On Thursday, March 25, 2021 the Korean-American television series “Dota: Dragon’s Blood” was exclusively aired on Netflix. “Dota: Dragon’s Blood” is an animated, fantasy TV series that is based on Dota 2, a 2013 MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) video game developed and published by Valve. 

The plot follows 2 main characters, Davion, a Dragon Knight, and Mirana, a mysterious moon princess. Their paths cross in a tavern and their stories intertwine as Mirana attempts to retrieve what is stolen from the Nightsilver woods and Davion pursues a journey to stop the demon Terrorblade. Together, the pair discover family betrayal, perilous dragons, and the truth about their world.

This action-packed story is animated with a unique blend of American-style animation while still taking inspiration from the original anime style we all know and love. For the majority of the show, the animation is littered with detailed color, smooth action shots, and unique character designs. It is very reminiscent of Netflix’s other original animes such as “Castlevania” and “Blood of Zeus”. While the art style is above average, the 3D animation tends to make the background and even the characters look displaced, as if some scenes are not fully rendered. I found this problem in the animation being particularly prominent towards the end of the series. 

On the other hand, I highly recommend the plot to any fantasy lovers, particularly those who loved to consume books such as the Percy Jackson series, or other high-fantasy media saturated with lore. The characters are incredibly likable and the chemistry between them is believable. The only setback with the plot is that each episode is dense with too many characters, which can get overwhelming or uninteresting to watch depending on personal preference. 

Overall, “Dota: Dragon’s Blood” is an extremely engaging, fantasy-filled, and short TV series that is bound to excite and draw in views with its dense lore and storytelling. I would rate this Netflix original anime an 8/10. Numerous anime fans are itching for this exhilarating watch to continue and are eagerly awaiting more whimsical, engaging adventures.