Talk of a Legend of Dragoon remake has been floating around for years. You’ve likely heard rumors about it—perhaps you were caught off guard by that infuriating April Fools article earlier this year claiming that the game was getting a remake, or you’ve heard the many arguments for why the game deserves one and what that would look like. Despite my dedication to a Legend of Dragoon remake, I’m setting aside that discussion to talk about a new idea that could be almost as cool.
There are plenty of complaints you could make about The Legend of Dragoon. I still love it with all my heart, but I cringe my way through a lot of the dialogue, and the sheer amount of unavoidable random encounters becomes irritating. But The Legend of Dragoon’s strongest point has always been its fantastical story, and an anime adaptation of the game would be the perfect way to capitalize on that.
Since The Legend of Dragoon is a JRPG, it already has similarities to anime. If you look at Meru—one of the main characters—for example, she sports pale blue hair that’s tied up with a giant ribbon, and her outfit is just as unique. Anime typically includes characters with a wide range of hair and clothing styles—just look at Natsu from Fairy Tail or Kakashi from Naruto. You usually don’t find this in other media, and the characters from The Legend of Dragoon fit right in with them.
But that’s far from the only reason The Legend of Dragoon would make a phenomenal anime. Some of the greatest anime are highly regarded because of their epic adventure stories and ongoing themes of friendship. You see this everywhere—from Naruto to Fairy Tail to One Piece—and The Legend of Dragoon’s four-disc quest centered around its nine companions would fit this idea perfectly. Dart and Lavitz’ tragic bromance could be a full story arc on its own.
The Legend of Dragoon ramps up from the original goal of saving one girl to eventually having to save the entire world, which is a classic anime storyline. In the beginning, Dart must rescue Shana from Hellena Prison. You also know right off the bat that Dart was on his own separate journey in pursuit of the Black Monster. Throughout the game, each character has their distinct adventure that eventually relate to each other. Shana’s mysterious powers are tied to Rose’s history, which is tied to Dart’s pursuit of the black monster, which is tied to Haschel’s journey to find his daughter, and so on. By the end, every component is masterfully tied together in a grander conflict.
Just because the game is similar to anime doesn’t mean it needs to be an anime, however. It’s also because the artwork for The Legend of Dragoon would be stunning in the animated medium. I long to see places like Aglis—also known as the Magic City—and The Moon That Never Sets in anime format. While I hate waiting for the magic attacks to go through their animation during combat in the game, I’d be stoked to watch them unfold in the anime. Even the Dragoon transformations, something I always turn off during my playthroughs, could be epic.
They might be tempted to add extra content to make the series longer, but there are some anime that are masterpieces despite a shorter length, such as Death Parade or the original Berserk. There’s definitely enough content in The Legend of Dragoon to make an anime adaptation worthwhile. I’d rather have a remake of the game, but at this point, I’ll take anything that would bring this story to life once again.
Next: Dear Sony: Here Are Some Specifics On What We’d Like To See In A Legend Of Dragoon Remake
