REVIEW: ‘Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai’ Episode 7 – “Maam’s Turmoil”

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai Episode 7 takes a breather from the action this week in favor of spotlighting a new character, Maam. It is a smart move, and her presence already makes one want to come back for more. The Toei Animation production is a remake of a 90’s anime, based on a manga of the same name. The series is a spin-off of the widely popular Dragon Quest video game franchise, and those RPG fantasy roots are visible in the show.

Maam and Popp (but mostly Maam) come to Dai’s rescue in his fight against Crocodine. Maam wields a gun that shoots off rounds imbued with different spells. It is a unique weapon concept, and others in the same vein are not often seen. After Dai scars Crocodine’s face, he flees. The rest of the episode takes place in Maam’s village, as we learn more about her background. Maam’s parents fought The Dark Lord with Avan. Her mother was a Priest, and her father a Warrior, so Maam self-describes herself as a Warrior Priest. It is awesome and honestly makes Maam the most interesting character in the show so far. As a child, she was tutored by Avan. He gifted her the Magic Bullet Gun when she graduated. The highlight of this episode is this scene between the two. Maam is horrified by the sight of the gun because she wants to protect people. Avan reminds her that sometimes love and kindness might not always be enough. He states that “strength without justice is powerless, so too is justice without strength.” This is a line that cuts to the core of Avan’s character and illustrates how Maam approaches her fighting style.

Dai and Popp have a more internal conflict in Dragon Quest Episode 7. Dai lies when Maam and the village ask about Avan’s wellbeing, not wanting to tell them he has died. It is the first time that we see Dai do something not so befitting of a hero, despite his good intentions. Even the way he words his quest to the priest when begging for training peaks interest: he wants to avenge Avan. If this is the start of Dai becoming less of a one-note protagonist, it will be a welcome shift. It will also make Maam become even more of a moral compass through her desire to protect rather than avenge. Popp doesn’t have much of an arc, but it is quite fun to watch Dai lovingly tease him upon realizing he has a crush on Maam.

On the villains’ side, a lot is building up to another battle. Crocodine is mad about being scarred, but also has traditional views on the battle. We meet another branch of Hadlar’s army: Zaboera. He is clearly planning something more nefarious and wants Crocodine to fight a little dirty next time he encounters Dai.

Dragon Quest Episode 7 took a break from the action to have a more character-focused episode. This was a great decision, as Maam is the addition this show needs and possibly the best character. A little bit of thoughtful philosophy and an awesome heritage go hand-in-hand to make Maam a lovely character in her own right, while also pushing Dai and Popp.

Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai is streaming now on Crunchyroll and Hulu.