(L+CR) Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai [Netflix]

[Xical]

I wonder if Toei is thinking about the rumored last arc (makai arc)

[FlareKnight]

It's kind of funny how some things were left unresolved. Which maybe reflects that unmade extra route or just...taking the easy way out. The romantic tension? Eh, just make Popp a harem protagonist and it's fine. Hyunckel has his bromance and stalker so he's good. Kind of surprised the metal man didn't bail on the whole following the mouse thing and kept following him for another fight .

I do think the show was really engaging for a lot of the ride. But when they got to the Vearn palace...it just dragged. It felt like the show was crawling to the finish line at points. Honestly I remember thinking the show was getting close to the end...several dozen episodes before it did. Honestly...I think it would have been a bit stronger if it did close out closer to that mark.

But it was still a decent ride overall. The good times were really good. There was still nice action even if I don't think the story hit the potential it could have. There was a nice bit of comedy with characters seemingly dying or being rendered unable to act (heya Hyunckel) and just being fine. And I liked the mid-journey. Dai getting stronger, learning his strashes, and building things up.

The ending really didn't land. Killvearn just showing up felt weird. Just didn't feel like that twist was great. Sure it can set up another arc with Dai ending up in another realm...somehow. But if they never do anything with it...

Think I was too negative most of the time here. I do think it was a solid show. Maybe a 7/10. Might be closer to a 6.5/10 considering the last arc.

[LaurenCornish]

I just stumbled upon this old thread and saw your post about the Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai anime announcement. Even though it's been a while, I wanted to say that I'm super excited about it! Fall 2020 seems like ages ago now, and I hope the anime lived up to our expectations. By the way, if you're still a fan of dragon-themed content, you should check out Dragon-Vibe. They have a fantastic selection of dragon-related merchandise, including watches and other accessories. Their website, dragon-vibe.com, is worth a visit if you want to indulge in your love for dragons. I hope you enjoyed the Dragon Quest anime and had a great time watching it.

[Guido]

Merry Christmas to all of you and a Happy New Year!

It was a long journey, but I did it! As of today, I finally ended watching all of 2020 Dragon Quest anime in its entirety.

Never expected that TOEI produced and delivered 100 episodes for the new anime, but it did pay off remaining faithful while adapting the entirety of the manga. Nevertheless, the old anime was just as faithful adapting the source material back in 1991, but it required filler content within episodes to stretch the narrative so it wouldn't catch up to the manga at the time. Furthermore, I recalled back in 1995 when The Adventures of Dai aired in LATAM how long and extensive were the respective, story arcs for Crocodine, Hyunckel, and Flazzard.

While I did not feel bored watching the second batch of 50 episodes, nonetheless, I did feel overwhelmed at how extensive Vearn Palace arc was lasting for more than 30 episodes which signaled the final stretch for the show. Now, I could imagine this particular last arc how it would have lasted the double of that quantity of episodes by the standards of the old anime.

And, to top it all I never would have guessed Killvearn's true identity, and him pulling this last ploy to finish the heroes for good now with Vearn decisively dead. Nevertheless, both anime gave hints on Velzar's threat looming behind Vearn´s, but the old anime had little material to work with before Sanjo-sensei began disclosing Baran's past in the manga.
For example, in the old anime Baran recalls when he emerged wounded but victorious after slaying an unknown dragon, that was the first and only hint in the old anime that the dragon in question was indeed Velzar. Meanwhile, the new anime elaborated on Velzar further not only when Lahart disclosed Baran's past to Hynckel, but as well when the Dragon Emperor himself congratulated his hatred rival Vearn for the latter's seeming victory.
But, I returned back to Killvearn because he was the player introduced in the board that truly hinted at Velzar. The problem lied with the localizations of Japanese games, anime, and manga done for overseas audiences back in the 1980's, 1990's, and early 2000's.
For the Latin American localization, the dub referred to Killvearn in the old anime with the title "Idol of Death", and his name was mentioned on a few ocassions, because his pressence was barely felt at all after he was introduced in the last story arc that the old anime was able to adapt back then which was Baran's arc.

Now, brief discussion was made in this thread on the rumored Makai arc in order to continue the story, however, I read about 1 to 2 weeks ago an interview made to Sanjo-sensei that he was not interested writing a sequel to Dai, because he felt that the Heroes defeating Vearn was the appropiate milestones reached to wrap-up the story. So, the only way I see for TOEI to develop a sequel would be an anime-only one much like they did years ago with Dragon Ball GT, for example.
Writing a story involving Dai's return possibly because Gome-chan reincarnates 10 years later after Vearn's defeat enable Dai to return and deal with Velzar's threat in Makai. However, that's wishful thinking and theory from my part.

I am concentrating in the here and now, and I did not expect back at the beginning of 2020 for TOEI restarting The Adventures of Dai with a brand-new anime that covered the entirety of the manga. So, I am thankful that I got the second chance to watch again a heroic character from my early teen years coming back to life once more and to see his full story being told at last.
While I do recall the soundtrack for the old anime being dark and foreboding due to the standards of the time, the soundtrack for the new anime was epic and full of a variety of rich emotions particularly Hynckel's theme and Vearn's theme exudes that special aura that hints he is the true Overlord of Darkness, final boss from classical RPG games of the 1980's and 1990's.

I as well am specially thankful watching Popp's growth from a cowardly wuss to a full-fledged, mature hero that, nonetheless, kept some of his flaws because those were part of whom Popp truly was.

For Hadlar, never ever expected of him turning into an epic anti-hero character of sorts due that the old anime abruptly finished at a point where he was still all evil and greedy, obsessed for Vearn's favor. However, the new anime further elaborated and expanded upon his growth as a character becoming a worthy foe for Dai later on.

Hadlar's Royal Guard, the Dragon Masters, Queen Flora, and so many other characters I never got to see in the old anime had their proper entrance in the new anime, which again I thank TOEI for not only bringing a new anime for Dragon Quest but also for adapting the whole manga as well.

This has been a long, long review from my part, but I needed to shake it all off what I am feeling inside because as I said earlier Dai meant so much for me during my early teens, and this is one of many anime that holds a special place in my memories.

And, for a last bit of information before I take my leave, now I learned why Dai's name was changed to Fly back when the old anime was localized for Western audiences when it came in the mid-1990's. That was because for the American localization the Japanese word for "Dai" phonetically sounds alike to the English word "die", therefore, it was inappropiate for the American standards of that era, hence, the name change; glad to have watched all of the new anime with his true name instead.

Anyways, Merry Christmas to you all, and thanks Dai for the good and the bad on what this long journey of yours meant. May all your fans see you again, but for now farewell.