How to Train your Dragon is a popular family film, and one of my childhood favourites, as I imagine it is for many other people. But how good are the designs anatomically?

When I think of a dragon, what I see is a winged reptile with dinosaur aspects, there are many things you can do to make a design unique, but there is a line between what is a dragon and what isn’t for me. In this daily series spanning 5 days I will be looking at dragons in games (in this case a movie) and judging them on multiple factors, I mean no offence to the creators, I am only stating my opinion on the designs’ anatomical accuracy.

Design

The dragons presented in the franchise are focused towards a cartoony style, with expressions that can communicate their feelings accurately, and so more anthropomorphic dragons, but on a lower scale with these ones.

(note that I am getting pictures from Berks Dragons RP on Roblox as using pictures from the movie could be risky)

Gronckle

Wings

Absolutely tiny in comparison to the body, and while the wings in the movie do beat extremely fast, I don’t think they’d be able to hold its bulk up. While it isn’t visible in the game, in the movie the wing structure is accurate, as it is a bat wing design. At least there’s no Elbow Finger Syndrome in sight!

While it does have a keel (I think, kinda hard to tell on the movie model) it isn’t big enough for the immense wing beat speed it would require.

Body

While it doesn’t pass the flight test, the body is pretty solid I’d say (in both ways, anatomically accurate and literally). The tail acts as a good counterbalance to the heavy head. And the close-together legs, though thin there are four of them to support its weight.

Overview

Strong, lazy, and overall a somewhat comedic appearance. The Gronckle is about average anatomical correctness for a dragon design (good body, but unable to fly), not to say it isn’t an amazing design overall.

Favourite Feature

It’s snout is a fun little design element that adds great personality.

Despised Feature

The wings, while at least they aren’t made of glass (I’m looking at you Dragons Fire dragon) they are tiny.

Rating

I would rate this one a 6/10 anatomy-wise, as while it can’t fly the rest is good.

Monstrous Nightmare

Wings

While the pictures I took are not very clear, the wings are not well-sized, and it doesn’t have a keel either, so no pass on the flight test for this one either. And unfortunately, it has Elbow Finger Syndrome.

Body

The body is alright proportionally. As for walking, its legs are pretty small, but the wings and long tail work with the legs to keep it upright. The neck also looks a bit thin for the head it’s holding up.

Overview

Terrifying, Fiery, toasty. Its anatomy is an average dragon design. Besides anatomy it’s a really cool design.

Favourite Feature

The long spines along its back are awesome.

Despised Feature

The thin neck.

Rating

I would rate this one a 5/10 anatomy-wise, the neck and keel are the problems with this design.

Deadly Nadder

Wings

The wings are somewhat sizeable, with a big enough keel this one could certainly fly. Which it does not have. What it does have however, is Elbow Finger Syndrome unfortunately.

Body

While the wings are bad the body is good, while the neck could do with a little thickening its legs are good enough for walking. And the tail acts as a good counterbalance to the head.

Overview

Spiny, Spiky, Sharp. Another average anatomical dragon design. It balances friendly looks with dangerous very well though.

Favourite Feature

Love the spines!

Despised Feature

Wing Finger Syndrome is present.

Rating

I would rate this one a 6/10 anatomy-wise, as while it can’t fly the rest is great (the neck could do with a little improvement).

Conclusion

So it turns out the dragons of the How to Train your Dragon franchise aren’t able to fly (at least, the ones we reviewed here), however, the designs fit the style and are overall good.

I hope you enjoyed this final part of dragon anatomy blogs, and I hope to see you again soon (sorry it took me so long to get this one out, life happened) :>

Stop eating me chickens!

This is the fifth of a series of blogs about dragon design in games, where I will have a look at the accuracy and overall design of the dragons.

Part one: Dragon designs, specifically Century: Age of Ashes

Part two: Dragon designs part 2, specifically Dragons Life on Roblox

Part three: Dragon designs part 3, specifically Monster Hunter World

Part four: Dragon designs part 4, specifically Dragons Fire on Roblox