History Manga / DaiNoDaibouken

An anime adaptation aired for 46 episodes from 1991 to 1992. During Jump Fiesta 2020, it was announced that a new adaptation would air in Fall 2020.

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: Leona and Soara. Averted with Flora, the Queen of Carl.

* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: Pop's early MilesGloriosus personality is revealed to be due to his own frustration at his cowardice and lack of power. He quickly drops his JerkassFacade, but his lack of self-esteem remains until he [[spoiler:manages to overcome it thanks to Merle's sacrifice]].
* JerkassFacade: Hyunkel and Baran want you to know they're ''macho''. In Baran's case, paired with a DefrostingIceQueen process.

* Theatre/OedipusRex: Dai's conflictual relationship with Baran. Played for laughs with Pop's [[JerkassFacade brutal blacksmith dad]].

* MadeOfExplodium: The Shinei Kidan explode when they die, and there's a good reason to it [[FridgeBrilliance that's not explicitly stated in the Manga]]: Since their bodies are made of the extremely rare and powerful Orihalcon, it would be disadvantageous for them if the heroes could scavenge their remnants to forge some new weapons and/or armor with them. Even their severd body parts explode.

[[IThoughtThatWas Not to be confused with]] the Konami 3D FightingGame ''VideoGame/LightningLegendDaigoNoDaibouken''.

** It can be difficult believing Hyunkel is ''not'' something from ''SaintSeiya''. Seriously, look at his armours and how he equips them. He even looks a bit like Hyoga and was dubbed by Phoenix Ikki's former seiyuu Creator/HideyukiHori. Think about what army he is in charge of, and how many times he comes BackFromTheDead.

* MonsterClown: Kill-Vearn reaches [[HunterXHunter Hisoka]] levels.

* {{Badass}}: It would be easier to point out who in the cast is ''not'' a badass.

* LargeHam: Crocodine. Hadler and Baran, in a more edgy and cynical style.
** Crocodine is a level above even the others; in an ideal dub he would have to be voiced by [[BrianBlessed BRIAN BLESSED]] to do him justice.

* TheObiWan: Aban.

''Dai's Big Adventure'', more or less. A {{Shounen}} manga (and later anime) series, spun off the wildly popular ''DragonQuest'' RPG series, with a scenario by Sanjo Riku and art by Koji Inada (both of whom later went on to create ''Manga/BeetTheVandelBuster''). The titular hero, Dai, is a young kid who's been raised by monsters on Delmarine Island after he was washed ashore as an infant, the only survivor of a shipwreck, and who dreams of being an adventure hero. Since the [[BigBad Demon King]] had been defeated many years before, the monsters have been freed from his influence and are actually quite peaceful — but suddenly, one day, the Demon King comes back to life, and the monsters start raging again.

* PaintingTheFourthWall: The characters are occasionally shown with a ''Franchise/DragonQuest''-style statistical interface.

* MosesInTheBullrushes: both Dai and Hyunkel.

''Dai's Big Adventure'', more or less. A {{Shounen}} manga (and later anime) series, spun off the wildly popular ''DragonQuest'' RPG series, with a scenario by Sanjo Riku and art by Koji Inada (who later went on to create ''Manga/BeetTheVandelBuster''). The titular hero, Dai, is a young kid who's been raised by monsters on Delmarine Island after he was washed ashore as an infant, the only survivor of a shipwreck, and who dreams of being an adventure hero. Since the [[BigBad Demon King]] had been defeated many years before, the monsters have been freed from his influence and are actually quite peaceful — but suddenly, one day, the Demon King comes back to life, and the monsters start raging again.

''Dai's Big Adventure'', more or less. A {{Shounen}} manga (and later anime) series, spun off the wildly popular ''DragonQuest'' RPG series, with a scenario by Sanjo Riku and art by Koji Inada. The titular hero, Dai, is a young kid who's been raised by monsters on Delmarine Island after he was washed ashore as an infant, the only survivor of a shipwreck, and who dreams of being an adventure hero. Since the [[BigBad Demon King]] had been defeated many years before, the monsters have been freed from his influence and are actually quite peaceful — but suddenly, one day, the Demon King comes back to life, and the monsters start raging again.

* CloudCuckoolander: Aban pretends to be one to hide his own abilities from foes and friends.Even the goofy glasses he wears all the time were given to him by princess Flora herself to complete the disguise.

* EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses: Leona and Flora.

* GenerationXerox: Emphasized by the fact that Maam's father was on Aban's team and that princess Flora is practically just an older Leona.

* HardWorkHardlyWorks: Subverted. While Dai's friends cannot catch up to Dai's superhuman strength, they all go through harsh trainings to increase their powers and are able to assist Dai tremendously. There are always multiple threats that need to be dealt with Dai is only able to tackle the strongest one.

** Dai averts this by being a MagicKnight.

* ObfuscatingStupidity: Aban. He thinks gloating over his capabilities is a waste of time (and gloating includes merely stating them or showing them). So he pretends -or lets other people thinks- he is a bumbling fool, unless he needs using them.
* TrueCompanions: the disciples of Aban -- Dai, Pop, Maam and Hyunkel -- plus Crocodine and Leona.

* {{Shounen}}: Has ''
* ShrinkingViolet: Merle fits this trope like a glove. The fact that she is Maam's polar opposite and how she is painfully aware of how Pop only has eyes for Maam makes it hurt even more.

* TomboyandGirlyGirl: Played all over with Leona and Maamu. Maamu's a fighter and a Tsundere while Leona's a WhiteMagicianGirl whose open about who she loves. However, their personalities don't fit the type. Maamu when she's in love, is a bit of a ShrinkingViolet who CantSpitItOut (see her crush on Hyunkel). Leona in contrast is much more FilieFatale aggressive about pursuing Dai. Maamu serves as the TeamMom while Leona is TheFace.

* WhipSword:: Hyunkel's weapon.

** [[spoiler: Pop tries to cast a Megante to kill Baran, but Baran manages to shake him off right before the explosion]]. Defied again: the sacrifices doesn't work as intended, but manages to [[make Dai regain his memories]].

* NotSoDifferent: During the Final Battle, Dai [[spoiler:unleashes his full power, something he had been actively surpressing until then for fear of losing his memory or his mind or permanently morphing into something was not human]]. Shortly after, Vearn makes the same thing, [[spoiler:transforming into a gigantic monster]]. He remarks they're both willing to lose themselves in order to achieve victory. Dai reluctantly and silently agrees.

* MaybeEverAfter: There's no definitive resolution to the Merle-Pop-Marm love triangle: Pop turns Merle down and Marm tellsw him to wait until she gets over Hyunkel. We see them traveling together after the end but its not clear if they're just traveling as friends or if Pop is dating one or more of them.

** Crocodine is a level above even the others; in and ideal dub he would have to be voiced by [[BrianBlessed BRIAN BLESSED]] to do him justice.

* ActionGirl Maam, Leona, Emi and Princess Flora.

* LiteralSplitPersonality: A variation. The ritual magic that Hadler used to create the Shinei Kidan also imprinted them with fragments of own personality. Though he thinks of it more like a case of LikeFatherLikeSon

* MagicKnight: Dai learns to be one over the course of the series, mixing magic to his sword attacks; Baran's a natural born one as the Dragon Knight.

* MaybeEverAfter: There's no definitive resolution to the Merle-Pop-Marm love triangle. Pop turns Merle down and Marm tell him to wait until she gets over Hyunkel. We see them traveling together after the end but its not clear if they're just traveling as friends or if Pop is dating one or more of them.
* MeaningfulName: "Dai" means "grand", but there is also a variation of his name that means "hero". His original name, [[spoiler: Dino]], was said to mean "strong dragon" in his mother's language. "Leona" means "relating to lions," which may explain her [[{{Tsundere}} 'feline']] [[FilleFatale personality]]. Marm and Pop are probably named so because [[GenerationXerox they're taking their parents' positions at the Hero's side]].

* MoralMyopia: Galdandy of [[QuirkyMiniBossSquad Baran's Dragon Riders]] is as ruthless of a monster as you can expect from the villains. He doesn't care at all about the people he kills, but he gets into an UnstoppableRage if you kill his dragon. [[DiscussedTrope Pointing out how many people the dragon has killed will not help your case]].

* NotSoDifferent: During the Final Battle, Dai [[spoiler:unleashes his full power, something he had been actively surpressing until then for fear of losing his memory or his mind or permanently morphing into something was not human]]. Shortly after Vearn makes the same thing, [[spoiler:transforming into a gigantic monster]]. He remarks Dais is right like himself, willing to lose his self in order to achieve victory. Dai reluctantly and silently agrees.

* RidiculouslyHumanRobot: the Shinei Kidan amount to this.

** Exploited at one point where he pretends to abandon Dai so he could secretly go off to fight the Dragon Riders by himself.
* SenselessSacrifice: Defied as Dai releases his hidden power to fight off Hadler after Aban gave his life trying to defeat him.
** Pop tries to cast a Megante to kill Baran. He would have succeeded except he let a small window for Baran to shake him off right before the explosion. Baran mentions how it was a useless sacrifice.

* ShooTheDog - Inversion: both Pop and Hyunkel pretend to abandon the party when in reality they're running off to face the threat alone.
* {{Shounen}}

* FirstGirlWins: Played straight with Dai and Leona. Awesomely subverted with Pop, as after the final battle [[spoiler:he gets BOTH Maamu and Merle]]!

* GameBreakingInjury: After receiving constant injuries and still pushing his body beyond its limits, Hyunkel ends up permanently crippled just BEFORE the final battle. And no, he doesn't get better.

* GunsAreWorthless: All the cannons are completely useless against the Demon army. Maarm's gun gets some use early on because it shoots bullets imbued with magic, but gets discarded later after it's broken.

* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler: Myst-Vearn's end by Hyunkel, whom Myst-Vearn raised to be the ideal host]].

* KidHero: the main characters.
* KilledOffForReal: [[spoiler: Baran]] and his team [[spoiler: except Laharlt, who returns for the final battle arc]]; [[spoiler: Hadler]] and his team [[spoiler: except Hym, who's believed to inherit Hadler's soul]].

* LinearWarriorsQuadraticWizards: Hyunkel and Pop (really any fighter and Pop) are a textbook version of this trope. Hyunkel starts off as an extremely powerful swordsman who gives both Dai and Pop a hard time. He becomes a powerful ally but ends up overshadowed by his teammates and only catches up by using his own lifeforce. Pop starts off as a MilesGloriosus but takes ''several'' levels of badass, cumulating in him becoming a powerful sage and Dai's biggest ally in his fight against Vearn. Dai averts this by being a MagicKnight.