5 Anime to Watch If You Love Dragon Ball

Zuleika
TV Dragon Ball
TV Dragon Ball Anime

After more than 30 years, Dragon Ball is coming to an end this March. Instead of developing a chapter with new storylines and characters, the series has chosen to go on hiatus. Although the popular anime will continue after the latest movie, fans will need something to watch in the meantime. So here are five anime shows to watch while Dragon Ball is on indefinite hiatus.

One-Punch Man

anime like Dragon Ball One-Punch Man

Not many people expected that One-Punch Man would be the success that it is today. The bald-headed superhero has won over anime fans all around the world with its inspirational and funny plot. One-Punch Man follows a regular guy who dreams of becoming a hero. Due to a life-changing experience, he vows to make his dream come true even going to the extent of losing all his hair.

But, the ordeal paid off and now Saitama can defeat anyone with one single punch, hence the name One-Punch Man. During his adventures, he teams up with Genos, a 19-year-old cyborg who encourages and looks up to Saitama. Together, they defend the world against evil villains, with a single blow.

One of the most significant similarities between Dragon Ball and One-Punch Man is the main characters. Goku and Saitama have much more in common than internet memes. They both don’t set a limit on their intense training, even pushing their bodies to dangerous extremes because they know that the world counts on them. This hard training leads them to gain immense power and determination that would put even Superman to shame. However, their real similarity is their skill as a sensei and role model. Leading by example, these two heroes show what it means to be a superhero.

Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files

anime like Dragon Ball Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files

Yusuke Urameshi‘s future is nothing to brag about — he’s 14 years old and society already considers him a delinquent. But one day, this all changes when he jumps in front of a car to save a kid. The spirit world witnesses this selfless act and decides to give Yusuke an opportunity to regain his life. So, he works as a Spirit Detective to protect the Earth from demon attacks.

Dragon Ball is hands down one of the most popular fighting anime, and if you like the series for its hard punches, then Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files is a must-watch. Both male leads have to fight countless enemies to save the world and not only on the streets but also in tournaments. From frail little demons to unimaginable bests, Yusuke must defeat them all.

Besides capturing the intense battles, Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files also includes a lot of the humor that the Dragon Ball series’ have shown throughout the years. The anime maintains a good balance of serious moments and lighthearted comedy with its facial expression and sometimes dark humor. Besides its comedy and main character similarities, much like Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Hakusho has a large cast of colorful and superpowered characters who must protect those near and dear to them.

Hunter x Hunter

anime like Dragon Ball Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter follows the adventures of Gon Freecs, a 12-year-old boy who’s in search of his father, Ging, who happens to be a Hunter — a title granted to those possessing immeasurable skills.

To find his father and prove himself a Hunter in his own right, Gon decides to take the Hunter Exam. During his journey, he makes new friends, goes on wild adventures, and discovers what it is to be a Hunter.

The themes of strength, hard work, and training have never been more predominant than in Hunter x Hunter. The anime, much like the Dragon Ball series, features intense and memorable moments that will make you cheer for the hero. With each passing arc, we see Gon, like Goku, get even stronger and more overpowered.

Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac

anime like Dragon Ball Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac

Athena, The goddess of Wisdom and War is in danger. Set to protect her are a group of individuals, known as Saints, who by summoning the Cosmos could rip open the sky with a single punch.

Now there’s a new generation of potential Saints. After much hard work and training, Seiya can finally call himself one of Athena’s Saints. But his adventures don’t end there. In fact, many perils and dangerous enemies await the young Saint throughout the 114-episodes series.

There are many similarities between Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac and Dragon Ball. First, they both are famous manga and anime series created in the 1980s, and both have influenced other Japanese animation with their fighting sequences and lighthearted humor. Also, like Goku, Seiya harnesses his power from a mystical source to destroy powerful enemies with arrows. The physical strength and emotional toll that Seiya endures is also reminiscent of the great Goku.

Tenjho Tenge

anime like Dragon Ball Tenjou Tenge

High school is for many the beginning of becoming an adult, and for Souichiro Nagi and Bob Makihara, this couldn’t be truer. But high school has a different meaning for them. It offers the two young men the opportunity to become the top fighters of their school. However, the journey will not be as easy as they thought as Toudou Academy is no ordinary school. Instead of concentrating on normal school subjects like math and science, Toudou Academy teaches its students martial arts.

Nagi and Makihara try to make a rude first impression at Toudou. But unfortunately for them, this ends in disaster when members of the Jyuuken beat the two up. And to make matters worse the two are attacked by members of the Enforcement Group, which oversees the martial arts groups at Toudou. Now drawn into the personal conflicts between the Jyuukenbu and the Enforcement group, Nagi and Makihara have no choice but to join Jyuuken and hone their martial arts skills. And naturally, trouble follows.

If you enjoyed the fighting of Dragon Ball, then Tenjou Tenge is a must-watch. Throughout the series, the powers of the main characters tend to go over the top sometimes, which leads to unbelievable Bruce Lee-inspired fighting sequences. The action and suspense of the anime will keep fans entertained until the next Dragon Ball adaptation.

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Zuleika
Zuleika is a fan contributor at Fandom and focuses on Anime with words on Vocal, Movie Pilot and Fanime BLOG. She's a big fan of horror, gore and mystery anime. Loves series, movies, and games that have to do with bloodthirsty but equally intelligent psychos.