The Big Three: Why Dragon Ball Doesn't Get Grouped With Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach (2024)

Anime fans have spent countless hours arguing about everything in their favorite shonen series, from power levels to lore details. However, one of the most common debates focuses on why Dragon Ball, and its various spinoffs, aren't considered part of the Big Three anime powerhouses.

Originating in Western anime fandom in the mid-2000s, the term "Big Three" refers to One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. Their popularity and extensive length meant they frequently featured on the cover of Shonen Jump, and shared covers often featured characters from all three franchises. The Big Three were the anime that fans simply couldn't escape from, since they dominated conventions, merchandise, and forums. Despite this being a term used for the most popular and ubiquitous properties, Dragon Ball Z isn't among their legendary number.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo on June 24, 2024: The Big 3 anime and manga franchises were very popular in the 2000s and early 2010s, paving the way for the dominance of these and similar properties in the 2020s. Made up of One Piece, Naruto and Bleach, these shows introduced a generation of viewers to anime. At the same time, they were preceded by Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, which were just as popular in their time. Thus, many fans wonder why Dragon Ball isn't considered one of the Big 3 anime, and the answer is rather simple. Ironically, the legacy of Dragon Ball and each of the Big 3 anime lives on into the modern day.

Timing Explains Dragon Ball's Exclusion from the Big 3 Anime

It should be noted that the term "Big 3 anime" was created by fans during the zeitgeist. It has no official backing, which means it isn't a reflection of One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach's sales or quality. The "Big 3 anime" was merely a statement about their perceived popularity within the shonen fandom at a certain moment in time. With that in mind, it can't be denied that Dragon Ball was long-running, part of the shonen genre, and remains extremely popular with fans worldwide.

The explanation for why the series isn't part of the Big 3 anime is largely because of Dragon Ball's publication date. In Japan, the Big Three anime have scattered manga release dates for their manga and anime. One Piece launched in 1997 and Naruto in 1999, but Bleach by Tite Kubo didn't start until 2001. There was also an even further delay between the series' launch and their arrival in the American version of Shonen Jump. In North America, One Piece launched in 2002, Naruto began in 2003 and Bleach in 2007, meaning all of those titles were in the public consciousness at the same time.

Dragon Ball, however, debuted and grew popular much earlier than the Big 3 anime. The original manga launched in Japan in 1984 and finished in 1995, years before the other titles came along. It also launched in North America in 1998 through an iconic dub by Funimation, meaning many anime fans would have read it before its counterparts even released. This made Dragon Ball feel like it was from the era before the Big Three anime, and that its moment had already somewhat passed.

Dragon Ball Came and Went Before Big Three Anime Trends Started

The release trend of the Big 3 anime carries through to the animated releases for these titles, explaining why other works aren't a part of the group. The Dragon Ball Z anime launched on North American TV in 1996, quickly growing a dedicated fan base. However, its run of new episodes ended in 2003, before any of the Big Three hit screens. The first Big Three anime to launch in North America was One Piece in 2004, with Naruto following in 2005 and Bleach in 2006. By the time the Big 3 anime had begun their Western runs, viewers had already seen the entirety of Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z and the non-canon sequel, Dragon Ball GT.

Therefore, Dragon Ball stemmed from the era before the Big Three anime in both the East and West. It should also be noted that while the internet was around at this point, streaming anime online wasn't a thing. So, while anime fans could discuss shows online, they could only watch what was picked up for local broadcast. This made it seem as if the Big 3 anime dominated the space, while Dragon Ball Z's initial hype had already died down.

On top of this, when Viz Media brought the Dragon Ball manga to America, it didn't do so through the American version of the Shonen Jump magazine. Rather, it released the series as a monthly comic book. This clearly separated the series by era, and it also wasn't as closely associated with its contemporaries. The Big Three anime are linked in fans' minds because they were so often seen together on various Shonen Jump covers. Those who read the magazine would likely read all three series at once and then watch the anime adaptations on TV. This made the Big 3 anime and manga feel like a unified moment or movement, unlike Dragon Ball, which felt like its own separate franchise.

The New Big Three Anime Still Don't Include Dragon Ball

These days, the idea of the Big Three anime is a fascinating relic of another time, one where the North American anime market was much more centralized and anime fans had far fewer choices. However, while Dragon Ball is undoubtedly great, it simply arrived too early to be viewed alongside Naruto, One Piece and Bleach. It was already a massive franchise in its own right before the Big Three anime became a concept in the public consciousness. At the same time, a modern equivalent to this concept has arisen, and it still excludes the Dragon Ball franchise.

Modern anime fans are likely familiar with the "dark trio of anime." These works launched in the last half decade or so, and they're noted for their fittingly darker tones and subject matter. Among the trio are Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, Chainsaw Man and especially the popular series Jujutsu Kaisen. Their content and tone is arguably closer to a seinen series such as JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, explaining why the grouping doesn't include hits like My Hero Academia or Dragon Ball Super. Those manga and anime also launched before any of the dark shonen trio, the latter group being the closest thing to a modern Big 3 anime.

Due to Dragon Ball Super coming out before them and not having similar content, the franchise is once again kept out from being part of a Big 3 of anime and manga. At the same time, Dragon Ball remains a lucrative and beloved franchise among various generations, and it's synonymous with anime as a whole. As a result, it stands in a league of its own, surpassing the popularity of any trend. After all, the longevity of Chainsaw Man's popularity is questionable, but Dragon Ball's legacy will seemingly last forever.

The Legacy of Dragon Ball and the Big 3 Anime Lives On

The Big 3 anime are all still going on, in one way or another. The manga and anime for One Piece are both still going strong, though the former is potentially winding down to its final saga. The anime has not only got a live-action remake in 2023, but it's also set to have an anime remake titled The One Piece. In the case of Naruto, it's continued in the form of the sequel series Boruto, which is focused on the son of the previous series' protagonist. Likewise, while the original Bleach manga has been concluded for years, the last part of its storyline is finally being adapted into the Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War series. This came after franchise creator Tite Kubo released the series Burn the Witch, which is set in the same universe as Bleach. Amid these continuations of the Big 3 anime, Dragon Ball has taken on a new form with the manga and anime for Dragon Ball Super, which replaces the now non-canon Dragon Ball GT.

In Fall 2024, a new series titled Dragon Ball Daima will also be released, and it's one of the last projects that series creator Akira Toriyama worked on. This showcased the legacy of Dragon Ball as a whole, and the same goes for the Big 3 anime. Those shows have carved out a path for their own legacies, with just as many modern anime fans having gotten their start with the medium through these shows. This cements Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball as being a predecessor to the Big 3 anime, despite never being a part of them. In fact, given the previous hiatus within the Bleach franchise, it's just as easy to argue that Dragon Ball was the temporary replacement for the Big 3 anime.

Dragon Ball

Dragon Ball tells the tale of a young warrior by the name of Son Goku, a young peculiar boy with a tail who embarks on a quest to become stronger and learns of the Dragon Balls, when, once all 7 are gathered, grant any wish of choice.

Created by

Akira Toriyama

First Film

Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies

Latest Film

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero

First TV Show

Dragon Ball

Latest TV Show

Dragon Ball Super

First Episode Air Date

April 26, 1989

Cast

Sean Schemmel , Laura Bailey , Brian Drummond , Christopher Sabat , Scott McNeil

Current Series

Dragon Ball Super

Summary

Dragon Ball is the labor of writer/illustrator Akira Toriyama, beginning with Dragon Ball back in 1984. The series originally started as a serialized manga back in Weekly Shonen Jump for nearly a decade until it expanded into the anime franchises it is most known for today. Dragon Ball was later adapted into two animes, with one being Dragon Ball Z, the most universally known series in the entire Dragon Ball canon. The franchise has continued to expand lore via films, video games, and additional sequel TV series, such as the more recent Dragon Ball Super and Super Dragon Ball Heroes. Dragon Ball centers mostly around Son Goku, a being known as a Saiyan, and his friends as they face off against intergalactic threats and seek out the titular dragon balls. When all seven of these balls are collected, they can be used to summon a legendary dragon that can grant the wishes of whoever so gathers them. The Dragon Ball franchise continues to be one of the most well-known and beloved animes of all time, with over forty different countries airing it, and has had a tremendous impact on Western culture as a whole.