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Dragon Ball, Vol. 5

鳥山 明 [Akira Toriyama]

Cover of Dragon Ball, Vol. 5

Dragon Ball, Vol. 5

Age Rating, Reading Level & Content Guide

by 鳥山 明 [Akira Toriyama]

Reading Level 4-5 9MP Ages 13+ Matched

The text is written at a 4th grade reading level, the subject matter is intended for teens (ages 13+), and the content has moderate intensity with some emotionally heavy themes.

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About This Book

What if a fierce battle could turn a young hero into a giant like King Kong? Imagine the chaos when Goku and Jackie Chun face off with no rules, and the crowd scrambles to escape! Can Goku control his new power, or will things get even wilder?

Quick Assessment

This volume of Dragon Ball follows Goku as he battles Jackie Chun in an intense martial arts tournament. The story includes fantastical transformations and action-packed sequences suitable for teens, with a reading level around grade 4.5. Parents should note the comic’s dynamic fight scenes and fantasy violence, typical of graphic novels in this series.

Why we rated Dragon Ball, Vol. 5 9MP

Dragon Ball, Vol. 5 is written at a Level 4-5 reading level across 192 pages. Strong independent readers around grade 5.5 can typically handle this book on their own; with parent or teacher support, Dragon Ball, Vol. 5 works for readers up to grade 6.5.

We rate Dragon Ball, Vol. 5 as 9MP ("Moderate — Physical") because the content sits in the "Moderate" range — moderate conflict that may involve loss, scary scenes, or interpersonal stakes. The strongest signals come from physical peril — these are the dimensions parents should evaluate against their reader's tolerance.

No specific content flags were raised by community reviewers, which is consistent with the moderate intensity score.

Thematically, Dragon Ball, Vol. 5 explores adventure, fantasy world-building, friendship, and comic strip fiction — these threads give the book room to mean different things to different readers.

Good fit for

  • Children in the Ages 13+ range — the maturity and attention span match the story's pacing.
  • Patient readers who enjoy slower, character-driven stories.
  • Kids drawn to stories about adventure, fantasy world-building, friendship.

Maybe not for

  • ! Readers who get easily upset by emotional or moderately dark scenes — the conflict here is real, not just background flavor.
  • ! Reluctant readers who need a fast hook — the pacing here rewards patience.

For Parents

Content Intensity

9MP — Moderate — Physical
Emotional
Light
Physical
Moderate
Social
Clear
Thematic
Light

Real stakes and emotional weight. May include sustained danger, loss, or bullying.

Data confidence: standard

Was our "Moderate" content intensity rating accurate for this book?

Reading Insights

Hook Factor

2/10

A steady, thoughtful read that rewards patient readers.

Discussion Potential

2/10

A lighter read — great for independent enjoyment.

Book DNA

Multi-dimensional content fingerprint

Vocabulary Level
4
Emotional Weight
6
Theme Richness
4
World Scope
5
Data Confidence
7

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Details

Book Length

192 pages
ISBN
9781569315491
Pages
192
Publisher
Cadence Books
Published
August 5, 2001
Type
Fiction

Genres

Subjects

Comic Strip FictionGraphic NovelsComics & Graphic NovelsMangaAction & AdventureCartoons and ComicsDragon Ball ZDragón Ball Vol5

People

Todos y todas

Places

El Salvador