In 1986, the game Dragon Quest made its debut on the NES, becoming the first role-playing game to be released on a console. Since then, the main series has grown to twelve titles, not counting dozens of spin-offs, anime adaptations, and manga. In 2020, V Jump magazine published a remake/prequel of the series titled Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, originally released between 1989 and 1996. Tonkam Delcourt editions have now offered the French public the opportunity to discover this universe, which had long been overshadowed by the likes of Final Fantasy and Zelda.
The Search for the Hero
The Dark Lord Hadlar and his hordes are sweeping across the world. Nothing seems able to stop them. In an effort to enslave humanity, Hadlar decides to kidnap Princess Flora from the kingdom of Carl. While he easily overcomes the royal guard, he encounters an unexpected obstacle: Avan, the most unlikely of warriors in service to the princess. Yet, a miracle occurs: the Dark Lord is temporarily repelled.
Avan, accompanied by Loca, sets out in search of the God of Martial Arts to gain strength before Hadlar’s inevitable return. However, they will have to overcome numerous obstacles, including traversing a monster-infested forest, uncovering the intentions of a mysterious thief, and escaping the Dark Lord's minions. Will the hero live up to his legendary reputation?
The Hero Avan and the Dark Lord of Hellfire: A Classic Shonen
This first volume is an easy read that will appeal to fans of shonen manga. It contains many familiar archetypes. First, there's the young hero who hides his true potential behind apparent weakness and lightheartedness. Then, his companion, who is the exact opposite: strong, brave, and fearless. Together, they form a great duo, complemented by a third character, a mysterious adventurer whose intentions are initially unclear.
The villains are also very classic. On one hand, the Dark Lord checks all the boxes of the ultimate enemy: cruel, testing the hero through his lieutenants. On the other hand, the minions are the typical henchmen: boastful, devious, and eccentric. Each one seeks to outshine their peers in the eyes of their master. While all of this is quite conventional, it works well enough.
A Simple World, Inspired Art
The world of the story is quite simple for now. The manga introduces the princess’s kingdom without delving into the backstories of the main characters. Likewise, the magic that is present throughout the story is not fully explained. It exists, is difficult to master, and is reserved for an elite. A few inter-pages offer additional information in the style of RPG character sheets, but nothing more.
The author and artist have focused on action and adventure. On this front, the manga delivers plenty of combat scenes. Our heroes face off against a unique plant-based bestiary and a tough, vindictive mini-boss. The designs are well-crafted, as is the dynamic action where teamwork becomes essential. All of this is delivered with Avan’s humor, who mocks his adversaries’ long speeches.
The Hero Avan and the Dark Lord of Hellfire: A Story for Fans?
At first glance, this series seems to be aimed at fans of the games and the wider Dragon Quest series. The plot remains simple, with character psychology only lightly touched upon. The adventures unfold like quests in an RPG. Avan's goal is to earn XP, learn new special moves, and eventually face the final boss.
However, the manga also offers a deeper level of interpretation. We see the many works that influenced this series, particularly Dragon Ball, with its laid-back martial arts master and giant monkey figure. We also begin to understand why this series, which is a cult classic in Japan, did not achieve the same level of fame in the West. In many ways, its hero resembles Link from Zelda, both in design and his non-heroic demeanor.
Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai – The Hero Avan and the Dark Lord of Hellfire is an enjoyable read that will appeal to shonen fans and those familiar with the Dragon Quest universe.
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