‘Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation’ Review (Netflix)
Features the voices of: Yoshimasa Hosoya, Kana Hanazawa, Hiroki Touhci, Mitsuaki Madono, Katsuhito Nomura | Written by Eiichirô Oda, Seong-Hu Park | Directed by Seong-Hu Park
Considering how much of a hit the live-action One Piece series was for Netflix, the streamer appears to have gone all-in with the works of creator Eiichiro Oda. Alongside having the rights to show the anime series’ latest arc with weekly releases, an animated adaptation was revealed for an earlier short story entitled Monsters. Whilst it is understandable that the title was changed to make this short film stand out, it is curious how the new title, Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation, is considerably lengthier?!.
The twenty-six-minute short begins with Ryuma (Yoshimasa Hosoya), a swordsman who just wants food but is unable to pay. His path leads to young waitress Flare (Kana Hanazawa), who has rebuilt her life after her hometown was destroyed by a dragon. She is thankful to Shirano (Hiroki Touhci), a swordsman whose legend has grown ever since he took a young Flare to safety out of the decimated town, although Ryuma is ready to fight him once their scabbards bump.
Central to this story is Ryuma, an entertaining protagonist who feels like a dry run for iconic characters Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro. He just wants food, yet his quest to stay out of trouble falls flat as trouble keeps finding him. As history threatens to repeat itself with the legend of a stolen dragon’s horn, the character’s actions show the depths of greed and heroism.
It becomes entertaining to see Ryuma bouncing off Flare, the young waitress who is traumatised after being the sole survivor of a dragon attack. While this animated short is an effective adaptation of the one-shot comic, one wishes the time was given to allow elements room to breathe as it, unfortunately, can feel rushed. The animation which brings alive this story is a mixed bag, moving between visual flourishes which truly bring this tale alive, and having unfortunate moments which look distractingly rushed.
There is also an out-of-place inclusion of a song during a pivotal moment, which leaves what should be a fist-pumping moment to fall a tad flat. It is a shame that such choices sully an effective short film about a character being unaware of the impact and legacy left behind through his actions. As the ending moments make clear what was already confirmed, how this short is canon in One Piece through the spooky Thriller Bark arc, a welcoming sense arrives about more short features based on lesser-known Oda works. For now, this is an imperfect yet entertaining short.
*** 3/5
Monsters: 103 Mercies Dragon Damnation is available to stream on Netflix now.
