Copyright: © 1995 TV Tokyo / Softx (Japan), © 1996 Software Sculptors (North America)
Length: 30 minutes
Rating: NR, contains violence and mature situations, Parental Guidance Suggested
Format: Subbed (VHS)

Screenplay: Koyama Takashi Director: Sato Masato Producers: Kobayashi Noriko (TV Tokyo) Yazaki Yumiko (Softx) Character Design: Miyata Naomi English Version Executive Producer: John Sirabella Translation by: Neil Nadelman

A long time ago, in a land not so far away...

Thousands of years ago, the world, perched high atop a giant staff (not unlike a fork), was in turmoil. The gods, led by the great dragon Cephied, and the monsters, led by the dark lord Shabringado fought a terrible battle, until Cephied was able break the dark lord into seven pieces, and scatter the sealed pieces around the world...

So recounts Lina the tale of the history of the world to a somewhat confused and uncomprehending Gourry. Regardless, one thing is clear: someone is desperately trying to acquire something that Lina has, and now she's more determined than ever to find out why. But there's a slight catch: the magical pieces can act like a homing beacon, guiding any proficient magic user right to them. To top things off, Lina tells Gourry that she's unable to use her magic for the next few days. And to make things even worse, it appears that Zelgadis has added another ally to his side...

I keep expecting the jokes and gags to start wearing thin, but so far, no luck. I'm still stuck to the old set, watching (and listening) as intently as ever. There's a great little twist to the 'time-of-month' device; I haven't seen this appear in even my collection of fantasy books. Even better is the fact that the writers aren't afraid to let the characters play to the audience directly. Gourry's one-liner caught me completely off-guard in that respect. OK, so there's the occasional 'over-the-top' acting by Hayashibara Megumi, but so what? It's sure to appeal to the pre-teens, and that's this show's primary market. And in that respect, Slayers continues to hit the mark every time with great laughs. The whole show is done with a very loose comfortable style, and has no pretensions about being serious. Nadelman's English subtitling is above average, though here I though he missed on a couple of spots, straying away a little too far from the actual dialog without tossing in a cutting remark to compensate. Still, this is superior entertainment, even if it's done on a tight budget. - AN

	Original:	Subbed:	Dubbed:
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Translation:	N/A		N/R
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