Slayers

The domestic cover design for THE SLAYERS is pretty decent.

by Eugene Cheng

A light-hearted, playfully ingenious, fantasy adventure/comedy. That's one way that THE SLAYERS could be described. Others would call it a slapstick look at the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS genre of Anime. Still others might watch it and say that it is a perfect amalgam of humor, action, character development, swords, and sorcery. But anyway you slice it, all will agree that it is a great series.
It's less tense and gloomy than RECORD OF LODOSS WAR but it's not as ridiculous as DRAGON HALF. The world in which THE SLAYERS unfolds is a magical land where the young sorceress Lina Inverse strives to keep her money pouch filled and her considerable appetite satisfied. She accomplishes this by bringing the might of her magic against thieves, and using their hard-earned goods to fund her lifestyle. You see, Lina is the greatest sorceress in the world, despite her appearance.
Lina has just vanquished a whole band of thieves and thugs with her magic. Heavy with her new-found treasure, Lina heads back to town. But soon she is confronted by the remaining survivors of her attack. She is about to dispatch these hoodlums when a dashing swordsman named Gourry makes his appearance on the scene and promptly defeats them. But Gourry is a bit disappointed when he discovers that the beautiful damsel he thought he was saving turns out to be a mere waif. And so they met.
Gourry and Lina become companions and go through many an arduous adventure. They discover a plot laid by the evil golem, Zelgadis, to awaken the imprisoned lord of darkness, Shabranigdo. Shabranigdo's resurrection would lead to the destruction of the world, and Lina and Gourry are set on stopping it. This is the storyline that occurs throughout the first 10 episodes.
In these episodes, you'll be exposed to all sorts of creatures, half-breeds, and monsters. And the viewer will always be entertained by the manner in which our heroes overcome the obstacles placed in their way. With Lina's cunning and magic, and Gourry's strength and cool (and a special family secret), these two are sure to win the battles in their journey. You'll be surprised what happens along the way. THE SLAYERS is nothing if not an interesting and pleasingly unpredictable series. Noonsa, the Flaming Fish Man, and Ogres that can regenerate are only the beginning of the perils they must face.

The subtitled version is done very well, with translations being handled by Neil Nadelman. The font is a very clear yellow. Extra points for including the romanized version of the Japanese lyrics for the OP and ED songs so music lovers can sing along. And only in the subtitled version can you enjoy the voice of the inimitable Megumi Hayashibara (who plays the role of Lina Inverse).
The dubbed version, in all honesty, is quite good. The lead characters have been given voices close to their Japanese counterparts, and can actually act reasonably well. Gourry still comes across as debonaire and dimwitted. Lina also retains her high-energy, exuberant speaking voice in this version. Surprisingly good, and definitely worth buying if you don't like looking at the bottom of the screen all the time.
The packaging is also very well done. The box art is beautiful, and will definitely attract your eye in the stores. Dubbed and Subbed versions are differentiated by the color of the sleeve. Subbed Videos have a purple sleeve while Dubbed Videos have a blue sleeve.
Software Sculptors has only licensed the first 13 episodes of this popular series. The final three episodes begin a new story, but fail to complete it. It is very likely that they will continue to release more episodes of THE SLAYERS if fan response is great enough. And they have done much to ensure that fans get their money's worth.
The first tape contains 4 episodes while the remaining 3 tapes contain 3 episodes each. Each video volume is available in subtitled and dubbed formats, with both versions available simultaneously and for the low price of $19.95. In addition, Laser Discs of the episodes will be made available shortly after the VHS release, pressed by Pioneer, with 2 episodes per Disc. Currently there are 2 Disc Volumes available. These will have Japanese on the Analog Track, English on the Digital Track, and will be subtitled via Closed Captions. Orders can be placed through the Software Sculptors Homepage.

Episode 1: ANGRY? Lina's Furious Dragon Slave!
Episode 2: BAD! Mummy Men Aren't My Type!
Episode 3: CRASH! Red and White and Suspicious All Over!
Episode 4: DASH! Run for it! My Magic Doesn't Work?!