The Tiger Won’t Eat the Dragon Yet is one of those manga series that offers a slow burn. However, its first volume suggests that we’re going to gradually watch a meaningful relationship between two characters grow as we also learn more about their world. We’re seeing how a predator and prey situation grows into an actual relationship.
The world of the series is a fascinating one. All animals are also capable of shape shifting into more human (or humanoid) versions of themselves. We begin with a dragon, who appears young despite being older due to the way his species ages, being targeted. This is because of rumors and myths about dragon flesh, which cause other races to want to devour it.
Naturally, this attracts the white tiger. She’s initially interested in getting and feeding upon the dragon’s flesh. However, upon spending time with him, she just… doesn’t. Instead, the two end up getting closer and coexisting. We see this develop into not just a situation where she’s not just protecting her future meal with her immense strength and skill. The dragon looks young and small, due to his age, but he’s much smarter than the tiger is. Due to the nature of tigers being a much shorter-lived species and more reactionary, she’s not as book smart and may not read situations as well, and so he’s helping her as well.
We’re seeing all these situations in which they help each other. It can absolutely feel friendly, but perhaps even familial as well. The tiger is becoming protective of the dragon. She’s looking out for him and we can even see concern. Likewise, she ends up meaning something to him. It becomes more than maybe outsmarting her to use the situation to his advantage. He’s willing to hurt himself to save her, showing how quickly the stakes increase.
I also love the idea of how the lore surrounding the dragon and tiger could end up shaping the story and their relationship going forward in the manga in The Tiger Won’t Eat the Dragon Yet. We’re learning more about the dragon and tiger races bit by bit as the story goes on, due to interactions with other creatures. Moments when other members of their species come up also end up proving quite insightful. It lays groundwork for both playing big parts in later volumes.
With The Tiger Won’t Eat the Dragon Yet, we get to see this fascinating dynamic develop between the tiger and the dragon in the first volume of the manga. The two come to understand and even rely upon each other, and what I’m seeing here in the first installment makes me want to see how their relationship progresses. Likewise, the lore that’s building up around them is gradually becoming more fascinating.
The Tiger Won’t Eat the Dragon Yet volume 1 is available now, and Yen Press will release volume 2 of the manga on August 20, 2024.
