Back to Zelkiiro's Profile Zelkiiro's Profile

NOPE. NOPE NOPE NOPE. AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE.

It's nice and all that the script seems to be largely untouched (even if the characters are husks of their former selves), because the anime (and, presumably, the novel it was based on) is fantastic, but this? This is like if Schindler's List got a comic book adaptation created by Brazzers or something. Why is there so much porn now? Sure, there was a plot point about subtle mind manipulations leading people to bone instead of fight, but that was never meant to be the story's central focus. And are we going to conveniently forget that the characters ... are 12 years old at the start, and 14 years old during the second major arc? I mean, it's easy to forget that little detail when the girls' tits are bigger than their heads for some preposterous reason. Not only did they shove in unnecessary porn, but with these huge tits, it's not even GOOD porn. Why even bother, then? Why even bother adding porn if it's just going to be grotesquely and laughably inhuman?

In other words, a big fat pile of NOPE.

Slayers NEXT was, for nearly 7 years, my favorite anime. And even now, I still have nothing but fond memories for this series. Over time, the luster has faded away, but I would still consider this to be a damn fun series. So let's get this MAL-style review underway, shall we?

Story: 6/10
Eh, not the greatest thing the series has going for it. It's all well and good that there's a central goal for the cast (find the Claire Bible and learn all the things), but Slayers NEXT's road to that end is nothing short of rocky. The second half of the series does feature a ... nice return to Sairaag and a lot of the filler episodes are among the best filler episodes ever made, but the first half's main story arc is inexcusably boring. We're introduced to two mysterious figures, Kanzel and Mazenda, who take advisory roles in the kingdom of...Seyruun? Saillune? We'll go with Saillune, as that looks nicer. Anyway, the mystery behind them is shattered the instant you see them--they're clearly evil as hell--so there's no surprise when they're outed as being evil. Which is boring. It's also kinda lame that the story is all about what Lina wants to do, and the others have no real agency--they're just along for the ride, apparently. Despite my griping, as I mentioned before, the second half's still classic stuff and the fillers are funny as hell, so the pros outweigh the cons.

Art: 6/10
I love these character designs to bits, but BOY HOWDY do they not animate well. If it weren't for the fact that the artwork is super-detailed basically at all times, you'd be forgiven for thinking this series had no budget whatsoever. Also, if you don't like 90s anime character designs, then, well, you're gonna have a bad time. The studio also got pretty lazy with the stock animations and lousy particle effects, so that's a bummer.

Sound: 9/10
Love it, love it, love it. The Japanese cast has heavyweight seiyuu Megumi Hayashibara and Hikaru Midorikawa (among others) absolutely killing it. The English dub, while obviously of lesser quality, still manages to perfectly capture the series' snarky charm and I love hearing Eric Stuart and Lisa Ortiz bicker. Oh, and, y'know, Our Lord and Savior Crispin Freeman is here, too. The music is classic stuff, from the absolutely iconic opening and ending themes ("Give a Reason" and "Jama wa Sasenai," respectively), to the super memorable insert track "Otome no Inori," and the delightfully pulpy background music. The only downside is the English dub also has an unfortunate disease blighting it named David Moo. Who ruined my favorite character in the franchise. BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY CAST HIM FOR MY FAVORITE CHARACTER.

Character: 10/10
Here it is, folks. The reason everyone remembers this humble little franchise. The 90s were chock-full of fantasy action/comedies, but not a single one of them could even hope to compare to the Slayers franchise, and the incredibly iconic cast of characters it possesses remains the reason why. Lina Inverse was rocking the proto-tsundere all-powerful sorceress mantle before Rin Tohsaka was even the faintest of pipe dreams, and she carries the show like nobody's business. Her sidekicks are no slouches, either, though: Gourry is a lovable moron, Zelgadis is hilariously straight-faced in a series that perfectly frowns upon straight-facedness, Amelia is so annoying and punchable that she circles back around to being super-endearing, and Xellos' limited-information tomfoolery could carry a show all on its own. And together, they form a dynamic that is unforgettable and make for a good time all around.

Enjoyment: 9/10
Yep, I sure did enjoy it.

Overall: 8/10
Slayers NEXT is not perfect by any means, but if you've already seen the first season, then this is mandatory viewing. Even if the first half has boring antagonists and the animation's not the best, fans of 90s anime have no excuse passing this (or its predecessor) up. Fun-filled action/comedy fantasy anime just aren't being made anymore, so you have to cherish what's there, ya nerd.

The fact that this little series' score hovers just below a 6/10 is a crime, if you ask me. I, personally, highly recommend this little gem, and I have to question whether the people who rate this anime so lowly even know what it is they watched. Let's not beat around the bush and get right to doing this MAL-style review thing, shall we?

Story: 9/10
It's as simple as simple can be--Director-kun and Rompers (a.k.a. Hideaki and Moyoco) are fuckin' otaku, and they make otaku jokes in the midst of their day-to-day activities. But sometimes simplicity is a virtue, and for the purposes of a gag ... comedy, that certainly is the case.

Art: 8/10
The visuals do what they need to do. They keep it light, they keep it fun. My only gripe is that there are a few moments where it's preeeeetty obvious this is a flash animation that was made on the cheap, but I'm going to cut the low-budget gag comedy a little slack when it, otherwise, looks perfectly fine.

Sound: 9/10
Quirky voice acting and clips of legendary otaku staple songs are all you need in a series like this.

Characters: 10/10
I would watch 500 more episodes of this series, just to watch more of Director-kun and Rompers being Director-kun and Rompers. I-I'm serious, Japan, get on it. Make more of this.

Enjoyment: 10/10
You heard me.

Overall: 9/10
Not perfect, by any means, but Insufficient Direction is a goddamn great gag comedy and I would most certainly be down for more.