DOTA 2 is one of the best esports in the world and also a great MOBA game. Millions enjoy playing it, watching professional tournaments and betting on Dota 2 matches. But Valve doesn’t promote this game at all. The advertising is all implicit, through esports events, and not one extra dollar is spent to tell people about Dota 2.
However, from time to time, someone makes an effort to tell people that Dota 2 exists. In 2021, an anime series was launched and it was about this beautiful MOBA and its characters. Now, a few years later, the fans of the series are patiently waiting for the release of the 4th season.
What People Love About DOTA: Dragon’s Blood
What’s interesting about DOTA: Dragon’s Blood is that it got the attention of more than Dota 2 fans. This Netflix anime was clever enough to deliver its game references in a way that doesn’t really require viewers to be Dota 2 experts to enjoy the show.
Of course, you’ll understand a lot more if you’re a Dota 2 player. But you don’t have to be. Some basic research about the game lore of the characters will be sufficient. And you can find all of it on Liquipedia.
The characters of the show are very well written and they resemble quite well the ones from the game. Davion, the Dragon Knight, is the core of the show. But he is joined by many other characters that do a lot more than just make an appearance.
The Show’s Main Characters
Mirana is an amazing female character while her companion, Marci, was so well written that she actually got added into the game after the first few seasons of the anime. She’s now a strong position 4 hero that can make a huge impact on every game.
Luna’s appearance in the anime was terrifying. Her goal is to convert the elves and convince them to worship Selemene. She ends up killing quite a few characters because of their refusal to do so. This theme is presented from a very unique perspective and draws upon the lore of the game.
However, the creators of the show took the story much further than anyone expected. I won’t spoil the action here but it’s clear that a lot of viewers were interested in this storyline.
Davion’s story is compelling and his struggle makes the audience empathize with him. All of us face challenges in our lives and a well-written character that can turn himself into a dragon is really fascinating to follow.
Other famous characters from the game that make their appearance in DOTA: Dragon’s Blood include Lina, Night Stalker, and Invoker. All of them are strong heroes in Dota 2 and their stories are remarkable.
In particular, Invoker is the most sophisticated hero in the game and can access 10 different spells, while most heroes have only 4 abilities. This makes him a very powerful mage if you know how to play him and some of the most famous players in Dota 2 are known to be great Invokers.
Keeping True to the Game’s Lore
One thing that viewers loved about the show is its loyalty to the lore of the game. In Dota 2, every character has a little story that explains where that character comes from and how they ended up being what they are today.
The creators of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood clearly understand those stories and want to make them compelling in every way they can. This is a part of Davion’s lore, in case you’ve watched the series or intend to:
“ Seeing no honor to be gained in dragon-murder, Knight Davion prepared to turn away and leave his old foe to die in peace. But a voice crept into his thoughts, and Slyrak gave a whispered plea that Davion might honor him with death in combat.
Davion agreed, and found himself rewarded beyond expectation for his act of mercy: As he sank his blade in Slyrak’s breast, the dragon pierced Davion’s throat with a talon. As their blood mingled, Slyrak sent his power out along the Blood Route, sending all its strength and centuries of wisdom to the knight.
The dragon’s death sealed their bond and Dragon Knight was born. The ancient power slumbers in the Dragon Knight Davion, waking when he calls it. Or perhaps it is the Dragon that calls the Knight…”
Other Attempts to Promote Esports via Anime Shows
League of Legends also has a show called Arcane, whose IMDb rating is 9/10 with more than 210.000 votes! If you enjoyed DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, Arcane will leave you speechless. It’s built around Jinx, one of the game’s champions, and her story is superbly written.
When big companies advertise their games using films, the result tends to be great because a lot of money is invested into these artworks. The gaming companies themselves are worth billions of dollars, so why not create something of high quality while you’re at it?
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