As a child, I would ritually watch Dragon Ball Z before going to school. And upon return, it would be time for Naruto. So, it’s safe to say that Goku and Naruto truly made my childhood memorable.
That being said, I recently saw a Reddit thread where people fought over DBZ and Naruto. While I didn’t ever think of comparing the two legendary anime, that thread surely intrigued my imagination.
So, here I’ll draw a comparison between DBZ and Naruto, and before I start, I’ll also tell where you can rewatch these anime as they may no longer be available on cable TV. Now, let’s start.
Where to Watch Dragon Ball Z and Naruto?
Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Boruto are available on Netflix. While DBZ anime is not available on Netflix, DBZ movies; The Dead Zone, Battle of Gods, and Resurrection F, are available on Netflix. To watch DBZ anime, Crunchyroll is the best platform to relive the epic Frieza and Cell Saga.
Also, make sure to sort your internet connection for seamless streaming. For that, check out the affordable Spectrum deals which offer high-speed internet. I’ve been watching DBZ and Naruto non-stop on weekends without any buffering on my Spectrum Internet.
Now, let’s head to a detailed comparison between DBZ and Naruto.
Detailed Comparison Between Dragon Ball Z and Naruto:
Which Anime Has a Better Story Arc?
There is no shortage of story arcs in Naruto and DBZ, and I must say, every story arc keeps the viewers hooked to these anime series. But, if I were to compare the story arcs of Naruto and DBZ, I may lean a little towards Naruto. Here’s why:
Naruto’s story moves in a sequence: an orphan with a beast inside him and despised by his villagers, dreams of becoming the Hokage one day. It took time for Naruto to become the Hokage, but the events that happened on this journey, for instance, where he saved Gara truly showed why Naruto deserved to be the Hidden Leaf’s leader.
Now, if I talk about DBZ, I believe the story arc is a bit confusing for the viewers to understand. For instance, how did a 4-year-old Gohan suddenly become the main character to fight Goku’s enemies? Yes, it’s understandable that Gohan was a Saiyan like Goku and Vegeta, but don’t you think a build-up would’ve been nice for the viewers?
Which Anime Has Better Side-Characters?
It’s alright if you love Sasuke and Vegeta more than Naruto and Goku; I do, too! Although they were side characters in Naruto and DBZ respectively, the creators of these shows left no stone unturned to develop their stories. And not just Sasuke or Vegeta, there are plenty of more side characters who’ve turned out to become fans’ favorites.
But, if I were to compare the side characters based on their contributions to the series, I’d prefer Naruto’s friends to have my back. Simply because characters like Jiraya Sensei, Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and more helped Naruto through thick and thin. Remember how Hinata jumped in to fight for Naruto against Pain? Knowing she’s no match for Pain’s abilities?
Have you ever seen Krillin or Picollo stepping in to fight for Goku? Well yes, Krillin’s death was tragic, no doubt about that, but was he fighting Frieza or running away with Gohan to Goku’s spaceship? So yes, I believe both anime series have quality side characters, but are they impactful? Naruto gets a point here.
Which Anime Has Better Villains?
Villains in Naruto and DBZ are fierce and would do anything to achieve their objectives. And that’s what made both Naruto and DBZ worth watching, right? But, what about their goals? Were they really meaningful for the viewers, or did the creators add those villains because they had to? Let’s see:
Akatsuki and Madara had similar objectives and both came closer to achieving them in different ways. Both entities wanted to end the bloodshed caused by the ninjas. And for that, Akatsuki tried to capture all the Jinchuriki with tailed beasts to get the ultimate power in the ninja world. Madara tried a more vicious way of capturing everyone in his genjutsu. Anyway, their objective meant something to them, and for the viewers as well.
On the other hand, Frieza and Cell were the two main villains in DBZ. Both had no objective but to become all-powerful; Frieza wanted to rule the universe by killing the Omni-Kings and Cell wanted to reach his perfect state. And even after reaching his perfect state, Cell was defeated by Gohan.
Now I believe that Naruto had much better villains who had a goal and were not driven by the lust for power only.
Which Anime Has Better Fights?
When I compare the two anime, Naruto’s fights were good, but DBZ’s fights were the best. No, I’m not taking anything from Naruto’s No-Talk Jutsu, but DBZ fights were more cinematic and had better scripts.
I’ll talk about Naruto first. Yes, the creators ensured that Naruto had a knack of convincing people. Zabuza, for instance, is one person who was influenced by Naruto’s words. But Nagato? He was Pain’s leader and fans were expecting a close fight between the two great fighters.
Also, Naruto’s fights always had a similar approach. Naruto used Kurama’s chakra to beat his opponents whenever he was in trouble. Which I think wasn’t fair to his opponents as Naruto always had a tailed beast to support him.
Now, DBZ had more impactful and fierce fights. As fans, we always knew that Goku would emerge victorious, but the creators didn’t make it look obvious. Suspense, drama, and whatnot, the enemy took the fight to the hero most times in DBZ. And Goku would pull out something incredible to dust his opponents. So here, I’d give full marks to DBZ for the best battles.
Wrapping Up: Which Anime Has the Better Ending?
Endings are important, as most fans remember an anime series with how they end. We all remember how Naruto ended. He brought Sasuke back to the Hidden Leaf Village, married Hinata, and was one step closer to becoming the Hokage – his lifelong dream. For all the cruelties he bore, this was a fitting ending for Naruto and the Hidden Leaf Village.
That being said, I also remember how DBZ ended – Goku taking the initiative to train Ubb. While I like the idea that Goku made sure to train the reincarnated, good version of Boo, I cannot comprehend any reason behind it. Even under Goku’s mentorship, Ubb wasn’t going to become a Saiyan or become stronger and more important than Vegeta, Gohan, or Trunks. So yes, now I believe that DBZ could’ve ended in a better way.
