‘Dofus’ — The Transcendent Anime Ahead of Its Time

Over a decade later, Ankama’s ‘Dofus: Kerub’s Bazaar’ and ‘Book 1 — Julith’ stand out as two of the best video game adaptations ever

Image: Ankama Animations

In the wake of the current video game adaptation renaissance, it’s easy to take for granted the leap in quality from today’s television, film and animated blockbusters. While some might argue the “video game adaptation curse” was broken as late as the 2020s thanks to a combination of higher production values, greater collaboration with original creators and a willingness to adapt unproven titles in unconventional genres, this phenomenon is not a recent invention.

Contrary to popular belief, video game adaptations had already been taking root long before entering mainstream consciousness. In fact, what if I told you one company had been quietly laying the foundation since 2001? And what if I told you that same company has not only successfully made the jump to several mediums, but are still doing it more than 25 years later?

Originally founded by Anthony “Tot” Roux, Camille “Kam” Chafer and Emmanuel Darras — an artist, programmer and entrepreneur, respectively — Ankama is a French multimedia company best known for their video games, comics and animation. But long before characters like Yugo (Wakfu), Seth (Radiant) and Junk (Ripper) became associated with the company’s brand, in the early years, Ankama was primarily defined by their web design services and video game development. That all began to change with the official launch of their debut title, prompting a reevaluation in priorities as the company shifted into full-time game development.

Released in 2004 for PC, Dofus is a fantasy MMORPG combining tactical strategy with more traditional role-playing elements such as classes, leveling up, and quests. Originally the story of the various player avatars and their personal quest to find the six primordial dragon eggs known as Dofus, the game’s setting would see several noticeable changes through subsequent updates, new content and of course, external media.

Goultard the Barbarian (2007) | Image: Ankama Animations

Over the next few years, the world of Dofus continued to be shaped by the various stories of heroes, gods and the primordial dragons that walked among mortals, beginning with the first volume of the Dofus manga in 2005. But in 2007, Ankama added another division to their growing portfolio, forming their own in-house animation studio, Ankama Animations. Attending Japan Expo (an annual Japanese pop culture convention held in Paris, France) that same year, the studio presented a small teaser of what was to come — the very first Dofus animation.

Titled Goultard the Barbarian (Goultard le Barbare), the 12-minute short explores the violent origins of a demigod with a knack for fighting, his short-lived happiness with his wife and child, and the event that signaled the end of that life and the beginning of a new legend. While the Age of Dofus had canonically ended with the release of Wakfu and Goultard himself became a prominent figure in the Krosmoz (Ankama’s extended universe), the story of Dofus was far from over.

Having previously covered Ankama Animations and their marquee anime title, 2008’s *Wakfu: The Animated Series, today I’d like to shed some light on some of their lesser-known adaptations, beginning with the animated versions of the video game that started it all. Or rather, a duology of sorts that you likely haven’t watched (and why you totally should)*.

Welcome to my humble shop of curiosities because this is a Dofus anime retrospective.

Open for Business (Dofus: Kerub’s Bazaar — Season 1)

Image: Ankama Animations

“Each one of these objects has a story. Each one of them has an adventure behind it. That’s why each one is a precious treasure!” — Kerub Crepin

Whether it’s games, manga or anime, Ankama has a straightforward philosophy to its transmedia storytelling — “do not tell the exact same story twice”. Outside of direct sequels and the one-off novelization of the Dofus movie discussed further down, every project the company produces tells an independent story, regardless of your entry point or level of familiarity. For the casual player, reader or viewer, this means they need not be exposed to one title from a different medium to understand another.

When it came to adapting Dofus for its first television series following the success of Wakfu, the studio opted to shift gears and tell a simpler, non-linear story with an emphasis on slice-of-life elements and humor catering to a younger demographic. In other words, the team wanted to create a children’s show with the same level of passion and craftsmanship that made their previous title a hit.

Released in 2013, Dofus: Kerub’s Bazaar (Dofus: Aux Trésors de Kerubim) was the studio’s first crack at bringing Ankama’s original flagship title to a wider audience. Spanning 52 twelve-minute episodes across two seasons, the show’s anthology format and casual approach to its source material makes it one of the most approachable and recommended entry points for newcomers. And for existing fans of the games or those coming from the Wakfu anime, the show’s understanding of the lore and iconography is made evident by its sharp writing and comedy.

Image: Ankama Animations

In a small corner of Astrub lies a peculiar antique shop, home to some of the World of Twelve’s greatest treasures. For those who wander into this bazaar, these artifacts represent more than just recovered valuables from the vast corners of the Krozmos. They are a record of a legendary adventurer, his various friends and foes, as well as memories more precious than coin.

Inside this treasure shop of wonders is the home of Kerubim (“Kerub”) Crepin. And inside this home are the true stories of his adventures, told by none other than the hero himself! Accompanied by his adopted son Joris and the newly employed housemaid Simone, Kerub passes down the tales of his youth to curious patrons, wandering travelers and the next generation of adventurers.

At Kerub’s Bazaar, the store policy is “we only sell genuine items”. That is because each item on display has its own story — and behind every story is an incredible adventure!

Image: Ankama Animations

Whereas Wakfu took place in real time over the course of several years (and seasons) telling one continuous story, Dofus: Kerub’s Bazaar is self-contained, presenting its stories non-sequentially through the eyes of a retired hero through past and present-day context. With a few exceptions, every episode can be viewed out of order without knowing what happened in the previous one.

Featuring many of the same high fantasy concepts as Wakfu, Kerub’s Bazaar covers the full spectrum of genres including action, adventure, comedy and (as is studio tradition at this point), romance. But unlike its predecessor which had the luxury of two full length seasons at the time, Kerub’s Bazaar had half that amount, taking into account the shorter episodes. Adding all 52 mini episodes, the total runtime is about one 26-episode season or a full season of Wakfu for comparison.

With this background in mind, you might be wondering how Kerub’s Bazaar functions as a smaller high-fantasy concept, let alone episodic television. Limitation breeds creativity, and with these parameters in mind, the team was free to craft, experiment and innovate in ways not applicable to traditional, linear stories. To expand on Ankama’s rule of not telling the same story twice, Kerub’s Bazaar poses a new question — “what if every episode was its own adventure?”

Image: Ankama Animations

Before answering, I suppose now would be a good time to introduce the cast. To keep things organized, I’ll be categorizing this into three groups between past and present day scenarios, beginning with the main characters residing in present-day Astrub.

Our titular Ecaflip (“cat person”) and protagonist Kerub Crepin is a former globetrotter turned antique dealer renowned for his legendary tales, magical expertise and unusually high luck. His home and place of business, the demonic entity Luis — a Shushu (“demon”) possessing a building — serves as character, setting, and a nostalgic reminder to a certain pair of ex-adventurers.

A boy of unknown origins with a great admiration for Kerub and his fantastical stories, Joris is the story’s second protagonist, as well as the show’s primary demographic. For those familiar with Ankama’s wider universe, you might recognize him as Master Joris, a character who has appeared in various transmedia projects, including Wakfu. We’ll come back to him much later, but for now, he’s Kerub’s carefree and doting adoptive son who helps around the shop with his pet flea, Flifli.

Wrapping up the shop’s regulars is Simone, an Osamodas (“beast tamer”) housekeeper and voice of reason to the store’s chaotic tendencies. While more of a supporting character to the bazaar’s other occupants, her introduction facilitates the past and present storylines throughout the series, whether it be the episode’s rare object in question, resolving Luis’s internal disputes with Kerub or navigating her budding romance with local hairstylist Julie.

Image: Ankama Animations

Moving onto the second group are characters that regularly appear in most of Kerub’s past tales. Unlike many of the other figures present in Kerub’s Bazaar, they rarely feature in the present day storyline.

Eternal rival Indie Thikovit (Delagrandaventure in the French dub) is an Ouginak (“dog person”) adventurer who regularly clashes with his feline nemesis Kerub. From an early age to the apex of their heroic careers, the two repeatedly compete with one another for work, the occasional gentleman’s wager at the bar or winning the affection of Lou.

On that subject, Lou is another Ouginak adventurer with an equally impressive job resume, playing several roles throughout the show. The lifelong love interest of Kerub and former partner-in-vigilantism, their on and off again romance becomes a recurring point of intrigue as we learn the details of their courtship. As the only character to not appear in the present day, her absence is omnipresent within the store’s near infinite corridors.

Image: Ankama Animations

Rounding out the third and final group are Kerub’s known associates, most of which appear periodically across both periods and/or have settled down in present-day Astrub.

Former bandits turned handymen Kanigroo, Brutal Tortoise and Crocosec form Kerub’s old crew and current neighbors. A polite strongman, an explosives expert and a master of disguise, respectively, the trio are regularly called upon for jobs not suited for one person. Gargantuan sharkman and ex-pirate Bash Squale is Kerub’s neighbor and former best friend, a story that is heavily prominent in season one.

Finally, God Ecaflip is the patron cat deity of luck and games who watches over his “favorite disciple” for better or worse. Like the other twelve major races and classes that derive their names from their gods, Ecaflip refers to both god and his followers, hence they are used interchangeably across the franchise. For the remainder of this piece, I’ll be differentiating the two by italicizing the race/class.

Image: Ankama Animations

As an introductory point to Dofus, Kerub’s Bazaar pulls from the wider World of Twelve both figuratively and literally. The show’s pilot comically illustrates the point as Kerub pulls out several rare and exotic items for a skeptical customer, including one of the six titular Dofus.

Those familiar with the lore will recognize the dragon egg as the Emerald Primordial Dofus — one of the required player objectives in the video game, as well as the franchise’s signature emblem. For a newcomer, it’s a clever setup establishing Kerub as more than a humble shopkeeper while introducing the show’s nonsensical yet lighthearted tone and premise.

That’s because before opening his store in Astrub, Kerub was a heroic adventurer, a master of several trades and a video game rockstar in his own right, both in-universe as well as the franchise.

Y’know, like Super Mario.

Kerub Crepin. Level 100 hero, confectioner… plumber?! | Image: Ankama Animations

Not unlike Nintendo’s plumber and his extended career of fitting whatever mold the title in question needs — a go-kart racer, an athlete, a doctor, etc. — there’s a theatrical presentation to Kerub’s Bazaar and its bizarre cast. Every episode is a new stage to explore and each character can play almost any role without having to think about the finer, logical and canonical details. And because almost every episode is independent, it’s one of the few adaptations to apply its video game roots beyond its source material.

With a younger audience to cater towards, the show’s maximalist approach to slice-of-life fantasy is apparent in its breadth of vignettes. Right off the bat, we’ve got a “save the princess” murder gauntlet, a trip under the sea and to the moon, a silly detour into a giant’s sky castle and a western-style throwback that ends with Kerub inventing the public transport system.

Despite the shorter format, some truly bizarre stories and a lead that can achieve the extraordinary, if not the impossible, the showrunners did not miss the opportunity to incorporate an overarching narrative beneath the mayhem. As a charismatic entrepreneur, journeyman and heartthrob, the titular Ecaflip challenges the preconceptions of heroes, the mythical status we assign to video game legends and our own nostalgia when revisiting our treasured memories.

“Always tell the truth! Always share treasure! Always united!” Initiate cool handshake | Image: Ankama Animations

From lingering regrets over past mistakes to the unceremonious end of long-time relationships, Kerub endures his share of interpersonal problems as numerous as the many objects he has accumulated in his shop. Chief among them is the one-sided feud with his ex-bestie, Bash.

Holding Kerub responsible for a perceived betrayal over his then lover, the irony of Bash’s grudge is that for someone who was frequently rejected in the pursuit of romance over his appearance, he did in fact find his soul mate as one of the happily married few among the cast — raising a son no less.

As the show unravels this unusual friendship backwards, beginning with the event that led to Kerub and Bash’s falling out to their very first meeting, their arc doesn’t end with the relationship being mended or any sort of revelatory conclusion. Instead, the show acknowledges their history, the impact they had on each other’s lives and ultimately why they (mostly) moved on.

This show’s art direction is gorgeous even by today’s standards. | Image: Ankama Animations

Even at this early stage of the show, I knew immediately that Kerub’s Bazaar was shaping up to be more than another example of a great video game adaptation and outstanding children’s media punching above its weight. Rather than try and resolve this dispute in the present day, the show uses this conflict to showcase that people are complex, and relationships are no exception.

Individuals change, people frequently enter and exit each other’s lives and not all friendships can withstand the test of time — and that’s okay! Because in the world of Kerub’s Bazaar, the most fascinating stories come from the storytellers with the wisdom to accept when one story is finished and the foresight to know when the next great adventure is calling.

Welcome to the Family (Kerub’s Bazaar — Season 2)

Ending the series in style. | Image: Ankama Animations

Picking up immediately after season 1, Kerub’s Bazaar Season 2 is essentially a celebratory farewell, a partial setup for the next entry and the thematic endpoint to Kerub’s emporium of adventures. Taking additional inspiration from other video game series outside of Dofus as well as classic cartoons (think Cartoon Network/Hanna-Barbera), the stories on feature here are more deliberate with their influences, focusing on refining the formula with a renewed spotlight on the present-day.

One episode morphs into an Ace Attorney-like court procedural with Kerub, Indie, and Lou filling the roles of defense attorney, prosecutor and judge, respectively. In between loud exclamations and finger pointing, this story revisits the day Kerub met his misfit crew and the unhinged method the one-time lawyer deployed to get them acquitted. Another is a fantasy spin on Wacky Races, complete with a villainess and her snickering Dracoturkey. A few feature entirely different narrators, including one with Joris and Simone who remix elements from previous episodes to invent their own Kerub stories in a very cute nod to their core audience.

The episode format and genres are also fleshed out, beginning with Ecaflip City, a three-episode saga. Arriving at the fabled city after a season of foreshadowing, Kerub takes on the city’s high rollers before coming face to face with his own gambling (yes, gambling) compulsions. In lighter tales, Charmeow Vigilantes 1 is an action-buddy comedy, complete with banter, one-liners and fisticuffs. Part 2, on the other hand, is a cool throwback to black and white horror mystery films retelling Luis’s monstrous origins. And in one of the most inventive episodes of the season, The Fever of the Hacienda, the show addresses how its main romance came to be as a full-on musical!

I love how varied this title is with its stories. Even the episode format and art style change! | Image: Ankama Animations

As Kerub’s Bazaar’s longevity is put into question literally and metatextually with the series approaching its finale, Kerub is asked to look inwards in search of a future for himself and his son Joris. To that end, the series once again traces Kerub’s past backwards by recontextualizing his shared history with his closest companions and frenemies, starting with Lou.

To revisit the Super Mario analogy, Lou is the show’s answer to Princess Peach, predating the monarch’s characterization post Super Mario Odyssey by three years in fact. A highly decorated adventurer in her own right, occasional damsel in distress and longtime partner both professionally and romantically, season 2 shows off the more eventful moments in their relationship, including their almost-but-not-quite marriage in the Ecaflip City trilogy.

Even with some of Kerub’s Bazaar’s wilder tales and the pre-knowledge of their inevitable split, there’s a rose-colored yet genuine sense of delight on Kerub’s part whenever he retells the stories involving his former flame. That despite his flaws, they had been building a future together, whether it be traveling the world, starting their own vigilantes-for-hire business and adopting Luis as his guardian and (at the time) permanent home.

Of course, there’s the obvious question of why their flame diminished, made evident by Lou’s absence in the present day. Although Kerub’s Bazaar offers a few possible answers, the show never explicitly settles on a definitive outcome. And you know what? That’s brilliant. Yes, it’s still a silly cartoon about an anthropomorphic cat and his various misadventures. But it’s also a story about finales, in this case, the end of an adventure.

Image: Ankama Animations

Case in point, just when you think you’ve seen everything, heard every punchline and learned every facet of these characters, Kerub’s Bazaar has one more trick up its sleeve, arriving at another unexpected conclusion with the story’s other central focus this season.

Hailing from a long line of highly trained, educated and decorated heroes, Indie Thikovit and his competitive one-upmanship with Kerub is about what you would expect from an anime rivalry between legends. A literal cat and dog relationship with conflicting philosophies on heroism (i.e. luck vs skill), the bulk of the series thus far has seen the flamboyant pair square off from the most heroic ordeals to the pettiest of personal wagers.

In spite of their longstanding hatred for one another, there is an argument to be made that they’d make a pretty good team under the right circumstances. This theme is briefly touched upon throughout season 2, starting with the episode The Break. After being struck by a bolt of lightning while recovering a rare artifact, the two spontaneously decide to open a Gobbowl (“sheep”) merch shop, much to everyone’s dismay, including their respective partners at the time.

After Lou and Nela exhaust every usual trick that would have easily set off Kerub and Indie, the logical assumption at this point is that some unseen force is at play. Perhaps it is some form of magic or the thunderbolt fried a few braincells, as two examples. I won’t spoil how exactly this predicament is resolved, but after seemingly losing all hope, the solution turns out to be far, far more simplistic — a disagreement.

Image: Ankama Animations

For two characters who can’t stand each other, there is a begrudging mutual respect forged over the course of Kerub and Indie’s heroic careers. As contradictory as that sounds, there’s a level of fairness to their competitiveness, exemplified further in the episode Ash — narrated by Indie himself. When the Ouginak is reported as deceased following their latest contest, Kerub not only attends the funeral, he’s the first to defend his fallen rival’s honor at the afterparty.

Though Indie is very much alive on account of being the narrator (and getting to gloat at Kerub’s expense), the seed of doubt is present throughout the episode, from the inciting incident to the episode’s final reveal in the present day. Taken at its extreme, maintaining the rivalry is their unspoken agreement of meeting on equal terms. They may not be friends in a manner of speaking, but after 40 years, it takes a special kind of “hatred” to annually audit your total wins and losses with your nemesis.

The final episode I want to highlight is The High Temperature Trap. Taking us back ten years from the start of Kerub’s Bazaar a day before the titular shop’s inaugural opening, the two retired heroes unexpectedly meet at a local public bathhouse and once again try to settle the score by seeing who can withstand the sauna heat longer.

Image: Ankama Animations

As the penultimate episode of the series, Kerub’s Bazaar knows how ridiculous this rivalry has become. Kerub knows it’s stupid. Indie knows it’s stupid. Even Joris grows impatient as his dadcat continues to pad out the story with his trademark commentary. We’ve seen this joke play out multiple times and the show is banking on your time with these characters to know what’s coming. Except you don’t know what’s coming.

I’ll keep this brief, but in their attempt to call it a tie, they discover that their contest was an elaborate plot by Atchum, Kerub’s brother with a petty grudge against the antique dealer due to his hairlessness. With their only escape route blocked and an entire crowd now bearing witness to this “contest of champions”, the two rivals find themselves at an impasse. For both men to walk out alive, Atchum gives them an ultimatum — one of them must lose.

The winner of this standoff is an answer you will have to seek out for yourself, but by the end of this tale, it’s made clear that some fates will always be intertwined. No matter how hard we try, there are people in this life that we will never escape, some who will make things worse and others who change your world for the better. For the few that fall into the latter category, I’ll leave you with one of my favorite lines in the entire series:

“May I welcome you into our large family. But beware, the competition is tough!”

Image: Ankama Animations

Watching Kerub’s Bazaar for the first time last year was like uncovering a beloved piece of media that I had somehow forgotten. It’s the kind of nostalgic television that despite not growing up with, would certainly be among my personal favorites had it released during my childhood. Rewatching it again for this piece, I’m still impressed by its humor, production quality and level of inclusiveness, including its positive LGBTQ representation through Simone and Julie.

At a time when so many franchises and their adaptations are obligated to appeal to the widest audience possible, especially children’s entertainment, Kerub’s Bazaar’s ability to navigate complex themes like unhealthy relationships, compulsive gambling, and lost love is without peer. Even by today’s modern fantasy standards, I think it’s a testament to Ankama’s forward approach and their level of faith in their young audience to be able to imagine a world a little closer to their own.

After all, in a world where a cat deity, an antique dealer and your various animal-shaped neighbors can all occupy the same neighborhood, perhaps the real treasures are the ones we continue to make each and every day with the people we care about.

A Tale of Two Dofus (Dofus — Book 1: Julith)

Image: Ankama Animations

By now, you’ve probably noticed I’ve been bringing up Wakfu quite a bit throughout this retrospective. As two animated series developed by the same studio inhabiting a shared universe, it’s no secret that Dofus and Wakfu have recurring elements, including some familiar faces. Following the conclusion of Kerub’s Bazaar in 2014, a few of its characters went on to appear in the studio’s next project, Wakfu: The Quest for the Six Eliatrope Dofus, later that year.

Although Joris has been a mainstay in Wakfu since season 1 as well as the Dofus video game, by the end of 2014, the franchise had yet to explore the origin of its blue hooded enigma and future emissary of Bonta. Upon completing Wakfu Quest, the team returned to Dofus with the goal of elevating it to further heights. Armed with a brand-new animation style developed for this project, an ambitious story years in the making and a generous production budget (the company’s most expensive at the time), Ankama set its sights on the last frontier they had yet to conquer — cinema.

Released in 2016, Dofus — Book 1: Julith (Dofus — Livre 1: Julith) made its debut across a select number of theaters in France. In addition to being the company’s first theatrical release, the movie marked a significant turning point for the company creatively and financially, one that would continue to follow them to this day.

Image: Ankama Animations

Among the many enchanted objects found in the World of Twelve, none are more coveted than the Dofus. The first six, called the Primordial Dofus, maintained the world’s balance of power for a time. But as humanity progressed, they would become the center of massive conflicts, including those between rival countries.

For the warring nations of Bonta and Brakmar, one such battle resulted in an outcome no one could have predicted. After their greatest warriors clashed endlessly for 69 days, Jahash Jurgen and Julith, the guardians of the Ivory and Ebony Dofus, fell madly in love. With the conflict seemingly resolved (to everyone’s bewilderment), the two nations enjoyed a momentary truce. However, their union would not last.

Sometime after the Champion of Bonta and Butcher of Brakmar took their vows, Julith triggered a chain of events, resulting in the death of Jahash after the full power of the Ebony Dofus was unleashed. 10 years after the king’s passing, the Butcher returns to Bonta, announcing her intent to take revenge upon the city once more. With the capital on high alert and a highly anticipated Gobbowl (“extreme fantasy football”) match expected to take place, another adventure begins at a familiar antique shop.

Having relocated to Bonta after a few years on the road, the young boy named Joris alongside his new friends must stop Julith from destroying the city, obtain the Ivory Dofus and rediscover the true meaning of family.

Image: Ankama Animations

The spiritual sequel to Kerub’s Bazaar and the beginning of a proposed movie trilogy, Dofus — Book 1: Julith is essentially a soft reboot, meaning no prior knowledge is required. Save for a few key figures, most of the characters from its predecessor do not return, although there are a few connections I’ll let you discover for yourself.

Picking up two years after Kerub’s Bazaar, our would-be heroes are anything but the typical adventurer’s party of knights, wizards and so on. Beginning with returning characters, Book 1 (as I’ll be referring to it) sees the inquisitive Joris rise to the occasion as the protagonist. Retired hero Kerub Crepin plays the support/mentor figure when an urgent message pulls him away from his shop for one last job.

Initially teased in Kerub’s Bazaar, our resident Ouginak this time is Lilotte, Joris’s best friend. Also returning is Atchum, a Brakmarian assassin now under Julith’s employ. While minor characters in the narrative, they play key roles and reinforce the movie’s central themes. The former having to take matters into her own hands when the adults are unavailable while the latter gets a surprising character arc outside of his personal grudge towards his brother Kerub.

Moving onto new characters introduced in this title, Bakara Jurgen is a Huppermage (“elemental mage”) graduate and the younger sister to Jahash. Professional Gobbowler and Joris’s idol Khan Kharkass is a famous Iop (“warrior”) athlete scouting new talent for his team. That is, until he falls head over heels for Bakara. Last and certainly not least is the film’s central antagonist, the titular witch Julith — more on that later.

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Before discussing the plot, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the film’s most critically acclaimed asset, the animation. Since the release of the original Dofus in 2004, Ankama had been primarily utilizing Adobe Flash for their video games and animated works. While Dofus 3.0 would switch over to Unity Engine in 2024, the animation division continued to experiment with Flash, pushing the software beyond its known capabilities.

For Book 1, the studio assembled a team of flash and 2D animators, resulting in a hybrid style unlike anything produced to that point. From the elaborate city architecture of Bonta to the fluid facial animation and impressive fight choreography, Ankama redefined their approach once more, elevating the fantasy genre through visual splendor, technical innovation and immaculate storytelling.

As a result, the film is, without hyperbole, an animation marvel without equal. And considering its unique circumstances before and after release, unless someone wins the lottery or a charitable donor comes knocking on Ankama’s door, it is safe to say there won’t be another one like it for years to come.

Image: Ankama Animations

“An exceptional little boy comes with exceptional parents.”

With Book 1’s synopsis, background and development out of the way, the story begins with the energetic Joris awakening to start the day. Now ten years old with dreams of becoming a great Gobbowler, his aspirations coincide with his newfound independence, including wanting to know more about his origins. Meanwhile, Kerub is caught between having to prepare him for what’s to come and navigating his adopted son’s growing curiosity about his real parents.

Though the movie’s primary focus is on Joris and eventually Julith, what really spoke to me in this opening act was how the film reestablishes Kerub’s role as a father figure. Like any guardian coming to grips with change, the film reexamines his relationship with Joris through the impending arrival of Julith and the fear of losing a child, whether it be by force or every parent’s worst nightmare — the rebellious phase.

For those returning from Kerub’s Bazaar, Book 1 highlights his mythic status by exploring his past connections to the royal and divine powers that govern this world. Once a close confidant to the late king of Bonta, Kerub was entrusted with more than a few of his secrets, including the whereabouts of the Ivory Dofus. Even without the context of his previous adventures or familial bonds, the film paints a vivid portrait of the Ecaflip, culminating in a golden fight scene as the torch is passed down to Joris.

Image: Ankama Animations

Despite the whimsical tone leaning towards a slightly older audience than that of Kerub’s Bazaar, Book 1 does not hesitate to throw our young protagonist into the lion’s den. Having had his world ripped in front of him by Julith, the kindhearted yet reluctant Joris is met with further resistance both personal and physical on his quest to retrieve the Ivory Dofus. And when the truth about his origins is unraveled, the boy’s convictions are tested by an offer to return to normalcy at a horrible price.

Once Julith appears and the movie’s major players are assembled, the rest of the party follows the hero’s journey of overcoming a personal obstacle. Khan is a pompous athlete more concerned with scoring goals and his self-image. The prodigal mage Bakara harbors insecurities over living in her brother’s shadow, made worse after a fatal mistake on her end midway through the film. And to say nothing of Joris’s personal trauma, his encounters with the Ivory and Ebony Dragons (Dardondakal and Grougalorasalar) and his heroic self-sacrifice during the film’s climax.

In stark contrast to Ankama’s previous titles, what I love about Book 1’s interpretation of these characters is that none of them really fit the familiar fantasy archetypes of previously established Dofus class types. They express self-doubts, are tempted by personal desires and (in the case of Bakara) are burdened by the expectations of having to live up to the legacies of their predecessors. And what’s more impressive is it accomplishes this without ever dropping their trademark humor or sacrificing substance for spectacle, which brings us back to Julith.

Image: Ankama Animations

Over the years, Ankama has built a reputation as the gold standard for fully realized, three-dimensional villains. Beginning with Ogrest who drowned the world in his tears at the start of Dofus to the various tragic figures of Wakfu that fell victim to the cycles they were attempting to break, it should go without saying that each one left their mark on the World of Twelve and informed the company’s future output.

Arguably one of, if not the most recognizable figure of Ankama’s antagonists, Julith is the culmination of their previous experiences, their company ethos of giving audiences something new and most importantly, that undeniable element of humanity, carried by impeccable character design, sharp dialogue and profound storytelling.

Revisiting Book 1’s animation, the film’s animators went above and beyond to realize Julith as a force to be reckoned with. Her sudden appearance before the heroes completely alters the movie’s atmosphere and tone, highlighting the imminent danger in front of them. Even by 2026 standards, the visual feats of her cloak alone are some of the most inventive, stylized and ethereal portrayals of magic across the medium.

Even without words or context, this movie excels at conveying the character’s emotions. | Image: Ankama Animations

Kicking off the story by leading Brakmar to war against its rival nation before falling in love with Jahash, Julith’s methods, authoritativeness and complete dominance of the screen belie her inner pain of having lost everything in pursuit of vengeance. Her grief, anger and fear of the monster she’s been cast as give way to one of anime’s greatest villains when her true objective is revealed.

Without giving too much away, Julith’s self-reflection ends at a very humanizing moment that completely changed my understanding of her character, if not the entire story. As a few direct points of comparison, her character arc reminded me a lot of Radiant’s Hameline and Wakfu’s Nox. In all three cases, their plans to change the future at any cost are undone, not by the hero directly, but something far, far more human — connection.

Though all three of these character’s goals, methods and circumstances may differ, the very act of attempting to reach an understanding is a reminder that even with near-infinite power at their disposal, they too are loyal to something greater than themselves. As a result, the world is saved through an act of service for a fellow comrade, a realization that the past cannot be rewritten or in the case of Julith, a parting gift from a grieving wife and mother.

Image: Ankama Animations

Before wrapping this up, no discussion of Book 1 is complete without mentioning the soundtrack. Composed by Wakfu: The Animated Series composer and longtime Ankama collaborator Guillaume Houzé, the film marks the studio’s first animated project to utilize a live orchestra.

Performed by the National Orchestra of Lille and Star Pop Orchestra, Book 1’s music tickles that high fantasy earworm few titles have been able to scratch. It’s grandiose and epic in a manner befitting its cinematic aspirations, yet it never loses grasp of its sillier undertones as the film reaches its zenith, ending on an unusually meditative moment marked by impermanence rather than triumph.

It’s all encapsulated beautifully by Book 1’s final act and associated track, La grande finale. In a full circle moment for the story, franchise and the studio’s animated works up to that point, our heroes race to avert doomsday in the most appropriately Dofus of final obstacles. Paying homage to one of its oldest and most prominent traditions, what began as a nonsensical sport in Gobbowl is now fully realized in a nearly six-and-a-half-minute long dream match.

[embed]Song: La grade finale | Composer: Guillaume Houzé | Anime: Dofus — Book 1: Julith

Despite infamously failing to recuperate its budget at the box office on account of various factors outside of the studio’s control — a topic far exceeding the scope of this piece — Book 1’s influences on Ankama’s future output cannot be overstated. The movie’s theatrical presentation, hybrid animation and orchestral score became the basis for Wakfu Season 3 and beyond, including two more animated films, Mutafukaz (2018) and Dragon Princess (2021).

Just as Wakfu: The Quest for the Six Eliatrope Dofus raised the bar for the series with its grander scope, tight writing and imaginative setting, Dofus — Book 1: Julith achieves much of the same, if not more. With its extravagant hybrid visuals, outstanding storytelling and one of the most memorable villains of the franchise, if not the medium, it’s no wonder the film maintains a small but dedicated following a decade later.

“We’re All Connected” (Final Thoughts)

A preview of an older Joris and Khan in ‘Welsh & Shedar’ — The first new Dofus anime in ten years. | Image: Ankama Animations

At the time of writing, Ankama is in the midst of its 25th anniversary celebratory tour, with the usual events, announcements and commemorative items to mark the occasion. While it would be easy to mistake this underdog tale as one of those “miracles” that came from nowhere, the story of Dofus is so much more than the origin of Ankama, the birth of the Krosmoz or the celebration of any one specific individual, IP or medium.

In an interview with Dofus Mag (Dofus Magazine), co-founders Tot and Kam outlined the origins of the company, highlighting the arduous task of bringing their first video game to market. Those with a passing knowledge of landmark video games or MMORPG history will recall that 2004 was the year that World of Warcraft released, two months after Dofus and almost an entire year before the latter received an official English localization.

When asked if they would want to change anything about Dofus, Tot had this to say:

“I don’t have any regrets. Failure is a part of the learning process. If you never fail, you never learn.”

“Tot & Kam — The Dofus 20th Anniversary Interview” (Dofus Mag, Episode 6)

Having expanded the business into comics, board games and animation, the Ankama of today is not that dissimilar to the web and game company that began in 2001. Which is to say, still privately owned, artist-centric and not exclusively tied to one aspect of the business.

In an era where recognition is not equally distributed, achievements are often delegated to some form of divine intervention and attention is primarily reserved for the most popular, profitable and marketable art, Dofus is a reminder that credit and success are not always forgone conclusions. What began as a small video game developed in Flash soon took on a life of its own, influencing and inspiring a small but passionate community that is still going strong 25 years later.

From the various teams and individuals who have shaped and influenced the Krosmoz to the artists, writers and all-around amazing human beings that are still crafting stories today, Dofus is more than a masterclass of transmedia storytelling — it’s transcendent.

Oh, the stories I have yet to explore — and those I’ve yet to share. :) | Image: Ankama Éditions

But don’t just take my word for it. As I learned from a mischievous Ecaflip and the serious yet kind new store owner that sold me this exquisite artbook (pictured above), the end of a story is nothing to fear. After all, “isn’t the end of an adventure always the beginning of a new one?”

Goultard the Barbarian is available on YouTube. Dofus: Kerub’s Bazaar is streaming on the Ankama Launcher. The 10th Anniversary stream of Dofus — Book 1: Julith premiered on February 6, 2026. The Art of Ankama (25th Anniversary Artbook) is available through the Ankama Shop or wherever French books are sold.

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