Dragon Booster (2004-2006) follows stable-boy Artha Penn, who is unexpectedly chosen by the legendary dragon Beau to stop a new human-dragon war through high-speed dragon racing. Beneath the flashy draconium-fuelled power system lies a classic underdog narrative that routinely flips viewer expectations as the hero grows into a symbol of unity.
The fifteen titles below echo those qualities—inventive power mechanics, protagonists who start at the bottom, and stories willing to spring surprises—yet each still flies under most fans’ radar. They deserve the same second look that Dragon Booster fans routinely wish their own favorite would receive.
1. Zoids: New Century /Zero (2001)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, RetroCrush
- Episodes: 26
- MAL rating: ~7.3
- Studio / Staff: Xebec; dir. Takao Kato
- Plot (2 sentences): Rookie pilot Bit Cloud stumbles upon Liger Zero, a top-secret Zoid, and drags Team Blitz from obscurity into the cut-throat battle-tournament circuit.
- Why it matches: Underdog racer + sentient partner mech + color-coded upgrade system echo Artha & Beau’s bond and draconium classes.
2. IGPX: Immortal Grand Prix (2005)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE
- Episodes: 26
- MAL rating: ~6.9
- Studio / Staff: Production I.G × Cartoon Network; co-created by Mitsuru Hongo
- Plot: Teenagers in Team Satomi jump from the minors to the world’s fastest mecha-racing league, where tactics and nanotech decide wins.
- Why it matches: High-speed track combat, pit-crew camaraderie, and season-long power-up arcs parallel Dragon Booster’s race-centric storytelling.
3. Ōban Star-Racers (2006)
- Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV
- Episodes: 26
- MAL rating: ~7.5
- Studio / Staff: Sav! The World / Hal Film Maker; Franco-Japanese co-production
- Plot: Runaway pilot Molly impersonates her father to enter the Intergalactic Grand Prix, where the reward could rewrite reality.
- Why it matches: Underdog team, creature-like starships, and a finale that subverts “win-the-race” expectations much like Artha’s larger-than-racing destiny.
4. Future GPX Cyber Formula (1991)
- Where to watch: RetroCrush, Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 37 (+ OVA sequel films)
- MAL rating: ~7.4
- Studio / Staff: Sunrise; mecha designs by Shoji Kawamori
- Plot: Accident-prone Hayato gains a voice-activated AI car that rockets him from schoolboy to cyber-racing prodigy.
- Why it matches: Early ’90s tech-sport blueprint for Dragon Booster—talking machines, color-coded “boosters,” and a hero dismissed until the grid lights turn green.
5. Basquash! (2009)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 26
- MAL rating: ~7.0
- Studio / Staff: Satelight; chief director Shoji Kawamori
- Plot: Rebel street-baller Dan JD hijacks a televised Big-Foot (giant-mech basketball) match, igniting a planet-wide sports craze.
- Why it matches: Neon-lit competition, wild equipment mods, and “nobody kid vs. megacorp league” stakes feel straight out of Dragon City.
6. Deca-Dence (2020)
- Where to watch: Hulu, Funimation
- Episodes: 12
- MAL rating: ~7.3
- Studio / Staff: NUT; dir. Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100)
- Plot: Tank-cleaner Natsume dreams of fighting the Gadoll, unaware her world is literally a game run by cyborg overlords.
- Why it matches: Sudden genre-flip mid-series mirrors Dragon Booster’s talent for blindsiding viewers, and the “gear” power system riffs on draconium classes.
7. World Trigger (2014–22)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- Episodes: 99
- MAL rating: ~7.5
- Studio / Staff: Toei Animation; creator Daisuke Ashihara
- Plot: Ordinary student Osamu joins Border, where Trion-powered “Triggers” let weak tacticians outsmart physically superior invaders.
- Why it matches: Weapon-swap power trees and a hero who compensates for low stats with brains echo Artha’s early struggles.
8. Kiba (2006)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 51
- MAL rating: ~6.8
- Studio / Staff: Madhouse; series composer Michiru Shimada
- Plot: Troubled teen Zed is swept into a parallel world and bonds with powerful Spirit shards to battle corrupt rulers.
- Why it matches: Element-based shard system = draconium colors; Zed’s leap from nobody to chosen warrior echoes Artha’s destiny twist.
9. Xam’d: Lost Memories (2008)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- Episodes: 26
- MAL rating: ~7.5
- Studio / Staff: Bones; music by Michiru Oshima
- Plot: Island boy Akiyuki fuses with an organic weapon and joins an airship crew while evading military factions.
- Why it matches: Symbiotic creature powers, airborne chases, and identity-seeking lead mirror Artha & Beau’s bond and themes of self-control.
10. Majestic Prince (2013)
- Where to watch: HIDIVE, Prime Video
- Episodes: 24 (+ film)
- MAL rating: ~7.2
- Studio / Staff: Doga Kobo × Orange; mech design Hisashi Hirai
- Plot: Five genetically engineered “Team Rabbit” cadets—academically last place—save humanity with tailor-made AHSMB units.
- Why it matches: Squad of misfits ignored until showtime, color-coded mechs, and an escalating tournament-style war.
11. Planet With (2018)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 12
- MAL rating: ~7.4
- Studio / Staff: J.C.Staff; original creator Satoshi Mizukami (Lucifer & the Biscuit Hammer)
- Plot: Amnesiac Souya pilots a plush-hooded mech against heroes the world adores, uncovering a galaxy-wide moral test.
- Why it matches: Repeated subversion of “good vs. evil” and a protagonist who learns his true power parallels Artha’s gradual mastery of Beau.
12. Ranking of Kings (2021)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- Episodes: 23
- MAL rating: ~8.6
- Studio / Staff: Wit Studio; awards: Crunchyroll “Best Boy” & “Best Character Writing” (2022)
- Plot: Deaf, tiny Prince Bojji embarks on a sprawling quest to become a worthy king despite universal ridicule.
- Why it matches: Pure underdog energy, weapon-agnostic “divine treasures” system, and repeated narrative fake-outs keep viewers cheering like Dragon City crowds.
13. Plunderer (2020)
- Where to watch: Hulu, Funimation
- Episodes: 24
- MAL rating: ~6.4
- Studio / Staff: Geek Toys; creator Suu Minazuki (Heaven’s Lost Property)
- Plot: In a world where everyone’s life is ruled by visible numerical “Counts,” a masked swordsman helps a girl defy destiny.
- Why it matches: Visual power metric equals draconium gauges; series pivots tone frequently, mirroring Dragon Booster’s light-to-dark swings.
14. Build Divide: Code Black (2021)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll
- Episodes: 12
- MAL rating: ~6.5
- Studio / Staff: LIDENFILMS; card-game designs by Homura Kawakami (Kakegurui artist)
- Plot: Teruto enters a VR card-battle city where victory against the “King” can grant any wish.
- Why it matches: Structured power system (field, donor energy), heavy emphasis on strategic duels, and a protagonist dismissed as nameless until he shocks the elite.
15. Astra Lost in Space (2019)
- Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- Episodes: 12
- MAL rating: ~8.1
- Studio / Staff: Lerche; Manga Taishō Award winner (2019)
- Plot: Nine students are warped light-years from camp and must hop planets home using wits and meagre supplies.
- Why it matches: Tight-knit crew dynamic, constant technicolor problem-solving, and a late-series plot twist that rewires earlier assumptions—very Dragon Booster.
Why These Anime Work for Dragon Booster Fans
Each pick pairs inventive power mechanics with a protagonist (or team) shrugged off until sudden brilliance, then layers in plot turns that refuse to play out in straight lines. Whether it’s Molly out-racing godlike pilots in Ōban, Natsume discovering her reality is a game in Deca-Dence, or Bojji redefining kingship in Ranking of Kings, these shows keep the thrill of the unexpected underdog upset alive—exactly what makes cheering for Artha Penn and Beau so addictive.
