While Netflix reigns as the largest streaming service globally, its inclusion of the Dragon Ball anime series outside Japan has been inconsistent. Today marks a significant shift for U.S. Netflix subscribers, who can now enjoy one of the most acclaimed chapters of this legendary anime franchise.

Originally debuting in 2013, a beloved film from the Dragon Ball Z saga has joined the streaming giant’s catalog. As of December 15, 2025, Netflix members can immerse themselves in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, the movie that paved the way for the hit series Dragon Ball Super.

Occurring shortly after the conclusion of the 1990s DBZ series, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods sees Goku, Vegeta, and their fellow Z-Fighters confronting their most formidable adversary yet—Beerus, the God of Destruction. To safeguard Earth from this culinary enthusiast deity, they must harness the power of a Super Saiyan God.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods Lands New Streaming Home on Netflix

Image via Toei Animation

Set a short time after the final arc of the ’90s DBZ anime, Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods reunites Goku, Vegeta and the rest of the Z-Fighters as they encounter the strongest enemy they’ve ever faced, Beerus, and find themselves in need of the power of a Super Saiyan God in order to protect the Earth from the food-loving God of Destruction.

More than any Dragon Ball movie before it, Battle of Gods received widespread love, not just from fans of the franchise but also the anime community as a whole. Common points of praise for the film include its delightful humor, its outstanding score and soundtrack, the unique nature of Beerus as a non-villainous and charismatic antagonist, and some of the best-animated and best-directed animated action scenes that moviegoers had ever seen in theaters at the time of its release.

Of course, one of Battle of Gods‘ biggest claims to fame is that, aside from being the first brand-new anime created for the franchise since Dragon Ball GT ended in 1997, it was the first Dragon Ball movie to be personally supervised by original series creator Akira Toriyama.

According to the movie’s official website, Toriyama was deeply involved in the film’s production since its initial screenwriting phase — a perhaps largely unsurprising fact, given that the movie was made in large part because he was so dissatisfied with 2009’s Hollywood live-action adaptation, Dragonball Evolution.

Battle of Gods‘ success ultimately led to the creation of a sequel, Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection ‘F’, with the popularity of both films resulting in a new television anime, Dragon Ball Super, which kicked off with an arc that served as an extension of Battle of Gods.

For non-Dragon Ball fans, Battle of Gods isn’t the only anime being added to Netflix on Dec. 15. As of today, 15 HD remastered episodes of One Piece have also been added to the streaming service’s catalog, marking an auspicious day for anime fans on the platform.

Release Date

March 30, 2013

Runtime

85 minutes

Director

Masahiro Hosoda

• Masako Nozawa

  Son Goku / Son Gohan / Son Goten (voice)

• 

  Koichi Yamadera

  Beerus (voice)