Aside from the various TV series, Dragon Ball has released many movies, TV specials, and OVAs to varying reception from fans. Although none of the movies are official canon, that has never stopped fans from analyzing their favorite characters and discussing which movie is best or worst.

The criteria for judging is numerous and include the heroes who get to fight, how strong and powerfil the villains are, and how the movies in general stand the test of time against fresher content, among other things.

There are a lot of films to choose from and they cover every major part in the series. If you’re a fan of a particular story arc, there is at least one movie out there that will allow you to see your favorite characters go a little crazy with their powers.

With that said, here are the 10 Best (And 10 Worst) Dragon Ball Movies, Ranked.

20. Worst: Dead Zone

The first movie under the Dragon Ball Z series, Dead Zone holds a place in many fans' memories because it was the first movie that many of them saw. Nostalgia only goes so far ,though, and while this movie does have some good fight sequences, it is brought down by a lack of strong villains and a plot that is bare bones in retrospect.

Garlic Jr, the lead bad, is not very compelling and his henchmen are even less so. The movie clearly takes place before Raditz arrives, and when looking back at the fight between Goku/Piccolo vs Garlic, it looks and feels like a less thrilling version of Goku/Piccolo vs Raditz.

The villain’s power ranking is very low, as Goku and Piccolo are able to topple him once they removed the weighted clothing, and only Garlic’s immortality can save him.

Infant Gohan is also a negative, as it’s much more entertaining to see him in the movies and specials when he’s older. Dead Zone coasts on nostalgia but, as far as content goes, there are much better movies to see.

19. Best: Super Android 13

Taking place sometime after the death of Dr Gero, Super Android 13 is a side story in the popular Android Saga that reveals the evil doctor’s supercomputer had created 3 secret androids: the titular villain, as well as Android 14 and 15.

This movie is a shorter one but maximizes its minutes with a steady pace that never drags on. It also includes some good fights against worthy enemies. The long fight sequence is essentially a 3 on 3 battle with the Androids taking on Goku, Trunks, and Vegeta.

The flow and dynamics of the fight eventually lead to a Goku pairing off with 13, while Trunks and Vegeta isolate and destroy 14 and 15, respectively. Piccolo also s the battle later on.

When the other two Androids fall, 13 fuses their power into himself and thus begins the climactic battle of the movie. Super Android 13 is exactly what a Dragon Ball movie should be: a fun, action packed adventure that adds to ethos of the franchise.

18. Worst: The Tree Of Might

The third of the Dragon Ball Z movies is The Tree of Might. If we were to try to place it in the timeline, it would perhaps be take place before the Frieza Saga.

The plot of this one starts with a forest fire and Gohan and Krillin rescuing various forest animals, including a baby dragon named Icarus, who later makes several appearances.

Unfortunately, the movie is dominated by Icarus-- he gets way too much screen time here that should have been focused elsewhere. The villains are a group of Saiyans led by Turles, who has the exact same character model as Goku, only with darker skin.

The plot involves the villains trying to plant a special tree on the planet that will absorb all of its energy. Whoever eats the fruit of the tree once the energy is absorbed will become incredibly powerful.

Overall, the movie has lackluster villains that could have used more development, and an ending that feels rushed and tacked on. The Tree of Might feels like a lot of missed opportunity.

17. Best: Bardock - The Father Of Goku

Bardock - The Father of Goku was the first Dragon Ball Z TV special. It focuses on Bardock, a character whose place in the cannon is questionable. However, the movie gives some solid backstory and insight into Saiyan society.

Bardock is a low-level Saiyan warrior who serves under Frieza. He leads his own small team of warriors and his new son, Goku, is thought to be the one who will destroy all life on Earth once he gets there. However, after nearly exterminating all life on Planet Kanassa, he is given a vision of destruction of the Saiyan race and Goku’s true destiny as their savior.

Bardock’s team is destroyed on Frieza’s orders and he fights back valiantly, taking out many of t Frieza’s minions. In the end, Bardock is easily overwhelmed by Frieza but has one last vision of his son’s future. He dies knowing that he got Goku away safely before Frieza could destroy the planet.

This special has an excellent story that really adds some depth to the mysterious Saiyan race. It was also well received by fans overall. Although the movie isn’t officially canon, Bardock as a character does exist in the manga.

16. Worst: The Path To Power

The Path to Power is a unique offering that was made to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the original Dragon Ball series. The movie is a very abridged telling of the original series, which is exactly why it is one of the worst movies.

Condensing a 153 episodes into an 80 minute movie will inherently leave out a lot of content, but The Path to Power omits some of the very best things. There is no Krillin, Mercenary Tao, nor Emperor Pilaf and his minions. There are also various cosmetic changes to many characters.

It is unclear who this movie is supposed to target. Dedicated fans already saw the series and know the detailed story, while new or casual fans who watched it would have missed out on a lot of key parts.

The Path to Power isn’t so much bad as it is a totally unnecessary, as it neither enhances the story nor does it work as a good introduction or summary of the series.

15. Best: Fusion Reborn

One of the benefits of having non-canon material in a series is that the creators have a chance to go a little nuts with the content, and no movie does this more or better than Fusion Reborn, which doesn't take itself too seriously.

Fusion Reborn is crazy from the get-go. The story begins with a demon in Otherworld that is guarding a soul cleansing machine. When it blows up, it releases all of the evil and transforms the demon into a powerful villain named Janemba.

There are several things that stand out here, most famously is how truly strange and alien the setting and characters are. Janemba can manipulate matter and his attacks include punching through portals and summoning mini versions of Goku.

The border between dimensions is down, so there are some bizarre villains like Hitler and Dracula on Earth, and we get the first appearance of Gogeta, the fusion dance counterpart to Vegito.

This only scratches the surface of the unique and bizarre movie, but it is an entertaining ride that shows what strange wonders can happen when the makers of Dragon Ball are off the leash.

14. Worst: Curse Of The Blood Rubies

This is the oldest entry on the list, and the very first Dragon Ball movie, as it was released back in 1986. Back then, the manga was not nearly as popular as it went on to be, and the movie was used in part as a promotional tool for it.

Blood Rubies is basically episodes 1-8 of the anime series, but doesn’t include Pilaf, Mai, Shu, or various other characters. Instead, we get King Gurumes, who is under a curse that makes his appetite insatiable.

The charm of the series is still somewhat present, but some of humor is absent, as is some of the character development. For example, some of Goku’s noble traits, such as his bravery when he saves Turtle or his innocent persona, are absent.

Bulma has bigger role and it is her who defeats the villain in the end. That may be an interesting change, but overall the movie has some of the same problems Path to Power does-- it’s a retelling of a story that was already good to begin with.

13. Best: Cooler's Revenge

Movie villain Cooler, Frieza’s older brother, is the first enemy to make two movie appearances, and both are solid entries in the franchise. Cooler's Revenge is his first appearance and shows him as a strong, driven character, but with more maturity and honor than his sadistic little brother.

Cooler has the power to match and even sur Frieza. In fact, one of the more memorable moments from the movie is when Cooler hits Goku with a single blast and knocks him out for nearly the entire movie. Cooler’s henchmen, especially Salza, are also formidable fighters who push the team to the limit.

Goku eventually makes a dramatic appearance after recovering from Cooler’s blast and the fight is far from over. Cooler's Revenge does an excellent job of building tension and staging a dramatic final battle, pushing Goku and the Z fighters to bring out their very best.

Certainly one of the better movies, Cooler’s Revenge is one that can always be revisited since it never loses its flare.

12. Worst: The World's Strongest

As the second movie in the Z series, World’s Strongest focuses on a mad scientist named Dr Kochin who wants to gather the Dragon Balls and wish back his master, Dr Wheelo and his lab from an icy prison.

The movie starts off with Gohan and Oolong searching for the Dragon Balls. Kochin manages to get them before they do, though, which results in the lab being raised and Gohan, Oolong, and Piccolo being attacked by Bio-men (who look exactly like Saibamen from the series).

The most memorable scene is Gohan’s daydreaming montage about Piccolo. Gohan is still a kid and Piccolo is very much a father to him, much more than Goku, and the song praises Piccolo’s strength and Gohan’s dream to become a great scholar. It’s amusing, and the movie is an improvement over the first, but it lacks in the villain department.

Also, while Goku’s 2-on-1 fight with Kishime and Ebifurya is entertaining, there are no other memorable action scenes. While World' Strongest isn’t terrible, most of the other movies are a lot better.

11. Best: Resurrection 'F'

As the fifteenth Dragon Ball movie, Resurrection 'F' is a fan favorite. It is even supervised by Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama, which means that is is considered a part of the official storyline.

In the beginning, of Frieza's army head to Earth in order to obtain Dragon Balls to wish for Frieza's revival. Once revived, Frieza decides to seek revenge against Goku and his friends. However, he soon learns that Goku has beaten Maji Buu and decides to train. Eventually, Frieza returns to Earth and Bulma gets word of his arrival.

Unfortunately, both Goku and Vegeta are away training so Gohan, Piccolo, Master Roshi, Krillin, and Tien are left to face off against Frieza. Things look bad for the Z fighters, but Bulma is eventually able to Goku and let him know what's going on. Both he and Vegeta head back to Earth and beat Frieza to within an inch of his life.

Overall, the story is both thrilling and shocking. Frieza is a deadly villain, but Goku is an even more powerful hero. Resurrection 'F' succeeds in both the villain and story department.