Drifting Dragons #17

Drifting Dragons, known in Japan as Kuutei Dragons, is a fantasy manga series written and illustrated by Taku Kuwabara. First serialized in Kodansha's Good! Afternoon magazine in 2016, the series chronicles the lives of the crew of the airship Quin Zaza as they hunt dragons across a vast, steampunk-inspired sky world. The series is celebrated for its intricate mechanical designs, lush environmental world-building, and its focus on the culinary and economic aspects of a society built around dragon-hunting.

Issue 17 represents a later chapter in the series' ongoing narrative. Kuwabara’s artistic style, characterized by detailed cross-hatching and a cinematic approach to aerial combat, has been consistently praised by critics for its unique visual identity in the seinen manga genre. As the series progressed, the narrative expanded from episodic adventures into a more complex exploration of the geopolitical tensions and ecological consequences inherent to the world, maintaining a dedicated following among readers who appreciate meticulous technical draftsmanship.