Image source: thedragonprince.com

By Akil Brathwaite

Staff Writer

There’s a lot you could say about the state of Netflix and its original shows and movies. I’m sure you could find hundreds of videos criticizing some of its more popular movies (which may be what Netflix wants, but that’s a story for another time). You could probably find hordes of upset fans causing an uproar when their favorite series gets canceled in favor of the less liked shows/movies, but if there’s one thing Netflix does decently, it’s their animated shows.

Well, maybe.

The Dragon Prince, created by Aaron Ehasz and Justin Richmond, is one of, if not, the best thing Netflix has had the privilege to mark as theirs on the platform. It’s a series with a smaller fanbase, but you can tell that the series was made with love and care rather than a desire for money.

With a lovable cast of characters, a beautiful world and a compelling storyline, the series draws you in and creates something beautiful with only 9 episodes to a season.

The story is set in a fantasy world where two races, elves and humans, are at war with each other. It follows two human princes, who find something, or someone for that matter, who could stop the war and bring peace to the lands. Teaming up with an elven assassin, the three of them embark on a quest to return the item before it’s too late. 

Already, if that base summary doesn’t intrigue you enough to watch the show, let me try to convince you to watch it. First, I’ll address the problems with the first season.

A big problem and one that’s been voiced by many who’ve watched the show is the animation style. The series uses three-dimensional computer animation, which isn’t inherently a bad thing, but there are some problems with the animation. It can get choppy at times with it’s reduced frame rate that was added to “offset floatiness,” but it does get addressed in later seasons, so it does get better. If you count some cheesy humor as a problem with the show, then I suppose that can also be the downside, but other than that, that’s really all of the problems with the first season that I can think of (but if you want to challenge yourself to find more, by all means, go ahead, watch the first season, try not to fall in love with the series in the process).

Another problem could be the episode count. Nowadays, shows have been getting shorter and shorter, and this show proves that with only nine episodes to the season. Due to this, pacing could be off at certain points and some things may feel rushed, but it’s only more impressive to me that the series crafts such a beautiful world and great characters while also having a compelling storyline with only nine episodes to a season. 

If you like fantasy, magic, power systems and more, I’d say this is the show for you. If you like magical creatures like elves and glow toads, this is for you. The series explores darker themes, like loss of a parent and the effects of war, while still keeping it’s charm with its lighthearted humor and it’s beautiful world design. All three of the main characters have their arcs and growth and development that are written beautifully, and its roster of side characters are loveable in their own ways. Most importantly, in my opinion, the series is crafted with love, and that’s the best thing you could make a show with.

If you’re looking for a good short show to watch and fall in love with, I’d suggest this. If you do watch it, I hope you enjoy it.