龙族
Dragon Raja
An ordinary high schooler, a secret college and an age-old war against dragons
Synopsis
Lu Mingfei is a high schooler with neither talent nor popularity, until the day he receives an invitation from Cassell College, a secret institution that trains human hybrids with dragon blood.
He discovers that dragons are not legends and that humanity has been waging a hidden war against them for centuries. Ranked among the most promising students, the boy who believed in nothing finds himself at the centre of stakes far beyond him.
Based on Jiang Nan's novels, the 2D donghua produced by Tencent and animated by studio GARDEN has aired since 19 August 2022. Season two, The Mourner's Eyes, began on 18 July 2025, and a third has been announced.
World
The story is set in our contemporary world. Dragons once ruled the Earth and some await their return. Cassell College, hidden in the United States, trains human hybrids able to face them.
Power system
Hybrids draw their abilities from their share of dragon blood, measured by a bloodline grade. They call on powers known as "Word Spirits" (言灵), each unique, ranging from time manipulation to elemental control.
Reception & popularity
Jiang Nan's novels are among the biggest successes of Chinese fantasy, with the first volume selling more than two million copies. The donghua aired in Japan from April 2024 as Dragon Raja: The Blazing Dawn.
My take
Dragon Raja stands apart from the rest of the catalogue: no cultivation, but 2D urban fantasy with a very Japanese style, carried by a hero who doubts everything. Lu Mingfei's self-deprecation makes the series very endearing.
The first season is short and unevenly paced, and anyone expecting non-stop fights will be surprised by the room given to introspection. Season two is clearly more ambitious.
Who is it for?Watch it if you enjoy urban fantasy, secret academies and heroes who are endearing because they are flawed.
Main characters
More character profiles are coming.
Adaptations
This franchise also exists in other formats — each with its own pacing and audience.
Trivia
- The first novel, Dragon Raja I: The Blazing Dawn (火之晨曦), was published in 2010.
- The franchise also spawned Dragon Raja, an Unreal Engine MMORPG mobile game released in 2020.
- Unlike most major donghua, Dragon Raja is animated in 2D, in a style close to Japanese anime.
If you liked…
More donghua to discover after Dragon Raja: same author or same genres.
