Thursday, December 1, 2016

Dragon Half Anime Review

Dragon Half
Doragon Hafu
ADV Films
Complete Collection - 1 disc
50 minutes - 2 episodes
$19.95 (2014)
$19.98 (2007) w/Puni Puni Poemy
$19.98 (2004) Essential Anime
$24.98 (2002)
ISBN 702727008825
Japanese/English Audio - English Subtitles
Director - Shinya Sadamitsu
Studio - Victor Entertainment

Synopsis: Mink is a restless teenager who has a major crush on the singing dragonslayer, Dick Saucer (yes, that's his name).  Her father is a swordsman and her mother is a red dragon who can take human form.  When her father was sent to slay the red dragon he fell in love with her instead and Mink was the result.  That makes Mink half dragon and very powerful.
Mink is pretty tough and she sprouts wings and a tail
when she powers up
Mink's problem lies in the fact that her love interest, Dick Saucer, slays dragons and he'll reject her because she is part dragon.  She learns of a special potion that can rid her of her dragon half and turn her into a regular human so she can score with Dick.  Simple right?  Nope, she has to defeat Azetodeth, the Demon Lord, to get the potion.  Azetodeth is a short little runt, but commands all the creatures on Demon King's Island.
From left to right: Mappy (top), Pia, Lufa, and Mink!
Not only must Mink defeat Azetodeth's minions just to face him, but she also has to deal with Princess Vina who wants Dick all to herself!  Then there's the wizard Rosario who keeps trying to get her and the dunce swordsman Damaramu.  What's an incredibly powerful girl to do?  Fortunately Mink has some help from her friends Lufa the elf, Pia the dwarf, and Pia's pet fairy mouse, Mappy.  Good luck, Mink!
Dick Saucer is ready for the tournament on Demon King's Island!

Pros: Some funny moments (like when Damaramu accidentally impales himself in the head with his own sword), Mink is a kind person and has good friends, the guy is named Dick Saucer, one very brief moment of fan-service/nudity
Doink!
Cons: Oh where to start! The dub voices are really annoying, way too much cutesy super-deformed scenes, the plot is ridiculous, the jokes are totally lame (that Dick Saucer joke gets old fast), the villain is an ineffective loser
Azetodeth turns Dick Saucer against Mink by telling him
she's an evil dragon half!
Mike Tells It Straight: This short two-episode OVA was originally planned for four episodes, but stalled out after a lack of interest.  That pretty much sums up the quality of the show.  It has very little plot, weak comedy, and a terrible dub.  Based on a manga by Ryusuke Mita published in Monthly Dragon Magazine.  The show reminded me of Slayers although the quality just doesn't compare.
Rosario the sorcerer has it in for poor Mink
The show pokes fun at anime cliches such as super deformation (where characters turn all little and cute), but they beat the jokes to death with overuse by having the characters turn SD practically every minute.  Just totally distracting.  Okay, we get that the guy's name is Dick Saucer and that's kinda amusing.  Not funny when his name is said twenty times per episode.  There's just not enough going on in this anime and it was a mercy killing to cut the episode count at just two.  You can probably find this disk for very cheap, but resist the urge.  Go pick up Slayers or Fairy Tail instead.
Wardrobe malfunction during the big tournament!