Dragon Ball introduces a young monkey-tailed boy named Goku (a wry update of the classic Chinese "Monkey King" legend), whose quiet life changes when he meets a girl named Bulma who is on a quest to collect seven "Dragon Balls." If she gathers them all, an incredibly powerful dragon will appear and grant her one wish. But the precious orbs are scattered all over the world, and Bulma could use the help of a certain super-strong boy... (In Japan, Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z were originally a single 42-volume series. VIZ Media's Dragon Ball contains vols. 1-16 of the original Japanese Dragon Ball, from the beginning of the series to the climax of Goku's last fight with Piccolo.)

Goku has made it to the Tenka'ichi Budôkai, the world's #1 martial arts tournament...but even the training of the martial arts master Kame-Sen'nin hasn't prepared him for this! Only seven finalists remain. Will the champion be Goku? His fellow student Kuririn? Yamcha, master of the "Fist of the Wolf Fang"? Fighting woman Ran Fuan? Giran, a rubbery monster who's part dinasaur? Namu, an Indian mystic? Or Jackie Chun, the mysterious old man who may be the toughest fighter of all? There can be only one winner in the wildest, craziest battle ever!