English Dub Review: Ragna Crimson “The Day the Reaper Was Born”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Death and fire haunt Ragna’s dreams and, deep within his heart, he somehow knows they’re omens. If he doesn’t grow stronger, and soon, all that awaits him is lifelong regret.

Our Take:

Have you ever seen Reign of Fire, which depicts dragons attacking cities? If so, allow me to introduce you to the fantasy anime version of the 2002 post-apocalyptic movie. Usually, anything involving mythical creatures like fire-breathing dragons captures my interest, whether they’re modern or fantasy. Ragna Crimson, the latest anime from Silver Link, happens to be one of them, and based on this massive episode, we could be in for a fiery treat.

The first episode of Ragna Crimson introduces us to the fictional world where dragons rule over humanity. As a result of the uprising, hunters from their respective kingdoms are formed to slay the monsters with Silverine weapons and sunlight. The hunters include the young and chirpy yet powerful Leonica and her unskilled partner, Ragna, from the Lese Kingdom. Throughout the episode, Ragna, the series’s main protagonist, struggles with visions of an older man warning him about Leonica’s death at the hands of Grymwelte of the Blood Wings. It’s later revealed that the older man is Ragna’s future self, whose grief over Leonica’s death led to him gaining the power to kill dragons with his Silverine body. 

With Future-Ragna’s memories and the new Silverine Battle Arts, Ragna managed to prevent Leonica’s death by killing Grymwelte, whose Dragon God is mad that his favorite cake shop went out of business. To be fair, I would be miffed, too, if my favorite food store was closed. But, of course, that’s just the least of his problems. With Ragna being another OP character, the future versions of Ragna and a mysterious God now rely on their past selves to save their future.  

With its runtime of 47 minutes, “The Day the Reaper Was Born” could also serve as a solidly animated and well-told short film involving perseverance and grief. Those themes come from Ragna, who thinks of himself as a curse that lures dragons, endangering people. After meeting Leonica, who sees him as anything but a curse, Ragna strives to get stronger so she can protect the only friend he has. It’s a hefty yet highly engaging first episode that effectively sets up the series’s intriguing direction regarding its animation and thrilling story. Of course, I can’t forget about the charismatically adorable friendship between Ragna and Leonica, which served as the heart of the episode. Based on the number of episodes this show has, I feel that this will be a long yet thrilling journey for both the dragon hunters and me.