Alternative TitlesEnglish: The Legend of the Legendary Heroes Synonyms: DenYuDen, DenYuuDen, Densetsu no Yusha no Densetsu, LOLH Japanese: 伝説の勇者の伝説
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 24
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 2, 2010 to Dec 17, 2010
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
R - 17+ (violence & profanity)
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.011 (scored by 23164 users)
Ranked: #4392
Popularity: #366
Members: 44,526
Favorites: 654 1 indicates a weighted score
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SynopsisRyner Lute is a lazy student of the Roland Empire Royal Magician's Academy. One day, the Roland Empire goes to war against their neighboring country Estabul, and Ryner loses his classmates in the war. After the war, Ryner sets out on a journey to search the relics of a "Legendary Hero" at King Sion Astal's command and finds out that a deadly curse is spreading throughout the continent.
(Source: Wikipedia) |
Related AnimeAdaptation: Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu
Summary: Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu: Iris Report
Character: Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi OVA
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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Archaeon
196 of 342 people found this review helpful
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24 of 24 episodes seen
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| Overall |
7 |
| Story |
6 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
These days we often misuse words in ways that sometimes don't make sense. Take "epic" for example, and think about all of the occasions where the term has been applied as a colloquialism that simply means "I enjoyed it" , "it was very good", or some other sentiment along those lines. It's actually surprising how many people don't know the meaning or usage of the word, but rather than comment on the failure of education systems, let's have a look at how "epic" applies to an anime like Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu (or The Legend of the Legendary Heroes, whatever floats your boat).
The original eleven volume light novel series by Kagami Takaya was published in Dragon Magazine from February 2002 until October 2006 and has spawned a sequel (The Legend of the Great Heroes of Legend), and two spin offs (The Legend of the Legendary Heroes Anyway, and The Legend of the Black Fallen Hero), as well as being adapted as a drama CD, a PSP game, a manga, and the recent anime rendition.
Now aside from mild curiosity at the obvious addiction to using the words "legend" and "hero" in some manner, one has to wonder if the anime adaptation can really live up to the popularity of the franchise.
The story begins with an attack by the Nelphan army on the person of Ryner Lute, a layabout who is on a mission for his trusted friend, boss, and cause of all of his problems, King Sion Astal of Roland. Accompanying him on his journey is the warrior and perpetual dango addict Ferris Eris, a woman who may be a genius with a sword, but is pretty clueless with almost everything else (except dango). The pair have been tasked with finding and acquiring the legendary artifacts known as the Relics of Heroes, which lie hidden in various places across the continent of Menoris.
As with any fantasy tale there's an element of derivation inherent in the plot which results in several very familiar scenarios being played out over the course of the series. This in itself isn't a bad thing though, as these staples are often used to drive home a particular point, or as support for the main storyline.
And this anime really does need the support.
The main issues with Denstsu no Yuusha no Densetsu (DenYuuDen), are the lack of coherency with the story and the constantly changing pace of the plot. Viewers may often find themselves wondering how a particular situation came about, and while there are efforts to tie up certain loose ends, these are nothing more than papering over the cracks. The narrative suffers from a distinct lack of timely explanations, and events can lead the audience on a merry dance as they struggle to keep up with the storyline. This is exacerbated by the constant mood swings that occur from one episode to the next, and the addition of seemingly random comedy scenes give the viewer the sense that even the show itself has no idea what's going to happen next.
The heart of the problem is simply that ZEXCS, like many other studios, have made a screenplay that is nothing more than a "cut and paste" rendition of the original source material. While there are some anime that get away with summarily stringing together disparate events, it would have been better for everyone if they at least made the effort to stick to the story. Better yet, ZEXCS could have followed the example set by Satelight when they made Guin Saga, and only adapted a portion of the story to ensure there would be a continuous flow to the plot.
One has to wonder what moment of "genius" would persuade director Kawasaki Itsuro and series composer Yoshimura Kiyoko to make such a disjointed narrative.
On the plus side the lack of care with the storyline isn't really reflected in the look of the show, and DenYuuDen has some nice, imaginative scenes that really show what ZEXCS are capable of if they put their backs into it. The series features some decent animation, but the design principle impinges on this to a degree, partly because of the bishounen aspect of the show, but mainly because of the costumes. While the various outfits and garments are creative in their own way, there are several scenes where things like cloaks would clearly be a hindrance to any actual combat. In addition to this the characters tend to be on the impassive side when it comes to facial expressions, although this becomes less of an issue as the series progresses.
DenYuuDen also features some very nice lighting and visual effects that add an extra layer of atmosphere to particular events, giving them an elegant, decadent, or dramatic feel that requires little in the way of added audio. Unfortunately this is offset by a lack of attention with small, specific details which seem like they were pencilled in as afterthoughts (Ryner's two year old beard is one example of this). While it's sometimes easy to overlook these relatively minor flaws, every now and then they become impossible to ignore, and viewers may be left wondering why the studio didn't notice these discrepancies before releasing certain episodes.
The series features two opening themes, LAMENT Yagate Yorokobi Wo by Yuuki Aira (episodes 1 to 12), and Last Inferno by Ceui (episodes 13 to 24). The first OP is a rather bland affair that is generally well timed and edited, but ultimately fails to inspire. The second track is an altogether different beast that has far better choreography, and possesses a more serious and dramatic air than before. As for the ending themes, Truth Of My Destiny by Ceui and Hikari no Filament by Takagaki Ayahi, neither is anything other than a reasonable pop ballad coupled with pointless visuals that have no bearing on the story proper.
What is interesting is the manner in which the background music is utilised. The tracks are often subtle additions that never really come to the fore unless the situation warrants more drama or tension, and because of this there are very few clashes with the dialogue. In addition to this the effects are given precedence over the music during a number of action sequences, and given that this series is a relatively disjointed affair, the quality of the audio choreography is more than a little surprising.
One of the problem areas for DenYuuDen is the dialogue, in particular the tendency towards oratory and the sudden changes between banter and seriousness that are extensions of the inherent issues with the storyline, so it's to the credit of the actors and actresses that they deliver some decent performances. Fukuyama Jun (Ryner Lute), Ono Daisuke (Sion Astal), Takagaki Ayahi (Ferris Eris), and the rest of the cast are able to inject a degree of personality into their characters, but this is limited by some truly cumbersome scripting.
Unfortunately this, together with the compression of the story, has a knock on effect where the characters are concerned.
Like so many other fantasy anime out there, DenYuuDen follows the tried and tested method of event driven development, but like many other shows it also falls into the trap of poor characterisation. From the beginning of the first episode the viewer is expected to not only identify with Ryner, Ferris and Sion without knowing anything about them, they are also supposed to wait for any explanations because of the disjointed nature of the story. Add to that the fact that much of the growth is dependent on specific events that are scattered throughout the narrative, and the lack of personality comes to the fore.
That said, while there is little to maintain the viewer's interest in the characters at the start of the show, things do take a turn for the better at the midway stage so that by the end of the series they are no longer cardboard cutouts. The events that drive the development also become a little more complex as the story develops, which is nice to see as the tendency in fantasy anime is to add more detail to the story while keeping these "signposts" simple.
Now it may seem like I'm being unfair to DenYuuDen by picking up on so many of its flaws, but there is a reason for this. While there is a lot that could have been done to improve the series as a whole, it's actually a rather enjoyable romp too. The byplay between Ryner, Eris and Sion can be odd because of the poor scripting, but there is humour in there, enough to make the viewer smile at least. In addition to that, there is a concerted effort to improve the story in the second half of the show, with darker themes emerging and more focus on consequences. The action sequences are decent enough, but every so often there is a flash of brilliance, and the characters can sometimes show a surprising depth that really should have been there for most of the series.
And that's the rub. It really, really could have been so much better than it is. There is so much that ZEXCS could have easily done to improve DenYuuDen, and even something as relatively simple as deciding to adapt only a portion of the light novel series would have made a profound difference.
One thing that should be touched on is the mistaken assumption that Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu is somehow an homage to Legend Of The Galactic Heroes due to the similarity in the naming conventions. The problem is that far too many people who have heard of, or watched, the latter anime have automatically decided that DenYuuDen should be just as good when, aside from the name and the fact that heroes, politics and war are involved, the two bear very few similarities. It's a bit like saying apples and apricots should taste the same just because they're both fruits that grow on trees and their names start with "ap".
Anyway, leaving that aside, the one thing that really stands out about this anime is that it's effectively an unfinished product, especially as the light novels are still publishing. The disjointed storyline and initially lacklustre characters make this a much more difficult show to invest in, and this is a shame as there are several key plot elements that are interesting enough to warrant much more attention.
That said, ZEXCS' attempt at adapting the novels has some good points, and while there is enjoyment to be had, it's a far cry from being an epic. read more
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Atroxion
75 of 137 people found this review helpful
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24 of 24 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
9 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
Titles are essential in most forms of entertainment in order to draw attention. Titles, however, can also be misleading. Such was the case for me and the anime series entitled The Legend of the Legendary Heroes. It may be have been just me, but for some reason I did not find the title to be particularly appealing and it certainly did not paint an image that seemed interesting to me—it felt too simple, too exaggerated. Then again, titles can be misleading.
The Legend of the Legendary Heroes is a fantasy piece—a tale of magic and war in land inspired by Europe during the Middle Ages. It deals with Feudal Warfare, more or less. Its focus lies in a number of characters, each taking up a particular role in shaping the world that they reside in. The Roland Empire is the country brought into our attention. At its throne lies the striving Sion Astal, a king of quite a young age, but one that has decided to do everything within his power to change his kingdom for the good. Things are looking better than they have been for a while in Roland, but the greatest battle has yet to take place, for behind the shadows lie assassination attempts to overthrow the king and various conflicts between the neighboring countries.
Sion Astal knows that in order to prevail and fulfill his dream of changing the world for good he must find alternative ways of going about the problem. Therefore, he sends his good friend Ryner Lute, whom he made a promise to make the world a better place, and Ferris Eris, a female swordsman stemming to a clan in charge of guarding the king, beyond the borders of Roland and upon a journey to search for ancient relics that are said to have once belonged to a great warrior. These relics may hold the power to single-handedly turn the tides of battle in the bearer’s favour.
Apart from the three aforementioned characters, which could be called the most important ones in the series, there are still lots of other ones that receive a notable amount of screen time and are quite vital to the progress of the story, such as Sion Astal’s right-hand man Miran Froaude (a highly interesting character that remains as puzzling in the end as he ever was) or Milk Callaud, the captain of Roland’s taboo-breaker squad who has her own personal reverse harem.
Too many anime series like to paint their characters in black or white, but The Legend of the Legendary Heroes always remains in the gray area with most of its characters. Sure, Ryner Lute is a typical protagonist, yet even he has some pretty dubious past experiences. What’s fascinating is the way we gain a different perspective on certain characters, since some tend to change their alignment (or so it appears, at least) or something about them is revealed that puts them in a completely different light. Flashbacks are no stranger in this anime and they are often used in clever ways, usually giving us more insight about the characters and their principles (or their lack of them), but they also tend to become dull or overused at times (so everyone had a bad childhood—how convenient).
Magic plays an important part in The Legend of the Legendary Heroes. The person most in contact with it is Ryner Lute, who is actually one of Roland’s greatest magicians (not many know this since he prefers afternoon naps over battles) and an Alpha Stigma bearer, meaning his eyes can detect forms of magic, but he is cursed as much as he is blessed, for those possessing the Alpha Stigma tend to go out of control and destroy everything in their path if things get too intense. There’s certainly some sword fighting to be had throughout the series (especially from Ferris’ part), but most battles are fought using magic. Thankfully, the fight scenes are very well-done and they’re always highly entertaining and easy to decipher (no weird camera angles or hurried editing here, don’t worry).
One of this anime’s most impressive aspects is the story. It may not be innovative or original, but it’s executed in a spectacular manner, often exploring different themes or following several plot paths all at once. The main storyline never feels neglected, but somehow the series always finds time to develop other things at the same time and offer each of its characters satisfactory screen time. The episodes work great because their filled with a lot of variety, often featuring fashbacks and focusing on several plot points. The Legend of the Legendary Heroes gets a lot done in twenty minutes’ time, always remaining entertaining yet never feeling rushed or overloaded.
The art and animation is truly excellent, often eye-popping, but it does exhibit some problems. For one, some of the characters’ facial expressions could have been drawn better, especially when it came to scenes depicting comedy. My other gripe is with an episode about halfway through the series which uses a different art style from the rest of the episodes. The reason why the anime changed styles was because the episode was more action-packed than the usual ones, but that still doesn’t excuse the fact that that certain episode felt too unfamiliar to work in balance with the rest of the series.
Perhaps the most important drawback of this anime is its conclusion, or rather the lack thereof. While the series does not end with a cliff-hanger, it does leave most things open for a supposed sequel. However, a sequel coming out or not completely depends on how well this anime does on a financial level (it hasn’t been doing very well up to this point from what I’ve heard). So before deciding whether to give The Legend of the Legendary Heroes a watch or not, you might want to take into consideration the fact that things may never be resolved if no sequel is produced (of course, we’ll always have the light novels to ease that pain).
Despite such flaws, The Legend of the Legendary Heroes remains an excellent fantasy anime series. The story is very well done, the characters are thoroughly interesting and adopt shades of gray instead of black and white and every episode is as enjoyable as the previous one. Don’t let its corny title be the deciding factor when it comes to considering whether The Legend of the Legendary Heroes is worth your time. read more
Recommendations
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Both in "Chrome Shelled Regios" and in "Densetsu no yuusha no densetsu", the hero is a boy, who, in the beginning, is trying to hide his past and exceptional abilities (tenken-user, alpha stigma) playing the dumb, pretending to be unintrested, slow and unskilled. Other similarities seem to be the fantastic setting, the presence of the fantastic itself (the mysterious regious and their spirits and monsters the student-soldiers are fighting against, magic), organizations of selected fighters (tenken-users, orphanage training soldier-magicians) and smaller groups of friends of the hero who are operating together, and finally (there might be more, but I will just leave it at that for now), a strong leader among the student of the academy themselves (Loss, Shion). The latter series has aired only 2 episodes yet, so I cannot really tell, but I suppose that if you like one, you might like (or at least check out) the other. ^^
Same director and both have strong leads who dislike fighting and an unknown past.
The character design is very similar to DNYND, and both the main character don't really like to show off their powers. Also, in the same way that Alfon Alseif is being manipulated by the President there, Kalian Ross, Reiner Lute from DNYND is also being manipulated by the king, Sion Astal, to find the Hero relics.
Both are very good shows, although the ending of DNYND suggests that the series hasn't ended yet.
First of all Both main characters would rather not use their power, and secondly both animes contain slightly supernatural fighting. Legend has more us of powers though, but either way if you can make it through the first 3 episodes of legends or chrome shelled regios you'll be addicted.
-Both main charecters are very OP (overpowered)
Legend is more sad, while chrome is more of a fun action with a less deep story.
overall both are a good 8-9/10 anime if you can get into them maybe even a 10.
Same studio, similar art and character design
CSR and DenYuuDen are similar due to the fact that both main characters have a dark past and they try to hide it, Both are Action,Comedy and adventure along with strong main characters. If you liked one, try the other.
Both protagonists are very powerful people Ryner Lute(Alpha Stigma bearer) Layfon Alseif(One of the heavenly sword weilders). Both want nothing to do with fighting and want to be left alone. Both have a friend that has high status in CSR (chairman) in DYD (king). Both have a girl that is likes them but won't admit it. Both have good OP songs.
Both are packed with loads of action and cool fighting scenes.
Huge display of power from both protagonists and other characters.
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It has Jun Fukuyama voicing the protagonist, a boy who has a great power in his eyes and that sometimes goes berserk. The plot is about war and revenge between Royalty, the purpose of the one of the protagonists is to build a better world by becoming king, no matter what sacrifices he must do. Also contains Best friends turning into enemies.
Both series are anti heroic fantasies with badass protagonists who are voiced by the same guy.
(This is mostly for people who've watched Code Geass)
There are similarities in plot (with one character seeking revenge against a member of the royal family) and characters (Ferris' dango is C.C.'s pizza). They are a bit different but the political elements common in both series might mean those who like Code Geass might enjoy Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu (The Legend of the Legendary Heroes - don't let the title put you off), although it doesn't start out as serious as Code Geass, but once the characters are explored a bit it does so.
The biggest similarity which might mean fans of either series would enjoy the other is that a main character must contemplate the sacrifices he must make in order to change the world, like in Death Note. One thing you should know before you start the series is that it appears the anime has lasted only one season and in that time hasn't covered the whole story in the light novel series it is based on.
It is a very good anime and in some ways alot like Code Geass,the main character of Densetsu has the eyes of an "monster" witch causes trouble on his missions,once he goes out of control it's nearly impossible to stop him.
same VA,eyepowers and plain badassness
Political intrigue, mystical powers, bloodshed, and varying degrees of slap stick comedy on the side.
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Opening Theme#1: "LAMENT ~Yagate Yorokobi wo~ (LAMENT ~やがて喜びを~)" by Aira Yuki (ep 1-12)
#2: "Last Inferno" by Ceui (ep 13-24)
Ending Theme#1: "Truth Of My Destiny" by Ceui (ep 1-12)
#2: "Hikari no Filament (光のフィルメント)" by Ayahi Takagaki (ep 13-?)
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Related ClubsDensetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu, Dark Legends fan club!, [Taka] Fansubs, Simulcast Support Group, Okamoto Nobuhiko FC, Ryner Lute /FC, English Dub Fanclub, DENSETSU NO YUUSHA NO DENSETSU FANCLUB, Satoshi Hino Fans, Kingdom of Insanity, Iris Eris FC, One-eyed characters, Anime Adapted Light Novels/Novels, Swords and Magic Anime/Manga Club, Anri Katsu Fanclub ☆, , ☼ Patisseries Lovers ☼, Ayana Taketatsu Fanclub, Ferris Eris FC, The Fukuyama Jun FanclubManga Anime League (MAL), We love Bishies!, Terashima Takuma FC!, Uncontrollable power, Kaze's Anime Empire (KAE), Polski FC Bohaterek Walczących Bronią , hardcore violence and gore, Fantasy Club, Miyu Irino Fans!!, super power romance anime, Daisuke Ono Fan Club!, Kaze's Anime Empire (KAE), Royal Goo Fansub, Hayami Saori Fanclub, We Luv Anime Guys, Power House, Tomokazu Sugita Fanclub, Anime Night, ♥ Royalty ♥, Anime Experience, Fujita Saki Fan Club see all
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