The first-ever global character popularity poll for DRAGON BALL, titled “DRAGON BALL THE ONE,” launched today, November 20th, at noon, the very anniversary of the series’ original debut in Weekly Shonen Jump back in 1984.
This unprecedented poll unfolds in a four-stage survival format. With each stage, the roster of eligible characters shrinks, and at the end of every round a special loser’s bracket will be held on X, where one fallen character can claw their way back into the competition.
The Final Stage, which determines the top 21 characters, runs from noon on December 17th through noon on December 24th. The ultimate results will be unveiled during a special broadcast on the official Dragon Ball YouTube channel at noon on January 24th, 2026.
Fans around the world can vote once per day, choosing from a massive lineup of 212 characters spanning the entire DRAGON BALL series. Voting is open worldwide through the special website, where full instructions are available.
This global showdown advances the characters with the most votes across four rounds. Twenty-one contenders who survive the first three stages will face off in the final ranking stage. Between each round, eliminated characters will enter a rematch on X, where the character receiving the most comeback messages earns a second chance and moves forward.
For the latest updates, follow the official Dragon Ball account on X.
Schedule
1st STAGE:
November 20, 2025, 12:00 PM – November 24, 11:59 AM
→ Top 80 of 212 advance.
Loser’s Bracket:
November 25, 2025, 12:00 PM – November 26, 11:59 AM
→ One of the 132 eliminated returns.
2nd STAGE:
November 27, 12:00 PM – December 1, 11:59 AM
→ Top 40 of 81 advance.
Loser’s Bracket:
December 2, 2025, 12:00 PM – December 3, 11:59 AM
→ One of the 41 eliminated returns.
3rd STAGE:
December 4, 12:00 PM – December 8, 11:59 AM
→ Top 20 of 41 advance.
Loser’s Bracket:
December 9, 2025, 12:00 PM – December 10, 11:59 AM
→ One of the 21 eliminated returns.
FINAL STAGE:
December 17, 12:00 PM – December 24, 11:59 AM
→ Final rankings determined among 21 characters.
Final results announcement:
January 24, 2026, at noon.
Fan Art Wanted
The event also welcomes fan art—illustrations, photos, and other creative works supporting your favorite characters. Selected posts from X using the hashtag #DB1_ART will be featured on the official DRAGON BALL THE ONE voting website.
