Alternative TitlesSynonyms: The Slayers, Slayers TV Japanese: スレイヤーズ
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 26
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 7, 1995 to Sep 29, 1995
Duration:
22 min. per episode Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 7.961 (scored by 20237 users)
Ranked: #4892
Popularity: #314
Members: 34,016
Favorites: 877 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
adventure comedy fantasy magic |
SynopsisLina Inverse, a wandering sorceress and bandit-killer, joins forces with roving swordsman Gourry Gabriev in what's supposed to be a quick union of convenience. Instead, an artifact Lina "liberated" from a gang of thieves turns out to be the key to the resurrection of the demon lord Shabranigdo. Urged on by the mysterious Red Priest Rezo, the pair has no choice but to fight the dark lord and his servants, accumulating new allies and enemies along the way.
(Source: ANN) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Slayers: Super Explosive Demon Story, Slayers
Sequel: Slayers Next
Prequel: Slayers Gorgeous, Slayers Special
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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Archaeon
122 of 162 people found this review helpful
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26 of 26 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
The mid 1990s were a bit of a special time for anime, kind of like a mini golden age. Akira had opened the doors to the West and, after a taking a little rest, the second great expansion of anime began to gather pace. Titles like Ghost in the Shell, Martian Successor NADESICO, Fushigi Yuugi, Golden Boy, Escaflowne, Macross Plus, Giant Robo, and the ever contentious Neon Genesis Evangelion became firm fan favourites and cemented the media's place as a viable form of entertainment in the West.
In amongst all these great shows came a fantasy series that would literally change the way studios would approach the genre for years to come. With its irreverent humour, memorable characters, and a story that was more about getting rich than going on quests, it possessed an appeal that was almost universal.
I am, of course, talking about Slayers.
The saga began as a series of light novels written by Kanzaka Hajime (with illustrations by Araizumi Rui), which were adapted for manga from 1990 onwards. In 1995 the series was then re-adapted for anime, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The series follows the adventures of the notorious Lina Inverse, a young sorceress whose name strikes fear into the hearts of, well, pretty much everyone (even though she's petrified of slugs and her older sister). She is joined in the first episode by a wandering swordsman named Gourry Gabriev, the wielder of the Sword of Light (which Lina wants for herself), who initially believes Lina to be a lost little girl and decides to become her bodyguard.
Many shenanigans ensue from that fateful meeting, and things only get worse when the pair are joined by princess and perpetual justice freak Amelia Wil Tesla Saillune, and the man with a huge chimera chip on his shoulder, Zelgadis Graywords.
The story is, at heart, a fantasy adventure that on the surface resembles many other sword and sorcery romps. The big difference though, is that Slayers doesn't take itself too seriously, mainly because of the characters themselves. Although the plot follows a pretty straightforward route through the series, there are many occasions where the narrative plays second fiddle to the comedy, especially where Lina and Gourry are concerned. Whilst there are some obvious holes in the story, the comedy more than makes up for it, and more often than not the viewer will find that they simply ignore any inconsistencies just so they can see Lina lose her temper and destroy something else.
The humour is pretty formulaic for the most part, however that doesn't mean that it's bad. The comedy sequences are actually very good throughout the series, and some of the running gags are well thought out and executed. It's strange, but there are very few comic fantasies out there, especially those of the sword and sorcery type, and most of the shows that include a degree of comedy often treat it as an afterthought to the main, and often serious, storyline. Slayers approaches things from the other direction, and the main aim of Lina and Gourry isn't to save the world, but to get as rich as possible for the least amount of effort (and we won't even mention how much food the pair can put away).
This is perhaps the main reason why the franchise has become a benchmark for the fantasy genre, and many shows will, either fairly or unfairly, be compared to Slayers. It would be fair to say that the most common question asked about almost every fantasy anime since is "Is it as good as Slayers?". The uniquely defined characters, the lack of any real "quest", the explosive humour, and the underlying tone of sheer anarchy all serve to separate this show from the rest of the pack.
It's the characters in particular that draw people into the series though. Lina Inverse is, without doubt, the most notorious female lead in fantasy anime, and one of the most well known in the entire medium. Her vivacity and explosive (and often destructive), temperament, together with her streetwise savvy and tremendously powerful magical ability, all serve to provide the viewer with all manner of entertainment. Gourry is very much like Lina in that he provides the audience with much of the physical humour whilst never becoming a part of the visual "furniture". An added bonus is that he is also a play on the stereotypical knight, being handsome, brave, strong, virtuous, and as dumb as a brick.
That said, some may find Amelia and Zelgadis to be annoying at first, but due to the combative relationship they have with both Lina and Gourry (and with each other), viewers may find themselves warming to the pair. It should also be noted that because Slayers tries to avoid the inclusion of stereotypical fantasy characters, the writers had far more freedom to make trouble for Lina and the gang to get into, and they seem to have approached this task with some enthusiasm.
As the series progresses the characters do actually develop to a degree, however this is usually masked by some action or comedy so it doesn't really get pushed to the fore. This may seem a bit odd at first, but given the nature of the plot, this method is actually better for the franchise as a whole. This may not sit too well with some viewers though, especially those who believe that character development is one of the most important aspects of a show. That said, Slayers has some particularly strong and complex characterisations, in particular Lina herself. Because of this, the series doesn't actually need any unnecessary development, and the door is left open for the characters to go off and do other things (like arguing, eating, destroying monsters/bandits/towns/mountains, trying to kill each other (only as a joke - honest), looting treasure, etc).
Given that the series is from 1995, it's actually aged pretty well. The colours are bright and bold, especially with backgrounds and settings. The characters themselves are designed to be unique and expressive, although much of this comes from their actions rather than their faces. Animation is a big plus for the show, and it's to the credit of J.C Staff and SoftX that the series has held up rather well over the years. The animation by modern standards may not be exceptional, especially as it tends to add a more cartoon-like quality to movements, but it is extremely well choreographed for it's time and genre.
Sound is another big plus for Slayers, especially the fact that the series has been dubbed into over seven different languages (including Japanese and English). In all honesty I prefer the Japanese dub, however that is no reflection on the quality of the English version, and is nothing more than a personal preference. The Japanese seiyuu are very good on the whole, and are able to express a wide range of basic emotions, as well as humour. The English cast are pretty good as well, however I did find Lisa Ortiz' voice to be a little too high pitched for my tastes.
The music is pretty decent throughout the series, and while the pieces generally work well with the on screen action, there is a degree of repetition that can become annoying for some viewers. The sound effects are well timed and choreographed, however the more complex combinations can become a little too heavy on the ears.
Even with its age and obvious flaws Slayers is an absolute joy to watch, and it's truly rare to find a fantasy series that has such memorable characters or humour. There is a certain amount of formula to the plot, however the blend of comedy and action, together with the unique take on the characters, ensure that cliches don't feel out of place in the story.
This is a series that is worth watching by, well, everyone, especially those who prefer fantasy and comedy. There are very few shows around even today that can be called comic fantasies, and most of those have the name "Slayers" somewhere in the title. read more
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running_lemon
20 of 28 people found this review helpful
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26 episodes
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| Overall |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
Slayers is a comedy/adventure/fantasy anime directed by Takashi Watanabe (directer of Kino's Journey and Boogiepop Phantom) and in many ways it can be seen as a parody of conventional RPG video games. it revolves around Magician Lina Inverse, and Swordsmen Gourry Gabriev as they travel around meeting new people, fighting demons and monsters, and getting into various predicaments along the way.
Story: In my opinion the best aspect of Slayers. The events flow nicely into one another and they frequently recall past events, making it feel as though nothing watched early in the series was a waste of time. Although the plot is quite linear, it is still very enjoyable. Reversely however, the atmosphere in many places is compromised by the shows non sequitur and random humor. So at times when the mood is serious, it can be quickly destroyed with a random crack about Lina's chest size. Additionally, although in many cases genuinely funny, there are alot of times when it feels like they are trying to hard in getting a joke across.
Animation: Being a few years old, the animation of Slayers reflects that. Although overly it is good. The anime has a medieval setting and the characters apperances do a good job to match the setting.There are a few parts with recycled animation, like when a character is casting a spell or attacking. On downside is that, although they have a numerous amount of magical spells, many of them have similar animations to one another. Only things like "Fireball" and "Dragonslave" get unique animation. Alot of the Shamanist spells used by Zelgadis just look like bright white light.
Sound: Nothing really spectacular about the music. Seemed to match the anime well and I enjoyed it. No major complaints.
Characters: The characters worked well with the story, but they either didn't really stand out or were fairly generic. Lina is a quick to anger and selfish female lead (think Bulma from DBZ). Gourry is your typical slow yet powerful male lead (I don't think an example is really necessary). The other characters seem pretty bland that way as well.
Enjoyment: I did enjoy it overall, however, it wasn't anything all that spectacular. There was a time during the middle where the plot lulled a little and it got a little boring, but the beginning and end were very interesting and fun to watch. check this out if you like the fantasy/adventure genre. Definatly not something to watch if you are looking for comedy primarily. read more
Recommendations
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Both take place in a fantasy world full of magic and sorcery. There's plenty of action and comedy. Gokudo and Lina's personalities are a bit similar to each other...definitely not the goody-goody hero type.
Both series have a similar art style, similar types of comedy, and carry the same air of light-hearted adventure with a more serious plot going on at the same time.
Slayers and Gokudo have a lot in common with each other.
Gokudo is very similar to Lina personality wise for starters.
both series are also funny as well which is a definite plus and action in both also.
They both involve magic and adventure also.
so if your a fan of one you really should watch the other because both are great series.
Gokudo tells the increasingly-bizarre travel tales of a band of antiheroes as they are swept from one strange fantasy land to another as they discover the purpose of the quest the gods have manipulated them into performing. The main character is a perfect unsympathetic protagonist-- you can't help but feel he deserves everything that happens to him (he does!) but you want to see him squeak by with a victory everytime, along with his strange company-- a runaway princess, a demon prince, a gender-changing genie, and other hilarious fantasy genre misfits.
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Slayers and Rune Soldier are similar because they are comedies base in a fantasy world with magicians, warriors, priestesses and thieves. Rune Soldier was a easier series to watch and a lot more funnier then Slayers but there are a lot of good Slayer episodes and more of them then Rune Soldier.
Light-hearted fantasy with a tongue-in-cheek approach to the usual clichés.
[ENG]
If you watched all the seasons of Slayers, and you want something in that same spirit, have a look
Rune Soldier ...
C first series smile never left my face, humor at a height, and sometimes even want to reconsider
aspects, except that in the main role is not Lina Invers, and Louie ie guy ...
Both characters have a good command both magic and power moves, the medieval world was built
without the stamps, a wonderful sense of humor at some points went (What's going on without it)
and yet is immediately obvious that the anime made by the same studio JC Staff
Look advise, merry mood ^____^
[RUS]
Если вы просмотрели все сезоны Slayers и хотите, что-нибудь в этом-же духе, то советую посмотреть
Rune Soldier...
C первой же серии улыбка не сходила с моего лица, юмор на высоте, иной раз даже хочется
пересмотреть моменты, только вот в главной роли не Lina Invers, а Louie т.е. парень...
Оба персонажа хорошо владеют как магией так и силовыми приёмами, средневековый мир построенный
без штампов, великолепный юмор в некоторых моментах пошлый (Ну куда без этого) и ещё сразу видно,
что аниме сделано одной и той же студией J.C. Staff
Смотрите советую, весёлого настроения ^____^
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Opening Theme"Get Along" by Masami Okui and Megumi Hayashibara
Ending Theme"Kujikenai Kara!" by Masami Okui and Megumi Hayashibara
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