Overwhelmed by all the different Dragon Ball figures available? You’re not alone. Between the plethora of characters and the numerous brands, it can be hard to know where to start collecting. In this blog, I’ll break down the most popular types of figures available for Dragon Ball, as well as the Japanese terms to search for.
Let’s get started!
Japanese search terms have been provided when useful
- When searching for a specific character, try adding the character's name to the search term
- You can find the Japanese version of character names on Wikipedia
- Also try removing ドラゴンボール (Dragon Ball) from the search term
- Season or movie-specific titles are also helpful, eg: ドラゴンボールZ or ドラゴンボール超
Banpresto
You can’t talk about Dragon Ball figures without talking about Banpresto. The Banpresto brand is a collection of figure brands released as game prizes. They’re not for sale in retail stores, they must be won at arcades or raffles. Luckily ZenMarket has you covered, as you can find listings on Y! Auctions and other reselling shops. Each release is only available at arcades for a few weeks before disappearing. While these figures start reasonably priced, they can become expensive over time. Don’t wait too long to snatch up a figure you’ve got your eye on!
Youtubers winning Dragon Ball figures from a crane grame
Most of these figures are set in poses, like statues, and do not move. You can find almost any character. Additionally, you can find a variety of styles as many sub-brands make up the Banpresto brand. Different brands focus on different styles: gorgeous painting techniques, cute chibi styles, curvy female figures, and more. There are too many figure lines to summarize here, especially since they come and go quickly, so I’ll drop some helpful search terms. See for yourself!
Shop for Banpresto Figures
Standard Figures
- ドラゴンボール BWFC
- ドラゴンボール super master stars piece
- ドラゴンボール grandista
- ドラゴンボール grandista nero
- ドラゴンボール マンガディメンションズ
- ドラゴンボール resolution of soldiers
- ドラゴンボール超 スーパーヒーロー DXF
- ドラゴンボール 一番くじ
- ドラゴンボール MASTERLISE
Shop for Q Posket
Cute Chibi Style
Shop for GLITTER＆GLAMOURS
Curvy Female Characters
- ドラゴンボール GLITTER&GLAMOURS
- ドラゴンボール GLITTER & GLAMOURS
S.H. Figuarts
With over 120 figures made, S.H. Figuarts has you covered from Dragon Ball to Super Dragon Ball Heroes. These figures have articulated joints so you can pose them. Most of these figures come with extra faces, hands, and accessories, so you can perfectly recreate any scene from the anime (or your imagination)! Their versatility makes them popular with many fans. Whether you want your favorite character cheering you on from your work desk, or you want to photograph your favorite characters in hilarious and unexpected poses, S.H. Figuarts has you covered!
Shop for S.H. Figuarts
S.H.Figuarts
- ドラゴンボール S.H.Figuarts
- Dragon Ball S.H.Figuarts
Figuarts Zero
This sub-brand of S.H. Figuarts makes figures in the same style but in non-movable forms. These are not as common as their movable counterparts.
Figuarts ZERO
Imagination Works
Think of these as the luxury version of S.H.Figuarts figures. These are larger and more detailed, while still being articulated and posable. It should be noted that there are only two figures available in this collection—Goku and Vegeta.
Shop for Imagination Works
Dragon Ball Imagination Works
- ドラゴンボール Imagination Works
Funko Pop
Most people have seen a Funko Pop figure before, but did you know about their Dragon Ball characters? These cute renditions of our favorite characters will bring a pop of cheerfulness to any collection. If you want to collect them all, you better prepare your home and your wallet. There are over 1,000 Dragon Ball Funko Pops!
Shop for Funko Pop
X-Plus figures aka "Gigantic Series"
These massive, deluxe figures are for the most die-hard fans out there. They are between 38 to 50 centimeters tall on average (approx. 15 to 20 inches), and the older figures tend to be rare. You can expect to pay a pretty penny for these figures, between their high listing prices and the shipping costs for such large items.
This figure is 45 cm (18 inches) tall!
Shop for X-Plus Figures
Dragon Ball Gigantic Series
Gachapon Figures
Gachapon (also known as Gashapon) are capsule toys found all over Japan. Figures found in Gachapon machines are small and inexpensive, perfect for casual collections or those with limited display space. You can often buy sets with two to four characters for the same price as one average figure. Gachapon figures are ideal for decorating office spaces, gift bags for events, stocking stuffers, or more. Take a look at the gachapon figures currently available at ZenMarket.
Shop for Gachapon
Dragon Ball Gachapon
- ドラゴンボール ガシャポン
- ドラゴンボール ガチャポン
- ドラゴンボールUG
Garage Kits
Dragon Ball has diehard fans all over the world. Some dedicated fans make or modify figures themselves. These figures are often called “garage kits” and can be very expensive. Garage kit figures are a luxury option for fans who want unique works of art.
Shop for Garage Kits
Garage Kits
Accessories & Stands
Accessories for figures can also be helpful for collectors. Display stands, shelves, and background art stands can help you make the setting for your figures.
Stands, backdrops, and more figure accessories.
Shop for Accessories and Stands
Figure Stands
Figure Effects
- ドラゴンボール フィギュア エフェクト
- フィギュア エフェクト
Clear Acrylic Backdrops / Titles / etc
Still feeling lost?
There are so many options, you might feel a bit lost. Don't worry, we have a handy page with shortcuts to all the most useful searches. You can search by character or by type of figure easily by following the link below:
Click to see figures by type and character