When looking at the way Schleich decided to portray the Dragon Rider and other figures with no Western cultural background, there is one question looming all over the toys: Was it meant to be a form of cultural appreciation or is it just cultural appropriation? To be honest, this is no question that is easy to answer.
On the one hand, the Young Dragon Rider is portrayed as a hero. He is marketed as one of many Dragon Riders, which are all having different cultural backgrounds. Additionally, one can argue that Schleich offers representation by creating characters that are not only white. Therefore, kids learn about the differences humans have. Studies have shown that kids who play with toys that have disabilities, tend to respond more openly and positively to disabled people (Erdly, 2022). This might be also applied to differences in the form of culture and gender. The Dragon Rider is described as a friend to his dragon, framing him as a friendly and positive figure. Therefore, it might teach kids to embrace diverse cultures.
On the other hand, he is the only Dragon Rider who does not have a name and is described to be living in the desert. These attributes nurture the aspect of Orientalism by making him an outsider. Moreover, Schleich is a German company, which creates a Western view on their characters. Besides, the clothes that the Dragon Rider wears cannot be clearly identified with one culture and are therefore forming no proper representation. Further, Schleich does not share any further information on the cultures that inspired the Dragon and his companion. Lastly, there is a lack of description on the toys that could teach children diverse historical or cultural information.