The Dragon Prince review: One of Netflix’s best animated series yet

Make sure you watch The Dragon Prince on Netflix before The Dragon Prince season 2 hits Netflix on Feb. 15, 2019.

Some missed out on The Dragon Prince’s epic debut on Netflix in 2018. Veterans of the classic Avatar: The Last Airbender have cobbled together a promising new gem.

With Aaron Ehasz of Avatar: The Last Airbender as the executive producer, the computer-animated The Dragon Prince is a fresh fantasy series for families, borrowing well from the draconic and elven elements of J.R.R Tolkien, the family-friendly joviality of its predecessor Last Airbender, Harry Potter-ish spell linguistics, and others sources. Cue a chuckle-worthy Game of Thrones reference when a king muses, “Winter is coming… eventually.”

Kicking off its first season with “Book 1: Moon” on Netflix, we’re transported into a tale of a cataclysmic conflict between humans and elves that lead to the division of the continent, its borders guarded by a titan dragon. The humans commit the unspeakable by wielding dark magic to slay the dragon king—and supposedly his egg.

The elves seek their revenge on the human King Harrow (Luc Roderique), a war veteran willing to pay the price for his participation in past atrocities. As the honorable monarch prepares for his final hours, his right-hand mage Lord Viren (Jason Simpson) tries to talk him out of the king’s essential honor suicide by proposing questionable dark magic to save his life, but the king is set to go out dignified. Then circumstances are further complicated when the young princes, 14-year-old Callum (Jack De Sean) and young Ezran (Sasha Rojen), uncover the intact dragon egg in the castle. Bewildered by the revelation that history had deceived them, the children enter an uneasy alliance with the teenage elf assassin Rayla (Paula Burrows) to return the egg to its rightful place in hopes of resolving the war.

The first three episodes lift off with a spellbinding momentum of mysteries and weave together a solid rapport between its cast members. It’s middle is comparatively mundane to the opening, though it picks up on the world-building. As a show aimed at children, it retains a delicate balance between quips and levity without falling into a pit. It approaches the subject of war with frankness—with the King solemnly explaining to his stepson that peace—and drops nuggets of lessons for young viewers, such as staying together, trust, and the dangers of prejudice. 

The show works with a cast of rounded archetypical characters. Prince Callum is reminiscent of insecure but guile fantasy protagonists like Hiccup from How To Train Your Dragon and even channels the late Anton Yelchin’s Jim in Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters. Callum’s little brother Prince Erzan holds a heart as pure as Greg from Over The Garden Wall. Rayla the elf is a compelling and tough cookie with anxieties about what her elf heritage expects of her. Some fun supporting players include Viren’s teenage children: a jock-like guard Soren (Jesse Inocalla) who grapples with his moral compass and his studious magical sister Claudia (Racquel Belmonte), who deserves special notice for her humor, clumsy in sociability but comfortable with her goofiness.

While the series centers around its youth protagonists as a Y-7 rated show, such notice should be given to the adult players who do not wear their pride lightly. Lord Viren’s interplay with King Harrow speaks miles of true camaraderie and toxic power play. We believe in the mage’s desire to protect the kingdom and his King, though we are not wrong to peg him as a haughty opportunist who quashes ethics in the name of what he calls “the right thing.” 

Owing to the frame rate, the cell-shaded computer animation (which tries to emulate hand-drawn work) can be choppy which does stilt much of the facial performances, but I find it forgivable due to the quality of the story. In wider shots, the 3D styles gleam with a solid sheen with wide landscapes giving a polish. The result of the imagination is a dutiful fantasy of conjured wonders and atmosphere toward an unknown destination. Emotional inspiration arises when a deaf general signs an untranslated message to her fallen sister. World-building ingenuity shines when elven warriors bind themselves with a magical ribbon that can punish them physically if a vow goes unfulfilled. 

You might be reading this review and wonder if the series pushes the envelope like Avatar: The Last Airbender, which was known for its creative cultural world-building while diving into mature themes? That question should be approached with caution or else tether the show to the legacy of another show. The Dragon Prince its fulfills its fantasy rudiments with inspiration, heart, and most importantly regard for its character dynamics.  I have faith it will acquire more steam when season 2 lands on Feb. 15 on Netflix.