Dragons have been stealing scenes in animation for decades. Some are terrifying, some adorable, some wise, and some are just there to teach preschoolers how to share. Some breathe fire, some race at 200 miles an hour, and at least one just wants to smell the flowers.
This is my ranking of the most popular dragon cartoons ever made, spanning obscure retro gems and the definitive modern classics. Every entry also includes a quick note on when it aired and where you can watch it now.
The Most Popular Dragon Cartoons, Ranked
These are ranked by a mix of popularity, reach, and staying power. Whether you grew up on them or you are hunting for something to put on for the kids, there is a fire-breather here for you.
Pocket Dragon Adventures
Pocket Dragon Adventures is the deep cut on this list. Based on artist Real Musgrave’s Pocket Dragons figurines, it follows a troupe of tiny dragons who live with a kindly old wizard. The show leaned into fast, slapstick comedy. It also holds a small claim to fame as one of the first cartoons ever signed to a Writers Guild contract.
Digby Dragon
Digby Dragon is a gentle British preschool series set in the magical Applecross Wood. Here, Digby is a young, anthropomorphized dragon who picks up life lessons through quests with his woodland friends. The stop-motion look gives it a cozy, storybook feel that younger kids tend to love.
Blazing Dragons
Blazing Dragons flips the usual fairy tale on its head. Co-created by Monty Python’s Terry Jones, it follows noble, chivalrous dragons defending themselves against greedy, brutish human knights. It is a sharp, silly medieval comedy that has aged into a proper cult favorite.
Jane and the Dragon
Jane and the Dragon follows a young girl who dreams of becoming a knight instead of a lady-in-waiting. She gets her chance when she rescues a kidnapped prince and earns a spot as a knight apprentice. The twist is that the dragon she was meant to slay becomes her best friend. That odd-couple bond then carries the whole show.
Dragon Booster
Dragon Booster imagines a world where humans and dragons live side by side and settle scores through high-speed dragon races. Ordinary teenager Artha Penn becomes the chosen rider of a legendary dragon named Beau. So he transforms into the Dragon Booster to head off a looming war. Think of it as a dragon-powered racing anime aimed squarely at kids.
Skylanders Academy
Based on the hit Skylanders video games, the show follows Spyro the Dragon and his fellow trainees. Together, they learn what it takes to be a hero. Under mentors Master Eon and Jet-Vac, the team squares off against the bumbling villain Kaos. On top of that, a stacked voice cast including Justin Long and Ashley Tisdale gives it more comedic bite than most game tie-ins.
Dragons: Rescue Riders
Set in the How to Train Your Dragon universe, Dragons: Rescue Riders follows twins Dak and Leyla, who can talk to dragons. Together with their squad of young fire-breathers, they look after the town of Huttsgalor. It is a softer, more preschool-friendly take on the franchise, built around rescues and teamwork. The story then continued in the 2021 sequel series, Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky.
Dragons: The Nine Realms
Dragons: The Nine Realms jumps 1,300 years past the How to Train Your Dragon films. Here, dragons are just a legend in a modern world. Then a group of misfit kids discovers a massive fissure in the Earth, and with it, the truth that dragons never truly left. It divided older fans, yet it kept the franchise’s dragon-bonding spirit alive for a new generation.
American Dragon: Jake Long
American Dragon: Jake Long follows a Chinese-American teenager in New York who can turn into a dragon. In secret, he guards the city’s hidden magical community. Voiced by Dante Basco, Jake juggles dragon duties, family, and the everyday chaos of being thirteen. Created by Jeff Goode, it ran for two seasons and grew into a nostalgic Disney Channel favorite.
Dragon Tales
For a whole generation, Dragon Tales was the first dragon show they ever loved. Created by Ron Rodecker and Wesley Eure, it follows siblings Emmy and Max. Whenever they use a magic dragon scale, they travel to a colorful dragon land. Gentle, warm, and quietly educational, it ran three seasons on PBS and left a lasting mark.
The Dragon Prince
The Dragon Prince is the most acclaimed modern entry here, built by writers with roots in Avatar: The Last Airbender. Set in the magical land of Xadia, it follows two human princes and an elven assassin. Together, they protect the egg of the Dragon Prince, Azymondias, hoping to end a long war. As a result, its rich world-building and long-form storytelling have earned it a fiercely devoted fanbase.
DreamWorks Dragons
No cartoon dragon is more beloved than Toothless, which is why the DreamWorks Dragons series tops this list. It spans Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk, and Race to the Edge. In doing so, it bridges the gap between the first two How to Train Your Dragon films. Jay Baruchel returns as Hiccup.
Better still, the show digs far deeper into the bond between riders and dragons than the movies ever had time for. For dragon fans, it is the gold standard.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dragon Cartoons
A few of the questions that come up most around this topic.
Are there any Disney movies or shows about dragons? Plenty. Mushu is the wisecracking little dragon in Mulan (1998), Elliott is the lovable green dragon in Pete’s Dragon (1977 and 2016), Maleficent famously transforms into a dragon in Sleeping Beauty (1959), and Sisu is the last dragon in Raya and the Last Dragon (2021).
What is the oldest dragon cartoon on this list? Pocket Dragon Adventures and Blazing Dragons, both from the 1990s, are the oldest here. For a truly early example, though, Disney’s The Reluctant Dragon dates all the way back to 1941.
What are the best dragon cartoons on Netflix? The Dragon Prince, DreamWorks Dragons, Dragons: Rescue Riders, and Skylanders Academy have all called Netflix home. So it is one of the best places to binge dragon shows.
What is a good dragon cartoon for preschoolers? Dragon Tales, Digby Dragon, and Dragons: Rescue Riders are all gentle, age-appropriate picks made for the youngest dragon fans.
From fire-breathing legends to pint-sized preschool sidekicks, dragons never go out of style in animation.
If you cannot get enough, our roundups of anime dragon girls and cartoon dinosaurs are worth a look too. So which dragon cartoon is your all-time favorite, and did I rank yours too low?
Let me know in the comments.