Anime has a reputation for being a wide-ranging genre. The categories can range from soft-core to children's tv, with horror, action, and romance in the middle. That being said much of anime, therefore, has a reputation for being quite strange. Mostly due to the evolutionary phenomenon that results in people remembering outliers far more easily than averages.
While Dragon Pilot does not encroach on any taboo or illicit fields, it is still one of the downright strangest animes that are out there. Perhaps even more so since it does not stoop to illicit levels. While it is worth watching just for the novelty, audiences should go into their viewing experience prepared.
Plot
Dragon Pilot follows the story of Hisone, a young air-force cade,t who has never quite felt like she fits in anywhere, as she finds herself and her place in the world. Little did she know that her true calling was to pilot a dragon named Masotan. Hisone certainly didn’t, especially since dragons are an extremely classified concept that has been kept secret for generations, having always been hidden in plain sight. Taking place in this day and age, the military gives them armor that disguises them as airplanes. Masotan hides as a fighter jet.
Hisone is chosen by Masotan and must decide if she will take the charge, something she struggles with until the very end of the show, but along the way she finally makes friends, develops a crush, and learns about her own values. The show takes a turn when she is finally told the real reason that the military employs a dragon corps.
Unique Features
The dragons themselves are an extremely unique take on the species, firstly because there are only five. Throughout the entire show there is no indication that there are more than these five dragons, nor any indication that there has ever been any but these five. Although it is made clear that they can die, usually through indirectly killing themselves. Secondly, they eat rare earth metals, and it's implied in the show that one or two flip phones are more than enough food for one of them despite their rather large stature.
The pilots are also unique. The way they are chosen by the dragons has some cause for concern, as apparently the pilots must be young emo girls. A dragon will only select a girl who has no purpose, support system, or strong emotions. They must be lost, adrift, able to have the dragons be the most important things in their lives, with no other major attachments. To that end, the dragons will reject their pilot if she ever falls in love, and will never fly with her again.
Being chosen is extremely strange as well. The girls are swallowed whole by the dragons. They pilot from within the dragons' stomachs, and after each flight they are either thrown up or exit the other end, although this possibility is never shown on the show. The dragons are shown to be able to control their digestive systems well enough to hold the girls, or to create a large open space, but regardless, the first Dragon Pilot must have had a heck of a day.
Concerning Elements
The first thing that comes off as slightly creepy in this show is that the girls who are selected to pilot the dragons are referred to as “White Lovers.” This is largely due to the connection between them and the dragons, but comes off as extremely creepy especially when the dubious older gentleman who watches their progress is the only one who calls them that. This is a relatively minor detail that, if it weren’t for the dragons literally attempting to digest any girl who falls in love, probably would be easily overlooked.
The relationships among the dragon/pilot pairings are themselves concerning. The adults around them are adults, but it is made clear they are still young, aggressively pushing them to dislike everyone around them, to break their hearts and make sure that they have no one except for their dragons. When they eventually relent and acquiesce to this they are congratulated and rewarded. Only our main character believes that this may not be the best way to go about life, but she is harshly punished for this stance.
The final concerning aspect is a bit of a spoiler and will therefore be discussed only vaguely. Near to the end of the season, this relatively tame anime adds an extremely dark feature. It is well hinted at, so it does not shock viewers too badly but it is a huge digression from the overall tone and vibe of the rest of the show.
Dragon Pilot is a decent anime, it isn’t anything special as far as art, but it is certainly unique and for that refreshing. However, viewers should not go into it expecting a cute story about dragons, flying, and friendship. Instead, one should expect to be bombarded on all sides by extremely strange characters, slightly demented world views, and borderline beastial, emotionally not physically, relationships.