Dragon Ball
WantedFans keep asking for it. No machine has been announced.
#140on the Hype Index, our daily ranking of themes fans want as machines
Peak #21, Feb 2026 · Rank updated Oct 29.
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Dragon Ball has 1 rating so far; its reader hype score shows at 5.
Epic power-ups and explosive battles make Dragon Ball a high-energy pinball dream.
About This Theme
Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise that began as a manga series by Akira Toriyama in 1984 and later became one of the most influential anime series when it first aired in 1986. The franchise follows the adventures of Goku and his companions as they search for the mystical Dragon Balls, which can grant wishes when all seven are collected. Over nearly four decades, Dragon Ball has expanded to include multiple sequel series such as Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, and Dragon Ball Super, becoming a cultural phenomenon that helped popularize anime and manga in Western markets during the 1990s and 2000s. The franchise has generated billions of dollars across manga sales, anime broadcasts, films, video games, and merchandise, establishing itself as one of the highest-grossing media properties worldwide and a foundational work in the shonen action genre.
The pinball community has shown growing interest in Dragon Ball as a potential pinball machine theme, with the franchise coming up frequently in recent discussions among enthusiasts. Many fans cite the strong demographic overlap between Dragon Ball's millennial fanbase and the emerging generation of pinball collectors, noting that the franchise could appeal to both dedicated players and casual audiences. Community members have expressed particular enthusiasm for the gameplay possibilities, with one popular suggestion involving seven missions to collect each Dragon Ball followed by a climactic seven-ball Shenron multiball wizard mode. Discussions often reference Dragon Ball alongside other anime properties as part of a broader desire to see Japanese animation represented in pinball, with some collectors specifically stating they want their game rooms to feature anime-themed machines.
Dragon Ball would translate effectively to pinball due to its rich visual aesthetic, fast-paced action sequences, and instantly recognizable iconography. The franchise offers abundant opportunities for dynamic playfield toys, including representations of characters like Shenron the dragon, flying nimbus clouds, and iconic locations such as Kame House or the World Martial Arts Tournament arena. The progression-based structure of the series, where characters achieve increasingly powerful transformation states like Super Saiyan forms, provides a natural framework for mode advancement and scoring multipliers. Additionally, the franchise's extensive library of memorable music themes and sound effects, from battle cries like the Kamehameha wave to the distinctive power-up sequences, would provide compelling audio elements that could enhance the gameplay experience and create an immersive atmosphere for players familiar with the source material.
