From the creator of Evangelion, Hideaki Anno, The Dragon Dentist is an odd anime at first. Released in 2017, Dragon Dentists story takes place in Dragon Country. The main character is Nonoko, a new dentist, who’s job it is to protect the dragon from tooth cavity. She’s tasks with entering the jaws of the dragon keeping them clean from plaque and decay. Dragon Dentist is a retelling of World War 2. Japan uses dragons to support their troops. These gargantuan Dragons have one weakness, their teeth.

Nonoko finds a young boy from an enemy country named Bell, that appears to have been resurrected by the Dragon. Together they battle against the bacteria. There’s clearly a divide between the Military and the Dentist. They come into conflict many times in this movie. The first thing you notice about the Dragon Dentist is it’s animation. I was originally, drawn to the film when I saw some clips on a YouTube video. With former animators from Gainax and creators from FLCL, Tsurumaki Kazuya and Enokido Youji, The Dragon Dentist is well done.

While it excels at animation it lags in story. The Dragon Dentist has a more significant story to tell than clean the teeth of Dragons. For example, when someone dies they go into an afterlife that is on the “other side of the teeth.” The higher message was lost on me. It may not be an issue with the story telling but my comprehension of the message. Furthermore, the existence of dragons isn’t explained. In addition to that a character named Salvatore Bianco is somehow immortal? He can’t be killed by weapons, it’s never explained why. Regardless, even with all it faults I like this anime, I think you will too.