My Thoughts on The Dragon Prince
A Wholesome Story Spanning 7 seasons
My Thoughts on The Dragon Prince: Is this seven-season animated series worth watching? And how does it relate to Avatar: The Last Airbender? Let’s take a closer look.
Taking a Break from Anime
It wasn’t that long ago that I was on a rampant anime binge—Isekai anime had been my go-to of late. What captivated me most was the immersive world-building: how “the ‘protagonist’?” interacts with their new reality and how that world itself becomes a living, breathing entity. Worldbuilding is a theme I never get tired of.
The problem was that many anime had become too formulaic. There is an intrinsic need of having certain tropes/characteristics like that of the noisy-brat-princess or the typical mysterious-emo-femme-fatale, which isn’t mysterious at all given that she appears in nearly every other anime in existence. Again, this becomes a box-checking exercise that sadly forces the narrative into a confined spectrum of doldrums.
“Oh, but you see, if these tropes are implemented seamlessly, then this becomes the epitome of the best artform!”
Perhaps the meticulous perfectionism applied to sushi in Japan extends to anime… but does it really need to? I digress.
I had been jumping from one series to another, watching an episode or two before inevitably discarding them into my mental trash bin—on and on. Nothing seemed to keep my interest.
Then, while scrolling through content related to Avatar: The Last Airbender, I stumbled upon The Dragon Prince. Intrigued, I decided to pause my anime spree and return to my roots—as a Canadian venturing back into the world of Western animation.
The Premise of The Dragon Prince
The Dragon Prince is an animated fantasy series set in the magical land of Xadia, where magic is derived from six primal sources: Moon, Sky, Sun, Earth, Ocean, and Stars. The story follows two human princes, Callum and Ezran, and a Moonshadow Elf, Rayla, who form an unlikely alliance to end the centuries-old conflict between humans, elves, and dragons. Their journey revolves around protecting an infant dragon prince and uncovering the secrets of a mysterious and powerful villain behind the scenes. Mwah-ha-ha-ha!
If I were to read this generic premise alone before I watched the animated series, I might have been turned off. Luckily, I didn’t. Don’t let the premise get you down, give it a shot!
Its Relation to Avatar: The Last Airbender
Aside from noticing that both The Dragon Prince and Avatar: The Last Airbender appeared on my fantasy anime feed, I had no real clue they were connected. In fact, I assumed they weren’t—until I started watching.
Beat-by-beat, they felt eerily similar.
Same voice—Jack De Sena, who voiced Sokka in Avatar, plays Callum, one of the main characters in The Dragon Prince.
Same kind of humor—a mix of witty banter, physical comedy, and heartfelt moments.
Same themes—innocence, growth, maturity, and the burdens of responsibility.
Same elemental magic—earth, water, air, fire (though expanded with additional sources of magic in The Dragon Prince).
Same book/story/chapter-style intro—each episode opens with narration that sets the stage for events to unfold.
It felt like I was watching Avatar all over again, just with a different veneer! By the time I finished the first episode, I had to look up why these two shows felt so alike.
Turns out, there’s a reason:
Aaron Ehasz, the head writer of Avatar, is one of the co-creators of The Dragon Prince.
Giancarlo Volpe, a director for Avatar, also contributed to The Dragon Prince.
The animation studio Bardel Entertainment, which worked on Avatar, helped bring The Dragon Prince to life.
Now, this isn’t a bad thing by any means. I have a deep fondness for Avatar: The Last Airbender—it’s in my top 20 list! However, I was initially a little discouraged to continue watching The Dragon Prince. But I did nonetheless.
Here are my thoughts.
My Thoughts on The Dragon Prince
What I Didn’t Like
The almost predictable beat progression, reminiscent of Avatar: The Last Airbender.
The not-so-subtle inclusion of boy-boy and female-female relationships. We live in a changing world, and acceptance of diverse relationships is important. In general, I don’t mind this inclusion if done well, but here, it felt excessive—one couple would have been enough.
The large battles that were supposed to feature armies of thousands instead felt like skirmishes with only ten or twenty combatants. I understand that animating individual characters would have been costly, but a better approach could have enhanced the scale and immersion.
Sadly, I preferred Avatar more. The Dragon Prince was a nostalgic romp for me, but since I had already experienced its predecessor, it felt like second fiddle. However, if you haven’t watched Avatar, this might be right up your alley! I liken this to the Star Wars paradox—the magic of Episodes 4-6 versus the sequels (1-3, 7-9).
It felt too generic for my tastes. In so saying, a younger audience may appreciate elves and dragons in this way more than to my salty tastes.
What I Liked
A strong story arc that remained engaging and entertaining throughout.
Each character had a complete story arc, and I was genuinely satisfied with the final ending.
Authentic emotions—love, tragedy, humor, and more. Because the story was well-written, these emotions felt real to me and kept me immersed. I actually felt sorrow for some characters and worry for others—something that rarely happens for me when watching animation.
Although generic, the worldbuilding was tight—a place I would love to visit.
Great animation overall!
The dragons were beautifully depicted. I usually don’t care for them much, as they often feel diminished, but certain scenes captured their true majesty.
What I Would Change
Increase the scale of battles! The wars felt too small.
Make the next animated series less like Avatar or The Dragon Prince. Originality is always better.
Soren’s character was frustrating—his ongoing stupidity felt exaggerated for the sake of comedy. In reality, someone that foolish wouldn’t hold a position of power. This was distracting and broke my immersion.
Who Would I Recommend This To?
Fantasy lovers who appreciate a good story.
For GM/DMs that would like some nuggets of inspiration for their worldbuilding.
Fans of light-hearted narratives with a touch of tragedy.
Suitable for both young and older audiences, though best understood by a young teen (YT) audience and above.
Worldbuilding enthusiasts who enjoy immersive fantasy settings.
In Conclusion
This was a one-and-done series for me. Don’t get me wrong—I’m glad I watched The Dragon Prince. It was a genuinely good story, a refreshing break after the slump of formulaic anime I’d been stuck in. However, having already experienced both Avatar animated series, watching something so similar felt a bit underwhelming.
Would I watch a second story arc of The Dragon Prince? Maybe. But by then, I would have forgotten much of the first series, and the thought of sitting through seven seasons just to catch up isn’t particularly appealing.
That said, The Dragon Prince is a good story, and I enjoyed it. If you’re looking for an engaging fantasy adventure filled with dragons, knights, swords, and magic, the first few episodes are definitely worth a try—you might just get hooked.
Seven seasons felt neither too long nor too short—the story was tight, well-paced, and consistently entertaining.
So yeah—give this a go if you have the time.
Austin Worxをもっと見る
購読すると最新の投稿がメールで送信されます。