Fire-breathing titans. Ancient wisdom wrapped in scales. Cuddly companions who happen to incinerate your kitchen.
Dragons have utterly dominated our collective imagination for millennia, but anime? Anime has taken these legendary beasts and completely flipped the script. Forget everything you thought you knew about dragons being mindless treasure-hoarders or princess-kidnapping villains.
Modern anime has transformed them into everything from domestic help to gourmet ingredients, from fighter jets in disguise to timid house-hunters who just want a quiet life.
Ready to dive into the most spectacular, heartwarming, and downright innovative dragon anime from the last few years? Let’s soar!
10. Ryuu no Haisha (The Dragon Dentist)
Year: 2017 | Studio: Studio Khara | MAL Score: 7.35
Who knew dental hygiene could be this epic?
Picture this: You live in a world where massive, ancient dragons serve as living weapons of mass destruction. Their one weakness? Tooth decay. Enter the Dragon Dentists, who rappel into dragon mouths the size of aircraft hangars to fight bacterial infections that look like eldritch horrors.
Nonoko Kishii accepts her fated death to become a dentist, until enemy soldier Bernard gets “resurrected” through a dragon’s tooth—an omen of disaster. Studio Khara delivers visually stunning animation exploring the surreal landscapes inside dragon mouths, while tackling heavy themes about fate and mortality. It’s only a two-part special, but this utterly bonkers premise transforms mundane dentistry into the most heroic profession imaginable.
9. Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul
Year: 2017 | Studio: MAPPA | MAL Score: 7.42
When cute bounty hunter meets uncontrollable dragon transformation.
What happens when you’re a cheerful bounty hunter who transforms into a massive red dragon every time you see a hot guy? Meet Nina Drango, whose romantic feelings trigger uncontrollable transformations into a powerful dragon.
Set ten years after the apocalyptic dragon Bahamut nearly destroyed everything, Nina stumbles into a political powder keg involving enslaved demons and usurped gods. MAPPA delivers breathtaking animation and dynamic fight sequences, while Nina’s complicated relationship with King Charioce unfolds against divine politics. The series asks tough questions about power and prejudice when you’re literally a mythical creature trying to navigate romance without accidentally destroying cities.
8. Dragon Age: Absolution
Year: 2022 | Studio: Red Dog Culture House | Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
When your heist target includes liberating an enslaved dragon.
Netflix’s Dragon Age: Absolution follows Miriam, an escaped Tevinter slave turned mercenary, attempting to steal a blood magic artifact guarded by a chained dragon. What starts as a heist becomes a personal journey about freedom and trauma.
The dragon serves as both guardian and prisoner—a living symbol of Tevinter’s cruelty whose eventual liberation mirrors Miriam’s own journey. Red Dog Culture House delivers brutal, beautiful fight choreography and top-tier voice acting. While six episodes isn’t enough time to fully explore this rich world, it’s a brilliant proof of concept that treats dragon liberation as a powerful metaphor for personal freedom.
7. Dragon, Ie wo Kau. (Dragon Goes House-Hunting)
Year: 2021 | Studio: Signal.MD | MAL Score: 6.42
The most relatable dragon in anime history.
Meet Letty, the most un-dragon-like dragon ever. This timid red dragon got kicked out of his family cave for being terrible at the whole “fearsome guardian” thing. Now he’s house-hunting with Dearia, an elf who moonlights as a demon lord of real estate.
Letty subverts every dragon stereotype—he’s anxious, cowardly, and just wants a safe home away from heroes trying to turn him into armor. Signal.MD’s cozy animation perfectly captures the slice-of-life tone as they explore fantasy real estate from a practical homeowner’s perspective. It’s comfort food anime that transforms dragon mythology into gentle comedy about finding where you belong, even when you don’t fit the mold.
6. Kuutei Dragons (Drifting Dragons)
Year: 2020 | Studio: Polygon Pictures | MAL Score: 6.96
When dragons aren’t friends—they’re dinner.
Drifting Dragons asks what most dragon anime avoid: What if dragons were simply part of the food chain? Aboard the draking ship Quin Zaza, Captain Jirou’s crew hunts massive sky dragons for meat, organs, and materials—basically Moby Dick meets Food Wars with a steampunk aesthetic.
The series meticulously details different dragon species and how they taste when properly prepared. Polygon Pictures’ improved CGI brings weighty, realistic dragons and breathtaking sky environments to life. The culinary focus serves deeper themes about respect, ritual, and community. Every shared dragon feast strengthens crew bonds while honoring the magnificent creatures they’ve taken, creating a unique predator-prey dynamic with genuine gourmandise.
5. Burn the Witch
Year: 2020 | Studio: Studio Colorido | AniList Score: 70%
Urban fantasy meets dragon conservation in style.
Tite Kubo decided London needed more dragons. In secret “Reverse London,” dragons roam freely, invisible to ordinary citizens but managed by Wing Bind. Witches Noel Niihashi and Ninny Spangcole handle everything from dragon rehabilitation to spectacular urban combat.
Kubo’s dragons are gorgeous and diverse, from elegant “Light Dragons” in protective captivity to corrupted “Dark Dragons” requiring elimination. Studio Colorido brings his distinctive art style to life with dynamic action sequences showcasing both dragon power and witch abilities. The pragmatic Noel versus fiery Ninny dynamic drives compelling character conflict. While the movie format feels slightly rushed, this stylish urban dragon fantasy proves these mythical creatures work perfectly in modern settings.
4. DOTA: Dragon’s Blood
Year: 2021-2022 | Studio: Studio Mir | AniList Score: 71%
When dragon hunter becomes dragon—literally.
Dragon Knight Davion spends his life hunting dragons until he becomes permanently fused with Slyrak, the ancient Fire Eldwurm. Based on the MOBA game, this creates a fascinating internal dynamic where two very different beings must share consciousness and power.
The Eldwurms aren’t just big lizards—they’re fundamental forces of creation embodying elemental aspects like Fire, Water, and Void. Studio Mir delivers spectacular animation with fluid, brutal action sequences, especially Davion’s transformation scenes. Troy Baker’s voice acting brings real emotional weight to the human-dragon relationship. While the plot can feel dense for newcomers, the mature storytelling respects both game lore and audience intelligence, creating a genuinely moving partnership between natural enemies.
3. Hisone to Maso-tan (Dragon Pilot: Hisone & Masotan)
Year: 2018 | Studio: Bones | MAL Score: 7.29
The most intimate human-dragon bond in anime.
Japan’s military aircraft are actually ancient dragons in disguise, and pilots get chosen by literally being swallowed whole. Socially awkward Hisone Amakasu gets selected by shy Maso-tan, an “Organic Transformed Flyer” capable of perfect aircraft mimicry.
These sentient aircraft form intense emotional bonds requiring complete trust—being digested and regurgitated isn’t standard procedure. Studio Bones delivers wonderfully expressive character animation with seamless transformation sequences. Hisone’s journey from awkward rookie to confident pilot parallels her growing relationship with Maso-tan. The series handles human-dragon bonds with intimacy without weirdness, grounding fantasy elements in contemporary military life to create a uniquely touching partnership story.
2. Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon)
Year: 2024 | Studio: Studio Trigger | MAL Score: 8.60
From fearsome boss monster to five-star feast.
When Laios’s sister gets devoured by a Red Dragon, the broke rescue party decides to eat the monsters they fight. Enter Senshi, a dwarf perfecting monster cuisine, transforming every creature from obstacle into opportunity.
The Red Dragon is genuinely terrifying—a massive, intelligent apex predator. But after defeating this legendary creature, they eat it, meticulously detailing dragon anatomy and cooking techniques. Studio Trigger’s animation makes both intimidating battles and mouth-watering dishes equally compelling. The series works as fantasy adventure, cooking show, and character study simultaneously. Every shared meal strengthens party bonds while treating consumed creatures with respect and gratitude, finding perfect balance between spectacular action and heartwarming domesticity.
1. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S
Year: 2021 | Studio: Kyoto Animation | MAL Score: 8.22
The perfect dragon family you never knew you needed.
Sometimes the most powerful magic is everyday life. Season 2 continues the heartwarming story of programmer Kobayashi managing a household of ancient, incredibly powerful dragons who’ve decided suburban Japanese life is pretty great, actually.
These dragons are people—Tohru isn’t just a maid but a devoted partner learning human customs, Kanna is a child navigating friendship and school, and newcomer Ilulu discovers everything she believed about human-dragon relationships was wrong. Kyoto Animation delivers peak character animation with spectacular action that never overshadows personality. This series proved dragons don’t need threats or mystique to be compelling—they can be domestic, funny, and completely relatable while remaining awesome mythical creatures, setting the standard for supernatural slice-of-life.