These collected volumes, 42 in all, were released over the course of the Dragon Ball's run in the Japanese Weekly Shônen Jump, staying a few months behind the weekly run. This is the original "book" format for the manga, from which most foreign editions derive their volume numbering.

Release Date: 09/15/1985 - 08/09/1995
Total Volumes: 42
Chapters: 01 - 519, Trunks Special
Average Chapters Per Volume: ~12

• Notes from Akira Toriyama (1-42)
• "Ask-Me-Anything" Corner (1-12)
• Title Page Galleries (1; 3-?)

This version of the manga is the brand-new Japanese re-release, featuring new coverart by Akira Toriyama, the color pages as they were originally drawn, and more chapters than before. Note, though, that the release is not yet complete, and 4 volumes remain to be published.

• New Cover Art by Akira Toriyama
• Color Pages (includes image from front cover)
• More complete Title Page Collections
• "Dragon Ball Information" Pamphlets,
  featuring DB Art by Other Manga Artists

Before the advent of the English-language Shonen Jump magazine, both DB and "DBZ" (DB from chapter 195 onwards) were put out in a monthly format similar to that of most American comics. These originally had 2 chapters each, although this number eventually increased to 3 (while the last few issues of both series had even more). The DBZ monthlies stopped first, when Shonen Jump went to print; DB's were retired several months later, with the series to be completed in "Graphic Novel" format only.

Release Date (DB): 03/1998 - 02/2003
Release Date (DBZ): 03/1998 - 10/2002
Total Issues (DB): 60
Total Issues (DBZ): 56
Chapters: 1 - 142; 195 - 329
Chapters Per Issue: 2 / 3

• Letters Column

Between September 2000 and December 2003, the monthly comics for Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z were collected in the "Viz Graphic Novel" format, based on the original Japanese tankôbon. These were roughly identical to their Japanese counterparts, except for the DB / DBZ transition. This edition was discontinued after the advent of the American Shonen Jump, and the volumes that were already released were reprinted in the smaller Shonen Jump format.

• "Ask-Me-Anything" Corner (DB 2-10)
• Title Page Galleries (1; 3-10 / 1-10)

Starting in December 2002, Viz has been producing an English-language version of the popular Japanese manga anthology, Shonen Jump. Included in it are some of the most popular manga from the last 10 years, including (of course) DragonBall Z.

• Articles accompanying the manga
• Other series to read, as well
• Full-color pages (where applicable)

After the US version of Shonen Jump was announced, the old DB and DBZ graphic novels were discontinued, and reprinted in the new, smaller Shonen Jump format in early 2003. Volumes released since then have been put out as "Shonen Jump Graphic Novels," only. Changes from the older version include minor textual corrections, consistent use of Akira Toriyama's notes at the beginning of each book, and slight shifting of the title page galleries from volume to volume (due to differring page counts).

• Notes from Akira Toriyama (1-14 / 1-15)
• "Ask-Me-Anything" Corner (DB 2, 12)
• Title Page Galleries (1, 3-14 / 1-15)