Ryuu no Haisha

Not much is to be analyzed.

Watching this was an absolute treat.

So rarely does one come across an anime that diligently sets itself apart in the aspect of plot-portrayal. No matter the unique depiction of characters, their seemingly-unrelatable demeanour at times, or even the realization that you know almost nothing about the world the characters in the story live in (Hence intermediate scores in the Story and Character rating), you can't help but feel bedazzled by a story with such a unique setting.

It's not that Ryuu no Haisha has many twists and turns.
It's not that Ryuu no Haisha has the innate ability to ... change the way you think about the world.
It's not that Ryuu no Haisha has a story that will move you to tears.

No. It's much more simple...
It simply enraptures you.
And I encourage you to watch it.

All right, to sum up your appointment, make sure to use mouthwash. Also, remember to floss everyday. Flossing helps get these big ass monsters out of the gaps in your teeth, which we need to kill.

TL;DR at the bottom.

Story:

With this anime comes a unique path of reincarnation involving the mythical creatures, dragons. It occurs through the teeth of the dragon, hence the anime title. With that, the requirements of a reincarnation is to have died a meaningless death, while having nothing to return to. It is a sort of redemption I think brings this anime a great uniqueness to it. When reincarnated, they are born ... through the teeth over again as the same age as when they died. If successfully reborn through the teeth, the task of whoever is born through the teeth must fight monsters that are born in the gaps of the teeth.

The anime also takes place during war, one that is Humans against Dragons. The reason why was never really talked about, and it really felt like it happened out of nowhere... at first. It came to be the cliche of a hatred towards another race. Despite that, it was enjoyable enough for me to watch both episodes.

Honestly, at first, I came to watch this because I goddamn love dragons ever since I was a kid. So if you'd like some dragonic nostalgia, this is something to come to.

Animation:

The animation is quite comparable to that of Trigger. There are many times I was actually confused on whether it was CGI, or 2D. That is something I think brings this to be a high point of the series. However, there are times when it can get trippy as hell, like the opening of the first episode and some moments in the second episode. With someone like me, I like watching something as if I was inhaling drugs of the sort.

However, with the opening, it is nothing different than watching the rainbow found in a puddle just making movement.. I personally thought it was cool hehe.

Sound:

I think the seiyuus are good for how well they match the character's ego. There is not much else to say about that. The opening sounded nice.

Also, do you like dubstep? No? Then, this part will definitely be your cup of tea. For me, it was well matched to the atmospheres at the times certain soundtracks tried to invoke. It did a well job.

Characters:

This anime is about an individual who was reincarnated after being killed, and the young man's name is Bell. Bell seemed like an emotional teenager whose mood is sullied through forcing it onto himself for some strange means. However, after learning of his past life, it is understandable why he is the way he is, and I only came to root for him after learning such. Along with the main character comes Nonoko, aka the cute girl of the series aka why is she not my wife yet. With her, I feel she serves as a support for the main character after his ass being pulled out of the tooth of a dragon, and having to suffer life all over again (joke). In the end, it is up to them when it comes to saving the day.

Outside of those characters besides Godou, Arisugawa and Shibana, the other characters really felt unnecessary to the story. With what I was given on this part, I was at least able to enjoy it a little bit, so I'll give it that.

Enjoyment:

Again, I came because I love dragons. I was given more than that, which was something I found to be quite enjoyable. I was rooting for the main characters to get through the obstacles, and finding myself into doing so made the experience all the better.

TL;DR/Overall: 6.85

This is not something I recommend to anyone who wants a full-fledged story, but wants some eye candy. This is not a spectacular anime. I personally like this, despite the lacking depth the story has. There is not any huge world building which i would like to have known more about, but that IS what you get from an anime with only TWO episodes. It was enough to keep my attention while gasping at the animation, which I think is good enough.

It could be something to pull at your heart, and bring an opinion that agrees with me, or it can be something that steals your time, making you want it back.

Do I suggest it?
Do you have time to kill for some eye candy? Yes? Then it is here.
Do you want a full-fledged story explaining everything? No? Then you can pass it up.

TLDR: Ryuu no Haisha (Dragon Dentist) was an amazing story-driven show broken down into two parts of 45 minutes each. My personal score for the show is a strong 8 to a light 9. Although there were a few things technically wrong that I noticed throughout the series, It was packed with emotion and grasped your interest for every second (after episode 1's first 15 minutes). The only thing holding it back was a half-boring first episode and technical issues.

Story - 9 Art - 7 Sound - 7 Characters - 8 Enjoyment - 9 Overall - 8-9
...
(IMPORTANT) No spoilers in individual reviews of the episodes alone. There WILL be spoilers in my final thoughts, and I will mention that before it happens.

This review was constructed on my opinion of the 1st and 2nd episodes as stand-alone episodes and more on a technical level (NO SPOILERS). I will have my final thoughts after the above-mentioned which will explain my feelings on the episodes together, and plot discussion (WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS)


My (no spoiler) impression of episode 1 below:
I personally hated the first 15 minutes of the first episode. After that, I felt like it kept a booming potential, but never put it to use. This doesn't at all mean I think it's bad, I would give the first episode alone a 6 or 7. I feel like the second episode will bring the series up to an 8 or 9, however, the flaws will keep the series as a whole a guaranteed 9 or lower. The first 15 minutes were boring as hell, especially the first war scene which served no purpose other than telling you that war is part of the story, and there are attackers in the air. I'm sure a lot of people would doubt my criticism of the first 15 minutes, saying that it's such a small portion of the show, but its a third of the first episode. I could barely bear the first 15 minutes, and it was obvious that they are at a much lower level than the rest of the show's quality. The first thing you see when starting the show is this uninteresting explanation of dragons or something that I don't remember anything other than it was boring because that's all it was. There is a shot in the first 10 seconds of the war scene where there are 3 (might be 2 I forget) copies of the same face right next to each other. It would be forgivable if it was a background character but it was the 3 main characters on the whole frame. The next few minutes is a boring war scene of a war that couldn't have made me more annoyed. The only interesting thing about the whole scene was how the... whatever the main characters were found out the enemy was airborne. The first scene broke the show for me, and I couldn't help but notice every bad shot, (there were lots of them) awkward line of dialogue, and unexplained detail. Past the first part, though, there was a scene that managed to do a good number on Bell's character. From there we launch into a short compilation of Bell and Nonoko just living their lives as dragon dentists. Speaking of them, it's interesting the jobs they have to do. It's nicely explained what someone's job is as a dentist, however, they don't explain one or two things. Depending on how episode two goes, this will either be left to interpretation or explained. That seems to happen a lot in the first episode, strange dream-like sequences with lots to explain. The characters weren't the most interesting people you could come up with, but they were believable and managed to capture your attention the whole ladder half. The "twist" didn't feel shocking at all though, and I felt like it turned out to not change anything, and felt uneventful.

My score for episode one \/ \/ \/
Story - 8 Art - 7 Sound - 7 Characters - 8 Enjoyment - 6 Overall - 7

Although I wasn't amazingly entertained during the 1st episode, it sure did a damn well job at setting up the 2nd one...


My (no spoiler) impression of episode two below:
The second episode of Ryuu no Haisha starts off a similar way to episode 1, except it's not boring! It also was, however, a completely shoehorned in scene that didn't feel like something naturally happening. The scene started off with a reporter of some sort typing some history of the dragon, before getting her life saved by it. It's only 5 minutes but it's such a random exposition dump that felt completely unnatural. Along with that, there were some sound effects that felt out of place such as a metal machine creaking sound for the dragon opening its mouth. After the first 5 minutes, no other scene sticks out to me as particularly bad. In the second scene, we're kind of left on our own with one thing or another plot-wise, but it sets up the scene well. The war scene doesn't end there, taking up a big portion of the episode without leaving my dissatisfied. Plopped in the middle of this we have an emotional scene where bell describes in detail what happened to him in the war, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. At 15 or so minutes in, we see a horrible CG action scene, but the animation seems to pick itself up after that. There is some "survivor" guy who just happens to never be shot, ever. He ends up being a big chunk of plot armor half the time, but he's not the worst antagonist you could have in a show. The next part of the show is non-stop action and amazing character development. There were only minimal complaints I had (most of which weren't worth mentioning or remembering anyways). The symbolism was so amazing and every moment was filled with expression. The whole episode wrapped together at the end, with only 1 or 2 things that felt unfinished.

My score for episode two \/ \/ \/
Story - 9 Art - 7 Sound - 7 Characters - 8 Enjoyment - 6 Overall - 7


My overall/closing thoughts on the series as a whole (spoilers):
I thought that the first episode was a bit boring, but it did a great job at setting up the events to come and characters. It has a lot of things left to the imagination, but the 2nd episode made everything feel complete. The story was beautiful and felt complete at the very end. I enjoyed the dragon setup, but I don't understand how people are chosen to be dragon dentists, and it was never explained how the teeth just spit stuff out. The scene with the older woman (I forget her name) having that strange hallucination-like sequence was amazing. I think it was really interesting for her character to be the thing that just wrecked havoc and killed everyone, but could've been handled slightly different. Bell's character in the second episode really sparkled and was handled perfectly.

Set in a fantasy-like land, there exists dragons and people who clean the teeth of these great flying-beasts, whom are known as dragon dentists. Dragon dentists cleanse the teeth of "bacteria" and prevent cavities in what looks like a dragon port, station, or village. These bacteria and cavities are harmful because it affects the dragon's power of revival. It is said that humans are reborn after death through the teeth of dragons, but they may not always be reborn as humans. One exception to this rule is the "yomigaeri," or bad omen, which is said to be a sign of future destruction. This may symbolize ... humanity's sins as a whole. Is this fate, or is it mere coincidence? Does fate even exist, or is it something we tell ourselves in order to stop trying? These themes are ever-present throughout the show. In particular, our dragon dentists are very aware of this concept. They have a sense of understanding on what it means to live and what it means to die.

It should be noted that in Buddhism, there is no belief in "God" or "fate." This contrasts against the dragons that live and enable their power of reincarnation. There is a mixture of beliefs or a constant clash in ideology carefully embedded into this show. It makes you think. It makes you wonder. You can be alive, but are you really living? It is said that dragons "cry with their teeth," yet their teeth is their source of power; they live, and they live genuinely.

If you were put into this story, would you fight your fate or would you accept it? There would be a sense of irony if you resisted your fate only to find out that it was your destiny to fight fate; you would be playing into the plan right from the start. Our fellow characters are forced to find out if we truly are the authors of our own tale. Ryuu no Haisha, or The Dragon Dentist, is an unconventional surprise that contains Buddhist undertones and challenges what we may believe in ourselves.

Tsurumaki Kazuya is one of my favorite directors, i liked FLCL so much, and then comes Ryuu no Haisha.


A story about dragon dentists during a war, and a dragon used as a war machine. My first thought was : Ok, it will be very very weird, but hey, this is original !

For me, Ryuu No Haisha was a great show, very enjoyable.

Story : The story is really original, the idea of dragon dentist is very interesting, and mixing this with some "realistic war" is cool. But, for me, a lot of the story is bad, for example, we do not know why people live ... on the dragon, how they can ? When the army makes a pact with dragon dentist to use the dragon as a weapon ? Well, all of this is not clear at all. This is bad because the realm in this show has a great potential, but it is not used well...

The story is good, but not as good as i was excepted.

Art :

Khara made a beautiful anime, with great background(with a "painted style"), and the animation is clean, action scenes are smooth and fast, but readable. In this show 3DCGI is used, for example, to animate a army troops. Well, it is recognizable, but not ugly at all, this is the first time i saw a very good CGI so far.

Sound
The sound design is really cool in there, with some electro soundtrack, it's good, but not memorable.

Character :

Well, let's be honest, the characters are really simple. Nonoko is this kind of girls who likes to eat and is easily angry, and the second character, and Octavius Bernard is this kind of guy who don't want to participate in war because blablabla...

Yeah, there are simple, but it is a problem ? Hell no, Ryuu no Haisha is not about having characters with an enormous background, we talk about two episodes, 46 mins, almost 4 episodes, 4 is what it takes to an anime to create a little background. In RNH, characters are simple, but it is easy to have compassion for them. I don't think the anime would be better with more sophisticated characters, because it would mess up the moral of the story, by creating complicated characters that are, obviously, harder to understand.
Ryuu No Haisha does not focus on characters, but on the message of the story itself.



Conclusion :

Kazuya made a really interesting show, with some fantastic visual art, it is really good looking, moreover, the story is a little messy, but it is really enjoyable, and better than most of the shows this year. Characters are simple but nice. So, good job Kazuya, but not so good, keep up the good work anyway, i don't like to graded an anime, but it will be a 8 for this show, for his originality and his interesting message and visuals.

The only reason I'm writing a review is because I felt like it was unfairly evaluated and criticized as an open ended story.

Yes, this anime leaves a lot of questions unanswered or explained, but it was adapted from a short film, and the open ending cleverly ties in the theme, fate. Is fate set in stone and futile to change?

However, instead of a short 2-episode series, it should have been streamlined into a movie. The introduction of the characters and plot as a series created a lot of unnecessary questions that left were unanswered leaving people unsatisfied.

Albeit weird, I thought the story was quite ... creative and original.

The Dragon Dentist is a neat little two part original anime. (listed as special but just think of it as an OVA). Those of you clamoring for something new, creative and engaging this is the thing for you!

Story - 8
In a world engaged in a fierce war, there exists mystical giant dragons that can swing the tides of battle in a side's favor. For this reason, the dragons and their caretakers, the dentists, are very highly respected.

As the dragons engage in more battles they become infected through their teeth with the maladies and ill wills of humans in the form of cavities. So dentists, ... who are chosen by the dragons will itself, to be re-incanated as caretakers of the dragons to make sure the dragons don't die. Lest unspeakable evil be released unto the world. Dentists upon re-incarnation are given visions of how they are going to die, and live their lives accepting this destiny they are handed.

The story itself follows Bernard Octavius, a soldier newly re-incarnated as a dentist on the opposite side of the war. And Nonoko Kishii, who takes him under her wing to learn how to defeat the cavity monsters that grow from the dragon's teeth.

The setting and world is one of the main things i loved about this. I love this kind of mystical setting, and its a premise that feels fresh and interesting. It seemed a little weird at first that they fight some kind of mystical cavities, but the actual fights especially in part one are very fast-paced and cool so i warmed up to it. It being a fantasy setting scores points for it having it own lore, which drew me in from the beginning and since there is a war with factions as well as mystical dragons the stakes felt high with this extra context.

Art- 7
I can understand some people not liking it art wise. Most times the colours used are pale, and aren't always filled in so some of the backgrounds end up looking kind of sketch-like. It may be a little different, but I'm willing to cut it some slack since it is just a small OVA project and I actually did like how it looked as it added to the "fantasy feel" of it, giving it a kind of dreamlike quality.
Some CG is used, i noticed it more in part 2. It isn't too intrusive as its only for certain action scenes, and it switches between them enough that it takes me a second to realize when its CG.

Character - 8
A lot of the development of character comes through the idea of re-incarnation and accepting one's fate. This does end up tying into the story in multiple ways, which not only makes the story more exciting but you'll start caring about the characters a lot more through these struggles. Bernard is relate-able and easily sympathetic and his relationship and appreciation for Nonoko is sweet and well told. The re-incarnation and fate dynamic also plays out with a bunch of secondary characters really well, making them feel like characters in a world, rather than simply ornaments to the main story, which is very welcome.

Enjoyment- 9
Somehow a combination of the fantasy elements, and how fresh it feels added to the already good story and character here. The action scenes were good, and pacing kept me intrigued throughout. It felt like more than the sum of its parts.

Overall - 8
Very solid. Keeping in mind that it its basically an OVA series I wasn't expecting too much from this and was pleasantly surprised. I preferred this format to that of a full-movie release as it could take its time with the setting and characters more. Maybe if it was a movie, i'd judge it harsher for its art and animation. But for what it was, i really really liked it. Would highly recommend for anyone that wants something a little different/fresh (not in a bizarre way though)

Synopsis- the story is set in a place called dragon country were there are dragons, and along with the dragons are the dragon dentist that take care of the dragon, the guardian of the country, from tooth cavity bacteria things. during this time there is a war going on between the dragon country and some other country. during the events the dragon chooses a dead officer from the enemy country and revives him to become a dragon dentist as well, a supernatural phenomena which is thought to bring omen to the rest of the dragon dentist.

story- well the story is actually a 2 part story ... that almost has the run length of a 90 min movie. the first half of the story was done very well as it had this light and fantasy like atmosphere considering that the dragon dentist are living on the dragon. the idea for the story is very simple that the dragon was helping its nation during a war, but because of all the dead and violence bacteria like spirits start forming in its mouth weakening the dragon.It's the dentist job to cleanse these spirits in order to strengthen the dragon. one of the dentists nanako finds a young man named bell an enemy officer revived by the dragon. although there was commotion about his appearance(as a sign of calamity) it was quickly resolved and he became a dentist as well and became friends with nanako. the story goes along fine as some things do occur and the topic of fate which seems to be an overarching theme is brought up with the resurrection of bell as well as the dentist knowing when they will die. it was all well and good until the final part when an antagonist shows up from left field and the story dips onto the second part.

The second part of the story is when the story starts to go down hill as bell and nanako are drooped out of the dragon . the old antagonist is replaced with new antagonists who are soldiers from bells country who have some vague reason to get a special dragon tooth (no not for their nation) and are somehow conspiring with the first antagonist. the topic of fate is brought up again as bell refuses to go back to the dragon and tries to convince nanako as well because of her pre-determined fate of when she will die, but she refuses and goes back which then enters a chase scene and bell coming back to help her get back to the dragon . at the climax they try to bring sympathy for the first antagonist as her actions are just, but fail at the execution making it feel nonsensical. the second antagonist achieves his goal causing the dragon into a calamity with this massacre that has no weight of emotion to it. bell than does what he was meant to do and the dragon calamity is quelled and the story ends in a lackluster manner.

the story tried to to several things during its run time that it turned into one big mess even though the first part of the special was the most enjoyable. I had no idea what was going on such as the war taking place, or the character motivations, which lead to some plot holes. the idea of fate was done okay-ish but that's it.
5/10
they also happen to be in some weird mesh timeline as the war seems to be world war-isk but there are modern technology like jet planes and laptops.

characters- there are a lot of characters in this story (mostly side characters), so i will only talk about the main characters. first is Nanako who was a dragon dentist from the dragon country. she was an decent character who was strong and outgoing and willing to do anything in order to help the dragon. bell is the resurrected and reluctant officer from the enemy country who becomes a dentist. both nanako and bell grow a decent non-romantic relationship, as well as being opposites when it comes to fate as bell is opposed to pre-determined fate while nanako is content of doing what she was meant to do. bell is the only one of the two to get some character development. the antagonist on the other hand feel one-note with vague motivations and bland personality. although the first antagonist has some motivation it feels ridiculous when presented. the second antagonist as crazy plot armor because of his name....... the rest of the side character are one note as well
5/10

art/animation- just like the story it was great in the first part and dipped during the second. the first part brought great atmosphere to the people living on the dragon as it looked like on hell of a place to live in. the character designs are decent as well although a bit generic save for the costumes. the animation is good when it comes to movement. however there is very noticeable CG for the bacteria. character (at times),dragon, and other things, but are done pretty well.
6.5/10

sound- the voice acting was good everyone sounded the part the soundtrack was decent as well but mostly forgetabke even the montage part.
6/10
enjoyment- I really wanted to enjoy this anime but because of the messy plot and bland-ish characters especially during the second part my enjoyment went down
5/10
overall- it had a good first half but went downhill during the second half because if the story, characters, and art/animation, but did redeem itself a little near at the end even if it was mediocre to make it above average
6/10

I think that asian people (have understanding for buddism’s view of life and death) are easy to understand this anime's theme.

All dragon dentists are required accept their death fate because they are gate-keeper of the world of the dead...."諦念"（buddhism resignation, in other word...accept one's fate) is very important concept of this anime.

1) On the battlefield, every soldiers kill many enemys because everyone want survive. Eagerness to live make other's death.

2) To be deeply attached to dead people make our mind harm....like Shibana.

I think that context of this anime is great earthquake and tsunami disaster of Japan. In that time, many people watched death of 18 ... thousand on the live TV broadcasting and have been harm their mind.

This anime is seem to try to release our mind from this sadness world - after desaster, war and terrorism.

You might have taken a look at the synopsis and thought "????"
By the end, that probably wouldn't change.


Ah, the ol' too-much-narration to start things off. Things are going to go swell.
With an interesting premise, Ryuu no Haisha sadly appears to fall short. I found the world-building aspects surprisingly the most pleasant and enjoyable parts of the film.

An issue of ethics and life purpose springs up. However, the film tries too hard to center itself around a deeper meaning and ignores your questions of "What?" and "Wait, why?"
Even doing so, you realize that, after delving in their questions about the human condition, they aren't particularly ... that deep or thought-provoking either.

Although certain noteworthy scenes prove aesthetically appealing, much of the art remains mediocre, and the rest in abusing CGI --the use of which is largely dependent in the latter parts of the film. Such a shame that stunning artistic segments are balanced into mediocrity with the lack of care for...everything else.
Minus the soundtrack -- most memorable, the opening/ending track. Simply beautifully composed and relaxing to listen to, it emphasized a sense of wonder that really ties the film together.

Even with its "unique" and "original" premise, the film fails to make a meaningful impact. Without thinking too much about the issues that surrounds the film, Ryuu no Haisha can be an enjoyable, heartfelt experience.

This show reminds of the feeling I had when I watched FLCL for the first time, mixed in with shades of watching my first Ghibli movie. It was a little strange, but strangely awesome.

The art is quite clean and everything in this show was very well animated with nice art and character designs. The small cast of characters were all enjoyable. Nothing about this show had blatant fan service of any sort.

The story is not the emphasis here but is really a means to an end in order to show the fruits of this studio's labor. To ... present their abilities in creativity, music (which was excellent might I add), art, and animation. The story was presented with just the right tone of maturity as well.

It is a perfect example of why I still watch anime today. The capability to portray a surreal fantasy setting story about dragon tooth dentists, while simultaneously conveying subtle underlying themes surrounding the significance of life. None of it really made sense and the show doesn't go into depth about explaining any concepts or about what's going on. Instead the focus is on the presentation of story events rather than the semantics of it all. All of this mixed in with a small amount of war & action... It looks nonsensical on paper, but it really worked out wonderfully.

Although there was just simply not enough time to become invested due to the show being only 2 episodes long, I'd say for the time allotted, it did a great job doing its best.

Simply put, it was a joy to watch. Very original, highly creative, short, soothing, sweet, and inconclusive, leaving perhaps room for more content in the future. Considering the level of high quality put into these 2 specials, I hope more will come.

The Dragon Dentist (Ryuu no Haisha) is a two episode TV special that was based on a short from the Japan Animator Expo. The art is fantastic, and the world it introduces us to is fascinating, but a weak plot and unremarkable characters keeps it from realizing its full potential. Perhaps a full series would have been able to properly flesh out the concepts and themes that were touched upon in the original 8-minute animation, but a mere two episodes only serve to raise more questions than they answer. At best, this anime is an interesting curiosity, at worst it's a disappointing example of wasted ... potential.

Is The Dragon Dentist worth watching? Yes. It's short, beautiful, and interesting, but it's no better than the 8-minute animation that spawned it.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, if you liked the setting of this anime even at the slighest (fantasy amidst a common firearm human war) I urge you to read Arrowsmith, by Kurt Busiek. It's a nice fast-paced done by the book (but done right) comic book that mixes Word War I with magic, dragons, viscerous salamanders and funny talking pagan ogres that deserves more attention.

Now, for Dragon Dentist.

I discovered this anime more than a year ago when someone compared it to FLCL. I've just watched FLCL, so I thought I would finally watch this one too.

As for the comparison, I don't have the slightest idea from ... where the person was coming from.

While the anime for sure is nicely animated and it's fantasy setting and overall idea really interesting, it just doesn't work. It's kinda like giving a nice fantasy story for Netflix to make an anime out of it, and it's attempt at deep philosophing just falls flat and at the end it's unfifilling and boring. Different from what other said, the characters were not that badly done, but except for the woman who turns into a weird gundam this doesn't mean they weren't uninteresting. Also, the idea of a guy that never gets hit can actually be interesting, but here it just felt ridiculous.

"When I think of you, something other than bloods fills my chest."

Overall: 10

Ryuu no Haisha is one of the single most unique experiences that I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Its Ghibli-like whimsical nature and stunning soundtrack was an utter treat!

Story: 10

The overall story of Ryuu no Haisha is simply stunning. The whimsical world of dragon dentists countered with the tragic onset of war create an utterly unique story. Most anime, or at least the ones that I've seen, oftentimes lack originality plot-wise. However, this anime's story and lore is something I've truly never seen before. It's simultaneously heart-breaking and awe-inspiring.

... Art: 9

Ryuu no Haisha is animated beautifully. It's certainly not Kyoto Animation, but the sheer amount of detail packed into each frame, and its overall "cleanliness" (no dentistry pun intended) makes this anime an absolute treat for the eye.

Sound: 10

The music is what won it over for me. Not only is the opening and ending, "Bokura ga Tabi ni Deru Riyuu (ぼくらが旅に出る理由)" by RINKU, beautiful on its own, but it very distinctly captures the overall feel of this anime. The OST is also magnificent; perfectly emulating the characters' feelings and dilemmas, and conveying the action throughout.

Characters: 7

Unfortunately, since Ryuu no Haisha is only two episodes, I didn't get to connect with the characters emotionally. It feels as if most of the running time was dedicated towards progressing the plot, that very little of it was dedicated towards getting the audience aquatinted with the characters. Nonetheless, this emotional disconnect didn't alter my enjoyment in any way shape or form, as the characters are all entertaining in their own aspects (even if they do lack any emotional depth).

Enjoyment: 10

I think an anime's most valuable aspect should be its ability to hold the audience at the edge of their seat, always creating anticipation. Ryuu no Haisha does so perfectly. I never once felt bored while watching it (which is very bold of me to say, as I have an extremely short attention span). The plot is always progressing, never lagging, which gives a sense of direction. Coupled with beautiful animation and music, Ryuu no Haisha managed to bring tears to my eyes and a smile to my face.

"It's war, even inside the dragon's mouth."

Gainax is effectively dead. Imaishi led an exodus of its best animators to Trigger. Hideaki Anno and his protégé, Kazuya Tsurumaki, took the golden goose of Evangelion to Khara.

It's there that Tsurumaki (FLCL) directed this 90-minute NHK special that recalls Gainax's classic era — an adventure in a thoroughly crafted world of Shinto-Buddhist spiritualism and an alt-WWII that together evoke a familiar, nostalgic nationalism. Within that, a meditation on war, pacifism and death. There's also a perky Gainax girl with a "ko" name.

Dragons are mighty, flying isles of the afterlife, ferrying the spirits of the dead through their teeth. ... "Dentists", like priests, purify the holy grounds. Turns out there's a lot to purify in a time of war. When one young American soldier is reborn inside a Japanese dragon, he joins the dentist tribe who protected him from interrogation. But in this era, dragons are also impenetrable flying fortresses. The sacred is militarized, and the battlefield beckons even in purgatory.

I suspect much Japanese culture flew over my American head in Ryuu no Haisha, but like other classic Gainax anime, there's a density of world-building and action to hold my interest and even engage my thoughts after the credits roll. Little advertised, this will likely evade the radar of otakudom, but it deserves a look.

Man! What a fantasy ride! This is a fantastical that leaves you wanting more, for better or for worse.

This is another example of an author who writes characters and not quirks. The people are believable and world -- as fantastical as it is, is quite fleshed out.

It's not all good though, the story follows Bel, an "enemy" soldier revived by a Dragon and Nonoko (?, did I get that right), a girl who serves as a Dragon Dentist.
Just the title alone gives you an idea of the wonder involved and are about to witness. It's not all good though, there's so much details shown but ... not explained that it ends up being a distraction. There's a fine balance between too little and too much exposition and this show leaned on a little bit too little. For example it's definitely set on modern times, but the people are using guns with bayonets, I don't get it, WW2 gun on a 2010 airplane.

In any case, since the focus are the two characters and the dragon tooth itself, you tend to forgive those distracting details.

Art:
It's definitely beautiful and of movie quality. The dragon design was so out of this world but at the same time you sort of buy it, it's really great.

Character:
There's a guy tho that is just a walking plot armor, and I have a theory how it happens but I really hoped the story explained that better.
As I have said in the beginning, we have characters and not quirks who somehow grew a body. It's great, we don't see much growth in the female protagonist and that's non-issue, really. The boy protagonist tho shows an believable amount of growth within the time frame of the show, which I think they nail.
The supporting casts are there but at the same time since they are characters and not quirks, they add quite a lot to the story even tho they add to it as a whole rather than as individuals, if that makes sense. There's even a "lady-bug" he he he, you'll get it once you watch it.
Ultimately, the characters may not be the ones you will remember but they are definitely fleshed out.


Enjoyment:
It's really great, I miss fantastical shows like this. I know that it's "fantasy" but there's something about the word "fantastical" which this show just embodies. Again the background details and a lot of the mystery of the tooth distracts me from time to time, a lot of it just don't make sense and not due to plot point but just from lack of detail. I want to go back to the guns, they have what appears to be a really modern aircraft but then they use what looks like WW2 guns.
Of course that could be artistic license so to speak, but why? If they had made the plane WW2 then everything would be consistent, if they made the guns modern they everything would be consistent. They way they made it added nothing to the show and detracts from it since it is distracting. Apart from that, I find myself forgiving since everything else was well done.

Overall:
Worth the watch, it's 45 minutes per episode, 2 episodes. Basically a movie. Watch it people, it's a pretty good watch, definitely.

After pondering on Dragon Dentist, i decided i try to share my mindset as to why this Anime could have been better. Beware of spoilers.

First, being in the military i found it interesting that the story had a strong basis for men of war, combat, and so forth yet it was WRONG on an epic scale.

The majority of soldiers in warfare do not have murderous intent, so the fact that entire military units where completely annihilated due to this idea that most soldiers harbor this intent is ridiculous. Most people have no wish to kill the enemy. Those troops cowering with tears in thier ... eyes are simply cowards and the fact that they survive over everyone else makes me wonder what the directors where trying to say.

Storywise - There is a lot unsaid. What are dragons? Why does the dragon favor one army over the other? What stops dentists from living normal lives on earth? Are dentists immortal aside from mortal death? There was a good hour and a half to elaborate more on this, or otherwise contribute more to the story. A huge contradiction i did notice within the story was that Bell didn't shoot in the end because he knew that Blanco who had killed him would shoot him, thus the cavity would kill him. Inaction is still an action, and Bell did something with the intent that Blanco
would die consequently. That is murderous intent on Bells behalf.

Artwork - I did enjoy the vivid animation and very clean artwork. It is top tier for modern anime. Full points in that category. The archetecture was beautiful and the warscenes and military applications where well done. The mushi where interesting and what they contributed in style lent towards the story notion of their detachment from conventional life.

That said, i feel this was more of a rant, but as a review and feedback i hope this was helpful and interesting to read. Thank you.

Story (8/10):
The story of the anime is of the meaning behind life and death, people who accept their fate and live waiting for their "Time" to come and people who fight against fate, and you also have a war going on
The concept of the anime was really interesting whither it's the reincarnation through the dragon teeth or the way the people coexist with the dragon. The whole world in the anime felt original and the mixture of modern life and mythical creatures was really well executed.

Characters (8/10):
The characters in general were great and had simple motivations and goals which is a good thing for a ... short 2 episodes anime (even if the episodes are 45mins) they were introduced quickly and given enough development to sustain and move the story along

Art and Animation (7/10):
The art style of the backgrounds was nice and well drawn although not really colorful.
The CGI used for characters and objects was not half bad, it only crapped out in some scenes
The animations for movements and during action scenes were really good and felt smooth

Music & VA (7/10):
The music was nice but not very memorable, even though i finished the show just last night i don't recall any of the soundtracks
The voice acting was good. Voices fit their characters and there was no annoying voices

Effectiveness (7/10):
Having an original concept really upped the enjoyment of this anime and with solid action and a decent story this was really a blast to watch
Making this into a full lenghth show would have been a better choice, giving more details about the world and characters and giving a less open ending.

Overall (7.5/10)

All You Need Is: The Dragon Dentist

Minor spoilers ahead.

Should you watch?: Yes. With an open mind and no previous mindset established.

The premise of a dragon dentist sounds stupid, right? Leave it to Hideaki Anno, Tsurumaki Kazuya & the Khara team to make it endearing and interesting! Nowadays, too many people have become absorbed by the idea of knowing every bit of context and history regarding a certain character or story. Thus, there's rarely any mystery left to fascinate. I find satisfaction in discovering pieces of art that serve as portions of a vastly unexplored universe. Kazuya is especially good at presenting them, having been at ... the helm of animated adventures such as FLCL.

What makes The Dragon Dentist special is its unique take on a dark modern fantasy. Set in the backdrop of a merciless war, the story revolves around a team of brave warriors that protect the health and stability of enslaved dragons. The role of a dragon dentist means inevitable death, fact ackowledged and understood by all members. While this might be somewhat of a depressing view, the OVA never becomes bleak or nihilistic about its themes. In fact, as other Anno anime before it, it subtlely suggests fighting against thoughts of desperation and pointlessness. However, it never becomes preachy or pretentious, it presents war as it is without beating you over the head with an emotional baseball bad about the horrors of humanity. The characters drive the story, and with them, the core ideas become developed. Conclusions can obviously differ due to the variety of perspectives and perceptions that people have.

But why do dragons need dentists? As stated in the first episode, the dragon's only weakness is their teeth. Be they encompassed by their tooth ache, they become susceptible to being taken down. The dentists serve as acrobatic cleaners that keep their reptilian mouths safe from this universe's take on cavities: dark coloured creatures that consume and deteriorate the dragon teeth, called "mushi". Dragons and their pressence can obviously seem intimidating and threatening, therefore some will inevitably hate their existence and try to eliminate it. Thus creating a dissonance between the dentists and the soldiers of the opposite force. I must note here that some ideas and actions might seem familiar from older shows related to Anno.

One important fact about this OVA, as previously stated, is the fact that it does not choose to offer to many details about the world presented outside of the narrative explored here. Depending on their taste and preferences in storytelling, viewers may find this interesting, as it could spark the curiosity regarding of said world, or disappointment marked by perceiving this as incomplete. If anything, this subject is worth debating, as it's become quite common for complaints over mysterious backstories and hystory. Modern media has often spoiled us with too much information and details about fascinating characters - such as the criminally atrocious horror remakes of the late 2000's and early 2010's - and I find less and less people accepting of mystery. My personal take on this is that there is no necessity in filling in every single detail, but rather leaving room for the imagination can sometimes improve the quality of a story, though not in the sense of needlessly overthinking or theory crafting.
In fact, there isn't really much to overthink about this anime. Its narrative is fairly simple and straightforward with the focus the two main characters. I don't find much use in spoiling the story, as it leaves nothing new to experience for someone who hasn't watched it yet, so I would rather skip that part. Dragon Dentist at times feels like a prototype for a bigger, more developed epic that has yet to be animated. However, that does not stop it from being a compelling and interesting glimpse into an alternative world history. I'd say the presentation reminds me of early 90's OVA's that would tease the vast world of a manga, such as Gunnm, or Battle Angel Alita in the west. Even the two main characters are somewhat reminiscient of it, they are plentily fleshed out for a two-part instalment and even benefit from some character progression. Their connection and dynamic steadily moves along with their choices and becomes central later on in the show. Nonoko becomes part of the Anno/Gainax legacy of portraying strong female characters: brave and stubborn, yet still human and vulnerable emotionally, without the latter becoming a weakness or impediment for the characters. Her charm and willpower make her especially endearing and easy to cheer on.

On the technical side, Khara does not disappoint, though I can't claim brilliance either. There are indeed great moments in directing and composition, however the visuals rarely surpass the realm of "good". The use of CGI is usually not distracting and blends nicely with the 2D animation. The action is well directed, as expected from Kazuya, though I'd argue it's not his best, nor most impressive work to date. I still reserve those places for FLCL and Diebuster, with the first two Rebuilds coming somewhat close after. The animation is consistent, with an especially geniusly directed scene towards the end of the second episode, that begins with the act of swimming and gradually turns into a surreal and colorful mindtwist, perfectly complimented by the fitting audio theme, making it the technical highlight of the show. Here, I'd draw a parallel between it and the famous Me!Me!Me! music video. Speaking of audio, it's important (for me) to note that japanese musician daoko is part of the soundtrack, adding her sweet vocals and talent to an already well suited sonic aesthetic. The End of Dragon Dentist shines in its last 20 minutes with stunning visuals, composition, directing choices and cinematography. I feel I should emphasize how beautiful and well choreographed it becomes, enhancing the experience.
As an experimental short, it shined among a series of animations. As an excerpt of an alternate timeline, where history chose a different path and giant flying reptiles roam the skies, it marks itself as a fascinating story. Do not let malicious words or lack of context scare you away from this experience, it's one that grows as its runtime progresses and is most satisfying as a dark fantasy adventure animated by Studio Khara. While I believe that praising art before recommending it can ruin the experience had by those who choose to view it, I'd highly approve giving this anime a chance and living it yourself. Ignore all criticism and praise. Take in information about it, should you need it, but let it not influence your judgement. Let yourself discover why "dragons cry with their teeth". You might find much more than you expected.

+ Beautiful art and very creative worldbuilding/mythology.
- 3D scenes look ugly and the moral lesson of the show is kinda bland.

I was pleasantly surprised to watch this.
There was some plot exposition (since the setting is so outlandish), but for most of the time you're just thrown in the middle of it and left to figure things out by yourself as the story goes on. Think Spirited Away.

However, by the end everything clicks into place. It leaves some over-arching events and outcomes ambiguous, but the "mechanics" of the world, how the system works, is well explained, so I was satisfied with it. A sequel would be ... welcome, but it is not necessary.

The use of colors and the overall style of the characters is very nice.
The soundtrack also caught my attention more than twice, and I'm the type of person who normally doesn't pay any attention to background music, so there's that.

A lot of the 3D parts looks cheap and I'd rather have watched a 2D slideshow in some parts, but there's enough actual pretty animation to make up for it.

Worth a watch for sure, refreshing show.