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Oct 22, 2008 11:40 PM
#1

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Jun 2008
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THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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Getting off to kind of a rocky start but it looks promising so far.
KinetaNov 25, 2012 10:22 AM
I'm back.
Oct 23, 2008 1:43 PM
#2
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Jan 2008
537
I really love this series, and even though I was confused a little bit by the first episode starting "in the middle" of the story instead of the beginning (although the subsequent one does just that), but the sense of adventure and fantasy exudes from the haunting opening to the catchy end song. At the risk of being bias, I consider Lodoss one of my all-time favorite Anime series, and I've always found the dub very enjoyable, especially the OP and ED songs and notably Lisa Ortiz's performance as Deedlit. Although she takes a significantly different approach to the character than Yumi Tohma, she still makes the role her own.

-Jon T.
Oct 23, 2008 11:13 PM
#3

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Jun 2008
15714
JTurner said:
I really love this series, and even though I was confused a little bit by the first episode starting "in the middle" of the story instead of the beginning (although the subsequent one does just that), but the sense of adventure and fantasy exudes from the haunting opening to the catchy end song. At the risk of being bias, I consider Lodoss one of my all-time favorite Anime series, and I've always found the dub very enjoyable, especially the OP and ED songs and notably Lisa Ortiz's performance as Deedlit. Although she takes a significantly different approach to the character than Yumi Tohma, she still makes the role her own.

-Jon T.


OH! They started in the middle, huh? Well, that certainly makes the episode I just watched (2) make a lot more sense. Hum. Maybe it wasn't such a rocky start after all.
I'm back.
Apr 12, 2009 12:38 PM
#4

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May 2008
158
seems ok thus far. promising.
Jul 27, 2009 2:55 PM
#5

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Aug 2008
2537
Fantasy is being more rare to each year!
Seems a good anime! Good first episode.
Jul 21, 2010 4:45 AM
#6

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Feb 2009
3436
Some fantasy, finally, rare to see it nowadays.

I love this kind of art style.
Jun 4, 2011 7:44 AM
#7

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Apr 2009
4211
Hey it's Moria straight from LOTR and in place of the Balrog we get a dragon! XD The party setup reeks RPG but hey it's high fantasy after all.
You see there's no need to wonder where your god is,
Coz he's right here! ...and he's fresh out of mercy.
Aug 10, 2011 11:22 PM
#8

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May 2010
8122
Odd scenes like dragon not eating them, but withdraws his head when Parn lost his sword...

Looks interesting though.
Even when I was in crowd, I was always alone
Feb 18, 2013 7:31 PM
#9

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Jul 2008
441
I used to look at pictures of this anime on the internet, I really loved the art style. Finally got to watch this. The animation is amazing for 1990. They even avoid only moving the lips most of the time. Really makes me want to check out other older anime now. Nothing much in terms of story in this episode, just some history and introducing the gang.
Jun 8, 2013 1:55 AM

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Sep 2012
3613
Female elf = Stupid.
Rule.
Mar 7, 2014 9:59 PM

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Aug 2013
4759
We got a human warrior, rogue, cleric and mage. Then we have a battle-axe-wielding dwarf and a female elf. They're in a dungeon and in the end they fought a dragon. Yep, definitely DnD. Hope it's just as fun :D
"May those who accept their fate be granted happiness."

"May those who defy their fate be granted glory."
Apr 14, 2014 11:52 PM

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Jun 2013
1140
Love this kind of shit, man. Too bad it's in such short supply when it comes to anime. The only other anime that really compares to this in style and setting is Berserk, at least that I can think of.

Imagine how amazing the anime industry would be if this type of show was in the place of all the harem/school/slice of life bullshit.
ex_necrossApr 14, 2014 11:55 PM
Sep 12, 2014 3:57 PM

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Mar 2013
484
Glad i finally am giving this a shot. As a Fantasy fan of the Greats like LOTR, WOT, SOFI etc this really hits the spot. Loving the Dungeons and Dragons RPG like feel as well with the party. The Voice Acting is superb with some of the legends of old. As a True LOGH fan its a privelage to hear many of it's voice actors contributing here, most prominently Wakomoto Norio. Parn with the same VA as that of Trunks from DBZ is pretty epic as well.

My only concern is that when/if i watch the alternative series for the complete story I will lose out on all these great Voice Actors due to the cast change.. Really worrisome, but for now I'll enjoy this to the fullest. 5/5 for this episode.
SlickDSep 13, 2014 8:52 PM
Oct 11, 2014 11:59 AM

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Jun 2014
7
Record of Lodoss War is an animated adaptation of DnD transcripts published in a Japanese magazine. So if it screams "RPG", "DnD," and the like to the point of clicheness, that's why. However, knowing it is a transcription from an actual playthrough makes me respect the story and characters a lot more. It's very good considering it's from a pen and paper RPG.
Jan 6, 2015 1:16 PM
The Shrike

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Nov 2009
11297
I'm rewatching this after many years, in glorious BD quality. The art, animation and soundtrack are as fantastic as I remember them. Top notch stuff.
"Perhaps there is a universal, absolute truth. Perhaps it justifies every question. But that's beyond the reach of these small hands." Mamoru Oshii

There is a cult of ignorance (...) nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” Isaac Asimov

Apr 12, 2015 1:40 PM

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Nov 2014
9843
The quality of old anime is just unbelievable. Animation is far better than most recent shows.

Jul 21, 2015 4:51 PM

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Sep 2014
413
Media Res is Media Res. Ep 1.

Plot-Classic Tolkien swords and sorcery. A country on the brink of war. Malevolent forces gathering in the dark. And a band of heroes on a journey to stop it.

Characters-Parn the Hero Knight. Deedlit the Elf. Ghim the dwarf. Woodchuck who does not Chuck Wood the thief, Etoh the Cleric, and Slayn the Wizard. Classic line up.

Animation/Sound: Currently watching the dub and enjoying it. The voices do fit the chara but it does seem like the lip syncs go off. The OST is beautiful. Nuff said. Animation looks pretty good considering the year of production.

3.75/5. Media res does make it a confusing start but color me interested.



I go where I wanna go, even if its into Oppai.
Aug 30, 2015 1:33 AM

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Aug 2013
570
A pretty enjoyable episode. It reminds me of those fantasy stories like LOTR. I was actually surprised by the comedy parts. I watched a couple episodes of this 20 years ago and I remember it being all serious. I guess those were the last couple of episodes. Luckily, I don't remember anything about the story. It's been so long.

No complaints about the English Dub so far.
Mar 21, 2016 8:05 AM

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Jul 2015
1640
I hyped myself for three day before starting, didn't disappoint, the animation is awesome, the character design are classic but i love it, the decor are beautiful, the music are out of this world, the character tropes like the dumb elf is cliché but i love it that way, i hope it stay that awesome, most impressive first episode ever !
Jul 6, 2016 10:11 PM
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Jan 2008
537
garydai said:
A pretty enjoyable episode. It reminds me of those fantasy stories like LOTR. I was actually surprised by the comedy parts. I watched a couple episodes of this 20 years ago and I remember it being all serious. I guess those were the last couple of episodes. Luckily, I don't remember anything about the story. It's been so long.

No complaints about the English Dub so far.


"Lodoss War" OVA's dub gets a lot of flak from some people who think it is genuinely awful, but I've never really understood it. Considering what was available at the time (1996), I think it's a solid effort. Not perfect, but still watchable. It's notable for Lisa Ortiz's debut as Deedlit and the VAs do a genuinely good job… but there are a couple of moments that can come across as stiff and/or awkward, and some of the more minor characters can seem amateurish. The lip sync is less than perfect as well (although it IS less than perfect in the original Japanese as well). These are only minor issues, however, and otherwise this is a good dub for a 1996 effort.

Glad to see there are people enjoying it.
Jul 31, 2016 1:05 PM

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Feb 2015
6845
I normally don't watch old anime, as I'm generally not a fan of the 90's art style, but this is one anime I've been wanting to watch forever. I have to say, I'm not disappointed. The art and animation is amazing. The characters and designs look cool. The only thing that I didn't like as much was the pacing. The first half of the episode felt very slow, though the second half made up for it with that dragon fight.
Aug 14, 2016 1:20 PM

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Jan 2012
31481
Op fits this old show , from op this gonna be about dragons , eh what stone transforming to monsters from nowhere.
that elf is getting on their way.

Jan 31, 2017 5:10 PM
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Aug 2014
1693
Great first episode. Especially liked how they just dropped you right into the story.
Mar 30, 2017 11:00 AM

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Jan 2013
14160
I really like that elf girl
Aug 4, 2017 1:24 PM
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Aug 2013
13
Re-watching this for the first time in over 10 years (although I can't remember much of it anyway). It's a pretty good start, it has a dragon... you can't really get much better than that in a fantasy anime. They blow their load right out of the gate with a dragon. But this dragon can't decide if it wants to use firebreath or not so it's most likely a low level starter zone dragon for newbies, probably some shitty fetch quest for some npc whose story branch isn't even worth reading.

Deedlit sure likes to cause trouble for everyone, too busy looting and not enough thinking. But she's still cute so that's okay. Not many cute elf girls in anime so I'll take it I guess.

Anyway it's good to be watching fantasy anime that isn't set in some virtual reality video game world.
Oct 9, 2017 1:16 PM

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Jul 2016
1651
beautiful animation, it has a "taste" to it and it sounds weird but it's just... see, i can't even explain it. a 90's feel? i absolutely loved the opening song and i liked the ending too. i wish dee was more mature, she seems ditzy.
Nov 20, 2017 4:53 PM
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May 2017
301
This seems like a promising start. I'll definitely stick around (well, I always do).

I'm loving the old fantasy setting thus far.
Feb 19, 2021 3:30 PM

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Aug 2017
2976
A show starting with a Norio Wakamoto line can't disappoint me, I'm sure. Though I'd say the goofiness of his character feels unnatural for a Wakamoto role. In any case, so many familiar voices. Hello, Char ruling some Kingdom!

Seeing Valis namedropped reminded me of that Anno-directed CM. No connection though.

But damn, every second of this episode just screams cliche. Not that it's bad in itself though, just a bit funny. Even the "goddess of wind" Sylph kinda sounds like Sylvanas from Warcraft. And Ghim/Gimli (LotR).

Poor dragon.

It was surprising to see the preview before the ending. I think it's the first time I've encountered this. The opening surpised me with a sudden Spanish (?) line.
St0rmbladeFeb 21, 2021 10:56 AM
Feb 21, 2021 9:17 AM

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@St0rmblade Woodchuck lost a big part of its appeal in the adaptation (though I love his Yuki design).

"Sylph" sounds like Sylvana? That's weird, "sylvana" is supposed to go with trees (sylvains, and so on) while "sylph" is typically a wind thing.
As for the Ghim(li) and other things, it's obviously due to its origins. The author (creator of the world if you prefer) had to rewrite most of the "replays" when it was made into actual novels (not only but) notably because of all the obvious borrowings to other famous books or universe.

About the preview thing: it's only a sign from God that you should give up and accept watching announcements before the next episode.


PS: I had totally forgotten that the mercenary king was voiced by Ikeda. No comment about Takeshi Kusao though...
Dec 17, 2021 4:55 AM

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Nov 2017
4622
Golly, this would definitely be one of the best anime to watch inebriated. Not saying it's bad or anything, but the idea just came in my head whilst I was watching lol.

I do like the 90's anime art aesthetic and it surprisingly goes well with fantasy. I also love Deedlit's character and design!
Feb 21, 2022 10:05 AM

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Jan 2009
92411
nice start, lets see if the animation stay consistent like this until the end
Aug 28, 2022 5:07 PM
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Sep 2021
14
Character Introduction.
Mar 18, 2023 6:20 PM
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Jan 2023
27
Great impact with breathtakingly beautiful details drawn and great music. The feminine character is intriguing and funny and the group dynamics are still to reveal themselves but are interesting and keep you wanting more from what they show in the first episode. As a base, it seems a rather simple adventure shonen.
Jun 17, 2023 5:53 AM
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Dec 2015
290
Amazing animation and details! Love the classic fantasy settings you don't see much of anymore
Sep 18, 2023 9:18 AM

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Dec 2022
4168
That battle with the dragon was thoroughly entertaining and full of tension. The visuals being impressive for the time of release certainly helped with that.


Shaded Horizon


Oct 18, 2023 12:53 PM
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Jan 2017
14
nice op and ed, and the elf looks attractive
Jan 12, 3:51 PM

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Aug 2022
76
Introduction to this Anime reads very much like a D&D Campaign.

It appears we have a four humans (Fighter, Cleric, Mage, Rogue), Dwarf Fighter and Elven Druid/Fighter/Mage. It appears she could be old AD&D multiclass.
Nocturne12Jan 12, 3:57 PM
Feb 15, 3:15 PM

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Jul 2021
888
A confusing first episode but i liked it. The lore drop at the start with light vs darknesss and the final battle, i cant wait to learn more.

The little group were following is already likable and the elf girl is pretty cute.

I love old animation and the detail it just looks so good along with the colors. Off to the next.

@JTurner The first episode really is confusing but it was still very good, the dub is also great.


Feb 16, 4:01 PM
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Jan 2008
537
Reply to bubba460z
A confusing first episode but i liked it. The lore drop at the start with light vs darknesss and the final battle, i cant wait to learn more.

The little group were following is already likable and the elf girl is pretty cute.

I love old animation and the detail it just looks so good along with the colors. Off to the next.

@JTurner The first episode really is confusing but it was still very good, the dub is also great.
@bubba460z Very pleased to hear you say that about the dub. I've always liked this dub ever since I heard it back in 2001. Admittedly, I don't think it's as amazing as dubs today, but it does hold up well for its time period. Lots of solid performances in there.
Mar 19, 2:38 AM

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Sep 2016
205
This was actually a nice first episode. Deedlit is already best character for me. Yes, it is because she is a cute elf.
Apr 21, 3:12 PM
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Nov 2023
2
A random encounter that I would have wished the world for. This is love at first sight, everything I have sought for; a classic fantasy anime. Elves, dwarfs, knights, dragons, monks, wizards, witches, kingdoms and ruins. The art is amazing, the details, the textures, oh the first minutes they were all glory all the way to the last second! Blessed be the animators of this piece. I am in love.

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It’s time to ditch the text file.
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