Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Ethereal anime has hunting and fantasy violence; weak plot.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Drifting Dragons
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Based on the popular manga series of the same name, DRIFTING DRAGONS is an anime show that follows a group of career dragon hunters. Takita (voiced by Cassandra Lee Morris) is new to the "drakers," a crew dedicated to hunting the graceful dragons that drift among the clouds for their oil and meat. But their airship, Quin Zaza, isn't registered as an official vessel and has no port, so the crew lives independently and basically hand-to-mouth. Land dwellers have their own fears and superstitions about the dragons and the people who kill them. Takita has to learn to get along with the team, including more hardened drakers like Mika (Billy Kametz) and Vanabelle (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) as they sail through the air searching for their next hunt.
Is It Any Good?
This flighty series chronicles the antics of the Quin Zaza's crew from the point-of-view of newbie Takita. The hunting action offers some entertainment, but the rest of the narrative is filled with quirky conversations designed to keep the viewer interested until the crew chases the next dragon. Parallels can be drawn to Moby Dick and the seabound team of hunters trying to harpoon whales. There's not much of a story arc here, but the premise and characters are intriguing, and Drifting Dragons is fantastical enough to keep audiences interested.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the way dragons are depicted in Drifting Dragons. Are they like the fire-breathing creatures featured in many fantasies? Do any characters have ethical dilemmas about killing them?
Do you think a TV series can be poorly written and still be entertaining? Other than the storyline, what other things are used to hook audiences? Can those tactics compensate for weak storylines?
What are some ways Drifting Dragons reminds you of Moby Dick? How does the hunting and killing of dragons compare to whaling, from the practice's origins thousands of years ago through today?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 30, 2020
- Cast: Cassandra Lee Morris , Billy Kametz , Colleen O'Shaughnessey
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Anime
- Topics: Adventures , Friendship
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: August 2, 2023
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