by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea here is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
Netflix is probably the king when it comes to pumping out content. It’s quite impressive how much the streaming service is able to pump out. With the mountain of content available, it can be quite easy for things to fly under the radar. Sadly, I think that’s the case when it comes to a lot of the animated offerings that they produce. I’ve long been a fan of their animated offerings, with some great series like Trollhunters, Castlevania, Carmen Sandiego, or She-Ra and the Princesses of Power. I’m not a huge anime fan, but I’d even been a fan of one of their earlier forays into that medium with Ajin: Demi-Human.
With the release of Star Wars: Visions later this month, I was determined to give another anime a shot. After all, on the surface, my lack of anime doesn’t make a lot of sense. I’m not opposed to some more adult-aimed animation and the majority of books I find myself reading take place in the fantasy genre. There certainly aren’t a shortage of animes in that genre. So, that’s where my mind was as I settled on the well-received DOTA: Dragon’s Blood released this spring.
Heading into the series (which is based on DOTA 2), I was familiar with the game only in the sense that I had heard the title before. I knew nothing about the world or whatever story might exist within the game. However, the series also had a lot going for it on first look. The studio behind the series is Studio Mir. The South Korean studio is probably most well-known for its work on The Legend of Korra, but they also worked on the recent Netflix projects Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts and The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf. Also on the positive side of the ledger, the series’ creator, Ashley Miller, wrote the screenplay for Thor and X-Men: First Class. And it has dragons. Dragons are awesome.
After finishing the first book, I have to say, it’s a journey I’m glad I took. It follows a dragon knight (Davion), whose purpose of killing dragons becomes complicated after an encounter with one. During his travels, he encounters an elven moon princess (Mirana) and her mute associate (Marci) on a quest to recover stolen lotuses for her goddess and the young elf who stole them (Fymyrn). For someone unfamiliar with the source material, I never felt lost. I was able to orient myself to the characters and players relatively easily and enjoyed spending time with them. Though I imagine for those with familiarity, I’m sure some of the moments hit even harder.
The action does not disappoint and is the main positive of the first season. There are some breathtaking sequences, particularly when the mystical elements are involved. When dragons are encountered, the spectacle is of proper scale. Even the fights between the elven factions are thrillingly fast-paced and brutal. I’m a sucker for a great archer, so the fact that Mirana is skilled with a bow is just a cherry on top. The series and its action style aren’t for everyone. It is certainly an adult-oriented anime that doesn’t pull any punches in regards to the carnage that massive dragons and fantastical beings would be able to impart. The series earns its TV-MA rating with ease.
There are also certainly some rough edges to the show. There are moments when the animation isn’t the smoothest and I’m not sure the dialogue will be up for any awards. A lot happens in a relatively short amount of time, which can make the pacing feel a bit rushed, but by the same count I found myself looking forward to when the next chapter drops (which has already been announced). I’m certainly looking forward to how the show continues to develop these characters, and the end of season one has me successfully teased for what is to come later on.
For those that haven’t dipped their toe in anime waters (or don’t do it very often), the massive episode counts can be intimidating. That’s another thing I really enjoy about Netflix’s offerings. The first book here is just an eight-episode commitment with a total run time that doesn’t even equal that of Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
With so much content out there, I’m never quite sure just how popular Netflix’s animated offerings really are. Even if DOTA doesn’t sound like it’s your cup of tea, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to check out some of the animated content that Netflix has to offer.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. Halloween will nearly be upon us next month. So, we’ll see if something creepy or crawly catches my eye for next month. Thanks for reading, and see you at next month’s celebration.
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