Anime Review: Slayers

Lina 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)

Slayers Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Slayers Synonyms: The Slayers, Slayers TV

Slayers Studios: FUNimation Entertainment, SoftX, Easy Film, TV Tokyo Music,

Slayers Review

Slayers isn't the best anime ever made, but it's a fun ride, a historical classic, and the start of some great sequels.

Every genre has a series that stands out as its veteran representative. Magical girl shows have Sailor Moon, martial arts anime has Fist of the North Star, and swords and sorcery has Slayers. It may not be the best show to ever come out of the genre, but it defined an era... the era of VHS anime. When downloading didn't exist, when adult jokes eeped into dubs they knew would never make it to TV, when hentai had to come with a big, bold label making it clear that even though it was animated, it was "absolutely NOT for kids." It's fun to reminisce.

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__Story:__ Slayers is a somewhat slow, meandering series with a lot of fillery content. Unlike most shows, however, the fillery stuff is what most of the fans come for. If you've ever seen the Slayers OVA's, which are adapted from the short novels and are entirely canon, you'd know that the franchise has an inclination towards goofy humor and ridiculous situations over any real dramatic plot. This first season of the Slayers TV anime, however, delivers on both fronts, mixing the Rumiko Takahashi-ish comical shenanigans with a cohesive plot pitting Lina Inverse and company against the demon lord, Shabranigdo, among other villains. This first season is much slower and more relaxed than later ones, which makes it a bit less entertaining to watch, but it gets from point A to point B with a few amusing pit stops along the way, and ends with a satisfying conclusion to the overarching plot.

__Art:__ Being an older series, it should be no surprise that the art is a bit dated. For its time, though, its production values are not bad, perhaps even exemplary in some shots. Animation is pretty fluid and character designs consistent. No meaningful complaints to be had here, it's simply a product of its time.

__Sound:__ Japanese viewers, rest easy, but English fans, be warned: the dub of the first season of Slayers is not a strong one, something I'll once again attribute to its time of production. The two leads, Lina and Gourry, get off to a slightly rocky start but grow into their roles nicely as time goes on. Other characters change their voice actors completely partway through the season (both for the better), while others still are just stuck with their mediocre voices beginning to barely-audible end (Rezo). Though an average dub for the time, it sadly does not hold up today. On the music front, Slayers hits it home with a recognizable soundtrack that boasts a distinct style, setting the pace for the rest of the series to follow.

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Slayers is a classic series that should be on the watchlist of any dedicated anime fan looking for the complete, historical anime experience. Like many of its classic acquaintances, it's not the best show by modern standards, but it's still a fun ride from beginning to end, and the first stepping stone in what will become a strongly-written series with some great characters and a lot of fun to be had... but that's not 'til later seasons.