Summary
The jury will be out whether this is a satisfactory video game adaptation but my conclusion is clear — Dragon’s Dogma hits the top 10 anime series on the streaming service this year.
This review of Netflix anime series Dragon’s Dogma season 1 contains zero spoilers. The video-game adaptation was released on September 17, 2020.
2020 is the year that keeps on gifting outstanding Netflix anime series’. Japan Sinks: 2020 is a difficult one to beat. Dragon’s Dogma does not surpass that anime, but it certainly provides the emotional elation and thought-provoking moments. Anime works at its best when there’s something to fight for. When a character is given a purpose and a desperate need. The former series and Dragon’s Dogma may be worlds apart in terms of story and message but there’s measured care for the characters.
And many might disagree with my assessment; mostly because Netflix’ Dragon’s Dogma is an anime video game adaptation — material that I have not delved in to and a game I probably never will touch, purely because I don’t have time. Video game adaptations have the hardest audience to please, mostly because they’ve been heavily let down — this anime series is truly a test to see if the emotional weight hit the audience and passes the acid test.
The premise follows Ethan, a man loyal to his wife Olivia, and a boy that joined their small unit after his parents died. One day, their town is destroyed by a dragon — Ethan survived but his family was killed. Fuelled by revenge, he approaches the dragon who subsequently savagely attacks him and steals his heart — a confused Ethan does not die and becomes an Arisen, partnered with The Pawn who has to protect him.
Dragon’s Dogma is a tale that’s steeped in a desire to gain revenge. Ethan is a character that finds himself with a one-track mind and it works well in the story as the world unfolds around him as he submerges himself amongst more of civilization and their greed. The animation is wonderful to watch; it’s nowhere near perfect but it’s done with care for the story.
The Netflix anime series enjoys the violence gloriously and Dragon’s Dogma is not for all prying eyes with a few sex scenes to add to the NSFW mantra. It’s grittiness and honesty to the story is what makes it stand out — like Japan Sinks: 2020 it does not cut corners. In fact, Dragon’s Dogma enjoys that it is catered to adults.
The jury will be out whether this is a satisfactory video game adaptation but my conclusion is clear — Dragon’s Dogma season 1 hits the top 10 anime series on the streaming service this year. It oozes with violence and a thirst for revenge — the anime series has a serious backbone.
