Drifting Dragons
Japanese manga series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Drifting Dragons (Japanese: 空挺ドラゴンズ, Hepburn: Kūtei Doragonzu; lit. 'Airborne Dragons') is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Taku Kuwabara. It has been serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine good! Afternoon since June 2016 and has been collected in twenty-two tankōbon volumes as of June 2026. The manga is published digitally in English by Kodansha USA under the Kodansha Comics imprint.
| Drifting Dragons | |
First tankōbon volume cover | |
| 空挺ドラゴンズ (Kūtei Doragonzu) | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Adventure, cooking, fantasy[1] |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Taku Kuwabara |
| Published by | Kodansha |
| English publisher | |
| Magazine | good! Afternoon |
| Original run | June 7, 2016 – present |
| Volumes | 22 |
| Original net animation | |
| Directed by | Tadahiro Yoshihira |
| Produced by | Akitoshi Mori |
| Written by | Makoto Uezu |
| Music by | Masaru Yokoyama |
| Studio | Polygon Pictures |
| Licensed by |
|
| Released | January 9, 2020 – March 26, 2020 |
| Episodes | 12 |
An original net animation adaptation by Polygon Pictures was released on Netflix Japan on January 9, 2020. The same day, the series' first episode premiered on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block, and continued weekly until March 26, 2020, with the final episode's television airing. It was followed by an international Netflix release in April 2020.
Plot
Set in a world where humans hunt dragons, they dwell in the skies and provide valuable food and materials for the world that hunts them. The story follows the crew of the Quin Zaza, one of the last remaining dragon-hunting airships, as they pursue dragons through the clouds to survive. Among the crew are Mika, a skilled but reckless draker with a deep passion for gourmet cooking; Takita, an inexperienced newcomer striving to prove herself; and other hunters bound together by the dangers and demands of their profession. Dragon hunting promises great rewards but carries constant risk, as each dragon is unique and deadly, and failure can mean starvation.
As the Quin Zaza travels from hunt to hunt, there are both the high-stakes aerial battles required to bring down dragons and the everyday realities of life aboard the ship, including maintenance, financial strain, and social isolation. Ostracized on the ground and facing danger in the air, the drakers rely on one another as a family.
Characters
- Mika (ミカ)
- Voiced by: Tomoaki Maeno[2] (Japanese); Billy Kametz (English)
- Takita (タキタ)
- Voiced by: Sora Amamiya[2] (Japanese); Cassandra Lee Morris (English)
- Jiraud (ジロー, Jirō)
- Voiced by: Sōma Saitō[2] (Japanese); Johnny Yong Bosch (English)
- Vanabelle (ヴァナベル, Vanaberu)
- Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa[2] (Japanese); Colleen O'Shaughnessey (English)
- Gibbs (ギブス, Gibusu)
- Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe[2] (Japanese); Keith Silverstein (English)
- Crocco (クロッコ, Kurokko)
- Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki[2] (Japanese); Jake Green (English)
- Niko (ニコ)
- Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai[2] (Japanese); Todd Haberkorn (English)
- Berko (バーコ, Bāko)
- Voiced by: Kōsuke Toriumi[2] (Japanese); Doug Erholtz (English)
- Capella (カペラ, Kapera)
- Voiced by: Rie Kugimiya[2] (Japanese); Christine Marie Cabanos (English)
- Gaga (ガガ)
- Voiced by: Kentarō Kumagai[2] (Japanese); Kaiji Tang (English)
- Faye (フェイ, Fei)
- Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa[2] (Japanese); Tony Azzolino (English)
- Badakin (バダキン)
- Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama[2] (Japanese); Jonah Scott (English)
- Oken (オーケン, Ōken)
- Voiced by: Shunsuke Takeuchi[2] (Japanese); Alejandro Saab (English)
- Soraya (ソラヤ)
- Voiced by: Yūto Uemura[2] (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook (English)
- Mayne (メイン, Mein)
- Voiced by: Chinatsu Akasaki[2] (Japanese); Reba Buhr (English)
- Hiro (ヒーロ, Hīro)
- Voiced by: Junya Enoki[2] (Japanese); Daman Mills (English)
- Yoshi (ヨシ)
- Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue[2] (Japanese); Chris Smith (English)
- Lee (リー, Rī)
- Voiced by: Hiroo Sasaki[2] (Japanese); Kyle McCarley (English)
- Katja (カーチャ, Kācha)
- Voiced by: Ayane Sakura[3] (Japanese); Kayli Mills (English)
- Nanami (ナナミ)
- Voiced by: Sayaka Senbongi[3] (Japanese); Kira Buckland (English)
- Ascella (アスケラ, Asukera)
- Voiced by: Maaya Sakamoto[3] (Japanese); Cristina Vee (English)
- Ura (ウラ爺, Ura-jii)
- Voiced by: Kiyonobu Suzuki[3] (Japanese); Kirk Thornton (English)
Media
Manga
Drifting Dragons is written and illustrated by Taku Kuwabara. It started its publication in Kodansha's good! Afternoon on June 7, 2016.[4] Kodansha has published the series into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on November 7, 2016.[5] As of June 5, 2026, twenty-two volumes have been released.[6]
In North America, Kodansha USA announced the digital release of the manga in November 2017.[7] They also announced the print release of the manga in March 2019.[8] The first volume was published on December 17, 2019.[9]
Volume list
| No. | Original release date | Original ISBN | English release date | English ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 7, 2016[5] | 978-4-06-388204-9 | December 17, 2019[9] | 978-1-63236-890-4 | |
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| 2 | May 1, 2017[10] | 978-4-06-388255-1 | December 17, 2019[11] | 978-1-63236-944-4 | |
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| 3 | November 7, 2017[12] | 978-4-06-510319-7 | February 18, 2020[13] | 978-1-63236-945-1 | |
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| 4 | May 7, 2018[14][15] | 978-4-06-510319-7 978-4-06-512047-7 (LE) | April 3, 2020[16] | 978-1-63236-951-2 | |
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| 5 | November 7, 2018[17] | 978-4-06-513454-2 | August 25, 2020[18] | 978-1-63236-952-9 | |
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| 6 | May 7, 2019[19][20] | 978-4-06-515527-1 978-4-06-515530-1 (LE) | October 20, 2020[21] | 978-1-64651-035-1 | |
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| 7 | November 7, 2019[22] | 978-4-06-517587-3 | December 1, 2020[23] | 978-1-64651-036-8 | |
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| 8 | March 6, 2020[24] | 978-4-06-518878-1 | March 16, 2021[25] | 978-1-64651-028-3 | |
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| 9 | September 7, 2020[26] | 978-4-06-520746-8 | September 21, 2021[27] | 978-1-64651-216-4 | |
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| 10 | March 5, 2021[28] | 978-4-06-522496-0 | November 16, 2021[29] | 978-1-64651-287-4 | |
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| 11 | August 5, 2021[30] | 978-4-06-524377-0 | November 29, 2022[31] | 978-1-64651-434-2 | |
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| 12 | January 7, 2022[32] | 978-4-06-526554-3 | February 14, 2023[33] | 978-1-64651-569-1 | |
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| 13 | July 7, 2022[34] | 978-4-06-528159-8 | June 20, 2023[35] | 978-1-64651-688-9 | |
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| 14 | December 7, 2022[36] | 978-4-06-529932-6 | July 14, 2023[37] | 978-1-64651-689-6 | |
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| 15 | May 8, 2023[38] | 978-4-06-531479-1 | December 12, 2023[39] | 979-8-88877-030-6 | |
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| 16 | November 7, 2023[40] | 978-4-06-533688-5 | May 7, 2024[41] | 979-8-88877-031-3 | |
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| 17 | April 5, 2024[42] | 978-4-06-535016-4 | April 21, 2026[43] | 979-8-88-877375-8 | |
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| 18 | September 6, 2024[44] | 978-4-06-536764-3 | October 20, 2026[45] | 979-8-88-877532-5 | |
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| 19 | February 6, 2025[46] | 978-4-06-538387-2 | — | — | |
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| 20 | August 6, 2025[47] | 978-4-06-540404-1 | — | — | |
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| 21 | January 7, 2026[48] | 978-4-06-542159-8 | — | — | |
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| 22 | June 5, 2026[6] | 978-4-06-543803-9 | — | — | |
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Chapters not yet in tankōbon format
- Flight 117: Changing Times & Dragon Jambalaya (変わる時代と龍肉ジャンバラヤ, Kawaru jidai to ryū niku janbaraya)
- Flight 118: Antiques & Salt-Baked Tail (古道具と塩釜包み蒸し焼き, Furudōgu to shiogama tsutsumi mushiyaki)
- Flight 119: A Journey of Trepidation (迷いの旅先, Mayoi no tabisaki)
Anime
An anime ONA adaptation was announced on March 15, 2019. The series was animated by Polygon Pictures and directed by Tadahiro Yoshihira, with Makoto Uezu handling series composition, Kyoko Kotani designing the characters, and Masaru Yokoyama composing the music.[49] The series' 12-episode run premiered on Netflix Japan on January 9, 2020, which was the same day the series began its weekly television run on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block, as well as KTV, THK, TNC, UHB, and BS Fuji.[50] Yoh Kamiyama performed the series' opening theme song "Gunjō", while Akai Ko-en performed the series' ending theme song "Zettai Reido".[2][51] It ran for 12 episodes.[52] The series premiered on Netflix worldwide on April 30, 2020.[53]
Episode list
| No. | Title | Original release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Quin Zaza" Transliteration: "Kuin・Zaza-dō!" (Japanese: クィン・ザザ号) | January 9, 2020 |
| 2 | "Bounty & Dragonet alla Diavola" Transliteration: "Shōkin to Kyokushō Ryū no Akuma-Fū" (Japanese: 賞金と極小龍の悪魔風) | January 9, 2020 |
| 3 | "Glittering Dragon" Transliteration: "Hikaru Ryū to" (Japanese: 乗船理由と) | January 9, 2020 |
| 4 | "Reasons for Flying & Dragon Terinne" Transliteration: "Jōsen Riyū to Ryū no Terīnu" (Japanese: 乗船理由と龍のテリーヌ) | January 9, 2020 |
| 5 | "Sky Pirates & Pastrami" Transliteration: "Kūchū Kaizoku to Pasutorama" (Japanese: 空中海賊とパストラマ) | January 9, 2020 |
| 6 | "Festival & Dragon Laghman" Transliteration: "Matsuri to Ryū Niku no Te Nobe Mentsuyu" (Japanese: 祭りと龍肉の手延べ汁麵) | January 9, 2020 |
| 7 | "Disaster & Edible Dragons" Transliteration: "Taisai to Kueru Ryū" (Japanese: 大災と食える龍) | January 9, 2020 |
| 8 | "Operation: Take Down the Rampaging Dragon" Transliteration: "Abare Ryū Hokaku Sakusen" (Japanese: 暴れ龍捕獲作戦) | January 9, 2020 |
| 9 | "Soup Kitchen Goulash & Dragon Cutlet" Transliteration: "Takidashi no Kama ni to Ryū no Katsuretsu" (Japanese: 炊き出しの釜煮と龍のカツレツ) | January 9, 2020 |
| 10 | "Migrating Dragons & the Chasm Depths" Transliteration: "Watari Ryū to Tani no Soko" (Japanese: 渡り龍と谷の底) | January 9, 2020 |
| 11 | "Dragonet & Dragon Hunter Brain Stew" Transliteration: "Chīsai Ryū to Ryū Nō no Ryōshi Nabe" (Japanese: 小さい龍と龍脳の猟師鍋) | January 9, 2020 |
| 12 | "Dragon Corridor" Transliteration: "Ryū no Kairō" (Japanese: 龍の回廊) | January 9, 2020 |
Reception
Drifting Dragons was nominated for the 52nd Seiun Award for the Media category in 2021.[54]