Emperor Pilaf Saga

The Emperor Pilaf Saga is where Dragon Ball begins — chapters 1-23 that introduce Goku, Bulma, the Dragon Balls, and the series' irresistible mix of martial arts, adventure, and comedy. If you want to understand why Dragon Ball became the most influential manga ever published, start here.

Dragon Ball's opening arc introduces everything you need: Son Goku, a boy raised alone in the mountains with no knowledge of civilization but extraordinary natural fighting ability; Bulma Brief, a teenage genius who invented the Dragon Radar to track the seven Dragon Balls; and the Dragon Balls themselves — magical orbs that summon Shenron the Eternal Dragon when gathered together, granting any one wish to whoever holds them. Bulma wants a perfect boyfriend. Goku carries the four-star ball his late grandfather gave him. Together, they set out on a journey that grows into one of manga's greatest adventures. The characters you meet in these 23 chapters will become household names: Yamcha, a desert bandit whose fierce combat ability collapses completely in the presence of women; Oolong, a shapeshifting pig; Puar, Yamcha's loyal animal companion; and Master Roshi, the legendary Turtle Hermit living on a tiny island with his pet turtle — an eccentric old man whose true martial arts power exceeds anything the world has seen. Each arrival adds a new personality to what becomes an unlikely found family united by shared adventure rather than any formal alliance. The arc's villain, Emperor Pilaf, is one of manga's most perfectly calibrated antagonists: grandiose enough to take seriously, incompetent enough to be hilarious. He wants world conquest; he gets women's underwear, courtesy of Oolong interrupting Shenron's wish. His failure is so complete, so cosmically fitting, that it establishes the series' relationship with comedy and karma in a single scene. Dragon Ball will deliver genuine tragedy later — but first it establishes that the universe has a sense of humor. Key moments include Goku's Great Ape transformation under the full moon, Shenron's first-ever summoning, and Goku's decision to train under Master Roshi — marking his graduation from mountain child to martial arts student. These 23 chapters establish Goku's defining traits (pure-hearted, fearless, without social pretension), the Dragon Ball mythology that drives the entire franchise, and the tone that made the series uniquely itself: action and comedy in perfect equilibrium, adventure that feels joyful rather than grim.