The Dragon Dentist — compact epic and design by Khara

The Dragon Dentist began as a high-quality short film (Khara) and ended up expanding due to its ambition: a fantastic tale that blends the mythical with the physical in a brief but powerful package.

Directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by Khara (Hideaki Anno’s studio), The Dragon Dentist (initially a short film, then an expanded special) revolves around Nonoko and her work inside the mouth of a dragon that protects an empire. The premise is strange and effective: caring for the creature becomes a ritual, collective therapy, and myth. The production features complex creature design, blending the organic and the architectural, and a palette that alternates between intense reds and dark tones to emphasize the visceral nature of the environment.

Technically, Khara combined traditional 2D animation with CGI to give a sense of volume and depth to the dragon’s cavity; sound manipulation and Foley effects turn the dragon’s mouth into a stage. Having been expanded into a special, the original short served as a basis for exploring characters and rituals: the figure of the “dentist” becomes a metaphor for sacred duties and sacrifice.
If you’re looking for shorts with a world of their own, ambitious design, and the ability to linger in the memory for their strangeness, The Dragon Dentist delivers. It works both as a visual exploration and a symbolic fable.