Not to be confused with the similarly-titled fifth book in George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, this sci-fi action anime inspired by Labo Asai’s long-running light novel-manga series is set in an alternate world divided between the Dragon Empire, where magic-wielding creatures dwell, and a human realm consisting of a seven-city alliance torn by political intrigue. To confront the dragon danger, mankind depends on master swordsmen who employ a technique called jushiiki, which enables them to use magic in combat. The focus is on two jushikiists, Gayus and Gigina, whose dissimilar personalities and techniques—the former being a cautious intellectual, while the latter is an arrogant risk-taker—make for an unlikely partnership. As the pair assail one another with streams of caustic banter—intended to be humorous but failing miserably—they also face off against dangers from the Empire while getting caught up in the convoluted schemes of their own leaders. The plotline is as fractured as their world: one thread involves a serial killer targeting jushikiists, who turns out to be the vengeance-seeking wife of a dragon that the heroes killed. Another centers on a cunning politician who enlists them in his supposed peace-keeping efforts. But the various elements are never brought together in a coherent whole and too much remains ill-defined, including the nature of the alliance and the specifics of jushiiki. And despite efforts to humanize the protagonists (such as Gayus’s relationship with his girlfriend or Gigina’s love of high-end furniture), the pair never become really fleshed-out (or even likable) characters. Dances with the Dragons boasts some eye-catching battle sequences, but the animation is mostly mediocre. Compiling all 12 episodes from 2018 in a dual-language Blu-ray edition, rated TV-MA, this is not recommended. (F. Swietek)
Dances with the Dragons: The Complete Series
(2018) 2 discs. 300 min. Blu-ray: $64.99. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 34, Issue 5
Dances with the Dragons: The Complete Series
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