DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, an animated series based on Valve’s genre-defining Dota 2, debuted on Netflix in March. During The International 2021, Valve announced Marci, a character from the anime, as the newest hero to be added to the game.
Marci served as the bodyguard, servant, and confidante of Princess of the Moon, Mirana, one of the series’ main characters, in DOTA: Dragon’s Blood. The mute lady-in-waiting will now appear in Dota 2 as the game’s 122nd hero, as well as the game’s first hero based on an anime character.
As of now, players have no idea what kind of hero Marci will be in Dota 2, but based on the trailer Valve released during her announcement, they can make a few educated guesses. The otherwise small and unassuming young woman possesses exceptional power, capable of dispatching large and armored foes with a single strike.
Marci could easily be classified as a strength or agility melee hero in Dota 2 based on her skillset from the anime, and given that she’s seen battling jungle monsters alone in a forest in her teaser trailer, she could also end up being the game’s first hard carry added in about five years.
This isn’t the first time Dota 2 and the anime that inspired it have collaborated. During the summer, Battle Pass holders could unlock a persona skin for the Dragon Knight hero Davion, which altered his appearance, animations, and voice acting to match the headstrong hero from Dragon’s Blood. Dota 2 also revealed a trailer for the anime’s second season, which featured some more familiar faces from the game, such as the fire-wielding Lina, an iconic intelligence hero in Dota 2.
Marci quickly became a fan favorite after her appearance in DOTA: Dragon’s Blood. Even though she couldn’t express herself verbally, the mute fighter had a lot to say. Her absurd strength provided both comic relief and intense heroics. Her honesty, loyalty, and silent-but-snarky humor quickly endeared her to fans, making her an ideal choice for Dota 2.
Nonetheless, Marci is not the person many people expected to be the first original Dragon’s Blood character to appear in Dota 2. Despite her popularity, other characters with powerful and unique abilities, such as the elvish illusionist-assassin Fymryn or the all-powerful goddess Selemene, would translate well to a MOBA. Nonetheless, while they may eventually find their place in Dota 2, it appears that the beloved brawler Marci has beaten them to the punch.
