Takita
​(Taki-tah)
Draker
Drifting with Dragons
Netflix Japanese Anime Series

Tadayou ryū     漂う龍 © Netflix
​

Takita Draker Japanese anime drifting dragons

​The series is rather controversial as it uses dragon hunting as a guise for the Japanese whaling industry. That aside, it has a strong following. The doll is from a dollar store and although it has 11 joints making it ideal for modelling, the hair doesn't go all the way around the back so it is bald. I may have to give it a hair transplant to get the pig tails completed. Also I broke the left hand putting the jacket on , taking it off, putting it on etc. 

Drakers Uniform Prototype version 1

​The Double Buckle Belt addition - centre buckle will travel to her left side and a large buckle will be positioned in the middle or maybe not!

​Shoulder piece with black cuff detail

My new method of attaching shoulders is by cutting slits along the curve on both the body and sleeve. This has improved the curve and fit of the sleeve compared to my other methods. I sew over the needles but once I did hit one with the sewing needle. No damage was done. I have seen some designers pull the pins out just before the needle arrives. Having said that I am on my third attempt getting the attachment spot on.

​Attaching the pieces together

​Attaching the black cuff

​Attempt no 5, getting there

​I need to address the collar detail and squareness of the front flap. Otherwise I'm OK with it.

Adding the buttons

Jodhpurs

​Leather Boots

Her Story

Takita Draker (Dragon Hunter), was onboard her steampunk hunting ship when the crew encounter a dragon which they begin to chase. After ducking in and out of clouds, the dragon appears to slow and tire. As it approaches, a harpoon is fired into the dragon. However, Takita becomes tangled in the rope and is propelled off the ship. This causes the harpoon to miss its target.

In desperation she grabs hold of the dragon and both plummet towards the ground. The crew look over the sides of the ship down into the misty depths below but can see nothing. Takita's fall is suddenly broken by cascading branches of trees. She doesn't realize at this point but the dragon has special magical powers and it is the dragon which saves her from the fall. But that is not all that this magic dragon can do. It also has just enough power to place a small hunter into a different time zone. In this case, a forest just outside of  St. Lo in Normandy during the allied advance of 1944.

Takita wanders in a daze into the evacuation center and is immediately treated by the girls at the 24/7 Military Field Hospital.

Takita finds it difficult to believe that her homeland of Japan is at war with the USA but feels reassured when she learns of a Japanese American unit also fighting in Europe on the allied side.

After the war in Europe ends, the unit is dispatched to Japan to continue the fighting there. However, Japan surrenders while the unit is stationed on Iwo Jima. When Takita learns of the devastation of Japan from Radar, the divisional communications radio operator, she is heart torn. Celebrations begin to envelope the entire division on shore and those still aboard ship. This includes members of the 24/7 MFH.

In low spirits, Takita removes herself quietly from her wartime friends and walks down to the beach front. She kneels down on the beach and looks out to sea. From the shoreline to the horizon all she can see is a vast armada of allied shipping and aircraft in flight. Takita looks up into the sky, and while clutching the sands of Iwo Jima in her hands cries out in her native tongue.

A couple of marines on patrol observe her and one begins to approach her but his comrade tugs on his jacket sleeve,

"She's one of ours Jim"

On board the Fleet command aircraft carrier, a radar plotter notices something approaching north of the island and alerts his Sgt.

"Ah Sgt, got an image here. We don't have any aircraft in that area and its not responding to our code, quite a large target by the looks of it"

The Sgt passes on the info to his Officer in charge who also investigates the image before reporting to the captain.

"Sir, it could be a rogue Japanese bomber but the image is larger."

"Thank you LT, Bob I want full alert stations now, inform the shore station of our findings and get some planes up"

"Yes sir, planes are already up sir"

The alert stations call goes out to all vessels and soon men can be seen pouring out of the lower desks of the ships getting ready for battle stations. Shortly the object is seen by spotters on the main carrier and the call to shoot down the object goes out. A variety of ordnance flies up to meet the incoming object. However, the rounds merely turn to plasma as they hit with what now looks like a giant bird like animal on a descent towards the beach.

​Witnessing these events, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, a British pilot attached to the division and on approach to the main carrier in his Hellcat after a patrol, calls the Fleet command to cease fire. The creature is seen to land near a girl on the beach whereby she climbs upon its back. It then lifts up into the air.

The brigadier is directed to investigate the creature which from his perspective, now looks like a giant dragon. He banks his Hellcat and levels up behind the creature. He gains on the dragon quickly so he decides to lower flaps and cut the engine, occasionally applying power as he tries to match the speed of the dragon. The brigadier pulls up along side the dragon and sees Takita on its back now wearing her traditional drakers' blue costume. Takita smiles and waves at the brigadier. He then applies full throttle, raises the aircraft's flaps, salutes and banks away from the dragon.

After about one hour Takita arrives at a misty region of sky and glimpses of snow capped  mountain  peaks. Suddenly she notices a black dot ahead that grows larger as she approaches the steampunk draking ship. She has arrived home.

Her story associated with the characters of the 24/7 Military Field Hospital ends here. Alone in the evenings in her bunk she will recall the fun and adventures she had with Lisaveta, Katy and Lili in their tented barracks. She will remember the drive to the coast in a Sherman tank with Duffy, Buck and the girls, and her friendship with Sgt George Eastman who learned some Japanese from her. She will remember all these things until the day she dies. 

George Eastman is attached to the unit occupying forces in Japan as unit photographer. He remembers Takita telling him that she was born in the last year of the Tokugawa Dynasty. If she was still alive she would be about 94 years old. While stationed there he frequented government institutions regularly in the hope that she may still be alive.

After months of searching public records he visited the local museum in Tokyo. By chance he came across an old waling section in the museum and suddenly there in one of the halls, was a large draker dragon ship. A blue tunic caught his attention in a glass display cabinet. He also noticed the repairs on the side of the tunic that Lisa made after Takita had fallen into some trees in the forest outside St Lo.  George read the description on a card at the foot of the display - "This tunic was donated by Takita Takagawa, the last dragon draker of Japan". Her date of birth was listed but not her death. George's heart began to beat faster. He immediately called on an attendant for assistance. 

"Yes the old lady from a village north of Tokyo, she is still alive. Follow me to the administration desk and I will help you with some information that will help you find her.

She is in this rest home but you will have to make an appointment".

Excited, George clutches the note written by the attendant close to his chest. The following morning he boards a train for the village about 20km north of Tokyo. After receiving help with directions to the home he finally arrives at the main entrance. George walks along a path and over a wooden bridge spanning a small stream. He stands still looking at the entrance to the administration office, taking off his hat and entering. He could hear the clatter of a typewriter which stopped and the woman using it looked up at him. 

After explaining his desire to meet Takita the woman asks him to sit down and wait. After a long wait of 20 mins she returns and asks him to follow her. They pass along several corridors and occasionally George sees other elderly residents resting in chairs listening to radio broadcasts, some just sleeping. They finally stop and the woman assisting him opens a door and asks him to wait outside. She returns after a couple of minutes.

"Miss Takagawa will see you now but please be aware she is very tired"

"Thank you ma'am for you help, I really appreciate it"
​

An elderly lady rests on her bed, her head turned to one side on her pillow as George enters the room. Takita speaks quietly.

"Hello George, its been a long time, nearly 80 years since I last saw you on Iwo Jima"
How is everyone?"

George takes a hold of Takita's hand and gently kisses her on her forehead. At that moment the dragon that Takita tried to kill all those years ago and also brought her home began to descend through the clouds over Tokyo heading north.

​They spoke about their time together in Normandy and about the gang she learned to love after her fall with the dragon over the forests there. The woman attendant returned and stood in the doorway.

"It was a magical time George and I loved you very much"
She smiled at him.

And then her hand went limp and her eyes closed. She passed away peacefully.
George stared at her, she never told him that before. He then broke down and cried, the woman came over and placed her arm around his shoulder.