Location from Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
The legendary arena where Earth's martial artists compete for fame and glory — the stage for some of the most iconic fights in Dragon Ball history before the stakes went cosmic.
Where Goku first fought as a child and kept returning as he grew. The World Tournament is where Goku met Chi-Chi, where Tien redeemed himself, where Piccolo revealed his nature, where Hercule built his fame. The arena grounds have a festive atmosphere — food vendors, excited crowds, preliminary rings in the back. The tournament itself follows strict rules that increasingly don't apply to its most powerful participants. Ring-outs count as losses, which matters when the fighters can fly. By the Buu saga, the Z Fighters participate mostly for the prize money.
A large open-air arena on a tropical island called Papaya Island. Central raised stone fighting platform surrounded by grass, spectator stands, and vendor stalls. Monks serve as officials. The arena is modest by cosmic standards — just a flat stone square — but the history in those stones is immeasurable.
Also known as: World Tournament Arena, Tenkaichi Budokai, World Martial Arts Tournament