The appeal and evaluation of "Dragon Drive": A must-read review for anime fans

Dragon Drive - A fascinating story of battle and growth

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

July 4, 2002 - March 27, 2003
July 4, 2002 - March 27, 2003 TV Tokyo

■Broadcasting station

TV Tokyo affiliates

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 38

■Original Story

Kenichi Sakura

■ Director

Toshifumi Kawase

■ Production

Animation Production: Madhouse Production: TV Tokyo, NAS, Bandai Visual

■ Story

The story follows the battles of Ozora Reiji and his friends in a parallel world of Earth known as the "Urakyu." Reiji grows through a battle game called Dragon Drive and overcomes various challenges with his friends. His adventures in the Urakyu will change his life forever.

■Explanation

The original work is a manga by Kenichi Sakura that was serialized in Monthly Shonen Jump. It is a battle game in which players fight with a virtual reality dragon as their partner. In addition to the anime, it is also available as a trading card. Dragon Drive tells the story of the main character, Reiji Ozora, who meets a dragon and grows as a person, and depicts the meaning of friendship, effort, and battle. The anime brings out the charm of the original work to the fullest and is a moving work for viewers.

■Cast

・Reiji Ozora/Park ■Beauty (■Haou hen ni ro)
・Chibisuke/Nishimura Chinami ・Yukino Maiko/Sasamoto Yuko ・Hagiwara Daisuke/Amada Masato ・Saint Walce/Matsuda Yuki ・Himuro Hikaru/Suzumura Kenichi

■ Main staff

・Original work / Sakura Kenichi・Director / Kawase Toshifumi・Series composition / Inoue Toshiki・Character design / Umehara Takahiro・Dragon design / Yamada Takahiro・Art director / Kaneko Hidetoshi → Uchida Yoshiyuki・Color design / Kodama Naoko・Director of photography / Sakamoto Ryoma → Takahashi Kentaro・Editor / Seyama Takeshi・Sound director / Honda Yasunori・Music / Mitsumune Nobuyoshi・Animation producer / Shirai Katsuya・Producers / Iwata Makiko, Yamazaki Tatsushi, Kubo Satoshi

■ Main Characters

・Ozora Reiji The main character is 14 years old. He has no redeeming qualities and is half-hearted in everything he does, so he is teased and called "Hamperman." However, that all changes when he encounters the Dragon Drive. Through the Dragon Drive, Reiji discovers his own potential and grows together with his friends.
・Chibisuke Reiji's partner. A cute, white, small dragon. He has a timid and carefree personality. Chibisuke is an important presence who fights alongside Reiji and sometimes gives him advice.
Reiji's childhood friend. 14 years old. A strong-willed girl with a strong will, which is acknowledged by Rokkaku. Maiko supports Reiji's growth, and she herself grows through the Dragon Drive.
Daisuke Hagiwara is Reiji's classmate. He likes Yukino. Because of this, there was a time when he was openly hostile towards his childhood friend Reiji, but he gradually began to change, and in the second half of the story he became Reiji's good friend. Daisuke is depicted as reexamining himself and growing through his relationship with Reiji.
・Sun Wals The previous champion of Dragonic Heaven. A resident of the Underworld. His partner is Lai Lai Cocoon. Sun Wals stands in front of Reiji as a strong rival and encourages his growth.
・Hikaru Himuro He sensed Reiji's talent even when Reiji was a beginner and viewed him as an enemy. He became convinced of this after their first match and began to show a relentless obsession with Reiji. Hikaru is an important character who stimulates Reiji's growth as his rival and adds tension to the story.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Sleeping Dragon ・Episode 2: Promised Dive!
Episode 3: RevengeEpisode 4: A Shocking AwakeningEpisode 5: The Reverse BallEpisode 6: The SuccessorEpisode 7: Dragonic HeavenEpisode 8: The Battle BeginsEpisode 9: The Destination of RageEpisode 10: Proof of TrustEpisode 11: Be YourselfEpisode 12: AssembleEpisode 13: MissionEpisode 14: Winners and LosersEpisode 15: The Night BeforeEpisode 16: The RobberyEpisode 17: The End of RevengeEpisode 18: The JourneyEpisode 19: RebirthEpisode 20: A Journey of Trials Episode 21/To the Legendary MountainEpisode 22/RampageEpisode 23/Shin SaberEpisode 24/The Price of PowerEpisode 25/The Mysterious WarriorEpisode 26/The Shadow of a Best FriendEpisode 27/Eternal LifeEpisode 28/MemoryEpisode 29/The BoyEpisode 30/BetrayalEpisode 31/The Four Gods of DragonsEpisode 32/RivalsEpisode 33/The Dark LabyrinthEpisode 34/The TruthEpisode 35/D ZoneEpisode 36/ReturnEpisode 37/True DragonEpisode 38/D Break!

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
"TRUE"
Lyrics by Natsumi Kobayashi Composition by Daisuke Kahara and Genki Hibino Arrangement by Daisuke Kahara and Genki Hibino Singer by Mikuni Shimokawa Ending
"Just one."
Lyrics by Nao Asada Composition by Nao Asada Arrangement by Nao Asada Sung by Mikuni Shimokawa

Dragon Drive's Appeal and Evaluation

Dragon Drive is a TV anime series that aired from 2002 to 2003 and is based on the original work by Kenichi Sakura. This original anime is set in a parallel world called "Urakyu" and follows the protagonist Reiji Ozora and his partner dragon Chibisuke as they take on various battles. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of Dragon Drive.

The appeal of the story

The story of Dragon Drive is centered around Reiji's growth through the battle game Dragon Drive. At first, Reiji was a mediocre character, even being teased as "Hamperman," but through his encounter with Dragon Drive, he discovers his own potential and grows together with his friends. This story of growth not only moves viewers, but also teaches the importance of believing in one's own potential.

Furthermore, Reiji's adventure in the parallel world of Urakyu will greatly change his life. The battles in Urakyu are not just a battle game, but depict friendship, effort, and the meaning of fighting. The sight of Reiji overcoming trials with his friends will give courage and hope to viewers.

Character Appeal

Each character in Dragon Drive is unique and charming. The main character, Ozora Reiji, starts out as a mediocre character, but he is shown to grow through Dragon Drive. His growth is one that viewers can sympathize with and root for.

Chibisuke, Reiji's partner, is a cute, white, small dragon with a timid and carefree personality that is charming. Chibisuke is an important presence who fights alongside Reiji and sometimes gives him advice, and the relationship between him and Reiji adds depth to the story.

Maiko Yukino is Reiji's childhood friend and a strong-willed girl. She supports Reiji's growth, and she herself grows through the Dragon Drive. Maiko's character is one that viewers can relate to.

Daisuke Hagiwara is a classmate of Reiji and likes Yukino. Because of this, there was a time when he was openly hostile towards his childhood friend Reiji, but he gradually began to change and became a good friend of Reiji in the second half of the story. Daisuke's character is depicted as reexamining himself and growing through his relationship with Reiji.

Sun Wolsoo is the previous champion of Dragonic Heaven and a resident of the Underworld. He stands before Reiji as a strong rival and encourages his growth. Sun Wolsoo's character is an important presence that stimulates Reiji's growth and adds tension to the story.

Himuro Hikaru sensed Reiji's talent even when he was a beginner and viewed him as an enemy. He became convinced of this after their first match and began to show a relentless obsession with Reiji. Hikaru's character is an important presence that stimulates Reiji's growth as a rival and adds tension to the story.

The charm of animation

Dragon Drive's animation is characterized by high-quality production by Madhouse. Character design is by Takahiro Umehara, dragon design by Takahiro Yamada, and the visuals of the characters and dragons are very attractive. In addition, art direction is by Hidetoshi Kaneko and Yoshiyuki Uchida, color design is by Naoko Kodama, and cinematography is by Ryoma Sakamoto and Kentaro Takahashi, and the beautiful backgrounds and colors enhance the story.

Edited by Takeshi Seyama, sound director Yasunori Honda, and music by Shinkichi Mitsumune, the film leaves a strong impression on viewers with its tense battle scenes and moving scenes. In particular, the Dragon Drive battle scenes, with their powerful animation and music, are captivating to the viewer.

The appeal of the theme song

Dragon Drive's opening theme "TRUE" is sung by Shimokawa Mikuni, with lyrics by Kobayashi Natsumi, and composed and arranged by Kahara Daisuke and Hibino Genki. The song features a powerful melody and lyrics that symbolize Reiji's growth and adventure, leaving a strong impression on viewers.

The ending theme "Tatta, Hitotsu no" is also sung by Shimokawa Mikuni, with lyrics, composition, and arrangement by Asada Nao. The song features a touching melody and lyrics that depict the bond between Reiji and his friends, sure to move viewers.

Ratings and Recommendations

Dragon Drive is a fascinating coming-of-age story that will move and inspire viewers. It is packed with many charms, including the characters' personalities and growth, beautiful animation, and powerful theme song. In particular, the story, which depicts the importance of believing in one's own potential and the meaning of friendship and hard work, will deeply inspire viewers.

This work is recommended not only as an anime for boys, but also for anyone who wants to enjoy a coming-of-age story. You will empathize with and want to root for Reiji as he discovers his own potential and grows together with his friends through the Dragon Drive. In addition, the adventures and battle scenes in the back field are also not to be missed, and are sure to draw viewers in.

Dragon Drive was broadcast from 2002 to 2003, but its appeal has not faded and it is still loved by many viewers. Please watch this work and enjoy the adventure and growth of Reiji and his friends.