Movie review: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid: A lonely dragon wants to be loved

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid is probably my favorite anime, season 2 in particular. That's why I have some complicated feelings about this movie.

First, while it may be subtle to casual viewers, the visual style is a bit different from the series. Characters are taller, less rounded and have pointier chins - sometimes more defined noses as well. It's more noticeable in some frames and scenes than others. Sometimes they look very close to their season 2 designs, sometimes they look strangely off-model. I believe it was discussed in an interview that characters were redesigned a little for the more action-heavy content of this film. I understand that consideration but it's my opinion that some charm was lost in the process. I'd rather they have stuck closer to the season 2 designs. I fully admit that this is my personal preference, though, and the film is an audiovisual treat.

Season 2:

Movie:

In terms of plot, this represents a fairly accurate adaptation of the arc with Kanna and Kimun, with some nice added buildup. It does suffer from some of the same problems, as well - fan favorites like Lucoa and Ilulu essentially disappear from the plot, even though other characters have their roles expanded somewhat (like Fafnir). This was a bit of a shame for me because Ilulu is my favorite and I would've appreciated seeing her role expanded. In general, the pacing feels very fast after the plot moves to the "other world," flipping between three subplots which quickly reconverge at the end. It makes me wonder if it was the right choice to isolate this story to a movie instead of dedicating a season to it. Even so, the characters that are central to this arc are treated well and have plenty of great scenes. I enjoyed Kobayashi, Tohru and Kanna's scenes a lot - the emotional scenes really hit the mark, thanks to the voice actors' stellar performances as well.

All in all, I'd say it's a solid animated film with some potential pacing issues. As a fan, I'd also say the following: I think Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid is a series that thrives on a unique balance of heartwarming character moments, comedy and fanservice. If you're into the series for either of the latter two, this movie has less humor and no real fanservice to speak of - that might be a dealbreaker for some. It's not the "balance" that made me fall in love with the series, even if it still looks and sounds great.

I'm glad this movie exists, but if we get a season 3 (please), I hope we can return to that perfect balance and visual style we got in season 2. Here's hoping!

Lastly, a big thanks to Kyoto Animation for all the beautiful work they put out. Haruhi, Lucky Star, Dragon Maid, Violet Evergarden - the range and talent on this studio is insane and I love it.