especially during moments like the underwater Red Ribbon Army base, realizing that I’d forgotten quite a few smaller arcs, which were a pleasure to relive.

Every great lesson starts with realizing how far you still have to climb.

Junior, meanwhile, was all in.
“This might be my favorite series,” he said more than once.
He loved the fights, especially the long, multi-episode ones. The cliffhanger endings kept him hooked. The comedy landed perfectly. He cheered for Goku to run faster, to arrive in time, to save the day.

Training arcs fascinated him, but tournaments were his highlight.
“Hmm… that’s when everything they learned actually matters,” he pondered.
Tien became his favorite character after Goku—cool, powerful, redeemed. His favorite saga was the final tournament, when Goku returned older, taller, stronger, and full of surprises.

Tien vs Goku with “*DLC*” weights still equipped.

He was also deeply impressed by the artwork.
“How did they draw this so well?”
“Who made it?”
That curiosity alone felt like a proper dad victory.

Why It Worked for Us

A True Hero’s Journey: Goku’s path from innocence to maturity is clear, earned, and being an inspiration for our Real Life journey.
Learning Through Hardship: Losses and failures are lessons and motivation that push characters to persevere and grow. Progress coming from effort, patience, and discipline, not from shortcuts.
A World Worth Exploring: Constantly expanding environments kept curiosity alive episode after episode.
Characters That Grow: Even rivals and villains are allowed to change, teaching lessons of empathy and integrity.
Humor With Heart: Jokes and playful moments give the characters room to breathe, making their struggles and losses feel more real when things turn serious.

Final Thoughts

Dragon Ball ends exactly how it should. Goku, despite all his power, doesn’t win the World Martial Arts Tournament until the very end—and only after facing his greatest challenge yet. The final tournament feels like a culmination of everything learned along the way.

Because beneath the punches and fights, Dragon Ball is built on something far more lasting: friendship, integrity, perseverance, and the pursuit of becoming better than you were yesterday. And these values aren’t preached—they’re lived by our characters, and earned through loss, effort, and loyalty. They become the fuel that carries the characters through overwhelming odds, and the reason the journey feels meaningful long after all the challenges and tournaments are over.

There’s so much more to say about Dragon Ball—its influence, its legacy, what it started. But that’s a conversation for another time. This Geeky Dad Review has to end now… because Junior is already excited to record his own narrated lines.

Have a Dragon Ball memory of your own? Or watched it with someone special? Let’s talk in the comments. 👇 I’d love to hear your stories!

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