Drama Digest:
To many people on the surface, dragons are a dire threat, but at the same time a valuable source. Dragons are on the menu as the crew of the airship Quin Zaza sets out on a hunt. This is the story of the “Quin Zaza and its crew”. They travel the skies in dragon-hunting airships. If they fail, an empty stomach will be the least of their worries.
The Feel-Good Part:
At its core, Drifting Dragons show the loneliness of living in the skies, as well as its serene beauty. It mainly focuses on characters’ struggles and personal developments. It’s a roller coaster of emotions and will keep you completely immersed in the story.
The Disappointing Factor:
The animation is deceptive as the premises are suitable, a world of dragons and humans on air balloons going dragon hunting. But the story itself is shallow, it is without substance. There is also a lot of superstition in the show, seeming to take from sailors and villagers concerning various folklore, sea creatures attacking, staying in port for too long, and killing anything you fear.
In-Depth Analysis:
The crew of the Zaza features an eclectic group of characters, with different reasons for being on board. The whole story of Drifting Dragons is really about these characters. The episodic series are less focused on the dragons and more on the internal conflicts between the crew themselves. We get glimpses into those reasons, but never in an obvious betray cliché kind of way.
Overall Opinion:
It’s a classic Japanese anime, specifically fairy tales and fables to modulate their total senselessness into something acceptable. That aside, it is a very fascinating idea to translate the whaling industry concept into a fantasy world where dragon hunting in airships is a thing.
