Tags: Adventure, Fantasy, Comedy, Slice of Life, School Life

Sub-Tags: Heartwarming, Cute

One Last Adventure Beyond the Sea!

For this week’s next review, I’m returning to pre-pubs and a famed fluffy series for one last adventure!

Dragon Diaries’ final volume sees Olivia and Eldraco set forth on an adventure of epic proportions after the hallows are stolen during the Shooting Star Ritual. As they set their sights on lands far beyond the sea, toward the dead continent, they’ll be joined by friends old and new to discover the secret behind a human who has lived for thousands of years.

Cuteness is the word of the day for this review. For its final outing, Dragon Diaries continues to deliver heartfelt moments as a dragon and his human daughter navigate through life.

The main story this time features Vandilsen, who steals the supreme hallows just as the Shooting Star Ritual is about to begin, requiring Eldraco and Olivia to get them back. Vandilsen has stolen the hallows to live forever beside his dragon son Shadow.

Olivia and Eldraco aren’t alone in solving Vandilsen’s case. Joining them on the journey are all the friends they’ve made throughout the past three volumes. It’s a nice aspect to add in a finale and a good way to showcase the effect the main characters have had on those they meet.

Each of these friends plays a role in getting to the dead continent and also showcases how far they’ve come since the story has dealt with their issues. In particular, the Dark Queen has come by leaps and bounds since the previous volume’s events. Determined to lose her introverted ways and true to fashion for this series, she becomes a pirate captain leading the journey and raising everyone’s spirits.

There’s an interesting parallel relationship between the two dragon and human family dynamics in the final confrontation. The question of mortality is handled maturely by Olivia, choosing to cherish the time they have together rather than suffer as Vandilsen has for the sake of finding a miracle immortality wishing device.

Finally, as with all finales, it must have a strong conclusion, which this series has. The ending fits with the overall vibe of the series having Olivia’s future wish be to help those who used to be like her, without fathers and family. Travelling around the world, picking up orphans of all species to raise with her father and the dark kin on Mt. Olympus and causing no end of trouble.

Overall, Dragon Diaries’ final volume brings the series to a satisfying conclusion. Filled with fun, fluff and adventure, the series never fails to bring a smile to my face and even sometimes a tear.