Far from the perfect straight A student, Louise happens to be a spell caster with a somewhat difficult time handling her magic. Her shortcomings have consequently earned her the nickname “Zero Louise”. As a test, she must summon a familiar (or servant) that will aid in her magical workings but instead, to her dismay, she mistakenly summons a normal Japanese boy. Both Louise and Saito refuse to work with each other as they both feel shortchanged, as she cannot perform another summoning spell and he cannot return to his normal life.

Just like Ash Blake, Louise is the school’s outcast and some would say just a plain old zero. While their individual searches leave them confused and bewildered, what both characters are truly searching for is that magical element that could dissolve their angst and alleviate their confusion. In a twist of events, the main characters in both stories end up finding their power in stubborn, albeit cute, little packages.

Both Louise and Ash require the help of unlikely sources that take the shape of a little girl, Eco (from Dragonar Academy) and a little boy, Saito (from Zero no Tsukaima). Eco and Saito allow Ash and Louise to change their perspective and realize what is truly important; only through that lesson can they reach their full potential and attain their true power, hidden within.

In a world separated by three thin veils, demons, sorcerers, and humans dwell in their respective realms. Although the humans are unaware of the constant havoc wreaked between the god’s and demon’s ongoing battles (as most of the fighting takes place in the other dimensions), Magician’s Academy is a tale that follows an up-and-coming sorcerer who inhabits more than just one world, beginning with (yep, you guessed it) another summoning exam gone awry.

Magical mishaps abound when Takuto’s failed summoning spell results in the appearance of a girl named Tanorette. This small girl is in fact a potential half-demon/goddess who possesses a lethal dose of magical mana, with enough power to lay waste to the entire country. But, to Takuto’s relief, Tanorette is unyieldingly loyal and consequently pledges her allegiance. All the while, a behind the scenes plot, in fear of Takuto’s immense power, is hatched to thwart his efforts and wipe him out of existence.

Just like Dragonar’s Academy, this tale deals with big things that come in small packages (this time the packages being unassuming girls with loads of power, be it magic or dragon rage). Both series explore themes related to coming to terms with one’s willpower and strength, and claiming those things for oneself. In Magician’s Academy, Takuto was deemed to be too dangerous as his power was seen as a liability, on the other hand, Ash Blake is seen as the only one who can summon himself to wield the power needed to defeat certain enemies in Dragonar Academy. Regardless, the two end up being outcast by their abilities and respective magical powers. Both series offer viewers a similar curriculum that includes all the fire, action, and energy that makes Dragonar Academy so thrilling.

Following the tragedy of his parent’s passing after a space shuttle disaster and the impending threat of an asteroid impact wiping out all life on Earth, we find Jin Kamishina. The series unfolds as Jin finds himself uncovering mysteries regarding his family’s death while trying to survive the impeding annihilation of the planet. After uncovering a dragon egg under the ocean, the International Solarsystem Development Agency, or ISDA, creates a weapon or (Dragonaut) to combat the asteroid’s potential wrath, but this celestial Molotov is just one of Earth’s concerns as Earth-bound dragon creatures begin to wreak havoc on their collision course with the planet. Jin’s fate becomes entangled with the enigmatic appearances of a sensuous half-humanoid/half-dragon being, named Toa. But who really is this female dragon being who has taken human form? Despite their backgrounds, our unlikely duo must fight the odds and try to survive, at the same time though, could an explosive revelation lead to their destruction?

While both Dragonar Academy and Dragonaut (obviously) deal with the mythical power of fire-breathing creatures and how to control them, there are key elements that link the two even further. Both stories enlist unlikely duos in the union of a human male and a female dragon-being that has taken on a humanoid form to communicate with their male counterpart. The focus of Dragonaut shifts when you realize the sheer force and brute power of the winged beasts will not be tamed.

Only the main characters in both series can summon their own will to save their respective worlds, as they try to sift through a world on the verge of becoming cinders. Be it against evil-doers in control of dragons like Ash in Dragonar Academy, or from the apocalyptic power of extra-terrestrial dragon-like beings hailing from their asteroid home, like Jin in Dragonaut. Perhaps both Dragon Academy and Dragonaut can be said to inhabit the same dragon universe (whose one to say); the only difference is that in Dragonaut: The Resonance, the dragons have turned on the humans trying to harness their power, and they may have already won.