One of the better things I can say about Dragon Crisis! is that it has more than enough good points not to be labeled a guilty pleasure. That said, I write with the precarious position of liking this show more than I probably "should".
The setting is one with potential, and sometimes it shows, but mostly it's just used as a setting for yet another supernatural harem show. It's world where magical artifacts, called Lost Precious because it sounds sort of cool, are common enough to be well-known (and classified on strength) but only a few people can use them to their full potential. These people
...
are called Breakers, and all the official ones are sponsored and regulated by the government. Also, as you may have guessed from the title, dragons exist but they're considered extremely mysterious and aloof, so not much is known about them. In this setting dragons look completely human, with the exception of the classic bat-wings that stick out of their shoulder blades and the ability to transform into "real" dragons when they mature. There's some interesting stuff here, but so little is explored.
Instead we're given all of this as an excuse to throw magical girls (no, not those kind) at our standard harem protagonist with the far too convenient given name, Kisaragi Ryuuji (played by Shimono Hiro). When helping his overly-affectionate older cousin, Nanako Eriko (Horie Yui), on a mission to get back a stolen Lost Precious, Red Dragon Rose (Kugimiya Rie), our female lead and main romantic interest is thrown into his lap, his life, and his home. There is some conflict, most of which from a black dragon named Onyx (Kamiya Hiroshi) trying to capture Rose but mostly it's your standard harem plots.
That's not to say it's all generic and wasted set-up. Rose loves Ryuuji and admits to it with such a refreshing and passionate zeal it remains fun to watch long after it should become trite. After an endless slog of Tsunderes (some of which played by Ms. Kugimiya herself) it's a breath of fresh air. And, at the risk of spoiling a bit, we skip most of the pussyfooting around a confession incredibly fast. In fact, the story is at it's worst when it attempts to change that dynamic into something more usual for the genre (ie: cliche).
The action scenes are often energetic, and there are usually enough of them to keep things fast-paced.
Ryuuji himself has a bit more backbone and awareness towards his suitors than most harem leads, and in such a crowded genre a little goes a long way.
As for the other characters, it seems they become more interesting the less we see of them. The would-be dragon slayer and improbably young priest, George Evans (Miyamoto Mitsuru) and a two episode villain are more memorable than most of the cast while Onyx, the main villain, is so devoid of personality and originality his only real saving grace is his leitmotief. Two cliche but enjoyable mad scientists hold there own during their screentime while genre-must, Unlucky Childhood Friend Etou Misaki (Nigo Mayako), is a walking, talking yawn. In the end, the talent is there but the script isn't willing.
As for the visuals, they vary between mediocre and good but it has it's moments. The character design is incredibly generic but it manages to stay fairly fluid during the fight scenes. The lighting is pretty, but if you look for them there are a lot of off-model moments.
But in the end, the real star of Dragon Crisis!, it's shining moment and most redeeming quality, is the music. The soundtrack is pretty when it's queit, a thrill-ride when it's energetic, and it's probably what will keep you around long enough for the show to sink it's claws in. The damning phrase "too good for the show" could be used, but it's used too well. Even better somehow is the opening by Horie Yui. The cut used is excellent, but it really shows it's true splendor in it's full length. From a tongue-twisting pop tune, to a powerful english chrous, to a waltz, to a militaristic march, and back again; this tune takes you everywhere and makes you love it for that. While the style is a little incongruent with the anime, the message is shared: the ever-favorite Power of Love. It's a shame the show wasn't as varied.
Oh, and there's a cutesy/fun party song with chibis for the outro.
Dragon Crisis! is a fun diversion with some great music. It fails to live up to it's high-concept setting, but it's always competent and does enough things slightly differently to be worth watching if you feel like a harem anime. The final decision is yours, though I would highly recommend checking out the soundtrack, at the very least.
Nov 3, 2011
Dragon Crisis!
(Anime)
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One of the better things I can say about Dragon Crisis! is that it has more than enough good points not to be labeled a guilty pleasure. That said, I write with the precarious position of liking this show more than I probably "should".
The setting is one with potential, and sometimes it shows, but mostly it's just used as a setting for yet another supernatural harem show. It's world where magical artifacts, called Lost Precious because it sounds sort of cool, are common enough to be well-known (and classified on strength) but only a few people can use them to their full potential. These people ... |
