Netflix is launching a 'Dota 2' anime series in March
'Dota: Dragon’s Blood' will be animated by the same studio behind 'Voltron: Legendary Defender.'
Netflix is gearing up for the global launch of a new anime series based on Valve's multiplayer online battle arena game Dota 2. The 8-episode series is entitled Dota: Dragon’s Blood and is scheduled to become available for streaming worldwide on March 25th.
It will tell the story of a Dragon Knight -- durable melee strength heroes equipped with swords and shields in the game -- named Davion who's "devoted to wiping the scourge from the face of the world." In his travels, Davion crosses paths with an ancient eldwurm (a race of dragons) and the noble Princess Mirana. As with epic tales like this, Davion becomes involved in events far larger than he expected.
Dragon's Blood was developed under the leadership of showrunner Ashley Edward Miller, a screenwriter and producer who previously worked on X-Men: First Class, Thor and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It was drawn and animated by Studio MIR, known for The Legend of Korra and Netflix's Voltron: Legendary Defender, which features '80s style artwork similar to the original Voltron.
Miller said in a statement:
"Fans will love how we’ve imagined the DOTA 2 universe and woven together an epic, emotional, and adult-oriented story about some of their favorite characters. The cinematic animation, acting and music are simply next level and I’m grateful to Valve for supporting our creative ambitions."
Valve released Dota 2 in 2013 as a sequel to Defense of the Ancients, a MOBA mod for Blizzard's Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. It hasn't been as popular as it once was in recent years, but Valve is hoping to keep players interested by rolling out hero updates throughout the year instead of bundling them all in one huge release.
You can watch Dragon's Blood's trailer below: