This show cut down on almost every sidequest/filler within the novels, and some more: hence the story is abrupt, confusing, and not very well developed throughout the whole running time. The story has a tendency to either jump between certain points in time, or not explain what happened between events. Notably, the transition from episode 5 to 6 was quite confusing, so much that I thought I'd turned on the wrong episode by accident. Also, no one gets any character development time, not even Parn, and if our protagonist is susceptible to this then no one is exempted. Deedlit is in love with Parn out of the blue because reasons, and everyone else are likewise cookie-cutter characters, such as the supportive wizard, the gruff dwarf fighter, the morally gray rogue, the mentor/father figure and king, the scheming advisor, etc. Expecting a well-woven, fantastic and complex story of a grand scale in a meager 13 episodes is the fastest way to disappoint yourself: Treat this show as an appendix to the novels, as a teaser video series of what a properly visualized Lodoss could have been, because the visuals, while a bit static (or borderline ridiculous) in a few key action scenes, are for the most part absolutely gorgeous and emblematic of the late 80's ~ early '90s aesthetics, with animators that worked on/would go on to animate incredible visuals from various works like Galaxy Express 999, Akira, Ghost in the Shell, RahXephon, Cowboy Bebop, and many more.
This OVA series' greatest contribution to the otaku subculture is how they managed to perfectly animate Deedlit, arguably the most influential elf character in ALL of Japan--at least, in terms of character designs. Blonde, long and pointy ears, well-endowed with a slender frame, green clothing, nature something something, with a high chance of being a tsundere? That's from Deedlit. I can immediately think of five elf characters with similar hair and cloth color coding--and most of them originate from NSFW material. To say that Deedlit influenced EVERY female elf character in Japan since her creation might not be an overstatement. It's not just her character design though: Deedlit is probably the best 'character' (if anyone can properly be called so) in Lodoss, simply because she gets so much screentime even when it's not her turn to shine, in addition to having the best voice acting. Deedlit is strong and resourceful without being overpowered (unlike Parn), wise and composed (unlike Parn), haughty but not overbearing, compassionate yet level-headed, possesses unrivaled beauty, and, most importantly, has the power to significantly increase the budget of the sakuga and frames of every scene she's in while Parn stares at her or zones out into the distance. Truly the fantasy girl that every otaku wants.
I talked more about Deedlit than the actual plot. That should tell you what to expect from this show: a visual feast and a narrative famine.
