If there was ever a video game that could be so effortlessly adapted into an animated series, it’s the Japanese RPG “Blue Dragon.” Not only were the characters designed by “Dragon Ball Z” creator Akira Toriyama, but the setup feels a lot like two other popular shows (“Pokémon” and “Yu-Gi-Oh!”) that constantly thrust its characters into battles that aren’t actually fought by them, but rather their magical counterparts. In the case of “Blue Dragon,” these brawlers are known as Shadows – powerful beings that only a select group of people possess. When ten-year-old Shu discovers that he contains such an ability and unleashes it for the first time, he’s unable to control the Blue Dragon Shadow from nearly destroying his own village. With the help of Zola and her apprentice Jiro, Shu begins his training to learn how to control the power hidden within. When the group is attacked by the evil Nene’s right-hand man Logi, however, Shu’s training is thrust into overdrive as he must learn to use his power in order to save his friends. Though the series is a bit too childish for the average anime fan, “Blue Dragon” is a great distraction for the Saturday morning cartoon set. It features crisp animation, some colorful characters, and the same limitless possibilities that made “Pokémon” an international sensation. And they said video games were bad for you.
