REVIEW: ‘DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Book 3,’ Delivers High Fantasy With Modern Flair

DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Book 3 (Season 3) is a Netflix Original fantasy adventure anime series. With the last Elder Dragon departing to defeat Terrorblade, our heroes hope for a moment of peace after their many struggles. But when the dragon is felled by his enemy, the heroes must fight their greatest battle yet to save their world. Little do they know the journey they are about to embark on. 

If there is one thing that cannot be disputed about this series’ latest tale, it is that it is full of surprises. From the initial episode to when the final credits rolled, I felt like I was never 100% sure of where the story would go next. And while not every twist and turn of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Season 3’s plot hits its mark, there is plenty to love in this power-fueled high fantasy tale. 

Generally, when one here’s the term high fantasy, images of classical genre stories like Lord of the Rings are what passes through a person’s mind. While this story shares the magical nature and world-ending threats that style of the classic tale has always delivered, this series combines it with so much modern flair that it feels like the freshest example of the genre I’ve ever seen. It has epic quests, gods, dragons and wizards, intrigue, and combines all that with battle sequences that often feel pulled straight out of Dragon Ball Z. It appeals to the viewer on numerous levels as it wows visually while delivering more great moments with its wonderful cast. While the series gives both its cast and its scope plenty of time to shine, this eight-episode series falls victim to the same failing that its predecessor did. It’s just too short. 

DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Season 3 is so packed full of spoiler moments that I can’t give any significant details of any episode without ruining something. While that creates many exciting moments and some wonderful character interactions, the plot often feels like the series is being played at high speed. No moment is ever given a real chance to breathe as the story’s myriad plot points race one into the next. 

Despite the show’s dizzying pace, it still manages to make the triumphs and tribulations deliver impact for the brief moments that they are allowed to have. If you have gotten this far through DOTA’s narrative, you won’t feel like this series failed to provide you with an adequate payoff for your time. 

This is particularly true for the series’ lead female protagonist Mirana. While each character gets their fair share of the spotlight here, DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Season 3 is truly her season. The newly minted Goddess of the Sun stands at the center of the season’s tale as its bright burning constant, and I’m glad to say she carries that central role wonderfully.

While the previous entries in this series provided brutal, over-the-top action, nothing seen before will have you prepared for the energy, scope, and raw power that this season’s biggest clashes deliver. The wow factor that the combat visuals deliver are amazing. Though it is important to note, some of the season’s biggest action moments are filled with lots of strobing light effects. So any who are sensitive to such visuals may want to be wary.

I can happily say that DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Season 3 manages to raise the bar yet again for this series. While it still packs too much into such a short runtime, it does an admirable job delivering on every beat and meaningful character moment, even if it never has time to truly let them sink in.

DOTA: Dragon’s Blood Book 3 is streaming now on Netflix.