Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama. The series follows the adventures of protagonist Son Goku from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts. Along his journey, he makes several friends, becomes a family man, discovers his alien heritage, and battles a wide variety of villains, many of whom, like him, seek the mystical orbs called the Dragon Balls in order to summon a wish-granting dragon.