I promise I will try not to ruin any storylines for anybody!...
Dragonball Z
(I am only going on what I have read-be warned, it's all of the top of my head and so is quite brief)
Background...
As you most probable know, Dragonball Z is the continuation of the first series of Dragonball. Most people say that Dragonball Z isn't really a proper anime series, as it is not based on a Japanese myth or legend like so many other series. This is not true. The original series was based on a legend (and a novel about the myth), called 'Journey to the West', in which a boy which deeply resembles a monkey (monkey's tail un' all), travels East with his flying cloud and wooden staff. Sound familiar yet? This is where the original character of Goku came from. However, when the Dragonball series ends, so do most of the links to 'Journey to the East'. Goku looses his tail, and the emphasis on Gohan's is played down and forgotten for a while after the Siaya-jin saga and Vegeta's isn't really noticed. Goku also stops using his staff and we don't see much of nimbus either after the beginning of the Namek saga. The two series' are also some what different in that Dragonball is mainly about the funny aspect of the show and making fans laugh, where as Dragonball Z (which is still pretty funny), is more concentrated on the Martial arts and the fighting side. Dragonball GT, however, is a different story again. After the success of the first Two, DB GT was mostly about making money and selling merchandise. This is the reason many say that it is crap and lets the whole of the series down. Not much thought was given to the storyline or the characters and for many it proved to be a great disappointment. So how come most fans would give their right arm to see what happens? Well, it beats me, but if a person said that they would never allow DB GT to be shown in Britain, I would probably pull off my arm just to have something to throw at them!!
The series was created by a guy called Akire Toriyama (my hero), he was asked to do a story which would appear week by week in the Japanese Shoen Jump magazine and, well you know the rest.
The story before Dragonball...
The Dragonball story starts with a strange baby being found alone and crying by a kind old man. The old man's name was Son Gohan. He took the crying and desperate infant to his home and took care of him. Before long, he realised that the child was a little difficult to handle and almost impossible to control. In fact, the small baby was damn right violent. However, he still took care of it On day, when the child was having one of his fits of rage, he got so out of control Gohan accidentally dropt him, leaving the kid with a nasty bump on the head. After this, the child seemed to loose his memory and became a loving and kind hearted child. He grew to become Goku, one of the strongest children ever to have existed. Gohan's grandfather dies (as we later find out when Goku turns Oozaru and steps on him), and 5 year old Goku is left on his own.
Dragonball...
Goku is living on his own when his adventures begin. Firstly, he meets Bulma. A pushy and bossy teenager who does what she wants, when she wants. She tells Goku hat she is searching for seven little orange balls called Dragonballs, which can grant a wish for those who bring all seven together and call the eternal dragon. Bulma wants the Dragonballs so that she can wish for a lifetime supply of strawberries, but then decides she will wish for a "super cute boyfriend" instead. This is where the adventures begin. On their way, they meet Yamcha, a desert bandit and thief, (straight away, Bulma falls head over heals for him), Tienshinhan (Tien), who was an assassin, (the best in the world who was sent to kill Goku), Chi Chi (who herself is a remarkably good fighter) and her father the Ox King (they have to retrieve a Dragonball from their castle), Piccolo (who is not a nice guy, more like an evil monster and a threat to the earth), and Krillen, (who was a Buddhist monk). Goku and Krillen are later accepted by the martial arts master Master Roshi, who trains them to fight, fly etc. If you ate wondering, he teaches them both to fly by strapping two huge turtle shells to their backs and makes them wear them for months. At first the two kids can barely stand up with them, but when they are finally allowed to take them of, they feel so light they can fly. Any way, most of the adventures revolve either around these now good friends fighting each other, or teaming up and saving them selves, each other, and the earth from demons, monsters, Piccolos, and other not nice guys. The series ends with the earths Martial Arts tournament, in which they all compete. Goku wins after defeating Piccolo, who, as usual with all of Goku's foes, at first seems much stronger and more powerful and seemingly impossible to defeat. We all know that Goku marries Chi Chi, but I'm not sure when, so if you know or have any idea, please let me know.
Dragonball Z....Saiya-jin saga...
For a long time the earth is peaceful. We are first introduces to what seems like a vision from the past. A small boy with beautiful long black hair and a distinctive tail. It is not Goku, even tough it looks like a Hfil of a lot like him. It is his son Gohan. The characters are all living, quiet and happy lives and are on their way to a party or a get together at Master Roshi's island. Enter Raditz. After his arrival, he meets a farmer with a gun. The two confront each other and the farmer shoots Raditz. To his surprise, Raditz catches the bullet with his hand and throws it back at the farmer (in the original version this kills the farmer, but this it covered up). Piccolo senses Raditz's presence on earth and confronts him. Raditz and Piccolo fight and Raditz wins. He then proceeds to bust up Master Roshi's party. On finding Goku, he tells of the Saiyan race and the origin of Goku's spectacular power. He tells the team the reason for Goku being sent to earth, to destroy it. Realising that Goku wasn't going to join him he kidnaps Gohan and tells Goku (who we now find out has the Saiyan name Kakarot), that he will have his son back if he brings him 100 dead earthlings. Piccolo and Goku then team up (which at this time is a great surprise). Together, they defeat Raditz but in doing so Goku looses his life. Piccolo tells Raditz that Goku will be brought back to life in one year with the dragonballs, (I think he did this just to gut him out- telling him that Goku will still have the last laugh). Raditz listens, then points out to Piccolo the device over his eye and year. His scouter picked up everything Piccolo said and so did the two other saiyans, who heard everything. They would arrive on earth in one year to find the dragonballs and destroy the planet. Raditz tells Piccolo that the two Saiyans who are now on their way are much stronger than him. On hearing this, Piccolo takes Gohan (who had earlier had a great explosion of power which was much higher than anything previously heard of in Dragonball- around 1600 on hearing his fathers cries), to train him and unleash his hidden power. Meanwhile, in the 'next dimension', Goku (who seems fine) is being processed by King Yemma. Kami convinces King Yemma to let Goku travel Snake way and attempt to reach King Kai to receive his training. Goku then sets out on the 1000 000 mile journey to King Kai, but he is warned not to fall of the edge of snake way. Back on earth, while Krillen and the others try to find a way of breaking the news of Goku and Gohan to Chi Chi, Piccolo starts to train Gohan. Gohan doesn't remember the blow he landed on Raditz and so is confused as to what Piccolo wants with him, he does not know he has any hidden power, and Chi Chi never let him train so he can't fight, his mind is changed after after a little, ahem, gentle pushing from Piccolo (he throws him through the air and into a mountain), flattens the mountain. During training, Gohan goes Oozaru. Goku is realising that the journey across Snake Way isn't as easy as he first thought. Chi Chi is devastated by the news that she isn't going to see her husband or her son for at least a year. Bulma fixes Raditz's scouter and re-programmes it to display information in their language. With it they show master Roshi's power level (128), Krillen's (200), and turtles (0.01). Yajerobi tells Krillen that he is wanted on Kami's lookout and to bring Yamcha with him. Krillen and Bulma break the news to Yamcha (who is amid a fight which had broken out while his team was playing baseball) about Goku. Krillen tells Yamcha about the Saiyans and the up coming battle. Krillen and Yamcha are given a lift to Kami's lookout by Bulma where they meet up with Tien, Chou-su and Yajarobi.
By now, I have realised that I can't be bothered to finish it 'cos it would take forever!! You know how the rest goes.
Dragonball GT (Grand Tour)...
DBGT was, for many, a huge disappointment. Akire Toriyama had decided to leave the Dragonball world and had ceased to be a part of it. So it carried on with out him. Unlike DBZ which was a result of an overwhelming demand by the fans, DBGT was made to make lots of lovely money, and so, for some part, it was crap (I mean, it's crap yeah, but, it's DRAGONBALL!!) Most of the episodes were filler episodes, as were most of the sagas, I'm not going to go into detail with the storyline. Among other things, DBGT is when SSJ level 4 came into existence (which is why it was never mentioned in the earlier episodes or in the manga.