DOTA: Dragon’s Blood
NETFLIX
Season 1
Starring: Yuri Lowenthal, Lara Pulver, Tony Todd, Alix Wilton Regan, Freya Tingley, and Troy Baker
Release Date: March 25, 2021
DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is a new animated series based on DOTA 2, a popular video game franchise that is part of the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre. I personally have never touched DOTA 2 and barely tried any MOBA games in general. When the trailer had first revealed this series, the setting as well as its animation style is what really got me interested to check it out.
I was worried if I would be lost though for having no knowledge on the world that this series takes place in. I can wholeheartedly say that you won’t get lost and it’s very welcoming for everyone. With its first season containing only 8 episodes, the show has to do quite a bit to grab your attention and your investment. After just the first episode, you’re introduced to likeable and interesting characters such as our main protagonist the dragon knight Davion who is voiced by the talented Yuri Lowenthal and Princess Mirana, voiced by Lara Pulver who knocks it out as well in her role. The entire cast does a great job to make these characters feel real, whether it’s them expressing their struggles or seeing them going down a path of violence.
The show doesn’t waste any time on letting you to get to know the characters through their actions as well as some great quiet moments shared between them while they continue to progress the story in which Davion becomes a part of something much bigger than he was expecting. Davion goes from hunting dragons to going on a long journey to figure out how to fix a problem he has come across after an encounter with a legendary dragon known as Slyrak. Mirana also brings along her friend Mary whom I believe many people will love once they get to know her.
As the show goes on, we’re introduced to other characters that are a major part of the larger events that unfold in this season such as the Goddess Selemene and Luna, a warrior type character who isn’t afraid to unleash her skills on the battlefield. The animation is done exquisitely well here by the team over at Studio Mir, an animation studio based in Seoul, South Korea. They have large gained recognition through their past work on series such as The Legend of Korra and Voltron: Legendary Defender.
Their blending of 2D and 3D animations are handled pleasantly well here as it hardly ever becomes obvious when the two styles collide and it never takes you out of the show, especially during the action sequences in the show. The key animation that gets showcased in this series are just so fun to watch and they really make the scenes feel like an epic moment. While many things are left unresolved by the end of the season, I was left only wanting more. This season really is only just beginning as it builds its characters and its world for the audience.
The show has a great balance from being just plain fun to getting serious when it needs to be. I believe anyone that is a fan of action, adventure, fantasy, and animation will greatly enjoy this show. I cannot say how fans of the games will react but I would like to think that if I am enjoying it as much as I am with no knowledge of DOTA prior to this, perhaps fans of the games will also enjoy it on a high level as well. With it’s great animation, acting, story, and action. DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is a show you don’t want to miss.