Dragon Ball

Lore & Background

The world of Dragon Ball is built on a simple, almost mythic premise: seven mystical orbs scattered across a planet, each bearing a star. Collect them all and the dragon Shenron rises from the clouds to grant a single wish. What begins as a treasure-hunt adventure for a cheerful, appetite-driven boy named Goku quickly spirals into a saga of interstellar warfare, genetic warrior races, and the endless pursuit of greater strength. The Dragon Balls are not merely plot devices; they are the narrative heartbeat, the thing every faction—Z Fighters, Saiyan princes, tyrannical emperors, and godlike entities—wants for its own reasons.

The Saiyan race, introduced in the later arc of the series, reframes the story's stakes. Goku and Vegeta are not merely strong martial artists; they are members of a genetically engineered warrior species whose biology is wired for combat. Their transformations—driven by rage, grief, or sheer will—push them past physical limits in ways that feel almost alchemical. The concept of a 'power level,' measured by a small handheld scanner, becomes a running motif: a number that keeps climbing, a ceiling that keeps shattering, a reminder that in this universe, the only true limit is the next one you refuse to accept.

Beneath the spectacle, Dragon Ball is a story about bonds. Goku's friendships with Krillin, Piccolo, and the rest of the Z Fighters are the emotional anchor that keeps the escalating power fantasy grounded. Rivals become allies. Enemies become teachers. The line between good and evil blurs and sharpens again, but the core promise remains: you do not have to fight alone, and the people beside you matter more than the number on the scanner.

In Their Own Story

The sun hung low over the quiet village, casting long amber shadows across the rice paddies. Goku sat cross-legged on a flat rock above the valley, his orange gi still dusted with the red dirt of a sparring session that had ended with a crater where his training dummy used to be. He chewed a rice ball slowly, watching the clouds peel apart in slow, cotton-thick strips.

Somewhere far above the atmosphere, a small green ship turned its engines toward the stars. The prince inside it pressed his fist against the viewport, jaw tight, and whispered a name that tasted like old fury and older pride. He was coming back. He always came back.

Goku finished his rice ball, wiped his hands on his gi, and smiled. He could feel it already—that familiar, electric hum in his chest, the one that meant the universe was about to get a lot more interesting. He stood, stretched his arms overhead, and let a small, contented laugh escape him.

"Alright," he murmured to the empty sky. "Let's see what you've got this time."

Reader's Guide

Franchise Crossover Dossier: Dragon Ball

Characters: Son Goku (debuting in Smash 3DS/Wii U, 2014) and Vegeta (added in Smash Ultimate, 2018) anchor the franchise's presence. Goku's moveset channels his most iconic techniques—Kamehameha as a long-range projectile, Spirit Bomb as a screen-wide grab, and a teleport-style special that mirrors his Instant Transmission. Vegeta brings the Saiyan prince's arsenal, including the Galick Gun and the devastating Final Flash, with a heavier, more aggressive fighting style that contrasts Goku's fluid, acrobatic rhythm.

Stages & Items: The 'Kakarot Village' stage (named after Goku's Saiyan birth name) recreates the pastoral, mountain-fringed landscape of the Dragon Ball setting, complete with a destructible background and a tropical, open-air feel. The Dragon Ball item is a 7-star collectible; gathering all seven summons Shenron for a random power-up, a direct nod to the series' central mechanic.

Story Mode & Easter Eggs: In Ultimate's World of Light, a dedicated Dragon Ball section features franchise-themed enemies and a Frieza boss encounter, letting players traverse a pocket of the Dragon Ball universe within the broader narrative. Toriyama himself contributed to the character designs for the Smash versions of Goku and Vegeta, lending an authentic touch to their silhouettes and expressions.

Cross-Universe Resonance: Dragon Ball's inclusion is a statement about Smash's identity. A franchise built on characters who routinely level continents sits alongside a plumber who jumps on their heads and a cat who can turn into a giant. The absurdity is the point. Goku's Kamehameha colliding with a Mario fireball, or Vegeta's Final Flash lighting up a stage alongside a Link sword slash—these are the moments that make Smash feel like no other fighting game on Earth.

Did You Know?

• The 'Kakarot Village' stage in Smash is named after Goku's original Saiyan name, Kakarot, a detail that rewards players who know the franchise's lore beyond the anime.
• Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, personally contributed to the character designs for both Goku and Vegeta in their Smash Bros. appearances, giving them a look that bridges his original manga style with the Sma
• In the Dragon Ball canon, the seven Dragon Balls are scattered across the planet and must be located using a Dragon Radar—a small, handheld scanner that pings the nearest orb. Smash's 7-star Dragon Ball item is a direct,
• Vegeta's addition to Smash Ultimate in 2018 made him the second Dragon Ball character in the series, and his entry was one of the most anticipated DLC reveals, reflecting the franchise's enormous global fanbase.